Britain will start giving people an injection that treats 15 types of cancer
20 May 10:58
The United Kingdom has become the first country in Europe to offer cancer patients an injectable form of the immunotherapy drug nivolumab, commercially known as Opdivo. This was announced by the NHS England, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports citing The Guardian.
Up to 15,000 people can receive nivolumab in the form of injections to treat 15 types of cancer.
It is the first healthcare system in Europe to offer patients an injectable form of nivolumab (trade name Opdivo) as an alternative to the drops, which usually take up to an hour to administer. Instead, a new injection is administered in just 3-5 minutes.
Treatment of 15 types of cancer
The drug is indicated for the treatment of 15 different types of cancer, including
- lung cancer
- colorectal cancer
- kidney cancer
- bladder cancer
- esophageal cancer
- melanoma
- head and neck oncological pathologies
Nivolumab works as an immunotherapeutic agent that helps the immune system detect and destroy cancer cells. It blocks signals sent by tumors to “turn off” T cells, the main cells of the immune response. The drug binds to the PD-1 (programmed death-1) protein on the surface of T cells, preventing them from turning off their activity.
Less time – more patients
According to NHS England, patients typically receive immunotherapy once every two weeks or once a month, so switching to injections will save more than a year of treatment time across the system.
“Immunotherapy has already been a huge breakthrough for many NHS patients with cancer, and being able to administer the drug in minutes will make the process much easier. This will allow teams to treat even more people and free up hospital resources,” said Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Director of Oncology.
No additional cost to the NHS
The drug in injectable form will not cost more than a traditional infusion, thanks to an agreement between NHS England and manufacturer Bristol Myers Squibb.
It is expected that about 1,200 patients will receive immunotherapy in the new form every month. The NHS predicts that most new patients will also receive the injectable version.
Experts say this innovation highlights the prospect of a “golden age” in cancer research, and the government is now under pressure to support further reform and investment through its upcoming national cancer plan.
Nasser Turabi, director of evidence and implementation at Cancer Research UK, called the change an important innovation:
“Innovations like this will be vital for faster and more effective treatment of cancer patients. We are living in a ‘golden age’ of cancer research, and it is important that the healthcare system adapts to the latest technologies. The government has a chance to build on this success in the upcoming national cancer plan for England. Investment and reforms are needed to ensure that patients receive advanced treatments as quickly as possible.”
It is worth noting that the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. has signeda record deal with the Chinese company 3SBio Inc. agreeing to pay $1.25 billion upfront for a license to develop and commercialize an experimental cancer drug.
