The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has recommended Accord’s Relugolix (Orgovyx), as a treatment for advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in its final draft guidance.
The androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the first oral treatment of its kind to be endorsed by NICE and could potentially benefit 40,000 individuals.
Other hormone treatments are administered through injections, while Relugolix is an oral tablet, providing patients with the convenience of at-home treatment.
Prostate cancer cells need androgen hormones such as testosterone to proliferate. ADT works by reducing these hormone levels, either through medication or surgery, to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Relugolix functions by obstructing the production of testosterone in the testes, thereby lowering its levels.
ADT has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks and heart failure.
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Clinical trials indicate that compared with leuprolide, Relugolix can maintain lower testosterone levels – crucial in halting cancer growth – and diminish the risk of severe cardiovascular events.
An indirect treatment comparison suggests that Relugolix works as other ADTs.
It also offers a more convenient and flexible treatment option relative to injectable therapies, which can reduce the need for travel and time away from work.
NICE medicines evaluation director Helen Knight said: “We are continuing to focus on what matters most to people by recommending this innovative and effective treatment that can make a positive difference to people with advanced prostate cancer.
“Relugolix provides a convenient and flexible treatment option compared with therapies that need to be injected, helping people to avoid travel and time off work and the evidence shows it can improve people’s quality of life.”
