NHS cancer vaccine offers shorter hospital visits for patients
The NHS cancer vaccine Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug used to treat multiple cancers, is now available in a new injectable form that significantly reduces the time patients spend in hospital. This development aims to improve patient experience and free up valuable healthcare resources.
New injectable form of Keytruda
Keytruda, also known as pembrolizumab, has been administered to NHS patients since 2015 via intravenous infusion, a process that can take over an hour. The new injectable version cuts this time to just a couple of minutes. Depending on the patient’s cancer diagnosis, the treatment can be given every three weeks as a one-minute injection or every six weeks as a two-minute injection.
Shirley Xerxes, an 86-year-old patient from St Albans, Hertfordshire, was among the first to receive the injection at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre. She noted that the shorter treatment time allowed her to spend more time on activities like gardening.
Impact on patients and NHS services
- Approximately 14,000 cancer patients in England start treatment with Keytruda annually, with most expected to switch to the injectable form.
- The drug treats 14 different types of cancer, including lung, head and neck, cervical, and breast cancers.
- The injectable form is the third immunotherapy drug available as a jab on the NHS, following the introduction of a similar form of Opdivo (nivolumab) last year.
Prof Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, highlighted that the quicker administration reduces the burden of hospital visits for patients and frees up chemotherapy unit capacity. This change may also facilitate the delivery of cancer treatments in community settings rather than hospitals.
Background on Keytruda and immunotherapy
Keytruda works by helping the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. Cancer cells can evade immune detection by producing proteins that send a “stop signal” to immune cells. Immunotherapy blocks this signal, allowing the immune system to target the cancer. This mechanism earned scientists James Allison and Tasuku Honjo the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2018.
Keytruda was initially approved for skin cancer and later for other cancers. It is one of the world’s best-selling prescription medicines, with global sales projected to reach $30 billion (£22 billion) in 2025.
Until now, the drug required preparation under sterile conditions and administration via a drip. The new injectable form simplifies this process, benefiting both patients and hospital staff.
Cost and patent considerations
NHS England has not disclosed the cost of the new injectable form due to a confidential agreement with the manufacturer, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD). It is understood that the price is similar to the infusion version.
Keytruda has generated estimated sales of $180 billion since its launch. Its patents are set to expire in 2028 in the US and 2031 in Europe, potentially allowing generic versions to enter the market. Some critics in the US have suggested that the new injectable form, covered by different patents, may be a strategy to delay generic competition. MSD states that the injectable offers meaningful benefits by reducing administration time and easing pressure on healthcare resources.