Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Glenmark) an integrated, research‐led, global pharmaceutical company, today announced a price reduction of Trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer, being marketed in India under the brand name ‘ Trumab’. A 440 mg vial of Trumab will be priced at INR 15,749, which makes it the most affordable option available currently in the country.
Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer in India, costing INR 40,000-54,000 per 440mg vial. Out of pocket expenses account for 52% of health care financing in India. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in India, with an estimated 1.78 lakh new cases diagnosed each year and a 5-year prevalence of 4.5 lakh cases.
Trastuzumab works by binding to the HER2 protein and blocking its activity, which helps cancer cells grow and spread. HER2-positive breast cancer tends to grow faster, spread, and come back. Alok Malik, Executive Vice President & Head of India Formulations, GlenmarkPharmaceuticals Ltd. said, “This will not only increase the accessibility, but also bring hope to over 75% of self-paying HER2-positive breast cancer patients in India.”
