Latest news with #PaulSilvester
India Today
21 hours ago
- Health
- India Today
In world's first, trojan horse drug to treat blood cancer patients: What is it?
Thousands of blood cancer patients in England are set to benefit from a groundbreaking treatment that targets and destroys cancer cells from within, earning it the nickname of a "trojan horse" world's first, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) - the country's healthcare system - will offer the treatment, belantamab mafodotin, to about 1,500 people each year battling multiple myeloma, an aggressive and currently incurable form of blood decision came after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved the drug in new guidance issued on Friday. The approval marks a step forward in cancer care, especially for patients whose disease has progressed despite standard treatment. "Myeloma is an aggressive type of blood cancer, but we have seen a steady improvement in the outlook for patients over recent years as we have introduced new targeted therapies. I am delighted that patients in England will be the first to benefit from this new treatment, which has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer," said Peter Johnson, NHS England's national clinical director for IS THE "TROJAN HORSE" DRUG?Belantamab mafodotin, also marketed as Blenrep, is a form of targeted antibody traditional chemotherapy, which affects both healthy and cancerous cells, this drug is designed to find, enter, and destroy only the cancer works much like the ancient tale of the trojan horse. The drug "sneaks" into the cancer cell by attaching to a specific protein found on the surface. Once inside, it releases a powerful toxic substance that kills the cell from within, without harming surrounding healthy through an infusion every three weeks alongside other cancer medications, belantamab mafodotin has shown promising results in combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone, it delayed cancer progression by an average of three years. In contrast, patients taking commonly used treatments like daratumumab typically experienced disease progression within a IT A GAME CHANGER FOR PATIENTS?For people like Paul Silvester, a 60-year-old from Sheffield diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2023, the new drug has been life-changing.'I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house. It has been amazing – within the first two or three weeks, after the first dose, I was in remission," he received the drug through an early access programme at Royal Hallamshire Hospital after his initial treatment failed to stop the believe the therapy is particularly promising for patients who have exhausted other treatment options. It will be offered to those whose disease has progressed or failed to respond to first-line FUTURE OF BLOOD CANCER TREATMENTPatient advocacy groups have also welcomed the development. Shelagh McKinlay, Director of Research and Advocacy at Myeloma UK, said the approval was a major win.'We have been working very hard for the last year to get this treatment approved and we know it will transform the lives of thousands of people with myeloma,' she Minister Karin Smyth, added that by embracing cutting-edge 'trojan horse' technology, the NHS is offering new hope to blood cancer patients across the research continues and more data emerges, belantamab mafodotin may be the hold the future in changing how blood cancers like myeloma are treated in years to Watch
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
NHS first in the world to roll out ‘trogan horse' cancer treatment that ‘drastically slows disease'
A "TROJAN HORSE" therapy that sneaks toxic drugs inside and kills cancer cells is being rolled out on the NHS in England in a world first. It can stop the blood cancer myeloma from progressing for nearly three times longer than current therapies. 2 Paul Silvester having his treatment at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. Credit: PA The treatment, known as belantamab mafodotin or Blenrep, is an advanced form of chemotherapy. It delivers a powerful dose of cancer-killing medication directly into cancer cells, while limiting damage to healthy cells, reducing the risk of harsh side effects. Around 1,500 people a year with multiple myeloma, a rare, incurable cancer of the bone marrow, are expected to benefit from the treatment. Paul Silvester, 60, from Sheffield, is one of the first patients to receive the new drug through an early access programme. Diagnosed with myeloma in July 2023, Paul was initially given a different treatment, but when it failed to stop his cancer from progressing, doctors turned to belantamab mafodotin. 'I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house,' he said. 