
GSK wins approval in the UK for blood cancer drug
A potential blockbuster blood cancer drug developed by GSK has been approved by the UK's medicines regulator.
Blenrep, which was partly discovered by scientists at the FTSE 100 company's research hub in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the treatment of adults with multiple myeloma in combination with an existing drug for patients who have received at least one prior therapy.
The UK approval is the first globally, with submissions under review in ten other markets.
• Which British sectors will be hardest hit by Trump's tariffs
Blenrep is one of five new significant regulatory approvals expected across GSK's overall portfolio this year and is also one of 14 pipeline assets the company expects to launch
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Starmer's raid on family businesses to cost his constituents 1,000 jobs
Labour's tax raid on family businesses is projected to cost hundreds of jobs in Sir Keir Starmer's constituency alone, new analysis shows. The revenue-raising scheme is also projected to hit the local economies of Labour constituencies harder than their Conservative, Reform and Liberal Democrat-voting counterparts. Analysis by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which represents nearly 200,000 UK businesses, revealed that the changes to business property relief (BPR) announced in Rachel Reeves's October Budget will stifle growth in Labour seats across the country. The CBI claims that the average gross value added (GVA) losses in seats that elected Labour MPs at the last general election will be over £24 million, compared to £20 million in Conservative seats and £18.5 million in Reform constituencies. The projections span from the October 2024 budget to April 2030, after the next general election. Only seats held by the Green Party fared worse with an average GVA loss of around £40 million, suggesting that cities and urban centres will be worst hit by the raid. The CBI expects the economic hit to result in thousands of job losses in the most-exposed constituencies. Sir Keir's seat of Holborn and St Pancras will be the fourth-worst hit constituency in the country with 1,037 jobs expected to be lost, according to the analysis. Cabinet ministers to feel the pinch in their seats Red Wall seats are also set to suffer. The analysis shows that of £14.9 billion in nationwide GVA losses, some £4.6 billion (31 per cent) of that will hit constituencies that the Tories won in 2019 and Labour won back in 2024. These seats include the 31 Red Wall seats in the North and Midlands along with other key marginal constituencies which Labour will hope to win again at the next election if it wants to stay in power. Senior Cabinet ministers will also feel the pinch in their constituencies. The second-worst hit seat in the country, Manchester Central, is currently represented by Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons. The third-worst hit seat is Birmingham Ladywood, represented by Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary. Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, represents the ninth-worst-hit seat of Leeds South. In the October Budget, the Chancellor slashed BPR in an attempt to raise money from family businesses. BPR was originally introduced by a Labour government in the 1970s. It allows company shareholders to leave business assets to loved ones without paying inheritance tax on them. But in a sweeping change that will take effect in April 2026, full business relief will only apply to the first £1 million of a business's assets upon a shareholder's death, with everything above this subject to 20 per cent tax.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
From a ‘bored' cat to a dog dealing with the heat – your pet queries answered
HE is on a mission to help our pets . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions. Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm has helped with owners' queries for ten years. 4 4 Q) MY cat, Chairman Meow, seems to groom herself constantly. Is this a sign of boredom? She has plenty of toys, scratch posts and beds. She's five. I live near a busy road so she's a house cat. Should I give her outside access? JUDE BROWN, Birmingham Sean says: Firstly, I love this name for a cat. I had a patient that was named the same years ago, and it always made me chuckle. Over-grooming can be a sign of stress, boredom or an appeasement behaviour that is self-soothing as it releases happy hormones. She's got plenty of enrichment indoors, but I wonder if you could play more interactive games with her, such as scattering feeding treats, using fishing rod toys and the like. If she's not losing hair, it may just be that Chairman Meow is a fastidiously clean and well-presented cat. Q) BORIS, my Labradoodle, was running on the beach when he just collapsed. He lay down for several minutes then got up again and has been fine since. He's nine and is a big dog. How concerned should I be? GILLIAN MANN, Edinburgh F1 stars' pets including driver with thirteen cats, Leclerc's yacht-loving pooch and Hamilton's dog Roscoe with own car Sean says: That is worrying. And it raises more questions than answers. Is it the first time this has happened? Was he seemingly conscious or absent while laying down, did he yelp or whine? What were his limbs doing? Was he limping or seem pained after? Was he salivating? If it was hot out, how was his breathing? All these factors would lead vets to rule in or rule out certain conditions. If it happens again, try to video it on your phone and get him checked by your vet as soon as possible. Hopefully it's a one-off but it could be an early sign of something else worth investigating. Q) WHAT precautions