Swiss drugmaker Roche Pharma has rolled out its Tecentriq (atezolizumab) SC to India, a first of its kind subcutaneous (under-the-skin) immunotherapy for lung cancer that cuts administration time by about 80 per cent, company executives said.
The drug is given in about seven minutes, as compared to conventional intra-venous (IV) infusions that take hours, Roche said.
While India was not part of the global trials, the company is in discussion with the Indian drug regulator to undertake Phase IV trials (on safety and efficacy indicators), Sivabalan Sivanesan, Roche Pharma India’s Chief Medical Officer told businessline.
The product is being imported from Germany, company officials added.
First approved in the United Kingdom (2023), the product is now available in 85 countries, and given to over 10,000 patients.
Treatment period
In India, it is priced at about ₹3.7 lakh a vial, given once in a 21-day cycle, a company official said. The cost to the patient would depend on the stage of cancer and treatment period, officials added.
On the treatment regimen, Sivanesan said, it depended on the stage of cancer – “a patient with early lung cancer, the planned treatment duration will be one year… a patient with advanced disease, then it is as long as the patient is able to take it.”
Roche also has the IV version of the product, launched in India (2019). Company officials said that both forms of the product would remain in the market, to give doctors and patients more options.
Roche Pharma India Managing Director and Chief Executive Rajwinder Mehdwan said, they were committed to improving access to advanced cancer care through solutions that were faster and more convenient.
Patient experience
Tecentriq SC improves patient experience, the company said, — by “reducing treatment time by about 80 per cent, lowering indirect treatment costs, minimising the need to travel long distances, and enabling and caregivers spend less time in hospitals.” Company officials pointed out, there were patient-support programmes for those who cannot afford the product.
Citing results from the IMscin002 study presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2024, Roche said, four out of five patients preferred Tecentriq SC over IV administration.
“Patients cited less time in clinic, greater comfort and lower emotional distress as key reasons for preference,” it added.
Studies also showed that subcutaneous administration was associated with less discomfort, pain, and irritation compared to IV administration, it said.
Published on May 14, 2026