On World Cancer Day, marked each year on 4 February, the focus is rightly on patients and the importance of awareness, education, early detection and access to care. Behind every treatment delivered is a national healthcare system under increasing pressure – balancing rising demand, limited capacity, and the need to adopt new therapies safely and efficiently.

Pharmaxo supports pharmacy, technical, clinical and administrative teams in the way medicines are prepared, delivered and administered, helping cancer services to work safely and efficiently. By enabling alternative approaches to treatment delivery, Pharmaxo supports hospital teams to focus on what matters most – providing high-quality care to the people who need it, at the right time and place.

One area where this impact is becoming increasingly clear, is the shift from traditional intravenous (IV) infusions to subcutaneous (SC) treatments for certain cancer treatments.

Subcutaneous administration can significantly reduce the time required to deliver cancer treatments. In many cases, it removes the need for lengthy infusion appointments and specialist clinic space. For patients, this can mean a quicker, more convenient experience. For healthcare teams, it can help release valuable capacity across clinics and services.

However, the ability to adopt subcutaneous treatments at scale depends on confidence – in product availability, stability, and safety. This is where Bath ASU, part of the Pharmaxo Group, plays a critical role. Through its specialist aseptic services and stability expertise, Bath ASU supports the preparation and supply of ready-to-use products that make alternative delivery models possible.

Dr Penny Kechagioglou, clinical oncologist and Chief Medical Officer Icon Cancer Centre UK shares insight on the potential impact this can make.

“Within current healthcare system constraints, we need to think differently and innovatively on how we deliver cancer treatments in order to improve capacity and patient experience.

The Pharmaxo team, part of Icon Group, are trailblazing in that space through the preparation and delivery of more subcutaneous treatments at scale, based on years of experience in pharmaceutical compounding.

As a trusted, long-standing partner of the NHS, Pharmaxo is best placed to support organisations in the move towards neighbourhood health when it comes to cancer care and treatment delivery.”

While the benefits of subcutaneous administration are clear, switching from established IV pathways is not always straightforward. New guidance, operational considerations, and clinical assurance all play a part in how quickly services can change.

Our approach goes beyond supplying medicines. By working closely with healthcare partners, the business supports understanding, education, and confidence around new treatment models – helping services adopt change safely and sustainably and supporting care to be delivered in settings closer to patients’ homes as part of a wider move towards neighbourhood health.

Pharmaxo adopts the same thinking across all services we provide. Introduced by the NHS, the use of NRFit^TMconnectors for epidural, spinal procedures can mean significant technical and operational challenges for healthcare teams. Pharmaxo has worked behind the scenes to take on that complexity, supporting the safe and efficient delivery of cancer treatments by adding this device to our portfolio in 2025.

It is vital that patients continue to have access to their treatment, even when NHS aseptic units face planned maintenance or unexpected shutdowns. During these periods, Bath ASU, supported by Pharmaxo’s Compounding Services Technical Team, works closely with hospital teams to help plan requirements and maintain continuity of care.

The extended shelf-life products provided by Bath ASU also help reduce waste and give us greater flexibility when treatment schedules change. This allows our aseptic unit to focus on short-expiry complex infusions and clinical trials, supporting an evolving and patient-focused cancer service.”

On World Cancer Day, stories of impact often focus on the visible moments of care. At Pharmaxo, impact is also found behind the scenes – in the systems, partnerships, and innovations that help cancer services keep moving forward.

By enabling smarter treatment delivery and supporting healthcare teams through change, Pharmaxo is proud to play a role in creating space for better cancer care, today and into the future.