GSK’s Jemperli▼ (dostarlimab) is accepted for use within NHS Scotland, in line with its licence, in eligible endometrial cancer patients in first line setting
April 8, 2024 – Pharmaceutical – GSK, NHS, Scottish Medicines Consortium, endometrial cancer
- Clinicians in Scotland will now be able to use dostarlimab in combination with platinum-containing chemotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer and who are candidates for systemic therapy.
- Approximately 740 new cases of endometrial cancer are diagnosed in Scotland each year. An estimated 240 of these will be advanced or recurrent disease.
- Following this decision by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), approximately 50 patients per year in Scotland could be eligible for treatment with dostarlimab.
8 April 2024 — Middlesex, UK — GSK today announced that the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted dostarlimab for use within NHS Scotland in combination with platinum-containing chemotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer and who are candidates for systemic therapy.
In Scotland, there are approximately 240 people diagnosed with advanced or recurrent disease each year, of which an estimated 50 per year will now be eligible for treatment with dostarlimab. This decision means that dostarlimab is the first immunotherapy treatment to be accepted for use within NHS Scotland for this group of eligible patients.
Dr Alison Stillie, consultant clinical oncologist at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, UK, said: “The SMC’s approval of dostarlimab, in combination with chemotherapy for eligible endometrial cancer patients with dMMR/MSI-H primary advanced or recurrent disease, is welcome news. This will give selected patients across Scotland, who have been faced with limited treatment options, the potential to access this treatment in the first line setting.”
Endometrial cancer, a form of uterine cancer that starts in the lining of the endometrium (womb), is the most common gynaecological cancer in the UK, with rising incidence and mortality rates. Over the last decade in the UK (between 2006-2008 and 2016-2018), uterine cancer age standardised incidence rates for females increased by 12%. Despite advances in medical science, outcomes of advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer remain poor. The median overall survival of people with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer is reported to be less than three years when treated with standard of care platinum-based chemotherapy.
Mark Toms, vice president Medical Affairs and UK Country medical director, GSK, said: “For many years, there has been little advancement in endometrial cancer treatment, with clinicians having few options for their patients. At GSK, we aspire to improve outcomes for people living with cancer, particularly those with unmet needs. We are proud of our collaborative work with NHS Scotland and SMC stakeholders and are delighted by today’s news, which may provide eligible Scottish patients with the opportunity to access this treatment in the first line setting.”
The SMC decision follows recently published final draft guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which provided access to dostarlimab, in line with its licence, for eligible patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Dostarlimab has been licensed in the UK since 2022, as monotherapy for treatment of adult patients with dMMR/MSI-H recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer following prior platinum-based chemotherapy, available on the NHS in England via the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF).
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