Venetoclax plus obinutuzumab available on the NHS in Scotland for untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

The Scottish Medicines Consortium has approved venetoclax plus obinutuzumab for adults with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). In December 2020, the combination was approved for a limited number of CLL patients in Scotland. This new decision brings access on the NHS in Scotland in line with current access in England and Wales. 

Venetoclax is a targeted treatment called a BCL-2 inhibitor. It blocks the BCL-2 protein which is produced in large amounts by cancerous white blood cells and helps them to survive and build up in the body. Venetoclax helps to reduce the number of cancer cells and slow growth. Obinutuzumab is a monoclonal antibody therapy which sticks to a protein called CD20 on B-cell lymphomas. When they stick to their target protein, they activate your immune system to destroy the cell that’s making the protein. 

Find out more about drug development, approval and funding, or visit Lymphoma TrialsLink for the latest on clinical trials for lymphoma.

Published: 23 May 2022