INDIAN DRUGMAKER LAUNCHES NEW CANCER DRUG

Biocon announced it has launched BIOMAb-EGFR, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody-based drug for treating solid tumors of epithelial origin, in India. BIOMAb-EGFR will be available as a unit carton of four 10-mL vials across the country. The drug is the first of its kind to be clinically developed in India, and is the first anti-EGFR humanized monoclonal antibody for cancer to be made available commercially anywhere in the world, according to the company.

"While therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have been introduced in the country, they are beyond the reach of a majority of cancer patients because of their prohibitive cost. BIOMAb-EGFR is competitively priced, making cancer treatment more affordable," said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the company's chairman and managing director.

This drug is engineered to specifically target and block the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) responsible for the proliferation of cancer cells. In many cancer cells EGFR is overproduced, leading to uncontrolled and abnormal cell growth. BIOMAb-EGFR is indicated for use in combination with radiation therapy/chemotherapy in patients with positive expression of EGFR in squamous-cell carcinoma of head and neck cancer. In clinical trials the drug showed extensive proliferation inhibition activity in non-small-cell lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer and brain tumors.