NORTH-EAST patients with certain types of blood cancer will be among the first in the country to benefit from a new drug after NHS officials agreed to provide funding.

The decision by the North of England Cancer Drug Approvals Group to approve Plerixafor, also known as Mozobil, was praised by two national charities last night.

Eric Lowe, chief executive of Myeloma UK, said the drug was “a great breakthrough” and called on other areas to follow the example set by the North-East.

Plerixafor stimulates the production of stem cells in patients with lymphoma and myeloma so lifesaving transplants can go ahead. The decision follows a request from specialist doctors in the North-East for permission to prescribe the drug. Plerixafor was licensed for use in Europe in August.

Because it affects a very small number of patients, it is not being appraised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which normally provides guidance for the NHS on which new drugs to fund.

Decisions on funding will be left to local primary care trusts (PCTs).

Sally Penrose, chief executive of the Lymphoma Association, said: “This is great news for patients in the North-East as it will allow more people with non- Hodgkin lymphoma to have a stem cell transplant. The drug is well tolerated and makes the harvest process easier. Without this treatment, further options for these patients are limited.

“Unfortunately, access to the drug is patchy. Some PCTs will fund it, others won’t, so there is lots of inequality at the moment.”

Mr Lowe said: “The effect on a small group of myeloma patients who are unable to produce enough stem cells to proceed to a transplant can be devastating.

“Mozobil, which is proven to increase the likelihood of collecting enough cells for a transplant, is a great breakthrough for this group of patients.

“Access to this effective drug will have a huge impact in terms of helping these patients achieve a good remission, increased survival and improved quality of life.

I commend the North of England Cancer Drug Approvals Group for their timely approval for use in the North-East.”