Latest update: 9 June 2026
In December 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended the removal of brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel) for treating relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic treatment.
Brexu-cel, also known by the brand name Tecartus, is a CAR-T cell therapy, a type of treatment that uses cells from your own immune system to fight lymphoma. It has been available as a treatment for relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma via the Cancer Drug Fund.
While the recommendation to remove this as a treatment option is disappointing, Lymphoma Action recognises that the NICE appraisal process is designed to be fair and equitable, ensuring a consistent standard of evaluation for all medicines and includes an appeal process.
The primary focus of Lymphoma Action remains the patients living with mantle cell lymphoma who may benefit from this treatment. We have therefore worked with Anthony Nolan and Blood Cancer UK to submit a formal appeal against the NICE decision as joint stakeholders in the NICE appraisal process. Together, we have written a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to urge the Department for Health and Social Care to review this decision.
We have also written to Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety, and Lord Kamall, Shadow Minister Health and Social Care, to make sure they are fully aware of this problem and to ask for support.
Together with other blood cancer patient organisations, we are contacting journalists to reflect the views of our community in the media and we’re supporting people in our community to share their personal experiences if the media asks to hear from them. We have seen a large response from the media on this issue so far, and we are grateful to those who have supported this activity by sharing their experiences.
Gilead Sciences Limited, the pharmaceutical company who manufacture brexu-cel, have also submitted an appeal against the decision. We are pleased to advise that, following a NICE appeal panel hearing that took place on Monday 30 March 2026, the case is being taken back to committee for further review and consideration. Together with our partner charities who have brought this appeal, we hope that the Committee will revisit their original decision and allow this treatment option to continue for those that need it most. We will continue to provide updates as soon as they become available.
Whilst we are not sure how long the appeal process will take at this stage, it is important to remember that the decision is not final and that access to brexu-cel will not be affected until the appeal is decided. Please remember our Helpline Services are available if you need to talk, or would like any support.