A new IQVIA Institute for Human Data Sciences report highlights discrepancies in healthcare systems to deliver innovative cancer treatments across Europe. We can pave a pathway to overcome the access challenges identified and fulfil the promise of advanced therapies. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) casts a long shadow across Europe, accounting for nearly a quarter of the 1.24 million blood cancer cases annually worldwide and resulting in persistently poor outcomes. For Jonathan Clark, this statistic became intensely personal upon receiving his NHL diagnosis. 'It takes you apart completely,' Jonathan recalls. 'Hearing that the condition is difficult to treat and may be incurable is devastating. You don’t really know what it means for your future. I was lying awake at night practicing my goodbyes, to my friends, to my family, to my kids and my wife. Everything just disintegrates. It was a difficult time.' After his initial treatments were unsuccessful, Jonathan was offered the opportunity to enroll in a clinical trial for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. 'I’m here, I’m alive, it’s incredible. It’s never too late to be the person that you could have been, and that’s what my wife and I are doing now, we’re making the most of what life has to offer for us. You don’t know what’s going to happen, but I got lucky,' he shares. Accessing innovative therapies to meet the growing burden of blood cancer Jonathan’s story is not what all people living with blood cancer experience. 'Lymphoma takes a profound toll on patients, their care partners, and families, affecting not only physical health but also emotional well-being, financial stability and overall quality of life. Beyond the disease itself, patients frequently experience long-lasting side effects, including cognitive and physical impairments that impact daily life.' Natacha Bolaños, Head of Membership and Alliances, Lymphoma Coalition. The impact of lymphoma on society is significant. In Europe, the annual cost of lost productivity due to premature deaths from NHL is estimated at €110.7 million, based on a ten-year projection. NHL places a considerable strain on healthcare systems, as a result of longer hospital stays, repeated visits and the cost of care. At a time of rising pressure on, and demand for, cancer services, CAR T-cell therapy can represent a shift in blood cancer treatment. First approved in Europe in 2018, this individualized treatment harnesses a patient’s own blood cells, re-engineering the cells to target cancer. While research is still evolving, the response that the one-time CAR T-cell therapy delivers suggests that it has curative potential for some patients. This means that it could help unlock better care and long-term value for health systems. For example, CAR T-cell therapy uses less hospital resources than autologous stem cell transplant for treating diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a type of NHL — this amounts to 30 percent less staff time due to fewer chemotherapy cycles and outpatient visits, and shorter hospital stays. CAR T-cell therapies are not administered like conventional drugs. They have a highly specialized manufacturing process in state-of-the-art facilities and are administered in qualified treatment centers, with medical and other allied health professionals who undergo rigorous training and qualification to administer this complex therapy. The manufacturing process is individualized and highly regulated, therefore necessitating robust and prepared healthcare systems to ensure safe, rapid and effective delivery. Healthcare systems in Europe have a pivotal role to play in shaping the future of blood cancer care. The management of NHL requires specialized infrastructure, personnel and supportive care services. Ensuring healthcare system readiness is essential to meet the increasing demands of this complex disease. Understanding healthcare system readiness for CAR T-cell therapy A new report, Achieving CAR T-Cell Therapy Health System Readiness: An Assessment of Barriers and Opportunities, investigates international health system readiness to deliver CAR T-cell therapies. The report was developed by the IQVIA Institute, and funded and reviewed by Gilead and Kite. The recommendations of the IQVIA Institute report focus on crucial areas, including standardized governance frameworks for eligible patient referrals to qualified treatment centers, policy frameworks to improve access, funding for infrastructure and resources, and CAR T-cell therapy planning, including education to enhance the understanding of this treatment to support appropriate resource allocation. Commenting on the report’s findings, Murray Aitken, the Executive Director at the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science states: 'These findings have significant implications for Europe, impacting patient access, innovation, competitiveness and overall societal well-being. Our research reveals significant disparities in health system readiness for CAR T-cell therapy across Europe. These disparities have real consequences for patients, limiting access to this potentially life-saving treatment.' Healthcare system readiness: the EU’s role in driving change at the national level The report comes at a crucial time in the EU, with innovative biotechnology and biomanufacturing designated as key competitiveness drivers, as echoed in The Future European Competitiveness report by Mario Draghi, former Prime Minister of Italy and former president of the European Central Bank. With the revision of the General Pharmaceutical Legislation, initiatives such as the EU Biotech Act and EU Life Sciences Strategy were announced, which aim to foster an innovation-friendly ecosystem, while ensuring all Europeans have equal and fast access to the latest innovation. In parallel, EU policymakers have also been addressing access challenges, such as some of those highlighted in the report, through programs such as the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU4Health programme. Many access barriers for CAR T-cell therapy remain under national competence and need to be addressed by Member States. EU institutions, however, can play a key role in supporting Member States’ readiness for the uptake of advanced therapies in Europe through policies and programs. Richard Price, Policy Director at the European Cancer Organisation, reflects on these EU policy initiatives, stating 'the implementation of the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan has already demonstrated EU capabilities in helping address skilled workforce issues and mapping the EU’s cancer treatment capacity to better identify and address barriers. It is important to continue building on these actions throughout this EU legislature to help countries meet the challenges of new treatment uptake together. This can include helping to increase the number of centers with expertise to provide cell therapy and supporting patients from across Europe to have access to such centers.' Conclusions To fully realize the potential of CAR T-cell therapies, the IQVIA Institute report recommends policy changes focused on sustainable and equitable CAR T-cell therapy funding and standardized referral systems. National and regional access planning, coordinated capacity assessments and the evaluation of alternative monitoring models will further support the delivery of these innovative treatments. These key policy actions should be addressed both nationally and within wider frameworks, such as the EU, to drive change in cancer care. Change is needed at every level to support more patients living with blood cancer in achieving better outcomes and, like Jonathan Clark, make the most of what life has to offer. Importantly, collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry, EU institutions and Member States’ health authorities is vital to delivering scientific advancements and ensuring that all eligible patients gain access to innovative treatments, while fostering a competitive biotech ecosystem in the EU. 'Kite is committed to driving positive change for individuals living with difficult-to-treat blood cancers through its continued investment in innovation,' states Dick Sundh, Vice President and Head of Australia, Canada and Europe (ACE) at Kite. 'We are dedicated to supporting healthcare systems and healthcare professionals in understanding treatment opportunities and identifying solutions. This commitment encompasses investing in skilled personnel and expertise, pursuing ongoing research to support the use of approved treatments, and advancing world-class European manufacturing capabilities. Together, we work toward a future where innovative therapies like CAR T-cell therapy are readily available to all who can benefit.' You can read the full report’s findings here.

Equitable access to innovation: Understanding healthcare system readiness to deliver CAR T-cell therapy in Europe

A new IQVIA Institute for Human Data Sciences report highlights discrepancies in healthcare systems across Europe to deliver innovative cancer treatments, specifically CAR T-cell therapy for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The report, funded by Gilead and Kite, recommends policy changes focused on sustainable and equitable funding, standardized referral systems, and national and regional access planning to support the delivery of these innovative treatments.