Around 100 people will benefit from mobocertinib, a new treatment for rare and aggressive lung cancer after NICE published its final guidance on recommending the new targeted therapy.
Mobocertinib is designed to treat people with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion gene mutation-positive form of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who have already received platinum-based chemotherapy.
The introduction of mobocertinib addresses an unmet clinical need. Currently, there is no standard treatment for exon 20 insertion mutation-positive NSCLC. This is an aggressive form and cancer which is more common in women, people from east Asian ethnic backgrounds and non-smokers, with NSCLC than other EGFR mutations.
Trials have shown mobocertinib to be highly effective hea
The drug should be taken via four daily capsules and is suitable for home administration. Mobocertinib works by specifically targeting the mutation to slow the growth of cancer cells, and clinical trials have indicated that it is well tolerated by patients. However, some cases of side effects such as diarrhoea, rash, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite have been reported.
Researchers have made indirect comparisons using real-world evidence on immunotherapies and docetaxel with or without nintedanib. The results showed that mobocertinib increases did increase the life span of people with lung cancer.
The independent NICE committee found that mobocertinib was highly likely to lead to the improved overall survival of more than three months. Mobocertinib will be available to the NHS at a discounted price through a confidential commercial patient access scheme.
“I’m delighted that we have been able to recommend this innovative treatment for patients in England with this rare and aggressive form of lung cancer,” said Helen Knight, interim director of medicines evaluation at NICE.
NICE continues to approve various new therapies
The treatment has been licenced through Project Orbis, an international programme to review and approve promising cancer drugs helping patients access new treatments faster. It is the 19th lung cancer drug approved by NICE in the last three years, a total of around 18,000 people will be eligible to receive these treatments.
“This is the first treatment approved by NICE that targets this specific gene mutation in people with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The evidence shows it not only extends people’s lives but also extends how long people have before their cancer gets worse,” added Knight.
“We are determined to drive ground-breaking treatments such as this into the hands of health and care professionals. This treatment was licensed through Project Orbis and we know how crucial collaborations with our colleagues in NHS England, MHRA and other organisations are to bringing innovative treatments to patients as rapidly as possible,” she concluded.
