Responding, Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“It’s fantastic news that elacestrant has been approved for use on the NHS in England, providing for the first time, a targeted treatment specifically for certain people with ER-positive, HER2-negative incurable secondary breast cancer with an ESR1 mutation*.
“Following its provisional rejection in October, crucially, today’s decision means elacestrant will bring eligible patients hope of more precious time before their condition progresses to do the things that matter most to them, compared to treatments currently available. Because elacestrant has been approved for people with a particular gene mutation, additional testing will be needed to work out who will be eligible to receive it. It is vital that this testing is put in place quickly to avoid any delays in access. It is also crucial that elacestrant is quickly submitted to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) so that the opportunity can be seized to make it available to everyone who needs it across the UK.
“Today’s news is extremely welcome, but we remain deeply concerned that the system is not working in getting all secondary breast cancer drugs to the people who so badly need them. We remain tireless in our efforts to ensure every person with secondary breast cancer can access the vital treatments that they both so desperately need and deserve.”
ENDS
Notes To Editor
*This is a genetic change that often occurs after long-term use of hormone therapy, which is used as part of initial treatment for this type of secondary breast cancer. ESR1 mutations are associated with the disease progressing faster and worse survival.