The UK's National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved the use of talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) for treating inoperable metastatic melanoma in adults when systemically administered immunotherapies are not suitable, making the treatment the first viral immunotherapy approved for use on the NHS.

Professor Kevin Harrington, Professor of Biological Cancer Therapies at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden, who led the UK-arm of the T-VEC phase I, II and III trials, said:

“It is very exciting news that NICE has approved T-VEC for patients with advanced melanoma, making it the first of its kind to be approved for use on the NHS. This is the culmination of 10 years’ work on this agent through phase I, II and III clinical trials.

“T-VEC is a modified form of the herpes virus and kills cancer cells in two ways – by attacking them directly and by directing the patient’s own immune system against the tumour. The treatment has not only been shown to be effective, but has relatively mild side-effects making it particularly suitable for patients who can’t be given some of the other immunotherapies on the market. NICE deserves credit for working with the manufacturer to make this treatment available to patients in England and Wales who would otherwise have limited options.”

Watch an interview with Dr Robert Andtbacka of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, USA on the use of oncolytic virotherapy (OV) in the treatment of melanoma and read up on OV in this ecancer article.

Source: NICE / ICR