New Lung Cancer Drug Shows Promise, Awaiting Israeli Health Basket Inclusion

A new drug, Imdeltra, is offering renewed hope for patients with advanced small cell lung cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease. The treatment, which targets tumors expressing the DLL3 protein by linking them to immune cells, has demonstrated significant improvements in survival rates in clinical trials. A Phase 3 international study involving 509 patients showed that Imdeltra extended median survival to 13.6 months compared to 8.3 months for those receiving standard chemotherapy, a reduction in mortality risk of approximately 40%. The drug also exhibited a lower incidence of severe side effects, with 54% of patients experiencing them compared to 80% in the chemotherapy group.

One patient, 79-year-old Meir Shmul from Migdal HaEmek, experienced a complete remission after a year and a half of treatment with Imdeltra at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, following the failure of previous therapies. Professor Nir Peled, head of the oncology center, described the drug as a major advancement for small cell lung cancer, a field with limited treatment options for decades. He noted that some patients have seen their disease disappear entirely.

While Imdeltra is already approved in Israel for adult patients with advanced small cell lung cancer whose disease progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy, and has full FDA approval in the United States, it is not yet included in Israel's national health basket. The drug was previously considered but not funded due to budget constraints. It is once again under review for the 2027 health basket.

The estimated annual cost to make Imdeltra accessible to the approximately 140 Israeli patients diagnosed with this condition each year is around 30 million shekels. For the health system, this represents a cost-benefit analysis within a limited budget, but for the patients and their families, it is a critical, life-altering decision.