Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on January 13 said it has acquired the trademark rights for breast cancer drug PRIMCYV from Pfizer Products India for use in the Indian market, offering hopes of a cheaper and more accessible treatment as the country sees a rise in the disease.
Breast cancer is now the most common cancer among women. Nearly four out of ten women diagnosed with breast cancer succumbed to the disease in India in 2020, government data show
"PRIMCYV is a targeted therapy containing the active constituent palbociclib, a first-in-class CDK 4/6 inhibitor indicated in combination with an aromatase inhibitor for the first-line treatment of adult patients with HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer," the Hyderbad-based pharma firm said in a press release.
Since May 2022, Dr Reddy’s has been marketing the drug in the country in collaboration with Pfizer Products India under the brand name PRIMCYV. It comes in the form of hard capsules in strengths of 75 mg, 100 mg and 125 mg.
Following the trademark acquisition, Dr Reddy’s will manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and finished drug at its state-of-the-art facilities approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the release said.
Dr Reddy’s also added that it is among "select companies in the world to have conducted a bioequivalence study and received tentative approval from the USFDA for palbociclib".
The in-house product will be retailed in the Indian market at a reduction of 85 percent from the current MRP to increase affordability and access to palbociclib, it said.
The firm said it also plans to roll out a patient assistance programme to support long-term therapy for the patients on PRIMCYV.
Ahead of the announcements, Dr Reddy's shares closed at Rs 4,323.70 apiece at the BSE, which is 0.3 percent higher than the previous day's close.
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