First new ovarian cancer drug in two decades wins approval in 'most significant breakthrough'

NHS England has granted approval for Elahere, a groundbreaking treatment for women battling chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer, marking the first new drug for this condition to receive the green light in more than twenty years.

The medication, known scientifically as mirvetuximab soravtansine, could provide vital additional time for approximately 400 patients annually across England.

Prof Ruth Plummer, NHS England's national clinical lead for cancer drugs, said: "This represents the most significant breakthrough in NHS treatment for these hard-to-treat ovarian cancers in over two decades and we're delighted it will now offer hundreds of women much-needed hope of precious extra time with their loved ones."

Ovarian cancer ranks as the 18th most prevalent form of the disease worldwide, with over 300,000 women receiving diagnoses each year.

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The condition proves particularly challenging to address, as more than three-quarters of cases are identified only after reaching an advanced stage.

Conventional approaches typically combine surgical intervention with chemotherapy regimens.

However, roughly 80 per cent of those with advanced ovarian cancer experience a return of the disease, with most patients eventually becoming unresponsive to standard platinum-based treatments.

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According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, women whose tumours no longer respond to conventional chemotherapy have faced severely restricted therapeutic options until now.

Clinical trials conducted across eight NHS hospitals demonstrated that Elahere extended survival by an average of four months compared with chemotherapy alone, while producing more tolerable side effects.

The results proved particularly encouraging in terms of tumour reduction, with 37 per cent of patients experiencing shrinkage of at least 30 per cent, more than double the 16 per cent rate observed with standard chemotherapy.

Manufactured by AbbVie, the drug employs an innovative mechanism combining a targeting antibody that locates the FRα protein on cancerous cells with a potent molecule that destroys the tumour from within.

Patients receive the treatment intravenously once every three weeks.

Rachel Downing, the head of policy and external affairs at Target Ovarian Cancer, said: "This is a hugely important moment for women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and their families, who have faced limited effective treatment options for far too long.

"Today's announcement offers real hope of improved quality of life."

Victoria Clare, the chief executive of the charity Ovacome, said: "Today marks a landmark moment. Being told that platinum-based chemotherapy is no longer working can bring anxiety and uncertainty, particularly when the disease is at an advanced stage, where time and options are limited."

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