We want everyone to have access to the best care possible.
We know that not every cell therapy patient can access the care or support they need, when they need it.
Our research has identified inequalities in the outcomes of stem cell transplant for patients from a minority ethnic background, highlighted the financial difficulties faced by patients from lower incomes and uncovered variation in access to supportive services such as psychological care.
We use our voice and our influence to advocate for equitable, compassionate and personalised care for every cell therapy patient, regardless of their ethnicity or other factors that should not affect their care.
We are campaigning for:
- Better access to psychological support for patients and their families, regardless of where they are treated or their indication for transplant, CAR-T or gene therapy.
- Improved support for patients and families experiencing financial difficulties due to the costs of accessing treatment.
- Better access to fertility services for patients, particularly those with non-malignant conditions undergoing a stem cell transplant or receiving gene therapy.
- An end to unwarranted variation in the care and supportive services available to patients and families across the country.
We’re also working to:
- Recruit more people from minority ethnic backgrounds to the Anthony Nolan stem cell donor register.
- Ethically support the development of donor registers abroad, particularly in areas that are currently under-represented.
- Grow the UK cord blood bank and help clinical teams to be more confident with the use of cord blood for transplant.
Understanding barriers in stem cell transplant
As the Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Stem Cell Transplantation, we supported an inquiry into the barriers to accessing care and support that patients face because of their background. This included ethnicity, socio-economic status and where people live in the country.
Access to new therapies
Our Policy and Public Affairs team works with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), which are responsible for approving new treatments for use within the NHS. We represent patient experiences and views and explain the impact potential treatments could have for patients and their families.
New therapies we have advocated for access to
Exa-cel
We worked with the Sickle Cell Society to help the sickle community access new and innovative treatments which address their needs and reduce health inequalities, such as the new gene therapy exa-cel.
Ruxolitinib
We supported both the SMC and NICE to bring ruxolitinib to the NHS. Ruxolitinib is an important treatment option for patients with acute graft versus host disease (aGvHD).
Other medicines appraisals that we have successfully supported include:
- The NICE appraisal of obecabtagene autoleucel for treating relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
- The NICE and SMC appraisals of axicabtagene ciloleucel for the treatment of adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) after one prior systemic therapy.
- The SMC appraisal of rezafungin acetate for the treatment of invasive candidiasis in adults.
- The NICE appraisal of tisagenlecleucel for treating relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in people aged 25 and under.
- The SMC and NICE appraisals of belumosudil for treating chronic graft versus host disease after 2 or more therapies.
- The SMC appraisal of brexucabtagene autoleucel for treatment of adult patients 26 years of age and above with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
- The SMC appraisal of maribavir for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and/or disease that are refractory (with or without resistance) to one or more prior therapies, in adult patients who have undergone a haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) or solid organ transplant (SOT).
- The SMC appraisal of treosulfan in combination with fludarabine as part of conditioning treatment prior to allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) in adult patients with malignant and non-malignant diseases, and in paediatric patients older than one month with malignant diseases.
Tecartus for Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Tecartus (brexu-cel) is a CAR-T treatment for relapsed or refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma. In 2025, NICE recommended removing access to Tecartus from the NHS in England and Wales.
Anthony Nolan appealed against this decision, alongside Lymphoma Action and Blood Cancer UK. Despite our appeal being upheld, in October 2026, NICE announced they would uphold their original decision to remove access to Tecartus for patients on the NHS in England and Wales. NICE made this decision as they felt the evidence for Tecartus in MCL was too uncertain to decide it is a cost-effective use of NHS resources.
Below are some FAQs about NICE’s decision and our understanding of how it will impact patients and families.
Tecartus for Mantle Cell Lymphoma FAQs
When will Tecartus officially be removed from the NHS in England and Wales?
We have been told that patients who have had their cells collected (leukapheresis) before the NICE Final Guidance is published will be allowed to proceed to receive Tecartus. NICE is planning to publish the Final Guidance on 25 November 2026, however if there are any appeals against the decision, this may be delayed.
What other treatment options are available for patients whose MCL returns after treatment with a BTK inhibitor?
Tecartus is licensed for adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy including a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor. The main alternative treatment to Tecartus for patients who have already had a BTK inhibitor are chemotherapy regimens, including R-BAC (rituximab, bendamustine and cytarabine), or bendamustine plus rituximab. A small number of patients may be eligible for an allogeneic stem cell transplant, but this is only available to patients in remission and fit enough to tolerate a transplant.
NICE is considering a new BTK inhibitor called pirtobrutinib, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma who have been previously treated with a BTK inhibitor. The NICE committee will meet to discuss whether pirtobrutinib should be made available on the NHS in May 2027 (more information is available on the NICE website here).
There may also be other treatment options available via clinical trials.
Are there any other CAR-Ts available for relapsed or refractory MCL?
There are no other currently funded CAR-T options for MCL on the NHS in England and Wales. There is another CAR-T called lisocabtagene maraleucel (also known as liso-cel or Breyanzi) which is made by a company called BMS and has a license for MCL, however it has not yet been submitted to NICE so it is not currently available on the NHS. BMS may choose to submit liso-cel for consideration by NICE in the near future. More information can be found on the NICE website here.
Does this decision also impact patients living in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Eligible patients with MCL in Scotland will still be able to access Tecartus, which has been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). More information is available on the SMC website here.
There is currently no CAR-T programme in Northern Ireland, patients who require CAR-T travel to England for treatment. We expect that the Department of Health in Northern Ireland will follow the NICE advice on Tecartus.
Who can patients and families speak to if they have concerns about their treatment?
Clinical teams are best placed to advise on individual treatment plans and options. For general support and advice from Anthony Nolan, call our helpline on 0303 303 0303 or email patientinfo@anthonynolan.org (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Are there any further opportunities to campaign for this decision to be changed?
It is possible that Gilead, the manufacturer of Tecartus, may appeal the decision from NICE again. Gilead has until 6 November 2027 to submit an appeal.