Immunotherapy treatment fast-tracked under UK’s access to medicines scheme

From today, UK patients with an incurable form of bladder cancer can access the new immunotherapy, atezolizumab. 

This is following a positive Scientific Opinion by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), under the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS), that allows patient and doctors access to innovative treatments for serious medical conditions where there is a clear current unmet medical need, whilst they are being fully assessed for Marketing Authorisation.

Urothelial carcinoma, a bladder cancer that develops from the cells of the bladder lining, accounts for more than 90% of bladder cancers in the UK.  Atezolizumab has been fast-tracked for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, after disease progression following one prior platinum-containing chemotherapy regimen regardless of its setting (neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic).

Richard Erwin, General Manager, Roche UK said: "We are delighted that we are able to make atezolizumab available to patients with advanced bladder cancer in the UK via EAMS.

This is an area that has seen little advance and here we have a new treatment that has the potential to make a significant difference to the lives of patients. This decision is truly a best practice example of how we can work together with healthcare bodies to make a drug currently going through marketing authorisation available to a much needed patient population."