A new immunotherapy is set to expand treatment options for adults in England living with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer, following positive draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Cemiplimab, also known as Libtayo and manufactured by Regeneron, has been recommended as an option for patients whose disease has progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy and who have not previously received immunotherapy. Around 90 adults each year are expected to benefit from the treatment.
Recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer carries a heavy burden, significantly affecting both survival and quality of life. At this stage, clinicians often face limited treatment choices, and patients may endure both physical and emotional strain as the disease progresses.
Cemiplimab represents a different therapeutic approach. As an immunotherapy, it works by activating the body’s immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. NICE’s independent committee concluded that the drug provides a meaningful clinical benefit, extending overall survival and delaying disease progression compared with standard chemotherapy.
Evidence from the EMPOWER Cervical-1 clinical trial highlights the impact of this new option. Patients receiving cemiplimab experienced an average overall survival of 11.7 months, compared with 8.5 months for those treated with single-agent chemotherapy. At the two-year mark, survival rates were more than double in the cemiplimab group.
Beyond survival metrics, the treatment also demonstrated improvements in quality of life. Patient and clinical experts emphasised that reducing side effects and minimising hospital visits are crucial factors, especially for individuals balancing care responsibilities or seeking to maintain independence.
Helen Knight, Director of Medicines Evaluation at NICE, said:
“Getting the best care to patients as quickly as possible is at the heart of what NICE does. Our role is to independently assess the evidence and ensure that treatments which make a real difference to patients' lives are available on the NHS without delay.
"A diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer is devastating, and at this stage of the disease, treatment options are limited.
“The evidence for cemiplimab shows it can extend life and improve quality of life compared with standard chemotherapy, and we’re pleased, therefore, that we’ve been able to recommend it for routine use on the NHS."
The treatment will be made available immediately through the Cancer Drugs Fund, ensuring fast patient access while final NICE guidance is confirmed. It will then transition to routine NHS commissioning within 90 days of publication of the final guidance.
For healthcare leaders and oncology teams, this decision signals a continued shift toward immunotherapy-led care pathways, offering improved outcomes and potentially reducing system pressures linked to frequent hospital-based treatments.
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