'It has been amazing - within the first two or three weeks, after the first dose, I was in remission. "It gives me quite a lot of confidence in the drugs and it makes me more optimistic about the future. "I've been feeling well and I'm still quite active - that's what's important in terms of your quality of life. "One of my daughters is graduating from university in October and it's a goal for me to be there." British rock legend reveals he's fighting aggressive blood cancer and is undergoing treatment The therapy, developed by GlaxoSmithKline, is administered via infusion every three weeks alongside two other drugs: bortezomib and dexamethasone. Clinical trials showed it could delay the progression of myeloma for around three years, compared to just over a year for patients receiving commonly used drug daratumumab with the same combination. Following new guidance from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), the drug has now been approved for widespread NHS use in England. It's the first health system in the world to offer it routinely. Patients who have relapsed or not responded to earlier treatments will now be eligible for the therapy. The treatment has been nicknamed a 'Trojan horse' because of how it works. 2 Much like the famous story from ancient Greek mythology where soldiers hid inside a giant wooden horse to secretly enter the city of Troy, this drug hides a toxic payload inside an antibody that tricks cancer cells into letting it in. Once inside, it releases a powerful, cell-killing molecule that destroys the cancer from within, while sparing surrounding healthy cells. 'New hope' Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said: 'Myeloma is an aggressive type of blood cancer, but we have seen a steady improvement in the outlook for patients over recent years as we have introduced new targeted therapies. 'I am delighted that patients in England will be the first to benefit from this new treatment, which has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer, giving people the chance of more precious time with friends and family. 'This treatment could be life-changing for many patients and their families, and that's why it is so important that the NHS continues to secure quick access to the latest, innovative treatments like this, at affordable prices to the taxpayer.' Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, added: 'We're delighted that people in the UK will become among the first in the world to access belantamab mafodotin for this indication. "This recommendation demonstrates our commitment to getting the best care to patients fast, while ensuring value for the taxpayer." Myeloma UK, a charity supporting those with blood cancer, has also welcomed the news. Shelagh McKinlay, its director of research and advocacy, said: 'It's fantastic to see the UK at the forefront of myeloma treatment. 'We have been working very hard for the last year to get this treatment approved and we know it will transform the lives of thousands of people with myeloma.' Health Minister Karin Smyth added: 'This groundbreaking therapy puts the NHS at the forefront of cancer innovation. "By harnessing cutting-edge 'trojan horse' technology, we're offering new hope to blood cancer patients across the country."
The Sun
a day ago
- Health
- The Sun
NHS first in the world to roll out ‘trogan horse' cancer treatment that ‘drastically slows disease'
A "TROJAN HORSE" therapy that sneaks toxic drugs inside and kills cancer cells is being rolled out on the NHS in England in a world first. It can stop the blood cancer myeloma from progressing for nearly three times longer than current therapies. 2 The treatment, known as belantamab mafodotin or Blenrep, is an advanced form of chemotherapy. It delivers a powerful dose of cancer-killing medication directly into cancer cells, while limiting damage to healthy cells, reducing the risk of harsh side effects. Around 1,500 people a year with multiple myeloma, a rare, incurable cancer of the bone marrow, are expected to benefit from the treatment. Paul Silvester, 60, from Sheffield, is one of the first patients to receive the new drug through an early access programme. Diagnosed with myeloma in July 2023, Paul was initially given a different treatment, but when it failed to stop his cancer from progressing, doctors turned to belantamab mafodotin. 'I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house,' he said. 'It has been amazing - within the first two or three weeks, after the first dose, I was in remission. "It gives me quite a lot of confidence in the drugs and it makes me more optimistic about the future. "I've been feeling well and I'm still quite active - that's what's important in terms of your quality of life. "One of my daughters is graduating from university in October and it's a goal for me to be there." British rock legend reveals he's fighting aggressive blood cancer and is undergoing treatment The therapy, developed by GlaxoSmithKline, is administered via infusion every three weeks alongside two other drugs: bortezomib and dexamethasone. Clinical trials showed it could delay the progression of myeloma for around three years, compared to just over a year for patients receiving commonly used drug daratumumab with the same combination. Following new guidance from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), the drug has now been approved for widespread NHS use in England. It's the first health system in the world to offer it routinely. Patients who have relapsed or not responded to earlier treatments will now be eligible for the therapy. The treatment has been nicknamed a 'Trojan horse' because of how it works. 