Today we've recommended a new
treatment option for around 250 people with
follicular lymphoma. Epcoritamab (also
called Tepkinly and made by Abbvie) can be used in
the NHS for adults with follicular lymphoma that has relapsed or
stopped responding after 2 or more
treatments.
Follicular lymphoma is an incurable
blood cancer with around 2,400 people diagnosed each year in
England. While many people's disease responds well
to initial treatment, options become increasingly
limited later, particularly for people whose disease does not
respond to
those initial treatments.
Clinical and
patient experts to the independent committee
explained that this type of cancer
significantly affects quality of life, as current treatments
such as chemotherapy can have many side effects, and there is a
need for more accessible, better tolerated
treatments.
Evidence reviewed by the committee
suggests that epcoritamab is likely to extend both
the time before the cancer comes back, as well
as people's overall survival when compared with
usual treatment.
A patient expert treated
with epcoritamab explained how
easy it is to use, as it's given as an
injection under the skin rather than through a drip, and
they were able to continue
working throughout treatment.
The treatment can be used
for up to 3 years, or until the cancer
progresses.
ENDS
Notes to
editor
-
Final draft guidance
link
