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news.The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended GSK’s Dostarlimab, marketed as Jemperli, for use with chemotherapy in treating specific advanced or recurrent womb cancers.
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This recommendation, part of NICE’s final draft guidance, could potentially benefit nearly 540 adults.
A monoclonal antibody, Dostarlimab works by aiding the immune system in combating cancer.
Administered as a 30-minute intravenous infusion in hospitals, it has shown in clinical trials to enhance life expectancy and prolong the period before the cancer’s progression when given along with platinum-based chemotherapy.
However, due to the short duration of data collection in the study, the long-term benefits of Dostarlimab remain uncertain.
Consequently, NICE recommended its inclusion in the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), allowing its availability on the NHS for this category of womb cancer while further evidence is gathered.
The UK sees approximately 9,000 new cases of womb cancer annually, with endometrial cancer being the most prevalent. Approximately 23% of these are a subtype characterised by high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency.
Dostarlimab is specifically recommended for these subtypes when the cancer is advanced or has recurred after prior treatments.
It marks the fourth option to treat endometrial cancer recommended by NICE since its inception in 1999, either for routine NHS commissioning or through the CDF.
In October last year, Dostarlimab received authorisation through Project Orbis, a global initiative for the review and approval of promising cancer treatments, expediting patient access to new therapies.
NICE medicines evaluation director Helen Knight said: “Advanced or recurrent womb cancer has a devastating effect on quality of life and there are limited treatment options available.
“We are focused on delivering what matters most and getting care to those who need it fast, so I am delighted this treatment option will be made quickly available through the CDF, enabling people with this type of cancer to enjoy more precious time with their families and loved ones.”
