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 The U.S. firm's cell therapy DCVax-L has been awarded "promising
innovative medicine" status, which is the first step in the scheme
that allows access to novel drugs months or even years before they
are officially licensed for sale, the department of health said on
Tuesday.
The initiative, which has similarities with a U.S. scheme that has
speeded the development of so-called "breakthrough" medicines,
follows criticism that Britain's state-run healthcare system is too
slow to adopt new treatments.
Doctors will be able to prescribe the new drug once the Medicines
and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the country's drugs
watchdog, signals that its benefits outweigh the risks following an
initial scientific assessment.
The new early access program is funded by drug companies.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Jason Neely)
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