AstraZeneca Unveils Drug for HER-2 Positive Breast Cancer Patients in India

This initiative aims to address the unmet needs of patients with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on initial anti-HER2 targeted treatment. It aligns with AstraZeneca's broader objective of leveraging science-driven methods to combat breast cancer.

AstraZeneca India Pharma Ltd has launched Trastuzumab deruxtecan, a therapeutic option for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have previously undergone anti-HER2 regimens.

Developed in collaboration with Japan’s Pharma company, Daiichi Sankyo, Trastuzumab deruxtecan is a specifically engineered HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).

Moreover, its mechanism involves binding specifically to HER2 receptors and delivering a cytotoxic payload directly to cancer cells, resulting in notable clinical outcomes globally and establishing itself as a standard of care in the second line.

This initiative aims to address the unmet needs of patients with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer who have progressed on initial anti-HER2 targeted treatment. It aligns with AstraZeneca's broader objective of leveraging science-driven methods to combat breast cancer.

On this development, Dr Anil Kukreja, VP, Medical Affairs and Regulatory, AstraZeneca India, said, “AstraZeneca’s commitment to redefining cancer care and eradicating cancer as a cause of death is at the forefront of our scientific advancements. Our recent therapeutic breakthrough brings hope to patients with unresectable or metastatic conditions after prior anti-HER2 treatments.”

Despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) identifying breast cancer as the most diagnosed cancer globally, with over two million cases reported in 2020, the burden is particularly pronounced in India.

Over the past 25 years, the incidence of breast cancer in India has surged by a substantial 40%. Addressing this pressing medical need, trastuzumab deruxtecan emerges as a beacon of hope for patients grappling with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Established in 2005, Daiichi Sankyo is a global pharmaceutical company and the second-largest pharmaceutical company in Japan. It develops and sells drugs for various diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders.

While its partner in drug development, AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in four therapy areas including oncology, cardiovascular, renal & metabolism and respiratory.