Thousands of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are set to benefit from the roll-out of an immunotherapy tablet which can be taken at home. The tablet, cladribine, has been approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) for patients with the relapsing-remitting form of the disease. This comprises around 85% of the 150,000 people in the UK living with MS. It had previously only been available for patients with the more severe, highly active form of the disease.
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Doctors say the move will free up clinical time as patients who have previously required numerous trips to hospital, drug infusions and extensive monitoring. Prof James Palmer, medical director for specialised commissioning at NHS England, said: ‘The NHS is proud to be the first healthcare system in Europe to roll out this innovative ‘take at home’ tablet widely for patients with active multiple sclerosis.
‘Broadening access to cladribine means thousands more patients will benefit from managing their treatment at home rather than regularly attending hospital appointments.’
Cladribine, marketed under the name Mavenclad by Merck, is a disease modifying therapy which works by killing T and B white blood cells. These cells normally attack viruses and bacteria, but in people with MS, they attack the covering around nerves in the brain and spinal cord known as the myelin sheath.
Approval for the drug has been welcomed by campaigners, such as the MS Society who said more people living with the disease would now ‘be able to choose an effective treatment which suits their lifestyle.
‘This decision could particularly benefit people who’d struggle to go into hospital regularly, like younger working-age adults,’ said the MS Society’s head of policy, Laura Thomas. ‘It will also benefit patients considering starting a family, as it’s safe to get pregnant six months after the final course of treatment.’