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Life-prolonging drug for advanced ovarian cancer gets go-ahead in England
TL;DR
NHS England has approved mirvetuximab soravtansine, a new life-prolonging drug for advanced ovarian cancer, marking the first such approval in over 20 years. This treatment targets patients with resistant forms of the disease, offering new hope for those with limited options.
Key points
- NHS England approved mirvetuximab soravtansine for ovarian cancer
- First new drug for resistant ovarian cancer in over 20 years
- Targets FRα-positive tumors resistant to platinum chemotherapy
- Over 300,000 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer annually
- Most patients diagnosed at advanced stages face limited treatment options
mirvetuximab soravtansineNHS EnglandNational Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Hundreds of women with hard-to-treat ovarian cancer can now be offered a new life-prolonging treatment, after NHS England approved its introduction. It is the first new drug for resistant ovarian cancer to be approved for more than 20 years.
Ovarian is the 18th most common type of cancer globally, affecting more than 300,000 women a year. More than three-quarters of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it harder to treat.
Standard treatment for ovarian cancer typically involves surgery and chemotherapy, but about 80% of patients with advanced disease relapse and most eventually develop resistance to chemotherapy.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), patients with folate receptor-alpha-positive platinum-resistant epithelial (FRα) cancers have until now had limited options when their tumours stop responding to standard chemotherapy.
Now Nice has approved the drug mirvetuximab soravtansine for patients with epithelial ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer that has become resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy and whose tumours contain the FRα protein that the drug targets.
NHS England said up to 400 women a year in England could benefit, in what it described as a major milestone for treatment.
Prof Ruth Plummer, NHS England’s national clinical lead for cancer drugs, said: “This represents the most significant breakthrough in NHS treatment for these hard-to-treat ovarian cancers in over two decades – and we’re delighted it will now offer hundreds of women much-needed hope of precious extra time with their loved ones.”
Mirvetuximab soravtansine, known as Elahere, is administered by a drip once every three weeks. A global clinical trial involving eight NHS hospitals found that the treatment delayed cancer progression and prolonged survival by an average of four months, compared with just receiving chemotherapy, with more manageable side-effects. In more than a third of patients (37%), tumours shrank by at least 30%, compared with 16% with chemotherapy.
The drug, made by AbbVie, combines a “homing” antibody, which seeks out the FRα protein on the surface of cancer cells, with a cancer-killing molecule that destroys the cell from within.
Q&A
What is mirvetuximab soravtansine and how does it work?
Mirvetuximab soravtansine is a drug approved for treating advanced ovarian cancer that targets the FRα protein in tumors resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy.
Why was the approval of this drug significant for ovarian cancer treatment?
The approval is significant as it is the first new treatment for resistant ovarian cancer in over 20 years, providing hope for patients with limited options.
How many women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year?
More than 300,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer globally each year, with a majority diagnosed at advanced stages.
What are the current treatment options for advanced ovarian cancer?
Current treatment options typically include surgery and chemotherapy, but many patients experience relapse and develop resistance to these treatments.
