'Breakthrough’ drugs approval offers hope for breast cancer patients
Proven to slow down cancer
Article written by: Jessica Woodhouse
Thousands of women with previously untreatable breast cancer have been given new hope after health officials approved two new “breakthrough” drugs on the NHS.
In new draft guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved Palbociclib and Ribociclib for widespread use in the health service in England.
The drugs have been proven to slow down advanced cancer for at least 10 months and can delay the need for chemotherapy.
With around 45,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year in England alone, the drugs will help give sufferers the chance to live normally for longer.
Both drugs work in a similar way and are a brand new class of cancer treatment, the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London claim that the development of the drugs is one of the “most important breakthroughs” for women with advanced cancer in the last two decades.
NICE previously rejected Palbociclib due to its high cost however they’ve now negotiated price deals for the medication. They say that women with ‘oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer ‘ who are diagnosed after the disease has begun to spread will be eligible for Palbociclib - also known as Ibrance and manufactured by Pfizer.
Women who meet the criteria, and who have undergone the menopause, will be eligible for Ribociclib, also known as Kisqali.
It is estimated that around 8,000 people in England will be eligible for the treatment of either Palbociclib or Ribociclib per year.
Professor Carole Longson, Director of the centre for Health Technology Evaluation at Nice, said:
The committee heard from the patient experts that delaying the progression of their cancer for as long as possible and being able to continue with normal activities, including working, is valued very highly by patients and their families.
It also heard that by postponing disease progression, palbociclib and ribociclib may reduce the number of people who are exposed to the often unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy, and delay the need for its use in others.
We are pleased therefore that the companies have been able to agree reductions to the price of palbociclib and ribociclib to allow them to be made routinely available to people with this type of breast cancer.''
The ICR, along with the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, led the major clinical trial into Palbociclib.
Trial lead Nicholas Turner, Professor of Molecular Oncology at the ICR and consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden, said:
The development of this brand new class of cancer drug is one of the most important breakthroughs for women with advanced breast cancer in the last two decades.
In clinical trials, palbociclib and ribociclib have made a huge difference to women's lives - slowing down tumour growth for nearly a year, and delaying the need for chemotherapy with all its potentially debilitating side-effects. “
As soon as health officials approve a drug in England, those in Wales may choose to also follow suit