The Scottish Medicines Consortium has accepted Roche’s Columvi (glofitamab) plus gemcitabine and oxaliplatin for use within NHS Scotland in adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma not otherwise specified who have progressed after one previous therapy and are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant.
Ropinder Gill, Chief Executive at Lymphoma Action, said: “This is very welcome news for those people in Scotland with a very aggressive type of B-cell lymphoma, and their families, who don’t have the option of a stem cell transplant.
“New treatment advances only make a difference when people can access them, and this decision gives people an alternative when they feel that they are running out of options.”
Gill added: “At Lymphoma Action, we are committed to advocating for more and better treatments for people affected by lymphoma, and this really is such a positive development because it will help people live longer, improve their quality of life and can be administered by their local team.”
Dr Matt Wilson, Consultant Haematologist at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, said: “While advanced therapies like CAR-T cell therapy are available in Scotland, not all patients are eligible to receive this treatment and second-line treatment options have historically been limited.
“The clinical data demonstrate that this combination offers a significant survival benefit compared to current standard of care and because this treatment can be administered in various hospital settings, not only tertiary centres, it provides an option for patients to receive effective therapy closer to their home.”
Artem Raskin, UK Haematology Lead at Roche Products Limited, said: “We recognise the urgency for patients facing this aggressive diagnosis. The STARGLO trial data provide evidence that this combination offers a significant survival benefit compared to standard of care, in a setting where existing options for these patients were previously limited.”
He continued: “As the first bispecific antibody combination available for this patient group in Scotland, our primary focus now is collaborating closely with NHS Scotland to ensure this treatment is available to clinicians and their patients as quickly as possible.”
