A medical drug that combats breast cancer, previously deemed too expensive, will reportedly be available on the NHS, according to BBC News.
The drug, called Kadcyla, has been described as both 'pioneering' and 'life-extending', but allegedly costs £90,000 per patient.
It will add up to six months of life onto those suffering from a form of terminal breast cancer, the BBC reports, and will now be offered by the NHS thanks to a confidential deal between the drug company Roche and the health service.
A consultant studying a mammogram showing a woman's breast. Credit: PA
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"Tough negotiation and flexibility between the NHS and Roche means both patients and taxpayers are getting a good deal," NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said.
The decision to provide the drug will reportedly aid an estimated 1,200 women a year, and has been praised as a 'monumental u-turn'.
Back in April, Scotland paid for the drug but it was deemed too expensive for the rest of the UK.
Director of Breast Cancer Now, Mary Allison, and patients react to the decision to make the breast cancer drug Kadcyla available on Scotland's NHS. Credit: PA
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Kadcyla is a combination of two drugs, and its scientific name is Trastuzumab emtansine. It's an antibody-drug conjugate which targets tumours that cannot be surgically removed by stopping the growth of cancer cells, binding to the HER2/neu receptor (which can play an important role in the development of certain aggressive types of breast cancer).
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) had to conduct a cost-effectiveness test on the drug so it could be approved. The test found that the full price came to £166,000 for every 'quality adjusted life year' of good health.
"Close collaboration between Roche, NHS England and NICE has resulted in NICE recommending Kadcyla as a cost-effective treatment," said Richard Erwin, general manager at Roche. "This is a positive example of how solutions can be reached when all parties show flexibility."
Credit: PA
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Baroness Delyth Morgan, the chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, added: "This is exceptionally good news... we are absolutely delighted.
"Today's landmark decision bodes well for patients looking for reassurances that modern cancer treatments can get through to NHS patients more quickly and can bring transformational improvements in patient outcomes for the future."
Featured Image Credit: PA