The United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given marketing authorization to AbbVie’s first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate mirvetuximab soravtansine, brand name Elahere, as a monotherapy for adult patients with folate receptor-alpha positive, platinum-resistant high-grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancers (1). In a July 24, 2025 press release, AbbVie said the population eligible for treatment under this indication would be those who have received one to three prior systemic treatment regimens.
UK is latest to give OK
Key Takeaways
- MHRA has granted UK marketing authorization for AbbVie’s mirvetuximab soravtansine (Elahere), the first new treatment in more than a decade for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
- Elahere, an antibody-drug conjugate targeting folate receptor-alpha, is approved in multiple global markets and reflects AbbVie's expanding oncology portfolio post-ImmunoGen acquisition.
- AbbVie is prioritizing collaboration with NICE for reimbursement and will spotlight its innovation strategy and partnerships at the upcoming PODD 2025 conference.
AbbVie’s mirvetuximab soravtansine formulation was recommended by the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Human Medicinal Products in September 2024 and was licensed by the European Commission two months later (1,2) China’s National Medical Products Administration also approved the treatment in November 2024; it was granted full FDA approval for the United States market in March 2024 (1).
In the UK, the AbbVie treatment is the first new one of its kind for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in more than 10 years (1).
“It is fantastic news that the MHRA has granted authorization for mirvetuximab soravtansine—this is a milestone for the treatment of eligible adult women with folate-receptor high platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in the UK,” Susana Banerjee, consultant medical oncologist, research lead Gynecology Unit, the Royal Marsden National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, and professor in Women’s Cancers, the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said in the press release (1). “Treatment advances with novel mechanisms of action, like mirvetuximab soravtansine, are crucial for helping eligible women with this type of cancer.”
Ovarian cancer an unfortunate leader
According to AbbVie, ovarian cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide among gynecological cancers, with approximately 7500 UK women newly diagnosed each year—the sixth-most common cancer in the nation (1). Two-thirds receive a late diagnosis, at a more difficult stage to treat, with up to 80% who have advanced disease prone to relapse, and the majority of those eventually becoming resistant to treatment.
“AbbVie has an established portfolio of licensed therapies across blood cancers and today’s announcement marks our broader commitment to support treatment outcomes for patients with solid tumors,” said Rachael Millward, medical director, AbbVie UK, in the release (1). “This is an important development for women with advanced ovarian cancer, and in particular, the underserved platinum-resistant patient population. Following marketing authorization, our priority now is to work with NICE [the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] to provide all the necessary information for their appraisal of mirvetuximab soravtansine.”
Other AbbVie moves
The domino that started the wave of approvals for mirvetuximab soravtansine was AbbVie’s acquisition of ImmunoGen, for which Elahere had been a flagship product, a transaction that was first announced in November 2023 (3). More recently, AbbVie announced a $2.1 billion deal to acquire Capstan Therapeutics, strengthening its cell therapy and immunology portfolio, a deal that was broken down on an episode of Pharmaceutical Technology® Group’s “Behind the Headlines” video series (4).
At the 15th annual Partnership Opportunities in Drug Delivery conference, set for Oct. 27–28, 2025 in Boston, Nicholas Schill, PhD, AbbVie senior director of landscaping & platform definition, is scheduled to present along with Mateja Kramer, PhD, global head of innovation at Novartis, as part of the conference’s Pharma Company Spotlights. These presentations are expected to provide transparency into current technology scouting efforts and collaborative models used to accelerate therapeutic development (5).
Registration is open at poddconference.com.
References
1. AbbVie. AbbVie’s First in Class Therapy ELAHERE (mirvetuximab soravtansine) Licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for the Treatment of Eligible Adult Patients with Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer. Press Release. July 24, 2025.
2. EMA. Meeting Highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 16–19 September 2024. Press Release. Sept. 20, 2024.
3. AbbVie. AbbVie to Acquire ImmunoGen, including its Flagship Cancer Therapy Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx), Expanding Solid Tumor Portfolio. Press Release. Nov. 30, 2023.
4. Spivey, C. Behind the Headlines, Episode 20: CAR-T Milestones, AbbVie and Eli Lilly M&A Moves, and More. PharmTech.com, July 1, 2023.
5. Cole, C. PODD 2025 Unveils Agenda Highlighting Innovation in Drug Delivery Technologies. PharmTech.com, July 16, 2023.
