AstraZeneca India Pharma has launched Trastuzumab deruxtecan, therapy tailored for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer for those who have previously received an anti-HER2 regimen.

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

The global burden of breast cancer, identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most diagnosed cancer, exceeded 2 million cases in 2020. In India, the incidence of breast cancer has surged by a significant 40% over the past 25 years. Addressing a critical medical need, Trastuzumab deruxtecan is a beacon of hope for patients confronting HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

The introduction of Trastuzumab deruxtecan is supported by positive results from the DESTINY-Breast03 trial, a global Phase III study. Primary results, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, reveal a remarkable 72% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). 

AstraZeneca received approval to import and market Trastuzumab deruxtecan from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) in May 2023.