Bavencio from Merck KGaA and Pfizer is available under the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) as first-line maintenance treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Bavencio (avelumab) from Merck KGaA and PFizer is available under the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) as first-line maintenance treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC - bladder cancer) that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. The EAMS programme provides early availability of promising new medicines to UK patients with high unmet clinical need and this is a real breakthrough for these patients and could change the standard of care. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued their positive scientific opinion based on results from the Phase III JAVELIN Bladder 100 study, which was presented earlier this year at ASCO 2020 Virtual Scientific Meeting. • The study demonstrated a significant 7.1-month improvement in median overall survival (OS) with avelumab as first-line maintenance plus best supportive care (BSC) compared with BSC alone. • Results showed a 31% reduction in the risk of death. • Avelumab is the first immunotherapy to demonstrate in a clinical trial a statistically significant improvement in overall survival as a first-line treatment for these patients .