England approves breast cancer drug after cost dispute
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England’s National Health Service will now provide Enhertu to approximately 1,000 women each year who have advanced or metastatic HER2-low breast cancer.
The decision follows a commercial agreement between health authorities and the drug’s manufacturers, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo, after previously denying funding due to the drug’s high cost. Enhertu, chemically known as trastuzumab deruxtecan, is designed for patients whose tumors cannot be surgically removed or have spread to other parts of the body.
The drug combines an antibody with a chemotherapy agent, targeting the HER2 protein on cancer cells to deliver treatment more directly and reduce harm to healthy cells. A global clinical trial called DESTINY-Breast04 revealed that Enhertu extended the period patients lived without cancer progression to 9.9 months, compared to 5.1 months for those receiving standard chemotherapy. It also increased overall survival to 23.4 months versus 16.8 months.
While Enhertu isn’t a cure, it aims to slow disease progression and extend life for a specific group of patients who have already received prior treatments. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence initially rejected funding Enhertu in July 2024, citing cost concerns, but reconsidered after reaching a “commercial solution” with the manufacturers. Scotland made the drug available in December 2023, and Wales and Northern Ireland may follow suit.
