Hundreds of patients in England with a rare form of eye cancer are to be offered on the NHS a pioneering drug that kills cancer cells and boosts the chances of survival.
In guidance published on Tuesday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) gave the green light to tebentafusp for patients whose uveal melanoma cannot be removed with surgery or has spread to other parts of the body.
Tebentafusp, sold under the brand name Kimmtrak, is the first treatment of its kind for uveal melanoma, which develops from cells in the middle layer of the eye, known as the uvea. The disease is thought to affect between 500 and 600 people in the UK each year.
Patients will need a blood test to determine if they have the genetic markers that make them suitable for the treatment.
Prof Peter Johnson, NHS England’s clinical director for cancer, said: “This type of melanoma is difficult to treat when it has spread in the body, so it is great news that the NHS can now offer this pioneering treatment, giving people an option that can extend their lives and offer them valuable extra time with their families and friends.”
Tebentafusp works by attaching to the proteins on the surface of cancer cells and T cells, a type of white blood cell. This helps the immune system recognise and kill cancer cells, slowing the growth of the disease.
Trials show that the chance of surviving for three years after starting tebentafusp is 27%, compared with 18% on the current standard treatment, which is checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy. Median survival on tebentafusp was 21.6 months, compared with 16.9 months.
Joanne Foster, 57, of Newcastle, who was diagnosed with uveal melanoma in 2013, welcomed the green light for the treatment. She was offered tebentafusp last year through a compassionate access scheme after the cancer spread to her lungs and kidneys.
“Living with uveal melanoma is both physically and mentally draining,” she said. “I’ve had my eye removed and ongoing treatment for over a decade, with the uncertainty of not knowing what is round the corner being incredibly difficult, particularly with no treatments available until now.
“The news that tebentafusp is now available for hundreds of current and future NHS patients just like me is the best early Christmas present I could’ve asked for. While I know it isn’t a long-term cure, it has shrunk the tumour on my kidney and stabilised my cancer in my lungs, which gives me precious time to spend with my family and loved ones.”
Jo Gumbs, the chief executive and founder of Ocular Melanoma UK, said: “Today’s announcement that tebentafusp will be available for people with metastatic uveal melanoma is simply incredible. For the first time, eligible patients with this condition will have access to an effective treatment, which offers new hope in the fight against this rare cancer.”
Gumbs said the decision highlighted the power of collaboration between patients, advocates and medical experts.
“Importantly, this decision will give people hope and that can’t be underestimated,” she said. “For too long, metastatic uveal melanoma has been a devastating cancer, so we look forward to many more improvements in the future so every patient has access to the treatments they need.”
