Terminal patients could get years more with their loved ones as the NHS offers Blenrep, which can put some blood cancer patients in remission
A new “trojan horse” drug is being offered on the NHS to give terminal blood cancer patients years more life.
NHS England says it is the first health service in the world to offer Blenrep which can halt disease progression by three times as long as existing drugs. It is administered via a drip every three weeks and binds to BCMA which is a protein expressed on the surface of myeloma cells. The drug is then taken into the myeloma cell, at which point it detonates and the mafodotin chemotherapy is released, killing the cell. Around 1,500 patients a year with multiple myeloma could now be offered the drug, full name Belantamab mafodotin.
One of them who has received it already is Paul Silvester, 60, from Sheffield, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow – in July 2023 after his cancer caused broken bones in his back. It was discovered he had a tumour in his spine and initial treatments failed to stop his cancer’s progression. He received Blenrep at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield via an early access programme and was in remission within weeks.
Paul said: “I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house. It has been amazing – within the first two or three weeks, after the first dose, I was in remission. It gives me quite a lot of confidence in the drugs and it makes me more optimistic about the future. I’ve been feeling well and I’m still quite active – that’s what’s important in terms of your quality of life. One of my daughters is graduating from university in October and it’s a goal for me to be there.”
Multiple myeloma often affects multiple parts of the body, including the spine, skull, pelvis and ribs. Each year, more than 6,000 people are diagnosed in the UK and it is estimated there are around 33,000 people living with the cancer. Trials showed that Blenrep, in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone delayed progression of the disease by an average of three years, compared to just over a year for patients taking commonly-used drug daratumumab instead.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s cancer director, said: “Myeloma is an aggressive type of blood cancer, but we have seen a steady improvement in the outlook for patients over recent years as we have introduced new targeted therapies. I am delighted that patients in England will be the first to benefit from this new treatment, which has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer, giving people the chance of more precious time with friends and family.
“This treatment could be life-changing for many patients and their families and that’s why it is so important that the NHS continues to secure quick access to the latest, innovative treatments like this, at affordable prices to the taxpayer.”
Multiple myeloma is more common in men than women, adults over 60, those with a family history of the condition and is twice as common in black populations than white and Asian populations. It cannot be cured and patients often experience multiple relapses.
Treatment is usually about halting the cancer for as long as possible with the least side-effects from treatment. The disease can have a significant impact on quality of life, with the possibility of relapse having a major psychological effect on patients.
Shelagh McKinlay, director at blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said: “It’s fantastic to see the UK at the forefront of myeloma treatment. NHS England has demonstrated that it is possible for myeloma patients to have world-first access to innovative drugs. We have been working very hard for the last year to get this treatment approved and we know it will transform the lives of thousands of people with myeloma.”
NHS England is fast-tracking access to the treatment for patients from today through funding via the Cancer Drugs Fund.