2 Much like the famous story from ancient Greek mythology where soldiers hid inside a giant wooden horse to secretly enter the city of Troy, this drug hides a toxic payload inside an antibody that tricks cancer cells into letting it in. Once inside, it releases a powerful, cell-killing molecule that destroys the cancer from within, while sparing surrounding healthy cells. 'New hope' Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said: 'Myeloma is an aggressive type of blood cancer, but we have seen a steady improvement in the outlook for patients over recent years as we have introduced new targeted therapies. 'I am delighted that patients in England will be the first to benefit from this new treatment, which has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer, giving people the chance of more precious time with friends and family. 'This treatment could be life-changing for many patients and their families, and that's why it is so important that the NHS continues to secure quick access to the latest, innovative treatments like this, at affordable prices to the taxpayer.' Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, added: 'We're delighted that people in the UK will become among the first in the world to access belantamab mafodotin for this indication. "This recommendation demonstrates our commitment to getting the best care to patients fast, while ensuring value for the taxpayer." Myeloma UK, a charity supporting those with blood cancer, has also welcomed the news. Shelagh McKinlay, its director of research and advocacy, said: 'It's fantastic to see the UK at the forefront of myeloma treatment. 'We have been working very hard for the last year to get this treatment approved and we know it will transform the lives of thousands of people with myeloma.' Health Minister Karin Smyth added: 'This groundbreaking therapy puts the NHS at the forefront of cancer innovation. "By harnessing cutting-edge 'trojan horse' technology, we're offering new hope to blood cancer patients across the country."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
New NHS 'trojan horse' drug gives cancer patients years longer with loved ones
Terminal patients could get years more with their loved ones as the NHS offers Blenrep, which can put some blood cancer patients in remission A new 'trojan horse' drug is being offered on the NHS to give terminal blood cancer patients years more life. NHS England says it is the first health service in the world to offer Blenrep which can halt disease progression by three times as long as existing drugs. It is administered via a drip every three weeks and binds to BCMA which is a protein expressed on the surface of myeloma cells. The drug is then taken into the myeloma cell, at which point it detonates and the mafodotin chemotherapy is released, killing the cell. Around 1,500 patients a year with multiple myeloma could now be offered the drug, full name Belantamab mafodotin. One of them who has received it already is Paul Silvester, 60, from Sheffield, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow – in July 2023 after his cancer caused broken bones in his back. It was discovered he had a tumour in his spine and initial treatments failed to stop his cancer's progression. He received Blenrep at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield via an early access programme and was in remission within weeks. Paul said: 'I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house. It has been amazing – within the first two or three weeks, after the first dose, I was in remission. It gives me quite a lot of confidence in the drugs and it makes me more optimistic about the future. I've been feeling well and I'm still quite active – that's what's important in terms of your quality of life. One of my daughters is graduating from university in October and it's a goal for me to be there.' Multiple myeloma often affects multiple parts of the body, including the spine, skull, pelvis and ribs. Each year, more than 6,000 people are diagnosed in the UK and it is estimated there are around 33,000 people living with the cancer. Trials showed that Blenrep, in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone delayed progression of the disease by an average of three years, compared to just over a year for patients taking commonly-used drug daratumumab instead. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England's cancer director, said: 'Myeloma is an aggressive type of blood cancer, but we have seen a steady improvement in the outlook for patients over recent years as we have introduced new targeted therapies. I am delighted that patients in England will be the first to benefit from this new treatment, which has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer, giving people the chance of more precious time with friends and family. 