Men with prostate cancer to benefit from life-extending pill approved for NHS use

NICE has recommended talazoparib, taken alongside enzalutamide, for some men with advanced prostate cancer in England; about 2,400 people are estimated to be eligible and the treatment is available on the NHS from today.

Health authorities have recommended talazoparib, a once-daily pill also known as Talzenna, for some men with advanced prostate cancer. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advised the drug be taken alongside enzalutamide. The treatment is intended for patients whose cancer has spread and who cannot have chemotherapy or tolerate other standard options. NICE says the drug is available on the NHS from today. The recommendation follows analysis showing prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK. Key facts: - Talazoparib is made by Pfizer and works by blocking certain enzymes that repair damaged DNA in cancer cells, causing cancer cells to die. - Clinical trials reported that people taking talazoparib with enzalutamide lived almost nine months longer and had more time before their cancer got worse. - The treatment is a once-daily oral pill that can be taken at home alongside enzalutamide. - NICE estimates about 2,400 people in England are eligible for the treatment and it is available on the NHS from today. - Organisations cited that the drug may be particularly effective for patients with some genetic variations, such as BRCA and HRR. Summary: The NICE recommendation introduces a home-administered treatment option for a specific group of men with advanced prostate cancer and clinical trials reported an average survival benefit of almost nine months when talazoparib is added to enzalutamide. The drug is available on the NHS from today and NICE estimates about 2,400 people in England are eligible.