Roche launches Tecentriq (atezolizumab) for lung and bladder cancer patients in India

Provides treatment options for people living with either advanced lung or bladder cancer

Roche’s Tecentriq (atezolizumab) has been approved in India for two types of cancers: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and Urothelial Carcinoma, a type of bladder and urinary tract cancer.

Tecentriq is designed to target the PD-L1 protein and works with the body’s natural immune system. It has shown to extend survival and improve the quality of life in the approved indications.

In the Phase III study, OAK, Tecentriq showed an overall survival of 13.8 months as compared to 9.6 months provided by the current standard of care in lung cancer. In the IMvigor210 study, it provided an overall survival of 15.9 months as compared to 9.3 months provided by the standard of care in first-line bladder cancer for cisplatin ineligible patients.

India has a high disease burden of both NSCLC and bladder cancer cases. Worldwide, 13 per cent of all new cancer cases and 19 per cent of cancer-related deaths can be attributed to lung cancer. In India, these numbers are 6.9 per cent and 9.3 per cent respectively. More than 63,0002 people in India die every year from lung cancer compared to other common cancers. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer and accounts for 85% of all lung cancer cases. Tecentriq serves as a mono-therapy treatment option against advanced or metastatic NSCLC.

As per the Indian cancer registry data on men, bladder cancer is among the top 10 most common cancers in India, accounting for 3.9 per cent of all cancer cases. Urothelial carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer and accounts for 90 per cent of the bladder cancer deaths.For over 30 years, available treatment options for patients were extremely limited; only 5 per cent of bladder cancer patients diagnosed at the metastatic stage have survived for five years or longer.