should I take with my dog Ted now that it's getting hotter? He's a Labrador cross who is eight. I always make sure he has shade, but should I consider a fan after the recent hot summers? What about cooling vests on walks? SIMON EVANS, Barnstaple, Devon Sean says: First thing with Labs, in particular, is a weight-loss programme and diet if he is overweight. Obesity can really make things tough on our pets in hot weather. Your vet practice can help assess, or you can look on our YouTube channel for videos on 'body condition scoring'. I'm not a fan of putting more layers on a dog for exercise. I prefer to recommend walking them in the cooler periods of the day. Cool water and shade should be available always, and a cooling mat for Ted to lie on if he so wishes. Q) TWO dogs and two cats have moved in next door, and Bella, our 12-year-old West Highland terrier, is now weeing a lot. She even wakes me in the middle of the night to go into the garden. Could the new cats and dogs be affecting her? She's had a blood test, and there's no diabetes, but there is a lot of protein, which affects kidneys. VIRGINIA SPRING, Southend-on-Sea, Essex Sean says: Certainly a switch in circumstances in the home, or next door's garden, can lead to changes in toileting behaviour. But I would associate that more with male dogs marking their territory. The flag here is excessive protein in her blood. Has Bella had a urine test too? If not, pop a tray under her when she squats and decant the urine into a sterile jar from your vet. This warrants further investigation. Star of the week 4 TWO Newfoundlands, Ralph and Walker, took to the water with a group of injured veterans as part of a wellbeing event to boost mental health. The dogs jumped into a lake and gently pulled the ex-servicemen back to dry land – leaving smiles all round. Their owner, paramedic Pete Lewin, of Leicester, said: 'Newfies are known for their abilities in the water. "But they also have incredible personalities and being with them has amazing restorative impacts.' Many of the veterans who attended the event last month are members of military charity Blesma – the UK's limbless veterans association – and spokeswoman Sarah Criddle told Paws and Claws: 'The wellbeing factor was so powerful.' See Howl to communicate with your dogs 4 A LEADING pet expert has revealed the secrets to communicating with your dog. Jo Middleton, owner of learning platform Canine Principles, believes pups are often misunderstood. The co-presenter of The Dog Expert Podcast said: 'What if your dog's 'bad behaviour' isn't disobedience, but a communication issue? If a dog feels safe, it is so much more capable of learning and adapting.' Dogs experience a broad spectrum of emotions. Jo said joy is often shown through tail wagging and excitement. Fear is indicated by cowering, shaking or avoiding eye contact. Frustration can cause barking, chewing or pacing. Grief can lead to withdrawal. But there could be subtle differences that owners also need to be aware of. Jo added: 'A wagging tail doesn't always mean happiness – the position and speed tell you more. 'Whining and barking convey different things depending on context. Sudden shifts in behaviour may be your dog's way of signalling distress.' She urged owners to use positive reinforcement, such as verbal cues like 'good boy' or treats when communicating.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Three ways to improve your health by boosting your daily dose of fibre
HAVING fibre in your diet can help digestion, blood sugar control and managing weight by making you feel full. It can also cut the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Yet fewer than one in ten people get the recommended 30g a day. The best way to up your fibre is with your diet. But today, I look at ways you can boost your daily dose. GUMMIES THIS one is a clever idea – Novomins fibre gummies provide 4g of fibre through inulin, which comes from the chicory plant. Inulin is found in prebiotic foods like garlic, onion and bananas. As a supplement, you can get inulin powder. But for convenience these gummies are great. They also contain calcium, vitamin D, B12 and chromium, have a lovely orange flavour and contain no sugar. Very chewy, they last for ages. A bit of a sweet treat to keep your bowels healthy. £15.99 for 60, Azmina Govindji nutrition holiday tips POWDER DRINK IN the past there have been fibre drinks that were thick, gloopy and tough to swallow. But this new one, from the Fast 800, isn't. The powders are a blend of inulin, acacia fibre and green banana resistant starch, which mixes to a smooth drink. The Sleep Blend also contains minerals, amino acids and other natural sleep support ingredients such as magnesium, chamomile, lemon balm extract and passionflower. There is 5.6g of fibre per serving and just 18 calories. You take 10g of the powder and mix with water, warm or cold, up to three hours before bed. It does have a mild lemon flavour, which I didn't love, but it wasn't unpleasant. £22.99 for 30 servings, FOOD 3 A SUGARY biscuit that is good for your gut health sounds bonkers, but JNCK Bakery's new cookies are formulated to have five times more fibre than standard ones. They also include other health-focused improvements, such as 90 per cent less sugar and 50 cent less saturated fat. This has been achieved by incorporating pea protein, prebiotic fibre and a low-sugar, protein-rich chocolate. They come in three flavours – Milky Chocolate, Trippple Chocolate and White Gold Chocolate, and each cookie has around 9g of fibre, 185 calories and 1.5g of sugar. They are rich and chocolatey and taste amazing. My six-year-old loves them and I would buy them knowing that they are slightly healthier than your average cookie.