
Breakthrough in Treatment of Nasopharyngeal and Esophageal Cancer: New Drug Available in Russia

The innovative drug Areima® (camrelizumab) for the treatment of nasopharyngeal and esophageal cancer was registered in Russia in November of this year. It will be supplied and further produced in a full cycle by the Russian company Petrovax. This was announced today at the XXVIII Russian Oncology Congress.
Camrelizumab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the PD-1 receptor, which reactivates tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and stimulates antitumor immunity. This is the first targeted drug in Russia for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (nasopharyngeal cancer), which is characterized by high mortality. The original immuno-oncological drug is a unique opportunity to prolong and improve the quality of life of these patients.
The rights to camrelizumab in Russia were acquired by Petrovax based on a licensing agreement with the Chinese company Jiangsu Hengrui, which provides for subsequent full localization of production.
The drug has undergone international clinical trials, including in Russia[1]. The research program is currently ongoing worldwide and includes more than 400 registered studies[2] of the drug worldwide for the treatment of various malignancies, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and other types of cancer. Clinical practice of using camrelizumab includes more than 300 thousand patients.
The drug has been recommended by the Advisory Board with the participation of leading Russian oncologists for inclusion in the Clinical Guidelines for the Treatment of Esophageal Cancer and Nasopharyngeal Cancer.
The congress also saw the signing of a Memorandum between Petrovax and the Russian Society of Clinical Oncology (RUSSCO), which is aimed at improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of oncological diseases in Russia, as well as the development of innovative pharmaceutical products and technologies.
Reference information
Indications for use of Areima® (camrelizumab) in Russia:
- Esophageal cancer: treatment of locally advanced and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin.
- Esophageal cancer: for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma as a single agent after prior systemic therapy or intolerance 1st line therapy.
- Nasopharyngeal cancer: for the treatment of recurrent and metastatic cancer in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine.
Petrovax Pharm is a Russian company of new biopharmaceutical solutions, actively investing in scientific research and development. The portfolio includes original drugs, biosimilars and branded generic drugs. The in-house R&D center for pre-clinical studies enables a full cycle of drug development. The development strategy of Petrovax is aimed at providing patients with in-demand vaccines and drugs for the prevention and treatment of infectious, oncological and orphan diseases. The capacity of the company’s modern full-cycle production complex allows it to produce more than 160 million doses of drugs per year and complies with the GMP standards of the EAEU and EU. Petrovax is implementing more than 10 international projects on the transfer of technologies for the production of high-tech drugs with leading pharmaceutical companies: Pfizer, Abbott, ISU ABXIS, Adimmune, Hengrui. The company is one of the largest Russian exporters of original medicines and vaccines to the countries of the EAEU and the EU.
Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is a leading international pharmaceutical company headquartered in China, specializing in the research, development, production and commercialization of innovative anticancer drugs and drugs for the treatment of autoimmune, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The company has 14 of its own research and development centers around the world. Hengrui products are available in over 40 countries, including the US, EU and Japanese markets[3].
The Russian Society of Clinical Oncology (RUSSCO) is the largest professional oncology community in Russia and the CIS countries, uniting more than 2,800 oncologists and physicians of related specialties. The key concept of RUSSCO is to improve the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors in order to reduce morbidity and mortality among the population of the Russian Federation.
1https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=Camrelizumab
2https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=Camrelizumab
3https://www.hengrui.com/en/about.html