SMC approves new drug for stage 4 bowel cancer patients living in Scotland
Monday 19 January 2026
A new bowel cancer drug combination, which may extend life expectancy for some people with advanced bowel cancer, has been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) for patients in Scotland.
Nivolumab, in combination with ipilimumab, will now be available on the NHS for people with specific genetic changes, known as ‘high microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency’.
People with advanced bowel cancer - where the disease has spread to other parts of the body – are normally treated with chemotherapy, sometimes in combination with other treatments. But around 5% of advanced bowel cancer patients have changes to their mismatch repair genes, which can result in cancers with high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR). This also includes some people with Lynch syndrome. This makes them less likely to respond well to current treatments, often leading to poorer outcomes.
Patients who have had access to nivolumab, in combination with ipilimumab, have highlighted the benefits, including:
- Less severe side effects, such as nausea, stomach pains and fatigue, compared with chemotherapy routinely offered to bowel cancer patients
- Increased treatment options, as currently people with advanced bowel cancer have very limited choices
- Greater hope, as the treatment substantially increases how long it takes for the cancer to get worse and how long people live
This combination of drug is already available for eligible patients living in England and Wales.
Jennifer Bamforth, Head of Policy & Influencing at Bowel Cancer UK, says: "We’re delighted some advanced bowel cancer patients living in Scotland now have access to nivolumab, in combination with ipilimumab. This may give patients more valuable time with their loved ones, as well as a better quality of life and less severe side effects.”
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