Breakthrough drug offers new hope for swimmer Archie Goodburn amid brain cancer

Elite Scottish swimmer Archie Goodburn, 24, has been given new hope after a breakthrough drug was approved to treat his rare brain cancer. Doctors diagnosed three large oligodendrogliomas, inoperable, in May 2024 after seizures interrupted his training and his bid to reach the Paris 2024 Olympic team was halted. He had come close to qualifying, missing out by a fraction of a second, and later revealed that the symptoms began months earlier during intense training.

Vorasidenib, developed by French firm Servier, is the first targeted therapy for this cancer in more than two decades. It was approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on Wednesday, enabling use on British soil. Goodburn became eligible for the treatment about two months ago and has been taking it under a compassionate access scheme. In trials, Vorasidenib doubled median survival from about 11 months to roughly 28 months, a figure doctors say could meaningfully slow disease progression for many patients. It is now being evaluated for wider NHS adoption, with a plan to submit to NICE for formal appraisal and broad use.

Goodburn remains hopeful about competing at the Commonwealth Games next year in Glasgow. He trains 11 times a week and is pursuing a chemical engineering master's degree at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on cancer drugs.

"I was told my tumours were incurable and inoperable. It was something that was probably going to kill me, but they couldn't do anything," Goodburn told The Times. "Vorasidenib has given me hope that I can compete in the Commonwealth Games. It is impossible to look too far ahead, and I have a scan every three months to see if the tumour is growing or laying dormant. The psychological stress of having a ticking time bomb in your brain is unbelievable. There's not a second that goes by in your day where you don't think about it."

The MHRA approval is being followed by plans for NICE assessment to determine national funding and access. Advocacy groups say the development marks a milestone for low-grade glioma patients and highlight the need for ongoing investment in research. The Astro Brain Tumour Fund described the approval as an important milestone for the community. Paula Valencia, general manager of Servier UK, said: "Bringing the first targeted therapy in over 20 years to the UK is an important step forward for people living with Grade 2 IDH-mutant glioma. Access is a priority, and we are committed to working with the government and health authorities so that we can bring this new medicine to eligible patients in the UK."

Brain cancer remains among the leading killers for people under 40, and researchers say funding for the disease receives a fraction of the amount awarded to more common cancers. Goodburn's case has drawn attention to the need for timely access to therapies that can slow disease progression and improve quality of life for younger patients.

With the drug now available on compassionate access, Goodburn is hopeful he can compete in the Commonwealth Games next year and use his platform to raise awareness about brain tumors. He continues training 11 times per week and is pursuing a chemical engineering master’s degree at Edinburgh University, while scans every three months monitor the tumours' status.