Blincyto

Blincyto is a cancer medicine used to treat a type of blood cancer that affects B cells (a type of white blood cell) called B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). It is used in adults whose cancer cells have a protein called CD19 on their surface (CD19-positive) and is: - Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph-positive), which means that the cancer cells have an abnormal chromosome called the Philadelphia chromosome. Blincyto is used if the cancer has not responded to previous treatments with at least two medicines known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and there are no other treatment options available; - Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-negative), where the cancer cells do not have an abnormal Philadelphia chromosome. Blincyto is used in adults who still have a small number of cancer cells remaining after previous treatment (referred to as minimal residual disease). Blincyto is also used in adults with newly diagnosed Ph-negative ALL when the cancer cells have a protein called CD19 on their surface (CD19-positive). It is used as part of consolidation therapy (treatment to improve remission). Blincyto is used in children aged 1 month and older with Ph-negative ALL, CD19-positive B-cell precursor ALL. It is used when the cancer: - has not improved or has come back after two previous therapies or has come back following an allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (a procedure where the patient’s bone marrow is replaced by stem cells from a donor to form new bone marrow that produces healthy cells); - has come back for the first time and is considered high risk. Blincyto is used as part of consolidation therapy. ALL is rare, and Blincyto was designated an ‘orphan medicine’ (a medicine used in rare diseases) on 24 July 2009. Blincyto contains the active substance blinatumomab.