New cancer therapies coming to LGT
We’re delighted to inform you of new forthcoming treatments at LGT for two blood cancers – multiple myeloma (MM) and lymphoma.
From next month, LGT clinicians will be able to make use of a group of drugs called bispecific antibodies, or BsAbs.
BsAbs work by forcing T cells – a kind of white blood cell that fights disease and cancers – to bond with specific cancer cells by connecting to them both at once. The T cells can then recognise and kill off the cancer cells.
The work that led us to this brilliant news was led by Dr Thomas Erblich, Consultant Haematologist, and his team – with Nikki MacFarlane leading on the training for nurses. A big thank you to everyone involved!
Dr Erblich said: “We’re all so pleased to be able to introduce this entire generation of drugs into our arsenal for treating MM and lymphoma – while they need to be managed carefully, they’re a really powerful way of treating these aggressive conditions. Thank you to all who have helped get us to this point.”
The drugs in question are branded as Elrexfio, Tepkinly, Tecvayli and Columvi. They’re intended to be a fourth line of treatment for multiple myeloma but could be introduced sooner for lymphoma patients.
Again, huge congratulations to everyone who has been involved in this new development – we of course hope that as few patients as possible are poorly enough to need these new immunotherapies, but are delighted that they are in position to help those who do.