Responding, Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“It’s fantastic news that olaparib has been approved for use on the NHS in England, providing a second targeted treatment option for certain people with locally advanced or secondary breast cancer who have inherited an altered BRCA gene.
“Around 5-10% of people with breast cancer carry an inherited altered gene, of which the BRCA 1 and 2 genes are the most common. The discovery of how to use PARP inhibitors, like olaparib, to treat these cancers is the culmination of over a decade of work at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at the Institute of Cancer Research London.[1] And we’re pleased this additional treatment option at this stage in the pathway could be a valuable alternative choice for patients and clinicians.
“With the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) now assessing olaparib, we hope they follow suit, making it available to everyone who needs it across the UK.
“People can speak to their clinical team about treatment options and can also call our free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000 to speak to our expert nurses for information and support.”
ENDS
Notes To Editors
[1] Breast Cancer Now-funded researchers contributed to the discovery of a targeted use for PARP inhibitors. The charity receives a share of royalties from the Institute of Cancer Research for sales of PARP inhibitor drugs being used in a targeted way to treat cancers with changes in BRCA genes, or other similar defects which mean that cancer cells are unable to properly repair their DNA. This includes royalties from sales of olaparib by AstraZeneca and Merck. Income raised through the royalties/payments for PARP inhibitor drugs is invested back into the charity, so that Breast Cancer Now can continue to fund world-class research and life-changing support for everyone affected by breast cancer.
Olaparib (Lynparza) is a type of PARP inhibitor and is licensed for the treatment of people with germline BRCA1/2-mutations, who have HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Patients should have previously been treated with an anthracycline and a taxane in the (neo)adjuvant or metastatic setting unless patients were not suitable for these treatments. Patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer should also have progressed on or after prior endocrine therapy, or be considered unsuitable for endocrine therapy.
Wales and Northern Ireland normally follow NICE decisions. Scotland has a separate drug appraisal process – we understand they are currently considering the use of olaparib for this group of patients.