India Pharma Outlook Team | Tuesday, 12 August 2025
India has granted approval for a new cancer treatment by Roche called Tecentriq (atezolizumab), which can be administered in a more convenient way with a quick 7 minute injection instead of the standard 30-60 minutes infusion via IV drip.
The DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) approved it for patients with serious health conditions like advanced melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, but there is a stipulation that they need to be in Phase IV clinical trials.
This is great news for cancer care in India, because it has the potential to offer a more rapid, advanced treatment. Tecentriq is an immunotherapy drug that enhances the body's immune system, enabling the body to fight against cancer cells more effectively.
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It may offer greater ease for patient care while enabling hospitals to relieve some of the pressure created by long appointments and infighting the already long days for medical staff.
This approval comes after successful trials in various places around the world, but India's regulator still seeks more evidence as to how this agent works in India; hence, patients should be monitored while being given the drug in a Phase IV procedure.
Roche is describing this as a massive step towards improved cancer care in India, in accordance with India's modernization of medical solutions. At this stage, only trial participants will receive the drug, but if the trials go well, this will truly open the door for more patients with cancer to receive innovative care.
