UK Approves New Combination Therapy for Blood Cancer Patients

British health authorities have granted approval for GSK’s blood cancer treatment, Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin), to be used in new combination therapies for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma—a serious type of blood cancer. This approval is specifically for patients who have previously received at least one line of therapy.

The approved combinations include Blenrep with bortezomib and dexamethasone (BVd), and with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (BPd). These combinations follow promising results from two major clinical trials, DREAMM-7 and DREAMM-8, which showed a significant improvement in progression-free survival for patients compared to existing standard treatments.

Notably, the BVd combination nearly tripled the time patients lived without disease progression—rising from 13.4 months with standard therapy to 36.6 months.

This marks a major turnaround for Blenrep, which was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2022 after underwhelming results as a standalone treatment. Now, with stronger outcomes in combination use, the drug is back in the spotlight as a valuable option for patients facing multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer globally, with around 6,500 new cases in the UK each year. The condition is known for cycles of remission and relapse, making effective long-term treatment essential.

With its unique mechanism as an anti-BCMA antibody-drug conjugate, Blenrep offers renewed hope and an important new option for patients in need of alternative therapies.