Hundreds of women with hard-to-treat ovarian cancer in England will now have access to a new life-prolonging drug, Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine), after NHS England approved its use. This marks the first new treatment for chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer to be approved by the NHS in over two decades.
Ovarian cancer is the 18th most common cancer globally, affecting over 300,000 women annually. More than three-quarters of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and about 80% of those with advanced disease eventually develop resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, leaving limited treatment options.
Elahere targets folate receptor-alpha-positive platinum-resistant epithelial cancers, including ovarian, peritoneal, and fallopian tube cancers. Administered intravenously every three weeks, the drug combines a homing antibody that seeks out the FRα protein on cancer cells with a cancer-killing molecule. Clinical trials involving eight NHS hospitals showed that Elahere delayed cancer progression and extended survival by an average of four months compared to chemotherapy alone, with more manageable side effects. Tumours shrank by at least 30% in 37% of patients, versus 16% with chemotherapy.
NHS England estimates up to 400 women per year could benefit. Professor Ruth Plummer, NHS England’s national clinical lead for cancer drugs, called it “the most significant breakthrough in NHS treatment for these hard-to-treat ovarian cancers in over two decades.” Charities and experts welcomed the decision, with Rachel Downing of Target Ovarian Cancer saying it offers “real hope of improved quality of life.” The drug, manufactured by AbbVie, was recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) following a new commercial agreement.
