Zydus Launches Affordable Cancer Drug Tishtha, Slashing Treatment Costs in India

Indian pharmaceutical giant Zydus has announced the launch of Tishtha - a cheaper version of the blockbuster cancer drug nivolumab - priced at nearly one-fourth of its original cost. The drug is expected to reshape access to affordable life-saving medicines for deadly diseases like cancer, which is spreading across all groups. Nivolumab is developed by US-based pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb and is used for immunotherapy for various kinds of cancers, including those affecting the lung, colon, liver, head and neck, and kidney. Last year, it was ranked among the world’s top 10 best-selling drugs by value. Zydus was cleared by the Delhi High Court earlier this month to let it launch the biosimilar despite the drug’s patent in India remaining

valid until May 2026.Also read: Exclusive: Why More Indians in Their 20s And 30s Are Being Diagnosed With Cancer

What is Tishtha?

Tishtha will belong to class of immunotherapies called the checkpoint inhibitors, which block proteins that prevent the immune system from recognising and attacking cancer cells. It is also classified as a monoclonal antibody, or targeted therapy. Cleveland Clinic says cells, both cancerous and healthy cells, reproduce during a process called the cell cycle. During the cycle, a cell copies its DNA and divides to form new cells. Healthy cells reproduce when needed and die when they’re no longer useful. Cancer cells, on the other hand, do not die but multiply out of control and form tumours that can damage healthy tissue. Drugs like Thishta interfere with the cell cycle, killing cancer cells and preventing them from making more cancer cells. Zydus has said Tishtha will be available in two strengths: 100 mg priced at 28,950 and 40 mg at 13,950, roughly one-fourth the price of the reference drug. Ahmedabad-based Zydus said the launch of Tishtha is expected to significantly improve affordability and reduce the overall treatment burden for cancer patients. Developed and manufactured entirely in India, Tishtha is positioned as a reliable, long-term therapy for patients requiring prolonged cancer treatment. Its launch comes amid India’s growing cancer burden, with data from the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research showing nearly 15 lakh new cancer cases diagnosed each year, most commonly breast, lung, and oral cancers.

What are the advantages of cancer drugs?

Cancer drugs have improved the outlook of many people with the dreaded disease. Cancers that were once considered fatal are now treatable, and many people are living longer, fuller lives thanks to these medicines. Depending on your cancer diagnosis, cancer drugs can:

• Rid your body of cancer so it does not come back.
• Prevent cancer from spreading so you live longer and feel better
• Ease your symptoms so you live a full life, even with a chronic disease