STAT+: England to cover AstraZeneca breast cancer drug, a result of U.K.-U.S. drug pricing deal

Andrew covers the biopharma industry, scientific research, and public health across the continent. You can reach Andrew confidentially on Signal at drewqjoseph.71.LONDON — English health authorities on Thursday agreed to provide a breast cancer drug from AstraZeneca through the National Health Service, ending a years-long dispute that stoked questions about how committed the pharma company was to the U.K. Notably, the move — one that will extend the drug, called Enhertu, to an estimated 1,000 people in England — is in part a result of a U.S.-U.K. drug pricing deal reached late last year. Under the pact, a U.K. health agency agreed to raise the thresholds for what would be considered a cost-effective drug and worth paying for on the NHS. Now, women with metastatic breast cancer whose tumors have low levels of the protein HER2 will be eligible to receive Enhertu, a type of next-generation chemotherapy known as an antibody-drug conjugate. AstraZeneca noted that Scotland has covered the drug since 2023, and it’s paid for in 26 other European countries. (Patients with HER2-positive cancers have been able to get Enhertu in England.) STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the pharma industry — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe