Lung Cancer Medicines

Lord Rogan Excerpts

Wednesday 14th February 2024 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Rogan]

To ask His Majesty’s Government, following the announcement that Takeda Pharmaceuticals plans to withdraw Mobocertinib from market, what steps they are taking to ensure that lung cancer patients have access to the medicines they need.

[Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)]

My Lords, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is engaging with Takeda Pharmaceuticals to ensure that, where appropriate, patients receiving Mobocertinib have access, following the company’s decision to withdraw it from the market globally. Mobocertinib is not licensed in Northern Ireland but has been available through the Northern Ireland MHRA authorised route and can be supplied as an unlicensed medicine for existing patients after it is withdrawn. Alternative treatments for new NHS patients may include NICE-recommended immuno- therapies, such as Nivolumab, or chemotherapy.

[Lord Rogan (UUP)]

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that this drug is due to be withdrawn from the UK market in March, despite the results of the recent EXCLAIM-2 trial, which showed that it can be as effective as chemotherapy, with no safety concerns. It is currently the only drug in the UK that is licensed for use in exon 20 patients who have the rare subtype EGFR-positive lung cancer. Removing it from the market means that these patients will have no treatment options open to them beyond chemotherapy, which will certainly reduce lifespan and increase mortality rates. On behalf of those patients, I plead with the Minister to work with Takeda to deliver a compassionate use policy for all exon 20 patients, including, crucially, those who cannot yet take the drug, to serve as a pathway for them to access it while waiting for an alternative treatment.