Martins Ifijeh
Swiss multinational, Roche has launched the subcutaneous formulation of Herceptin, its flagship breast cancer drug in Nigeria.
Known as Herceptin SC, this subcutaneous formulation allows the drug to be administered by injection instead of the common intravenous (IV) administration.
Speaking at the launch, the Country Manager Roche Nigeria, Oladipupo Hameed, said the subcutaneous administration is less invasive and takes approximately five minutes instead of 30-90 minutes with the IV administration, adding that this offers greater convenience to patients and simplifies healthcare procedures by removing the need for reconstitution or dose calculation according to the body weight of the patient.
“At Roche, we believe that patients in Nigeria should receive the same treatment as those in other parts of the world and this launch is a testament to that belief. Research has shown that maintaining a normal life and spending time with loved ones can improve the well-being of women with breast cancer.
“This drug represents the next level of innovation in breast cancer treatment and we are very pleased that it may enable patients to spend less time in the hospital and more time getting on with their lives.â€
He said Roche remains a global leader in cancer treatments, adding that the launch of the drug in Nigeria was the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa. “This further reinforces the company’s pioneer status in Nigeria as being at the forefront of cancer care. It also paves the way for the launch of many more innovative medicines in Roche’s extensive pipeline. The company has high expectations for Herceptin SC.
“We are very optimistic that Herceptin SC will be well embraced by healthcare professionals and patients in Nigeria and will make way for many more innovative medicines in the near future.â€
