Patients in England will be the first in the world to access a new seven-minute cancer treatment jab.
The new injection technology will cut treatment time by up to 75%.
The immunotherapy atezolizumab, also known as Tecentriq, is usually given to patients intravenously, directly into their veins via a drip.
But after approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), hundreds of patients will be able to switch to getting the drug by injection.
That takes about seven minutes – compared to between 30 and 60 minutes for the IV transfusion.
The treatment is given to patients with a range of cancers, including lung, breast, liver and bladder.
The drug is known as a “checkpoint inhibitor” and works by helping the immune system find and kill cancer cells.
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NHS England said it expected the majority of around 3,600 patients starting the treatment of atezolizumab every year to switch to the injection.
But it added that patients receiving intravenous chemotherapy in combination with atezolizumab may remain on the transfusion.
The “world-first” rollout of the treatment will mean “hundreds of patients can spend less time at the hospital and will free up valuable time in NHS chemotherapy units”, NHS England’s national director for cancer Professor Peter Johnson said.
“Maintaining the best possible quality of life for cancer patients is vital, so the introduction of faster under-the-skin injections will make an important difference.”
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