08-05-2025
India expands use of AstraZeneca's drug for advanced breast cancer cases
AstraZeneca Pharma India has received approval from India's drug regulator to expand the use of a breast cancer treatment that could bring new hope to many women with advanced medicine, Trastuzumab deruxtecan, was already available for some breast and stomach it has been approved to treat more patients, specifically adults with HER2-low or HER2-ultralow metastatic breast cancer who have already tried hormone-based
This approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) means more patients in India with hard-to-treat breast cancers can access the IS HER2-LOW BREAST CANCER?HER2 is a protein found on the surface of some cancer cells. When levels of HER2 are high, certain targeted treatments can work. However, many patients have low or very low levels of this protein, these are known as HER2-low or HER2-ultralow recently, there were limited treatment options for these patients. But this drug offers a targeted approach even in those with lower HER2 SCIENCE BEHIND THE APPROVALThe decision is based on results from a large international study called DESTINY-Breast06, which compared Trastuzumab deruxtecan with standard trial involved patients who had already received at least one hormone therapy but no chemotherapy for their metastatic results were promising:Patients who took Trastuzumab deruxtecan lived longer without the disease getting those with HER2-low breast cancer, the average time without disease progression was 13.2 months, compared to 8.1 months for those on risk of disease progression or death was reduced by nearly 40%.Dr. Sandeep Arora, Director of Medical Affairs at AstraZeneca India, said, "This approval marks a shift in how we treat advanced breast cancer in India. It highlights the importance of testing tumors for even minimal HER2 expression to identify patients who may benefit."WHY THIS MATTERS IN INDIABreast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with over 2 million cases in 2020, according to the World Health Organisation. In India, the number of breast cancer cases has risen by 40% in the past 25 Sanjeev Panchal, Managing Director of AstraZeneca India, called it part of a broader effort to "follow the science" and deliver better, more personalised cancer drug was first introduced in India in 2024 and is now approved for three types of breast and gastric cancers. Experts hope that with wider use, this medication could significantly improve survival rates for women with advanced breast say it will now be important to test tumors for HER2 expression, even at very low levels, to identify who could benefit from this not a cure, Trastuzumab deruxtecan represents another important step in making breast cancer treatment more precise and more effective for Indian patients.
