Abstract
Cancer is a major contributor towards global disease burden and brings psychological as well as social distress to the patients and their relatives. In Indian context, breast cancer is still the most prevalent cancer among women with a higher mortality rate. Heterogeneity is observed among several subtypes of breast cancer and nearly 18%–20% of breast cancer patients were found to be HER2/neu positive, who will get benefitted with the targeted therapies. But due to constraint regarding availability as well as huge financial burden, limited patients get benefitted by the same. Ado‑trastuzumab emtansine (T‑DM1), is one of the cost-effective option available at present. Since 2013, T-DM1 has been US-FDA approved for its usage in treatment of advanced metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer and since, 2019 it got approval in early breast cancer setting. It was available after 2015, for the clinical use in India at an exorbitant price which limits its usage to the needy patients. Until 2020, only innovator drug was the option available for the T-DM1 usage in India while World’s first biosimilar of T-DM1 got approved in December 2020 and It became available for the clinical use in India from May, 2021 by the name of UJVIRATM as a much more accessible option in comparison with the innovator molecule for the benefit of the patients. The present study aimed to analyse and evaluate the trend and usage patterns of Ujvira in the first year of its availability in Indian context. Obtained results states that with the availability of a targeted biosimilar drug with cost effectiveness and easy accessibility with proven efficacy as compared to reference product there will be an positive impact on the prescribing pattern among the clinicians as well as compliance of the patients and help curb the rising expense of treatment.