NICE update: Myeloma treatment gets cancer fund go-ahead

Myeloma, also known as multiple myeloma, is a cancer arising from plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that is made in the bone marrow.

Unlike many cancers, myeloma does not exist as a lump or tumour. Most of the symptoms and complications related to myeloma are caused by the build-up of the abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow and the presence of the paraprotein (an antibody) in the blood and/or in the urine.

Myeloma is a relapsing-remitting cancer. This means there are periods when the myeloma is causing symptoms and/or complications and needs to be treated, followed by periods of remission or plateau where the myeloma does not cause symptoms and does not require treatment. Many people require more than one line of treatment.

Ixazomib (with lenalidomide and dexamethasone) will be available to the NHS in line with the managed access agreement (MAA) with NHS England.

As part of this, NHS England and Takeda have a commercial access agreement that makes ixazomib available to the NHS at a reduced cost. The financial terms of the agreement are commercial in confidence.

The resource impact of ixazomib will be covered by the CDF budget. The guidance will be reviewed when the final analysis of the Tourmaline-MM1 trial is available.

The access agreement will continue until this data is available. The aim of the review is to decide whether or not the drug can be recommended for routine use.

Further information can be found in NHS England’s Appraisal and funding of cancer drugs from July 2016 (including the new Cancer Drugs Fund).

It is estimated that between 400 and 800 people will be treated with ixazomib (with lenalidomide and dexamethasone) within the CDF during the course of the MAA period.

This technology is commissioned by NHS England. Providers are NHS hospital trusts.

Nicola Bodey is a NICE senior business analyst