1722.1 – Axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta®) for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma

Highly Specialised Therapy - National Health Reform Agreement.

Axicabtagene ciloleucel is a CAR T-cell therapy that is produced using a patient’s own T-cells (another form of immune cell), making the product unique to each patient.

For CAR-T therapy, a patient’s T-cells are collected and genetically modified in a lab to express an anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that targets the lymphoma B-cells. The modified T-cells are multiplied and then infused back into the patient where they target and kill the cancerous lymphoma B-cells, thereby treating the lymphoma.

CAR-T cell therapies are a relatively new type of treatment that are used when patients with some types of cancers (currently blood cancers such as large B-cell lymphoma), don’t respond to (refractory), or relapse (come back) after, other types of treatment, such as chemotherapy. Second-line therapy means that axicabtagene ciloleucel would be a second choice after another therapy, likely chemoimmunotherapy.

Type: Therapeutic technology

Large B-cell lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that arises from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell), which are part of the body’s immune system.

Large B-cell lymphoma is a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and patients typically present with swelling of the lymph nodes or disease in other parts of the body such as the stomach, bowel, skin and lungs, which can cause swelling and discomfort. In addition, patients can have fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss.

• PASC consultation: Not applicable
• MSAC consultation: Closed Friday 16 February 2024

• PASC meeting: Expedited - bypassed PASC
• ESC meeting: 15–16 February 2024
• MSAC meeting: 4–5 April 2024