[Perspectives] UK oncology approvals in 2022: global regulatory collaboration and new regulatory pathways deliver new anti-cancer therapies

As global drug development re-equilibrates following the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of new oncology drugs approved by leading regulatory authorities has increased.1,2 In 2022, the UK’s regulatory authority—the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)—granted new market authorisations to 11 new cancer therapies (appendix pp 1–2) and more than ten supplemental (label extension) indications (appendix pp 3–4). Although new market authorisations were predominately for therapies to manage common cancers (seven [64%] of 11 authorisations; eg, lung and prostate), authorisations notably increased for rare (orphan) cancers (four authorisations [36%]; eg, uveal melanoma).