Posted by Michael Wonder on 09 Oct 2017
Patients in Scotland first to get new blood cancer drug daratumumab on NHS
9 October 2017 - An innovative new drug for the treatment of a complex blood cancer has been approved for use on the NHS in Scotland.
The SMC agreed that daratumumab, also known as Darzalex, should be made available on a restricted basis for myeloma patients. Myeloma is the second most common form of blood cancer. The disease originates in bone marrow.
It is the first time an immunotherapy drug of this kind has been approved for use in myeloma in the UK. It is expected that around 90 patients will be eligible for the new treatment during the first year, rising to 418 patients by year five, although the actual uptake is expected to be lower.
