A new drug to treat low-grade glioma has been approved for use on the NHS in England and Wales.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has today approved vorasidenib to treat adults and children aged 12 years and older, with grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation (IDH1 or IDH2).
The drug will be offered to patients who have undergone surgery, but who are not in need of immediate radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is the first targeted systemic therapy approved for IDH-mutant low-grade glioma.
Read more about how vorasidenib works on our blog.
Based on NICE's draft guidance, published today, immediate access is available to eligible patients via interim funding through the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF). For more information, read the full guidance on NICE's website.
Earlier this month, the Scottish Medicines Consortium approved vorasidenib for suitable patients through NHS Scotland.
Dr Karen Noble, our Director of Research, Policy and Innovation, said: “We are so pleased that patients with certain types of low-grade glioma will be able to access vorasidenib on the NHS in England and Wales. This new treatment has been shown to significantly extend progression-free survival, meaning patients are able to go longer without needing radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and therefore without suffering the harsh side effects of these treatments.
“Brain Tumour Research has followed this approval process with keen interest and contributed to consultations. Our thanks to our community for sharing your stories to help support the case for this new drug.
“Vorasidenib is the first new treatment to be approved for adults brain tumours in the UK for more than 20 years. This is a hugely significant moment, but there is still a long way to go. We will continue to campaign for governments to invest more in research into brain tumours and to ensure that patients have access to life-changing clinical trials and new therapies.”
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