Posted by Michael Wonder on 11 Oct 2016
People with an advanced form of thyroid cancer now able to benefit from Lenvima (lenvatinib mesylate) in Scotland
10 October 2016 - Patients in England denied access to lenvatinib mesylate due to administrative delays.
The SMC has approved the use of Lenvima (lenvatinib mesylate) for people with radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC) in Scotland. Advanced thyroid cancer has a poor prognosis with a 10-year survival rate of around 15% and lenvatinib represents a significant step forward for patients in Scotland.
Lenvatinib mesylate is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with progressive, locally advanced or metastatic, differentiated (papillary, follicular, Hürthle cell) thyroid carcinoma, refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI-R DTC).
The availability of lenvatinib mesylate in Scotland contrasts with England, where the treatment may not be available to people with RAI-R DTC for a further two years. In July this year, NICE confirmed that guidance on the use of lenvatinib mesylate will not be published until at least 2018. Lenvatinib received a marketing authorisation from the European Commission more than a year ago, in May 2015.
NHS England appears to be blocking patient access to lenvatinib mesylate, despite the clear clinical need. Eisai is aware of scores of individual funding requests made by clinicians for the use of lenvatinib in eligible patients, and no patient has yet received the treatment.
