A groundbreaking new cancer jab that can be delivered in just 60 seconds is being rolled out across the NHS, offering hope to tens of thousands of patients.
The ‘rapid’ immunotherapy injection, a new form of pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, could dramatically cut treatment times by up to 90%, allowing patients to spend far less time in hospital chairs.
The treatment, which can tackle 14 different types of cancer including lung, breast, head and neck, and cervical, works by helping the body’s immune system recognise and destroy cancer cells.
In a major boost for patients, the injection replaces lengthy intravenous infusions that can take up to two hours per session. Instead, it can be given every three weeks in a one minute jab, or every six weeks in a two minute dose, depending on the cancer type.
Among the first to benefit is 89 year old Shirley Xerxes, from St Albans, who described the experience as “unbelievable”.
She said:
“I was really happy to try out this new way of getting my treatment. I can’t believe how little time it took.
“I was only in the chair for a matter of minutes instead of an hour or more. It’s made such a difference and gives me more time to live my life, including spending more time gardening”.
Each year, around 14,000 patients in England begin treatment with pembrolizumab, and most are now expected to switch to the quicker, more convenient injection.
The move is also expected to ease pressure on NHS services. Preparing intravenous treatments requires specialist sterile conditions and can be time consuming for pharmacy teams. The ready to use injection removes that step, freeing up valuable clinic time and space.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said:
“This immunotherapy offers a lifeline for thousands of patients and it’s fantastic that this new rapid jab can now take just a minute to deliver, meaning patients can get back to living their lives rather than spending hours in a hospital chair.
“Managing cancer treatment and regular hospital trips can be really exhausting, and not only will this innovation make therapy much quicker and more convenient for patients, it will also help free up vital appointments for NHS teams to treat more people and continue to bring down waiting times”.
The drug, made by MSD, works by blocking a protein called PD 1, effectively releasing the brakes on the immune system so it can attack cancer cells.
However, patients who are receiving pembrolizumab alongside other intravenous therapies may still continue with infusions where needed.
James Richardson, National Specialty Advisor for Cancer Drugs at NHS England, described the development as a “win win”.
He said:
“This is a win-win innovation because patients will spend far less time in hospital and crucially our clinical teams will have more capacity to care for others. The time saved through this change is a huge gain for the NHS and demonstrates how we are continuing to modernise cancer care for the benefit of patients”.
John McNeill, Oncology Business Unit Director at MSD in the UK, added:
“We are pleased to introduce this new treatment option for patients that can be administered in 1 minute every 3 weeks or in 2 minutes every 6 weeks, significantly faster than IV delivery. This not only enhances the patient experience for many but also frees up valuable time for clinicians. This innovation offers a practical, patient-centred solution to improve productivity, capacity, and convenience in NHS cancer care”.
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, also welcomed the move.
She said:
“It’s great news that this immunotherapy treatment, which is already used to treat multiple cancers, will be available as an injection on the NHS. This will speed up the delivery of treatment, allowing people to spend more time living their lives outside of hospital, as well as freeing up time for staff to care for other patients.
“At a time when capacity across the NHS is severely limited, innovations like this are crucial. It’s important the UK government continues to dedicate resources to ensuring proven treatments reach patients quickly and fairly”.
Image: For illustration purposes only
