Cancer therapy receives ‘promising’ designation under UK scheme

The government has announced that an investigational cancer therapy has become the first to be awarded the UK's new promising innovative medicine (PIM) designation.

Developed by US-based pharmaceutical company Northwest Biotherapeutics, the medicine – DCVax-L – has received this status as the first step in the UK's Early Access to Medicines Scheme, which aims to accelerate patient access to much-needed therapies.

PIM status is awarded based on an assessment of early clinical data by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency that indicates the development plan is on the right track.

The manufacturer could now be eligible to apply for step two of the scheme, which would help bring it to market more quickly. This early boost to a drug's potential is expected to be beneficial to companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

Life sciences minister George Freeman said: "We want to make Britain the best place in the world to design and deliver 21st-century healthcare technologies, which is central to our life science strategy."

The scheme was launched in April 2014. It is voluntary and does not replace the normal licensing procedures for medicines.