NHS England Expands Loco-regional Treatment Options for Colorectal Cancer Patients With Metastatic Disease [1]

LONDON, Feb. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BTG plc (LSE: BTG), a global healthcare company, today announced that the NHS Specialised Services Commissioning Committee has agreed that, effective 1 April 2019, NHS England will routinely commission Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT) for colorectal cancer patients with liver-limited metastatic disease who are refractory or intolerant to chemotherapy.¹

"This landmark decision covers Y90 SIRT with glass or resin microspheres and gives UK clinicians and patients increased access to loco-regional treatments from the metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) "toolbox" as described by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in their mCRC treatment guidelines²,"  said Rachel Duggan, Country Sales Manager, UK & Ireland. "Another option in that toolbox, TACE with Drug-Eluting Beads (DEBIRI with DC Bead^®), is already funded in the UK."

BTG offers comprehensive training and service support to centres wishing to initiate SIRT and/or DEBIRI programmes, including the clinical rationale, patient selection, and access to funding.

About TheraSphere^®
TheraSphere^® is a targeted therapy that consists of millions of glass microspheres containing radioactive yttrium-90. The microspheres are delivered directly to liver tumours through the hepatic artery via catheter and become permanently lodged there. Because the procedure delivers the treatment directly to the liver tumour, the radiation destroys the tumour cells with minimal impact to the surrounding healthy liver tissue. The microspheres continue to deliver radiation to the tumour over the course of several weeks after treatment. Over 20,000 patients worldwide have been treated with TheraSphere^®.  For full instructions for use and important safety information, please visit www.therasphere.com.

About DC Bead^®
DC Bead^® is a drug-eluting bead with CE Mark approval for loading with doxorubicin or irinotecan, providing an effective standardised liver-directed therapy for primary and metastatic liver cancer. With more than ten years' clinical experience, extensive peer-review evidence supports the benefits offered by the unique chemistry of DC Bead^®. In intermediate HCC, these benefits include improved tolerability and tumour response versus cTACE and high rates of five-year survival.^3-7 In metastatic colorectal cancer patients, DC Bead^® has been shown to offer improved survival and enhanced quality of life versus systemic chemotherapy alone.⁸ For instructions for use and important safety information, please visit: www.dcbead.com.

About BTG Interventional Oncology
BTG Interventional Oncology is committed to transforming the way cancer is treated with our portfolio of minimally-invasive, highly targeted cancer therapies that can be personalised to each patient's needs. Our products are used to treat or provide symptomatic relief for people with cancer and benign tumours. To learn more about BTG Interventional Oncology, please follow @BTGIO on twitter or visit: www.btg-io.com

NHS England: Clinical Commissioning Policy: Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for chemotherapy refractory / intolerant metastatic colorectal cancer (adults) available at: https://bit.ly/2HEZTsM (accessed January 2019)

1. Van Cutsem E, Cervantes A, Adam R et al. ESMO consensus guidelines for the management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.  Ann Oncol 2016: 27:1386-1422
2. Lammer J et al. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2010; 33: 41-52
3. Song MJ et al. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2011; 23: 521-7
4. Dhanasakeran R et al. J Surg Oncol 2010; 101: 476-80
5. Burrel M et al. J Hepatol 2012; 56: 1330-5
6. Malagari K et al. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2012; 35: 1119-28
7. Fiorentini G et al. Anticancer Res 2012; 32: 1387

For further information contact: 
Chris Sampson, Corporate Communications Director
+44(0)20-7575-1595; Mobile: +44(0)7773-251-178

SOURCE BTG Plc