Hundreds of women with hard-to-treat ovarian cancer could benefit from a new, life-extending drug on the NHS from today – the first new addition to NHS treatment in over 20 years.
The new targeted therapy – mirvetuximab soravtansine – will be offered to patients living with ovarian cancer whose disease has stopped responding to standard (platinum-based) chemotherapy, providing new hope of extra time to live.
The drug combines a ‘homing’ antibody with a cancer-killing medicine – often described by scientists as a ‘biological missile’ or ‘trojan horse’ therapy.
It works by attaching to ovarian cancer cells that have a protein called folate receptor alpha (FRα) on their surface, before releasing a cancer-killing molecule which destroys the cell from within.
In a major global clinical trial involving eight NHS hospitals. the treatment delayed cancer progression and prolonged survival, with patients living 16.5 months on average compared to 12.8 months with chemotherapy.
One patient said the treatment helped “add life to years”, enabling her to get on with life “rather than spending it in bed recovering from the side effects of chemotherapy”.
Following a recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) today, the treatment will be available for patients with epithelial ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer that has become resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy and whose tumours contain the FRα protein the drug targets.
The treatment is given intravenously (via a drip) over 2-4 hours, once every three weeks.
The drug may also have more tolerable side effects than traditional chemotherapy – with the treatment aimed more precisely at cancer cells than chemotherapy, which harms healthy cells
The NHS estimates up to 400 patients in England each year could benefit.
Patricia Hill, 64, a retired NHS physiotherapist from North London who also spent six years working in cancer care, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2023 and began treatment with mirvetuximab soravtansine in January this year.
She said: “It’s been incredibly positive. Previously, I’ve had three different lines of chemotherapy, and this is the first time that I’ve actually been able to get on with my life in terms of the impact of side effects.”
“The feelings of isolation and loneliness that you have undergoing conventional chemotherapy are totally or more or less totally eradicated when using mirvetuximab. It actually adds life to years, rather than spending your life in bed recovering from the side effects of chemotherapy.”
Since starting treatment, Patricia has been to the theatre and cinema, dined out with friends, and in March flew to Ireland for a family reunion – which she said she could not have done on standard chemotherapy. She also was able to attend the Chelsea Flower Show.
The treatment will be available from today, with NHS England fast-tracking access for patients through its Cancer Drugs Fund, which has provided early access to innovative new treatments to more than 100,000 patients in the past 10 years.
Professor Ruth Plummer, NHS 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.
“It is part of a growing wave of more targeted cancer therapies which, by homing in on specific features of cancer cells, are helping us improve patients’ lives.”
Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death from gynaecological cancer worldwide. In the UK, there are around 7,500 new diagnoses each year.
Standard treatment for ovarian cancer typically involves surgery and chemotherapy, but around 80% of patients with advanced disease relapse and most eventually develop resistance to chemotherapy.
More than a third of patients (37%) also saw their tumours shrink by at least 30%, compared to 16% with chemotherapy in trials.
Jenny Green, 71, a Royal Mail worker from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, has been living with ovarian cancer since her diagnosis in 2017 and received mirvetuximab soravtansine through the clinical trial.
She said: “I seem to have tolerated it very well, with hardly any side effects at all. That’s been amazing! I had a scan that showed my cancer nodules were shrinking, and my bloods were coming back into range – which is all pretty good to hear!”
Minister for Public Health, Sharon Hodgson said: “This is an important moment for hundreds of women with ovarian cancer and a testament to our commitment to getting the most promising treatments to NHS patients as quickly as possible.
“Critically, today’s decision means that patients will have a better quality of life than they otherwise would.”
Victoria Clare, Chief Executive Officer at Ovacome, the UK’s ovarian cancer support charity, said: “This is really positive news for many with ovarian cancer. For those whose cancers are platinum resistant, this offers hope and a chance of a new treatment on the NHS.”
“This decision has the potential to make a real difference to those who are able to access this treatment. We are delighted that NICE has listened to patients, their families and the clinicians.”
Mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere) has been developed by AbbVie.
It represents the first new addition to NHS treatment for this group of patients since the rollout of liposomal doxorubicin and paclitaxel in the early 2000s.
Common side effects of the treatment include eye problems (such as blurred vision or dry eyes), tiredness, nausea, and low blood counts, with most effects manageable with monitoring and supportive care.
Kelly Sanderson Schrems, Vice President and General Manager, AbbVie UK said: “Today’s decision is an important moment for the ovarian cancer community, who have waited more than two decades for a new treatment to be NICE recommended for this advanced stage of the disease.
“AbbVie is committed to investing in areas of high unmet need and bringing innovative medicines to patients. We support efforts to create a system that recognises the value these medicines bring which is essential not only for UK patients but for the UK ecosystem more broadly.”
For background
Patients eligible for this treatment will be referred to one of the hospitals that provide systematic anti-cancer therapy for gynaecological cancers.
Clinical trials for Mirvetuximab have taken place at the following hospitals in the UK:
- St Bartholomew’s Hospital-Barts Health NHS Trust
- University College London Hospital
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- Peterborough City Hospital
- Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford)
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
- Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow
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