New cancer treatments have been approved for use by the NHS in Scotland – including the first licensed treatment for a rare eye cancer that offers patients a “survival benefit”.
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) backed the use of the drug tebentafusp – also known as Kimmtrak – for patients with advanced uveal melanoma, a rare type of cancer of the eye.
SMC chair Dr Rob Peel said the drug was “the first licensed treatment available for advanced uveal melanoma that offers a survival benefit”.
He added: “We know our decision will be welcomed by patients and their families.”
The SMC also approved the drug glofitamab – also known as Columvi – when used with other treatments for adults with diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
The new drug can be used when patients have relapsed, or have not responded to other treatments, and where they can not have a stem cell transplant.
Dr Peel said it offered “improved survival outcomes” for those with the disease and who cannot have a transplant “compared with currently available treatments”.
In addition, the drug durvalumab – also known as Imfinzi – was approved for use, along with other medications and surgery, for adults with bladder cancer that has spread into the muscle layer.
Dr Peel said: “Adding durvalumab to the current treatment for bladder cancer that has spread into the muscle layer offers survival benefits.”
However, the committee said it had not recommended the drug avapritinib – also known as Ayvakyt – for use on the NHS to treat adults with advanced systemic mastocytosis.
Those suffering from the condition have too many abnormal white blood cells, but Dr Peel said: “The company’s evidence around the cost effectiveness of the treatment compared with other options was not sufficient.”
He added the SMC would “welcome a resubmission from the company addressing the issues we have raised”.