World’s First Subcutaneous Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer- Tecentriq® SC, now available in India

Roche Pharma India today announced the launch of Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) SC in India — the country’s first subcutaneous (under-the-skin) immunotherapy for lung cancer that can be administered in approximately 7 minutes, compared to conventional IV infusions that can take hours. By reducing treatment administration time to approximately 7 minutes, Tecentriq SC is a breakthrough innovation that has the potential to dramatically improve the cancer treatment experience of patients — reducing treatment time by ~80%, lowering indirect treatment costs, minimising the need to travel long distances,  and enabling and caregivers spend less time in hospitals and more time doing what they love.

Global studies also indicate strong patient preference for subcutaneous administration:

• 4 out of 5 patients preferred Tecentriq SC over IV administration, according to results from the IMscin002 study presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2024
• Patients cited less time in clinic, greater comfort and lower emotional distress as key reasons for preference
• Studies have also shown that subcutaneous administration is associated with less discomfort, pain, and irritation compared to IV administration
• In the IMscin001 study presented at ESMO 2023, 90% of healthcare professionals agreed the SC formulation was easy to administer, while 75% believed it could save time for healthcare teams

Dr Sajjan Rajpurohit, Director and Head of Medical Oncology at Medanta, said, “Immunotherapy has transformed the treatment landscape for people living with cancer, but conventional IV administration can be long and arduous for patients while also placing significant pressure on tertiary care hospitals. Repeated hospital visits and long treatment hours add to the emotional and physical burden of cancer care. Subcutaneous administration can allow patients to be treated much more quickly and easily, improving their overall treatment experience while reducing waiting times and treatment delays.”

Commenting on the launch, Roche Pharma India MD & CEO Rajwinder (Rajji) Mehdwan said, “At Roche, we are committed to bringing meaningful innovations to India that address not only clinical outcomes, but also the broader realities and challenges patients face during treatment. The launch of Tecentriq SC reflects our continued commitment to improving access to advanced cancer care through solutions that are faster, more convenient, support patient-centric outcomes and importantly enable health systems to be more efficient and effective in providing cancer care”.

Tecentriq SC is the first and only PD-(L)1 inhibitor globally with both intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) formulations across multiple cancers. First approved by the MHRA in 2023 and subsequently by the USFDA in 2024, Tecentriq SC is now approved in more than 85 countries, with over 10,000 patients benefitted globally. Clinical studies have demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to IV Tecentriq while enabling a significantly faster and significantly more convenient treatment experience. In India, Tecentriq SC as of now is approved by DCGI for adjuvant & metastatic Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

About Tecentriq® SC (Subcutaneous)

Tecentriq SC combines Tecentriq with Halozyme Therapeutics’ Enhanze® drug delivery technology. The technology uses recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20), an enzyme that temporarily increases permeability in the subcutaneous space, enabling rapid dispersion and absorption of the medicine into the bloodstream.

Roche Pharma India Chief Medical Officer Dr Sivabalan Sivanesan said, “Cancer care is evolving beyond survival outcomes alone towards approaches that also prioritise patient experience, convenience and quality of life. With Tecentriq SC, we are bringing an innovation that meaningfully reduces treatment time while maintaining the established efficacy and safety profile of Tecentriq. We believe such advances can play an important role in enabling more patient-centric and future-ready cancer care delivery in India.”

Enabling Decentralised Cancer Care in India

For people living with cancer, treatment often extends far beyond the disease itself. Repeated travel to tertiary hospitals, long waiting hours, prolonged infusions, hospitalisation costs, and emotional exhaustion place significant physical, emotional and financial strain on both patients and caregivers. In India, where many patients travel long distances from smaller towns to metro centres for cancer care, treatment can consume an entire day or more.

The launch of Tecentriq SC also aligns with the broader shift towards decentralised cancer care in India. Shorter administration formats can free up hospital beds, healthcare staff time, and oncology resources at tertiary care centres, help shift care delivery to daycare centers and beyond traditional tertiary centers — helping healthcare systems treat more patients more efficiently. Global assessments suggest that for every 1 patient treated via IV infusion, up to 5 patients could potentially be treated through SC administration within the same timeframe, enabling better utilisation of healthcare infrastructure and resources.

Dr Amit Rauthan, Consultant and HOD of Medical Oncology at Manipal Hospital Bangalore said, “India’s growing cancer burden requires us to rethink how cancer care is delivered. Innovations such as subcutaneous immunotherapy have the potential to simplify treatment administration, reduce pressure on hospital beds and support more decentralised models of care beyond large metro hospitals. Shorter administration formats can help improve accessibility and make cancer care more practical for patients and healthcare systems alike.”