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Thousands of cancer patients will be offered a new seven-minute anti-cancer injection, that empowers a patient’s own immune system to seek and destroy cancerous cells.
This new immunotherapy treatment slashes treatment time by up to three quarters — freeing up valuable time for NHS cancer teams and patients themselves.
The move comes following a new approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), making the NHS the first health system to roll out the injection.
New cancer injection comes at no extra cost to NHS
Typically, atezolizumab (Tencentriq) is administered intravenously in hospital via a drug transfusion. This usually takes around 30 minutes, but it can take up to an hour when it is difficult to access a vein.
Atezolizumab will now be given to nearly all of the 3,600 patients starting treatment via an injection. However, patients who receive atezolizumab alongside chemotherapy may still be given the drug intravenously.
The treatment is currently available to patients with a range of cancers, including lung, breast, liver and bladder, and the faster treatment comes at no extra cost to the NHS thanks to a deal between the health service and the drug’s manufacturer, Roche.
Marius Scholtz, Medical Director, Roche Products Limited said: “We are delighted that NHS patients across England have access to the subcutaneous PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy injection, Tecentriq.
“Injecting Tecentriq under the skin offers a faster treatment option as it takes approximately seven minutes, compared with 30 to 60 minutes for the current method of an intravenous infusion of Tecentriq, and we couldn’t have achieved this without the collaboration and support of stakeholders across the cancer community.”
Improving the lives of cancer patients
NHS National Director for Cancer Professor Peter Johnson says this new immunotherapy will improve the quality of life for cancer patients and free up time for cancer patients.
He said: “The world-first introduction of this treatment will mean that hundreds of patients can spend less time at the hospital and will free up valuable time in NHS chemotherapy units.
“Maintaining the best possible quality of life for cancer patients is vital, so the introduction of faster under-the-skin injections will make an important difference.
“Today’s announcement is the latest in a series in the 75th year of the NHS that highlights how an innovation-driven health service is securing the most advanced cancer treatments for patients.”