People with an aggressive form of advanced lung cancer are set to benefit after NICE recommended a daily pill as a new first-line treatment option.
Lorlatinib, also known Lorviqua and made by Pfizer, is recommended in final draft guidance as an option for treating ALK-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults who have not had an ALK inhibitor.
The medicine, given as a pill taken once daily, is a targeted treatment which works by stopping a type of enzyme called tyrosine kinase and killing cancer cells in people with the ALK gene mutation.
It is estimated just over 260 people in England could benefit from this new drug, which is available in the NHS from today.
The usual first-line treatment in the NHS for ALK-positive advanced NSCLC is alectinib or brigatinib. Lorlatinib is already used as a second-line treatment after alectinib or brigatinib but is now recommended as a first treatment, as an alternative to alectinib or brigatinib.
Clinical trial evidence shows lorlatinib increases how long people have before their cancer gets worse. The evidence suggests it increases how long people have before their cancer gets worse compared with alectinib and brigatinib.
About 5% of people with NSCLC have mutations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. People with ALK-positive advanced NSCLC tend to be younger, often under 50, and clinical experts explained that this form of cancer is often diagnosed at a later stage, so people often have advanced cancer.
Helen Knight, Director of Medicines Evaluation at NICE, said: “I am pleased we can recommend lorlatinib as a first-line treatment to provide another option for people with advanced lung cancer.
“This type of lung cancer often affects people aged 50 and under and can be hard to diagnose so it is often at an advanced stage before treatment begins.”
“We are determined to continue to help practitioners get the best care to people fast so they can benefit from effective drugs such as this which improve the length and quality of their lives.”
Debra Montague, chair of the charity ALK Positive UK, said: “This is welcome progress and brings hope to those newly diagnosed with ALK-positive lung cancer. Early access to the most effective treatment is vital, and today’s decision reflects our call for equitable testing and optimal care without delay. It now means that more people with ALK-positive lung cancer across the UK can live better, for longer.”
The company has a confidential commercial arrangement in place which makes lorlatinib available to the NHS with a discount.
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