The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today, 20 June 2025, approved serplulimab (Hetronifly) to treat adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), which has not previously been treated, and has spread within the lungs or to other parts of the body.
SCLC is a fast-growing cancer that typically develops in the airways of the lungs. It accounts for 10-15% of lung cancer cases and is often diagnosed at a late stage when the cancer has already spread.
Serplulimab is a monoclonal antibody (a targeted therapy) that supports the immune system by blocking PD-1, a receptor some cancer cells use to avoid detection. By inhibiting PD-1, it helps immune cells recognise and destroy cancer cells more effectively…