Hi everyone,
We wanted to share some hopeful news that’s specifically relevant for adults aged 26 and over whose B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-cell ALL) has relapsed or hasn’t responded to treatment.
NHS England has now approved a personalised CAR-T cell therapy called 'obe-cel’. It’s sometimes described as a “living medicine”, as it uses a person’s own immune cells, re-engineered to recognise and attack their cancer.
Key points:
-
Who it’s for: Adults (26+) with relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL
-
Effectiveness: Around 77% of people went into remission in trials
-
Safety: It appears to cause fewer side effects than some existing CAR-T treatments
-
Where it’s available: Right now, obe-cel has been approved for use on the NHS in England, and hospitals there have up to 90 days to start offering it.
- Elsewhere in the UK: Wales and Northern Ireland often follow NICE decisions, but this can take longer than in England. Scotland uses a separate approval process, and the company has not yet submitted the treatment for review.
You can read the full update on the Blood Cancer UK website here: Next generation CAR T-cell therapy offers new hope for people with aggressive blood cancer.
If you’re wondering what this might mean for you or someone you care about, the best people to speak to are your treating team, as they’ll know the most up-to-date information for your area and your individual eligibility.
All the best,
Ceri - Blood Cancer UK Support Services Team