Scotland first part of UK to approve ‘cutting edge’ treatment for stomach cancer

Scotland has become the first part of the UK to approve a new treatment hailed as “cutting edge care” for patients with advanced stomach cancer.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has given the go-ahead for the drug zolbetuximab to be used, together with chemotherapy.

SMC vice-chair Dr Robert Peel said this “provides an effective targeted treatment option for people with a certain type of advanced stomach cancer”.

The decision comes after Astellas Pharma Ltd said the treatment could help patients live for longer without their cancer getting worse or spreading.

It is estimated that 386 patients per year in Scotland have advanced or metastatic gastric cancer that cannot be removed with surgery or has spread to other parts of the body.

This new treatment works by allowing the drug to attach to cancerous CLDN18.2 protein cells within the body, enabling the immune system to attack them, thus slowing down progress of the disease.

Professor Russell Petty, professor of medical oncology and director of Tayside Medical Science Centre (TASC) School of Medicine at the University of Dundee said: “The SMC recommendation of zolbetuximab reflects our ambition as doctors to deliver cutting-edge care for cancer patients in NHS Scotland through precision medicine.

“By moving beyond one-size-fits-all methods and targeting specific features of a tumour, like CLDN18.2, it’s possible to deliver more effective therapies, ultimately extending a patient’s time with their loved ones.”

Astellas medical director, Dr Timir Patel, said the drug was “an innovative approach to treating advanced gastric cancer”.

The doctor added: “Today’s recommendation by the SMC highlights the importance of personalised approaches in cancer care and underscores the potential of zolbetuximab to improve patient outcomes.

“Astellas is dedicated to advancing our understanding of cancer biology to develop treatments for the most challenging cancers.

“We strive to provide doctors with essential options and patients with more time with their loved ones.

“Today’s decision shows our commitment to helping patients access treatments in the areas of greatest unmet clinical need.”