'This treatment could be life-changing for many patients and their families and that's why it is so important that the NHS continues to secure quick access to the latest, innovative treatments like this, at affordable prices to the taxpayer.' Multiple myeloma is more common in men than women, adults over 60, those with a family history of the condition and is twice as common in black populations than white and Asian populations. It cannot be cured and patients often experience multiple relapses. Treatment is usually about halting the cancer for as long as possible with the least side-effects from treatment. The disease can have a significant impact on quality of life, with the possibility of relapse having a major psychological effect on patients. Shelagh McKinlay, director at blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said: 'It's fantastic to see the UK at the forefront of myeloma treatment. NHS England has demonstrated that it is possible for myeloma patients to have world-first access to innovative drugs. We have been working very hard for the last year to get this treatment approved and we know it will transform the lives of thousands of people with myeloma.' NHS England is fast-tracking access to the treatment for patients from today through funding via the Cancer Drugs Fund.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
‘Trojan horse' treatment given green light for NHS use
The targeted therapy can stop myeloma from progressing by nearly three times as long as existing treatments, studies suggest. It is estimated that around 1,500 patients a year with multiple myeloma – an incurable cancer of the bone marrow – will benefit from the treatment. Paul Silvester received his treatment at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield (handout/PA) It comes after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) approved belantamab mafodotin, also known as Blenrep and made by GlaxoSmithKline, for NHS use. NHS England said that it is the first health system in the world to roll out the treatment. Officials said that the drug can now be offered to patients whose cancer has progressed or not responded to another first-line treatment. The treatment, which is given as an infusion every three weeks along with other cancer drugs, is a type of antibody drug which targets and attaches to cancer cells. It has been dubbed a 'Trojan horse' treatment because it works by being taken into a cancer cell, before releasing a high concentration of a lethal molecule to destroy the cell from inside. 'Myeloma is an aggressive type of blood cancer, but we have seen a steady improvement in the outlook for patients over recent years as we have introduced new targeted therapies,' Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said. 'I am delighted that patients in England will be the first to benefit from this new treatment, which has the potential to keep cancer at bay for years longer, giving people the chance of more precious time with friends and family. 'This treatment could be life-changing for many patients and their families, and that's why it is so important that the NHS continues to secure quick access to the latest, innovative treatments like this, at affordable prices to the taxpayer.' 🚨 Do you know the key symptoms of #myeloma? 🚨 Help us spread the word by sharing this post! Early diagnosis makes all the difference. If something feels off, don't wait – talk to your GP!#BloodCancerAwarenessMonth @MyelomaUK — DKMS UK | We Delete Blood Cancer (@DKMS_uk) September 6, 2024 Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at Nice, said: 'We're delighted that people in the UK will become among the first in the world to access belantamab mafodotin for this indication. 'This recommendation demonstrates our commitment to getting the best care to patients fast, while ensuring value for the taxpayer.' Trials have suggested that the treatment, in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone, delayed progression of the disease by an average of three years, compared to just over a year for patients taking commonly-used drug daratumumab along with the other treatments. Patient Paul Silvester, 60, from Sheffield, was diagnosed with myeloma in July 2023 and received treatment at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. The first treatment he was given failed to stop his cancer from progressing so he was given belantamab mafodotin through an early access programme. 'I feel like this treatment has brought the party balloons back in the house. It has been amazing – within the first two or three weeks, after the first dose, I was in remission,' he said. 'It gives me quite a lot of confidence in the drugs and it makes me more optimistic about the future. 'I've been feeling well and I'm still quite active – that's what's important in terms of your quality of life. 'One of my daughters is graduating from university in October and it's a goal for me to be there.' Shelagh McKinlay, director of research and advocacy at blood cancer charity Myeloma UK, said: 'It's fantastic to see the UK at the forefront of myeloma treatment. 'We have been working very hard for the last year to get this treatment approved and we know it will transform the lives of thousands of people with myeloma.' Health Minister Karin Smyth said: 'This groundbreaking therapy puts the NHS at the forefront of cancer innovation. 'By harnessing cutting-edge 'trojan horse' technology, we're offering new hope to blood cancer patients across the country.'
