Scotland has become the first part of the UK to approve a new treatment for advanced stomach cancer, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has announced. The drug zolbetuximab, used in combination with chemotherapy, has been given the green light for patients with a specific type of the disease.
Dr Robert Peel, SMC vice-chair, said the decision “provides an effective targeted treatment option for people with a certain type of advanced stomach cancer”. The treatment works by attaching to cancerous CLDN18.2 protein cells, enabling the immune system to attack them and slow disease progression.
It is estimated that around 386 patients per year in Scotland have advanced or metastatic gastric cancer that cannot be surgically removed or has spread. Astellas Pharma Ltd, the company behind the drug, said zolbetuximab could help patients live longer without their cancer worsening or spreading.
Professor Russell Petty, professor of medical oncology at the University of Dundee, welcomed the recommendation, stating: “The SMC recommendation of zolbetuximab reflects our ambition as doctors to deliver cutting-edge care for cancer patients in NHS Scotland through precision medicine.” He added that targeting specific tumour features like CLDN18.2 can extend a patient’s time with loved ones.
Astellas medical director Dr Timir Patel described zolbetuximab as “an innovative approach to treating advanced gastric cancer”. He said: “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.”
