BDR Pharmaceutical on Wednesday announced that it has launched a new drug Palbociclib with the brand name ‘BDPALBO’ for the advanced treatment of metastatic breast cancer in India.
It will be made available in three strengths ie – 125mg, 100mg, and 75mg capsules priced at ₹ 3,150 for 75 mg, ₹ 3,600 for 100 mg & ₹ 4,464 for 125 mg; the launch of this drug will help breast cancer patients cope with the deadly disease at a much more affordable price.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685 000 deaths globally.
As of the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 5 years, making it the world’s most prevalent cancer. The rate at which the disease is spreading is expected to accelerate in the coming years. Breast cancer occurs in every country of the world in women at any age after puberty but with increasing rates in later life.
“Palbociclib (BDPALBO), is an oral inhibitor of CDKs 4 and 6, which are the key regulators of the cell cycle that trigger cellular progression. Palbociclib is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy in postmenopausal women or in men; or as a combination therapy with Fulvestrant in patients with disease progression following endocrine therapy,” the company stated on Wednesday.
According to BDR Pharma, in India having a generic version of Palbociclib mean that many patients of (HR+) (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer patients will get an added advantage of cost factor for those who either could not afford or did not have access to the innovator’s drug.
With the launch of BDPALBO, BDR adds to its existing list of products for breast cancer. The existing products are Fulvestrant; Lapatinib; Nab-Paclitaxel; Letrozole and Anastrazole.
“BDPALBO (One of the first Generic for Palbociclib) introduced by BDR Pharmaceuticals, Mumbai promises to be a game changer for patients of Breast Cancer with HR +ve, HER –ve. As per the PALOMA 2 & PALOMA 3 trials, this drug when administered in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine based therapy (Letrozole alongwith Palbociclib) or, following endocrine therapy, in patients with disease progression, (Fulvestrant alongwith Palbociclib); showed far greater progression free survival as compared to placebo usage in the said trials,” Raheel Shah, Director of Business Development, BDR Group told Financial Express.com.
Shah also told Financial Express.com that it is very affordable in the Indian scenario and should benefit all strata of society who are suffering from the dual burden of Breast Cancer and the prohibitive cost associated with it’s treatment currently.
On Wednesday, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited also announced that one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries has launched Palbociclib in India for patients who have advanced breast cancer. The company will make the drug available under the brand name, PALENO 75 mg, 100 mg, 125 mg.
Palbociclib is approved by the USFDA, EMA and CDSCO in combination with hormonal therapies for patients with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.