Key Summary
- A new drug for ovarian cancer will be available following NICE recommendation
- Mirvetuximab soravtansine is given intravenously (via a drip) over 2-4 hours, once every three weeks.
- Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death from gynaecological cancer worldwide.
The NHS has approved a targeted therapy, mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere), for hundreds of patients in England living with advanced ovarian cancer.
Following a positive recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the drug will be available for patients with epithelial ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer that has stopped responding to standard platinum-based chemotherapy.
Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of death from gynaecological cancers worldwide, with around 7,500 new diagnoses in the UK each year.
While initial treatment typically involves surgery and chemotherapy, roughly 80% of patients with advanced disease relapse and may develop resistance.
The NHS estimates up to 400 patients in England each year could benefit from the treatment.
More than a third of patients (37%) also saw their tumours shrink by at least 30%, compared to 16% with chemotherapy in trials.
Developed by AbbVie, mirvetuximab soravtansine represents the first new therapeutic addition for this specific patient group since the rollout of liposomal doxorubicin and paclitaxel in the early 2000s.
The drug combines a ‘homing’ antibody with a cancer-targeting medicine – described by scientists as a ‘biological missile’ or ‘trojan horse’ therapy.
In a major global clinical trial involving eight NHS hospitals, the treatment delayed cancer progression and prolonged survival, with patients living 16.5 months on average compared to 12.8 months with chemotherapy.
The treatment is given intravenously (via a drip) over 2-4 hours, once every three weeks.
The drug may also have more tolerable side effects than traditional chemotherapy – with the treatment aimed more precisely at cancer cells than chemotherapy, which harms healthy cells
Common side effects of the treatment include eye problems (such as blurred vision or dry eyes), tiredness, nausea, and low blood count.
Victoria Clare, Chief Executive Officer at Ovacome, the ovarian cancer support charity, welcomed the decision, and said: “This is really positive news for many with ovarian cancer. For those whose cancers are platinum resistant, this offers hope and a chance of a new treatment on the NHS.”
Kelly Sanderson Schrems, Vice President and General Manager, AbbVie UK, said: “Today’s decision is an important moment for the ovarian cancer community, who have waited more than two decades for a new treatment to be NICE recommended for this advanced stage of the disease.
