Source: Pharmaceutical Technology
The once-daily tablet hinders proteins that trigger the severe inflammatory response linked to chronic GVHD. Credit: fizkes / Shutterstock.com. The decision provides a treatment that can be administered in the at-home setting, reducing hospital visits.
Administered as a once-daily tablet, Belumosudil hinders proteins that trigger the severe inflammatory response linked to chronic GVHD. Clinical trials have demonstrated that up to three-quarters of the subjects responded to the therapy, with significant effectiveness in treating symptoms affecting the mouth, intestine or joints.
The treatment is accessible through the NHS England’s Innovative Medicines Fund, which fast-tracks the delivery of the most promising non-cancer drugs to patients. See Also:AbbVie licenses OSE’s chronic inflammation therapy for $48m upfront Source: Pharmaceutical Technology
Source: Pharmaceutical Technology
Chronic GVHD is a rare but serious condition that can occur after a life-saving stem cell transplant. White blood cells in the donated tissue attack the patient’s organs and weaken their immune system. Around 1,200 patients in England undergo such transplants each year. Around 400 go on to develop the condition, which is sometimes mild but for one in ten cases is fatal.
Belumosudil will now be made available for 200 severely affected patients who have not responded to two previous therapies. This development comes after the NHS decided to fast-track the funding for the drug based on clinical guidance from the UK National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
NHS England specialised services medical director James Palmer stated: “This rollout is a real breakthrough for patients with graft versus host disease and it will help people living with this debilitating condition effectively manage their symptoms and enhance their quality of life and daily functioning.
“It’s great news that the NHS has been able to fast-track funding for a treatment which will have a significant impact for hundreds of patients over the coming years.”