A new leukaemia “cure” which reprogrammes immune cells to tackle the cancer is being offered on the NHS.

The country’s top cancer doctor has announced rollout of the new form of CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy which sees T cells removed and modified in a laboratory so they can recognise cancer cells. It is used to tackle acute lymphoblastic leukaemia which is an aggressive cancer in the blood and bone marrow.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “This ‘living medicine’ boosts a patient’s own immune system and then guides T-cells towards the cancer to kill it.

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“CAR T-cell therapies are helping people with blood cancers live longer, healthier lives. This cutting-edge therapy has shown real promise in trials and could give patients with this aggressive form of leukaemia a chance to live free from cancer for longer – and, for some, it could offer the hope of a cure.”

Around 800 people get diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia every year in the UK. Data shows patients with this rare and aggressive form of cancer generally receive chemotherapy and on average live for just 10 months after treatment.

Some leukaemia patients have been offered CAR T-cell therapies on the NHS since 2018 but the new form, known as obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel), comes with fewer side effects and saw over three quarters of patients go into remission in trials.

Harry Brown, a 19-year-old student from Harrogate, received a devastating diagnosis of the disease in 2023. He was treated with obe-cel as part of a clinical trial in 2024.

Harry said: “I feel so lucky to have had access to such a wondrous treatment. Not only did it work better than my doctors thought it would, it worked without many of the horrible side effects you can get from other treatments.”

The geography student underwent the treatment at a specialist centre in Stevenage and is currently in remission. Harry added: "I think it’s brilliant obe-cel is now available on the NHS for people over the age of 26. The biggest thing it offers is hope. When you’re facing a situation like mine, hope is the most valuable thing you can have.”

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a rare blood cancer, affecting fewer than five in 10,000 people in the UK.

A study of 94 people on obe-cel found that 77% given the treatment went into remission. More than half of those were then showing no signs of detectable cancer after three and a half years.

The treatment will be available to people aged 26 and over living with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia which has returned or not responded to previous treatment, following approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The watchdog NICE said the treatment could help more than 150 people over the next three years who have relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and limited treatment options. Another CAR T-cell treatment is available for people aged 25 and under. The obe-cel infusion drip can also be administered outside of hospitals.

Fiona Hazell, chief executive at Leukaemia UK, said: “We are delighted that this therapy will be available on the NHS and this is a significant step forward in expanding treatment options for people living with leukaemia.

“This treatment is unique as the first CAR T therapy designed with the potential to be given in an outpatient setting, offering better accessibility particularly for older patients and we hope to see it made available in local settings or patient homes in the near future.”

The NHS was the first health service in Europe to start offering CAR T in 2018 and now a range of different versions are available.

CAR T therapy involves collecting the patient's T cells, reprogramming them in a lab to express a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) that recognises the CD19 protein found on cancer cells.

The engineered CAR T cells are then infused back into the patient so they can identify and attack cancer cells.

Obe-cel differs from previous forms of CAR T therapies in that it causes a “fast off” bind and release with the cancer cell before it dies off. It is also given in two split doses which makes an excessive immune reaction less likely.

This minimises over-stimulation of the immune system which can cause side effects such as flu-like symptoms and organ damage.

Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “B-cell ALL is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, and there remains a need for additional treatment options. Today's announcement, which enables access to an innovative new CAR T therapy, marks a significant step for patients with B-cell ALL in England and Wales.”

Obe-cel reduces the chances of a major side effect of CAR T therapy called cytokine release syndrome (CRS). This can cause symptoms including fever, chills, difficulty breathing, headaches and even confusion, seizures and speech difficulties.

The treatment, brand name Aucatzyl, is being manufactured by Autolus Therapeutics, a spin-out from University College London, and will be made in Stevenage.

Fiona Bride, interim Chief Commercial Officer and Director of Medicines Value & Access at NHS England, said: “This is a success story that’s made in Britain.”

Health Minister Ashley Dalton said: “This pioneering treatment is excellent news for patients and their families, demonstrating how the NHS is at the forefront of medical innovation.

“By supporting new treatments with fewer side effects and shorter hospital stays, we're building an NHS fit for the future whilst cementing the UK's position as a global leader in medical research.”