NHS to fast-track new personalised cancer medicines

The NHS will fast-track new tumour targeting cancer drugs in an effort to lead the way in personalised medicines.

The treatments - known as ‘tumour agnostic drugs’ - work by targeting the genetic variations of tumours regardless of where they first originated. They can be used against a wide range of cancers but could be particularly beneficial against rare cancers and cancers in children.

Speaking at the Confed19 event in Manchester, NHS chief executive Simon Stevens spoke about the benefits of the new treatments but stressed that manufacturers need to “set fair and affordable prices so treatments can be made available to those who need them.”

“NHS patients in England were at the forefront of the CAR-T revolution and I want to make sure that they are also among the first in the world to benefit from these treatments.

“Preparations are underway to make sure the NHS can adopt these next generation of treatments, but manufacturers need to set fair and affordable prices so treatments can be made available to those who need them,” Stevens said.

Two of the first of these drugs are to be licensed later this year but they will need to be priced effectively if they are to be approved by NICE.

Both drugs target and block the neurotropic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene, which is commonly found in rare cancers affecting adults and children, but also in low levels in more common cancers.

The NHS is particular well placed to locate this gene in patients, through the service’s National Genomic Test Directory. Using this service, patients can be identified and tested for the NTRK gene, potentially enabling faster treatment.

It’s expected that 850 patients a year could benefit from the treatments initially, while other tumour agnostic medicines could offer hope to thousands more, if approved.

NHS England will work with the pharma industry on a range of initiatives which will see different cancer specialists brought together to identify the patients who will benefit from the new treatments; embed the tests for the genetic mutations within existing cancer pathways; and ensure that the unique characteristics of these treatments will be valued appropriately and efficiently.

A meeting is to be held this week by the Accelerated Access Collaborative to discuss how it can support the implementation of these new treatments.

Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s director of clinical research, welcomed the news, saying: “These new cancer drugs absolutely represent the kind of exciting innovation the NHS should be looking to fast-track.”