Cancer jab that can cut treatment times by 75% set to be rolled out on NHS in world-first

A JAB that can cut treatment times for cancer patients by 75 per cent is set to be rolled out on the NHS in a world-first.

The injection of atezolizumab — an immunotherapy drug — will see hundreds of patients have their treatment time cut from half an hour to seven minutes.

Professor Peter Johnson, of the NHS, said: “Maintaining the best possible quality of life for cancer patients is vital, so introducing faster injections will make an important difference.

“The world-first introduction of this treatment will mean that hundreds of patients can spend less time at the hospital and will free up valuable time in NHS chemotherapy units.”

Atezolizumab, also known as Tecentriq, is a treatment for cancers affecting the lung, breast, liver and bladder and it is given to around 3,600 patients in England each year.

It is expected that the majority of these people will now get the drug via the injection instead of on an IV drip, the current method.

Patients who receive atezolizumab alongside chemotherapy may still be given the drug intravenously.

The drug is known as a “checkpoint inhibitor” and works by helping the immune system find and kill cancer cells.

NHS England will be the first health system in the world to roll out the injection version of the drug after it was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Marius Scholtz, medical director for Roche Products Limited, which manufactures the jab, said the company is “delighted” the drug will be dished out on the NHS.

He said: “Injecting Tecentriq under the skin offers a faster treatment option.

“It takes approximately seven minutes, compared with 30 to 60 minutes for the current method of an intravenous infusion of Tecentriq.”