BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
Thousands of women facing advanced breast cancer in England and Wales are set to gain access to a much-anticipated new treatment — a twice-daily pill that could help slow the spread of the disease and offer precious time. The medication, called capivasertib or Truqap, has been approved for NHS use after the medicines watchdog, NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), reversed its initial decision.
Described by experts as a “landmark moment” for breast cancer care, the approval marks a significant step for women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer carrying certain genetic mutations — a group for whom treatment options have long been limited. Each year, around 3,000 women are expected to benefit from this targeted therapy.
Targeted treatment offers a new line of defense
Capivasertib works by blocking an abnormal protein molecule known as AKT that fuels the multiplication of cancer cells. By interfering with this protein, the drug can help slow or even halt the spread of the disease.
“Thousands of NHS patients with advanced breast cancer with these specific biomarkers can now receive this innovative targeted treatment to keep their cancer from progressing for longer,” said Professor Nicholas Turner of the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, who led key trials into the drug.
The pill is specifically designed for patients whose tumors have mutations in the PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN genes—alterations present in about half of people with this type of breast cancer. Clinical trials have shown that combining capivasertib with the hormone therapy fulvestrant increased the time before cancer worsened from 3.1 months to 7.3 months, providing a meaningful extension of disease control.
A win after earlier rejection
The approval follows an earlier rejection by NICE, a decision that charity Breast Cancer Now said led to harmful delays in treatment access. Claire Rowney, the charity’s chief executive, welcomed the new decision but called for systemic changes.
“This happens too often and urgent action must be taken to ensure the quick approval of breast cancer drugs so they can be made available promptly to those who need them,” Rowney emphasized. She also urged NHS England to implement rapid genetic testing so that eligible patients can begin treatment without further delay. “The Scottish Medicines Consortium must also consider this treatment at pace now, so that we see it made available to all who need it across the UK,” she added.
Years of research behind the breakthrough
The pill’s approval represents the culmination of decades of scientific research and collaboration. Professor Paul Workman, former chief executive of the ICR and a researcher involved in the AKT drug discovery project, celebrated the moment as a major achievement for cancer research.
“It’s immensely gratifying that years of collaboration have contributed to this new cancer drug, which has the potential to improve the lives of so many NHS patients living with advanced breast cancer,” Workman said.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, also highlighted the significance of the decision. “We heard about the devastating impact that being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer has on people’s lives,” she said. “I am pleased AstraZeneca worked with NICE to enable us to recommend this promising new treatment as a good use of NHS resources and value for money for taxpayers.”
As the NHS moves forward with the rollout of capivasertib, advocates and experts alike hope the approval will not only extend lives but also set a precedent for faster access to innovative cancer treatments in the future.
