New combination therapy will be available on the NHS, offering new hope to people with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma
From the 2nd April 2025, adults with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma will have access to a new treatment called brentuximab vedotin (brand name Adcetris) combined with other therapies.
Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects cells in the lymphatic system. Advanced (stage 3 and 4) CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma most commonly affects younger adults aged 20 to 24 years and older adults aged 75 to 79 years.
Offering alternative therapies to chemotherapy is essential to patients
Around 800 people annually with previously untreated stage 3 or 4 CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma may benefit from this new treatment, which combines brentuximab vedotin with doxorubicin, dacarbazine, and vinblastine.
“Today’s recommendation represents a significant milestone for people with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. Having an alternative to chemotherapy on its own is particularly important for these patients, many of whom may have been told that no further effective treatment is available to them,” commented Helen Knight, NICE director of medicines evaluation.
Helen continued: “The evidence shows brentuximab combination therapy could help increase how long people have before their cancer gets worse and potentially enable them to live longer compared with current standard treatments.”
This exciting development marks the first recommendation for previously untreated late-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The news comes after Takeda, the company behind the treatment, offered an improved confidential discount to the NHS on the treatment’s list price.
The combination therapy significantly delays Hodgkin lymphoma progression
Clinical evidence from the ECHELON-1 trial showed that brentuximab combination therapy substantially delays disease progression and prolongs survival compared to standard chemotherapy regimens. Additionally, the trial highlighted impressive overall survival rates for people receiving the new treatment.
“We are excited that NICE has recommended a new treatment which will provide hope and improved outcomes for patients with advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma who face challenges with currently available treatments,” commented Dallas Pounds, director of services at Lymphoma Action.
Renewed hope for patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma
Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) will be available through the Cancer Drugs Fund, enabling patients to begin treatment immediately.
Advanced Hodgkin lymphoma is usually treated with chemotherapy. Similarly, the new treatment is given as an infusion into a vein, with patients typically receiving several cycles of therapy as part of their treatment plan.
Current treatments can cause significant side effects, including lung toxicity, fertility problems, and increased risk of heart disease. NICE emphasised in their final guidance report that offering different treatment options is essential for patients, allowing them to choose based on side-effect profiles. Furthermore, the research committee identified a gap in treatments with less toxic effects, and patients and their families would welcome additional options.
