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'Tepotinib' has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to patients with a specific gene mutation of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The new potentially life-extending drug is available from Thursday (14 April). It has been recommended for routine use across the NHS in England through Project Orbis, a programme to review and approve promising cancer drugs helping patients access treatments faster. NICE has published its final appraisal document recommending tepotinib (also known as Tepmetko and produced by company Merck Serono Ltd) as an option for treating advanced NSCLC with METex14 skipping gene alterations in adults. People with METex14 skipping alterations of NSCLC make up between 1-2% of all adults with lung cancer in England. Tepotinib, which requires people to take two tablets once daily, provides a new targeted treatment for adults with METex14 skipping gene alterations. Just over 700 people in England would be eligible to receive tepotinib as either a first or second-line treatment.

Patients in Ireland with a specific type of lung cancer can now access Merck's TEPMETKO® (tepotinib) as a second-line treatment option, following its approval for reimbursement by the Health Service Executive (HSE). Tepotinib is the first treatment approved in Ireland specifically targeting advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor gene (MET) exon 14 (METex14) skipping alterations. Previously, the oral MET inhibitor had been approved in the NHS across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Patients with advanced NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations typically have poorer overall survival rates compared to other NSCLC patients. According to Merck, tepotinib has shown consistent and durable antitumor activity in this group, as demonstrated in the VISION study, further cementing its role in clinical practice. Roisin Molloy, Managing Director of Merck Healthcare in Ireland, said: "This is an important step forward for targeted treatments in Ireland and it is fantastic news that the HSE has reimbursed tepotinib."