The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has officially approved Immunocore’s Kimmtrak (tebentafusp) as the first ever drug to treat an aggressive form of eye cancer, marking a significant milestone in cancer treatment. The drug will now be available on the NHS in England for patients with HLA-A*02:01-positive, unresectable, or metastatic uveal melanoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer. More than 100 patients annually are expected to benefit from this new treatment.
Uveal melanoma is a rare form of melanoma affecting the eye, with up to half of patients progressing to metastatic disease. Until now, there has been no approved treatment for patients with this advanced stage of the disease, which carries a poor prognosis.
Kimmtrak, which is administered weekly via intravenous infusion, works by bridging specific proteins on the cancer cells with T-cells from the body’s immune system, enabling the immune system to target and destroy the melanoma cells. This novel technology makes Kimmtrak the first treatment of its kind.
The drug will be made available through the NHS England’s Cancer Drugs Fund, which fast-tracks new cancer therapies. NICE’s decision to approve Kimmtrak was supported by clinical trial data demonstrating significant survival benefits. After three years of treatment with Kimmtrak, 27% of patients survived, compared to 18% with standard checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Additionally, Kimmtrak increased average overall survival by almost five months, from 21.6 months to 16.9 months, compared to the existing standard treatments.
Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, welcomed the approval, stating: “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.”
The approval has been met with enthusiasm from the uveal melanoma community. Jo Gumbs, CEO and founder of Ocular Melanoma UK, described the approval as a “groundbreaking moment for individuals with metastatic uveal melanoma.” Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, echoed this sentiment, calling it a “step change” for patients and their families and expressing continued support for ensuring reimbursement for the therapy across the UK for all eligible patients.
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