Hello everyone,
Our update today is short, but hugely significant. For the first time in 20 years, a new treatment for adult brain tumours is available on the NHS in England and Wales.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved the drug vorasidenib (also known as Voranigo) to treat adults and children aged 12 years and older, with a grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation (IDH1 or IDH2).
This follows approval from the Scottish Medicines Consortium earlier this month, meaning patients across the UK will now have access to this important new treatment.
Vorasidenib has been shown to significantly extend progression-free survival. It is the first targeted systemic therapy approved for IDH‑mutant low‑grade glioma and gives patients the chance to delay radiotherapy and chemotherapy, avoiding the harsh side effects that come with these treatments.
Immediate access in England and Wales will be available through interim funding via the Cancer Drugs Fund.
Brain Tumour Research is proud to have contributed to the consultation process as Patient Experts, and we owe our thanks to all of you who shared your experiences which shaped the evidence we submitted to strengthen the case for approval. This week’s landmark announcement proves what we can achieve when we work together, and we are proud to stand alongside other charities, stakeholders and, of course, our committed campaigners to help drive this change.
This news also underlines why our campaigning must continue. It is a significant step and great news for eligible patients, but there is more to be done to ensure that all brain tumour patients have access to new treatments and, ultimately, cures. We will continue to drive change to ensure increased investment in research and to secure access to life‑changing clinical trials and new therapies. That is how we will change the story.
Thank you for standing with us and for everything you do to push for change.
Karen, Hugh, Katherine and Jana.
