Thousands of people in England with a type of multiple sclerosis (MS) are set to benefit from a new treatment on the NHS.
Natalizumab, which is given every four weeks as an infusion or injection, has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
It will be available as an option for people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), the most common form of the condition which causes symptoms to flare up.
It was particularly good new for women who want to start a family as it is safe to take during pregnancy.
Patients may have the treatment in cases when MS remains highly active after other therapies, or when other treatments are not suitable.
MS is an autoimmune disease which causes immune cells to attack myelin, the insulating layer that protects nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
This causes inflammation and scarring, leading to symptoms such as vision problems, weakness, fatigue, and issues with balance.
Natalizumab works by binding to immune cells to keep them in the bloodstream and prevent them from entering the brain and spinal cord.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease which causes immune cells to attack myelin, the insulating layer that protects nerves in the brain and spinal cord (file image)
According to Nice, there are around 123,000 people with MS, with an estimated 43,000 having RRMS at any one time.
Two versions of natalizumab have been given the go-ahead for NHS use.
These are Tysabri, made by Biogen, which is given as an injection, and Tyruko, made by Sandoz, given as an infusion.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation, said: ‘This recommendation means people living with highly active relapsing-remitting MS now have a meaningful additional treatment option.
‘Having choice matters enormously to people managing a lifelong condition – it allows individuals and their clinicians to select the treatment that best fits their personal circumstances.’
Ceri Smith, head of policy at the MS Society, said the decision will be beneficial to women with MS who want to get pregnant.
‘Natalizumab is a highly effective treatment, and we’re really pleased that people with highly active relapsing MS who haven’t responded to previous disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) will now have the option to take it.
‘Nice’s decision will particularly benefit people who want to start a family as natalizumab can be taken during pregnancy, unlike other highly effective DMTs.’
MS is around three times more common in women compared to men, Nice estimates.
Professor Ruth Dobson, centre lead for the Centre of Preventive Neurology at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health, added: ‘This is welcome news for the thousands of people who have breakthrough MS activity on treatment.
‘They now have access to a wider range of treatments without needing to wait, meaning that they and their clinicians can choose the treatment that is most suitable for them.’
James Palmer, medical director for specialised services at NHS England, said: ‘For people living with highly active multiple sclerosis, finding a treatment that works can make a real difference to their day-to-day lives.
‘This Nice recommendation gives patients and their specialist teams another effective option when the disease remains active despite other treatments, supporting more personalised care and informed choices about what’s right for them.’
