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| Image courtesy of http://blisstree.com |
I just read an article on Roche's new breast cancer drug Pertuzumab (READ: Roche Breast Cancer Drug Pertuzumab Gets FDA Priority Review), and two things got me really excited:
Firstly, another new drug for Her2-positive breast cancer patients that could potentially reduce the risk of a worsening disease. Her-2 breast CA is an aggressive type of cancer, and less prone to hormonal medications. Having more options for Her2-positive patients are exciting and uplifting.
Secondly, and I think more exciting than the first, is that Herceptin (Generic: Trastuzumab) will be off-patent in just a few years. This means that other companies will also be able to produce Trastuzumab, and prices will significantly go down. According to wikipedia, Herceptin costs about USD70,000 for a full course of treatment. The price is inconceivably high, especially where I come from. Even doctors from the UK have questioned the price of Herceptin (READ: The Guardian: Doctors Question the High Price of Cancer Drug Herceptin).With the loss of patent, I can imagine how many more patients worldwide will gain access to this incredibly expensive medicine.
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