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Important: This page is for general information only. It doesn’t replace medical advice, and it can’t tell you whether this treatment is definitely suitable for you. Please speak to your medical team for specific treatment advice.
What this news means for you
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the organisation that decides which treatments the NHS in England should pay for. It has approved obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel) CAR-T therapy for use on the NHS in England.
Obe-cel has been approved only for:
- B Cell ALL AND
- people aged 26 and older AND
- people who have relapsed from other treatments.
Today’s decision is good news as it is the first CAR-T cell therapy for people over 25 years old to be made available long term.
Several charities, including Leukaemia Care, Anthony Nolan and Leukaemia UK, worked to secure access to this treatment. Today’s decision offers more certainty for patients, particularly when relapse may occur later on down the line. It has the potential for patients to have fewer side effects and may lead to more treatment from home.
Our CEO, Colin Dyer, said: “A diagnosis of relapsed or refractory ALL brings enormous uncertainty, not just for patients but for loved ones too. The approval of obe-cel provides a new opportunity for remission when it’s needed most.
Importantly, for some patients in the future, this treatment may mean spending less time away from home and the support networks they rely on. This is something we have known to be a challenge for many years. Alongside this progress, our role is to stand beside patients, helping them navigate treatment decisions, access support, and feel heard throughout their journey.”
Will obe-cel become available in Wales, Svotland and Northern Ireland too?
Wales and Northern Ireland are likely to follow NICE’s recommendation and make this available, although this can sometimes take longer than in England. It has not yet been approved for patients in Scotland, as there is a separate process for Scotland. We expect this process to happen in the near future.
What is obe-cel?
Obe-cel is a chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. In simple terms:
- Your own immune cells (T-cells) are collected from your body
- The cells are then modified in a lab so they can better recognise a protein called CD19 on leukaemia cells.
- Those modified cells are then infused back into your body, where they can seek out and attack cancerous B-cells.
Treatment is currently carried out in specialist centres with experience in CAR-T therapies.
How obe-cel could help you
Clinical studies have shown obe-cel to be an effective treatment for relapsed or refractory ALL. Also obe-cel cells are engineered to stick around for longer in the body to fight off future leukaemia cells. It is tricky to treat ALL in adults, so further effective options for treatment are important.
Obe-cel may have fewer side effects compared to other CAR-T therapies. This means it might help more patients than current CAR-T can, such as those with other illnesses. Experts also hope this means future patients spending less time in hospital after CAR-T.
At Leukaemia Care, we know travel to the specialist centres for CAR- T puts an extra burden on patients and their families. We see people spending weeks and months away from homes. Treatments like obe-cel could address this. This will be important to patient quality of life.
These results offer real hope when ALL has not responded to standard therapies. As with all treatments, it’s not guaranteed to work for everyone. Because this is a new treatment, research into long-term outcomes is ongoing.
Will obe -cel become available in people under the age of 26?
Obe-cel was also looked at in people aged 18 to 25. There is already another CAR-T cell therapy available in this group of patients and not much data on the use of obe-cel in this group. Therefore, NICE decided not to recommend obe-cel for 18 to 25 years olds. We hope that wider access to younger people will be made available in future.
How Leukaemia Care can support you with treatment
At Leukaemia Care, our mission is to support you and your loved ones—especially when navigating new and potentially complex treatment options like CAR-T. Here’s how we can help:
- CAR-T away from Home Service – a service offering financial support and accommodation for certain patients and their families who need to stay away from home. Apply and get more information here.
- Free Helpline & Nurse Support: Call us on 08088 010 444 (Monday–Friday, 9am–4.30pm) or message us on WhatsApp on 07500 068 065 for guidance, information and emotional support.
- Tailored Information: Want to know more about CAR-T? Read our information here.
- Practical Advice: If you are worried about the impact of treatment on your life, and need practical support, contact us to discuss how we can help.