- A new life-extending treatment, zanidatamab (also known as Ziihera), has been approved for NHS use in England and Wales for patients with an aggressive form of bile duct cancer.
- The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has recommended the antibody treatment for individuals with HER2-positive advanced biliary tract cancer who have already undergone at least one prior treatment.
- Clinical trials indicate that zanidatamab can almost triple the life expectancy of patients, with an average survival of 18.1 months compared to 6.2 months with current second-line therapies.
- The treatment works by targeting the HER2 protein, which stimulates tumour growth, activating the immune system to eliminate cancer cells and reducing HER2 levels.
- Approximately 65 patients annually are expected to benefit from zanidatamab, offering new hope for a disease often diagnosed at a late stage with limited treatment options.
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