Brain tumour patients in Scotland will be able to access a new treatment for low-grade glioma through NHS Scotland, it has been announced today.
The drug vorasidenib (also known as Voranigo) has been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) for use on the NHS. It can be used 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).
In clinical trials, vorasidenib was shown to extend progression-free survival, lengthening the time that patients could go without needing radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Read more here.
Dr Karen Noble, our Director of Research, Policy and Innovation, said: “Low-grade brain tumours are not low impact, so we are extremely pleased that suitable patients in Scotland with low-grade glioma will be able to access vorasidenib through the NHS. Brain Tumour Research has followed this approval process with keen interest and contributed to consultations – thank you to our community for sharing your stories to help support the case for this new drug.
“The last treatment to be approved for adult brain tumours in the UK was temozolomide, 20 years ago. This is therefore a hugely significant moment, but there is still a way to go to ensure patients across the UK have access to life-changing treatments. We will continue to campaign and work with regulatory bodies to highlight the impact of brain tumours on patients, and to make the case to government about the importance of investment in innovative new treatments.”
Read the full announcement on the SMC website here.
Brain Tumour Research is campaigning for greater national investment in research into brain tumours. To find out more, including how you can get involved, click here.
Related reading:
