India Pharma Outlook Team | Thursday, 14 May 2026
Swiss pharma giant Roche has introduced Tecentriq SC in India, a faster subcutaneous version of its blockbuster lung cancer treatment that can be administered in just seven minutes.
The launch of Tecentriq SC marks a major shift in cancer treatment delivery, especially for patients who earlier had to spend several hours in hospitals receiving intravenous infusions.
Approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Tecentriq SC is expected to improve patient convenience, reduce hospital burden, and make advanced lung cancer treatment more accessible across India.
The new subcutaneous formulation contains atezolizumab, the same active ingredient used in the intravenous version of Tecentriq that Roche first launched in India in 2018 for lung and urinary tract cancers. However, unlike the IV therapy that requires prolonged administration in a hospital setting, Tecentriq SC can now be injected under the skin in approximately seven minutes.
The launch comes at a crucial time when lung cancer cases are rising rapidly in India, including among non-smokers. Doctors increasingly link the surge to worsening air pollution levels across several parts of the country. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data, India recorded 81,478 new lung cancer cases, while more than 75,000 people died from the disease. Lung cancer is currently the fourth most common cancer in India after breast, lip and oral cavity, and cervical cancers.
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Oncologists believe the new formulation could significantly improve the treatment experience for eligible patients. Roche stated that Tecentriq SC can reduce treatment administration time by nearly 80 percent. The company also said the shorter treatment duration may lower indirect medical costs, reduce long-distance travel requirements for patients, and decrease the emotional and physical burden on caregivers.
Tecentriq is a form of immunotherapy, a modern cancer treatment approach that trains the body’s immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, which affects both healthy and cancerous fast-growing cells, immunotherapy targets cancer cells more selectively and is generally associated with a better safety and side-effect profile.
Doctors say Tecentriq is particularly effective for lung cancer patients with high PD-L1 expression, a biomarker that indicates whether the patient is likely to respond well to immunotherapy. According to Dr Sajjan Rajpurohit, nearly 50 to 60 percent of lung cancer patients in India test positive for this biomarker, making them potential candidates for the treatment.
The subcutaneous version combines atezolizumab with Enhanze technology developed by Halozyme Therapeutics. The technology uses recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20), an enzyme that temporarily increases permeability beneath the skin, allowing the medicine to disperse and absorb quickly into the bloodstream.
Tecentriq SC has already received approval in 85 countries and is currently the first and only PD-(L)1 inhibitor globally available in both intravenous and subcutaneous formulations across multiple cancer indications.
The treatment, however, remains expensive. Roche has fixed the maximum retail price of Tecentriq SC at nearly Rs 4 lakh per vial. Most patients typically require around six treatment cycles, although the exact number varies depending on disease progression and response to therapy. The company said it offers financial support through patient access programs aimed at easing treatment costs for eligible patients.
Global clinical studies cited by Roche showed that four out of five patients preferred the subcutaneous formulation over the IV version because of shorter clinic visits, improved comfort, and reduced emotional stress. The company also claimed that subcutaneous administration causes less pain, irritation, and discomfort compared to intravenous therapy.
Cancer specialists believe innovations like Tecentriq SC could transform the way oncology care is delivered in India. Dr Amit Rauthan, Chief Medical Oncologist with Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru stressed that India’s growing cancer burden requires us to rethink how cancer care is delivered.
“Shorter administration formats can help improve accessibility and make cancer care more practical for patients and healthcare systems alike,” he said.
According to Dr Sivabalan Sivanesan, Roche’s Chief MedicalOfficer, cancer care is evolving beyond survival outcomes alone towards approaches that also prioritise patient experience, convenience and quality of life.
The introduction of Tecentriq SC could accelerate the adoption of advanced immunotherapy medicine in India, especially as precision medicine and biomarker-based cancer care continue to expand. With rising lung cancer incidence and increasing awareness around genetic testing, demand for targeted therapies is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
Healthcare experts believe faster injectable cancer therapies could eventually reshape oncology treatment models by reducing hospital stays, improving treatment adherence, and enabling more efficient use of healthcare resources. As India’s cancer burden continues to rise, innovations focused on speed, accessibility, and patient-centric care are likely to become central to the future of oncology.
Roche is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies, known for its work in oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and personalized healthcare. The company operates in more than 100 countries and has been a major player in advancing cancer immunotherapy globally.
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