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Alkem rolled out Pertuza, an indigenously made breast cancer drug, aiming to make advanced care more affordable for Indian women.
The deets: the injectable drug is an indigenously developed biosimilar for HER2-positive breast cancer. It has cleared phase 3 trials, showing equivalent safety and efficacy to the original innovator drug.
HER2-positive breast cancer is a type of breast cancer where a protein called HER2 makes the cancer grow and spread faster.
Why it matters: breast cancer is the most common cancer among Indian women. Access to advanced therapies often comes at steep costs, shutting many patients out. By offering a homegrown biosimilar, Alkem is widening the circle of women who can actually get treated and not just diagnosed.
Zoom out: India sees over 2 lakh new breast cancer cases every year, but access to cutting-edge drugs remains patchy.
Most patients either rely on limited public schemes or end up skipping advanced treatment because of the price tag. With Pertuza in the mix, India’s breast cancer care gets a timely push towards affordability and scale. For the pharma industry, it’s also another sign that India is stepping up as a serious biosimilar hub.
