Healthcare group Roche Malaysia is proudly announcing the release of the human epidermal growth factor receptor, the HER2-Positive breast cancer treatment, Herceptin® (trastuzumab) in subcutaneous (SC) formulation in Malaysia.

Breast cancer is the number one cancer affecting women in Malaysia, with approximately one in 19 women affected by the disease. Chinese women have the highest incident, followed by Malay and Indian women.

As the current standard of care for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, Herceptin® has been used to treat more than 2 million patients globally. Herceptin® IV is administered through an IV infusion over 30-90 minutes and requires a dose of adjustment, depending on the patient’s body weight. On the other hand, Herceptin® SC vial is administered as an injection under the skin at a fixed dose of 600mg and does not require a loading dose or weight-adjusted dosing.

Dato’ Dr Mohamed Ibrahim bin A.Wahid, Medical Director and Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Beacon International Specialist Centre, Petaling Jaya said,”Herceptin® specifically targets the HER-2 receptor to down-regulate the disease, hence improving the tumour control and survival rates.”

“Herceptin® SC provides a very convenient alternative to Herceptin® IV and is an important treatment option for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer,” said Dr Ait-Allah Mejri, Managing Director of Roche Malaysia.

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