NICE recommends mogamulizumab for treatment of ultra-rare blood cancers
pharmafile | November 11, 2021 | News story | Business Services |
NICE has recommended POTELIGEO (mogamulizumab), manufactured by Kyowa Kirin, as a treatment option for adults in England in Wales with the ultra-rare blood cancers mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS), two forms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The treatment is approved for use after two prior systemic treatments for adults living with MF, and one for adults living with SS.
Kyowa Kirin is a Japanese pharmaceutical company with a more than 70-year heritage, and mogamulizumab is the latest addition to their robust pipeline of drug candidates.
Mogamulizumab is a first-in-class humanised monoclonal antibody, directed against CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4), a protein consistently expressed on cancerous cells seen in both MF and SS. Once mogamulizumab binds to CCR4, it increases attraction of immune cells from the immune system to destroy the cancerous cells.
MF and SS are two forms of CTCL, a serious and potentially life-threatening form of cancer, and these conditions are characterised by localisation of cancerous white blood cells called T lymphocytes (T cells), to the skin. When these cancerous T cells move to the skin, they can create a localised inflammatory immune skin response.
It can take between two and seven years for patients to receive a confirmed diagnosis for CTCL. The disease is treatable but not curable, and there has therefore been a clear unmet need for new treatment options.
Richard Johnson, Northern Cluster General Manager, responsible for the UK at Kyowa Kirin, said: “This is a momentous day for those living with MF and SS in the UK. By issuing positive guidance for POTELIGEO, NICE has helped ensure that those with MF and SS who have few systemic treatment options available to them are now able to access an innovative therapy.
“This decision is also testament to the dedication, commitment and long-term efforts of the broader CTCL community in advocating for a wider range of treatment options in the UK for those living with conditions like MF and SS.”
Lina Adams
