Authorities recommend including immuno-oncology drug Areima^® for esophageal and nasopharyngeal cancer in VED

At the meeting on August 6, the Russian Ministry of Health Commission for the formation of lists of medicinal products recommended including original drug Areima^® (camrelizumab) for the treatment of esophageal and nasopharyngeal cancer in the VED (vital and essential drugs). The innovative drug was authorized in Russia in 2024 and will be fully manufactured, including the substance synthesis, by Petrovax Pharm in collaboration with the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.

The launch of camrelizumab, a next-generation checkpoint inhibitor, has significantly improved prognosis for patients. This immuno-oncology drug has a high affinity, as well as selective and targeted binding to the PD-1 protein, which demonstrates clear advantages over first-generation drugs of the same class.

Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, ranking eighth in the global mortality rate^[1]. In first-line treatment for esophageal cancer, camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy reduced the mortality risk by 30%, according to the ESCORT1st trial^[2].

For Russian patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, camrelizumab has become the first immunotherapeutic option. Before its authorization, this diagnosis was treated with chemotherapy only. This rare disease, common among young people, is also characterized by a high mortality rate, and about 45% of patients die within the first year after the diagnosis is established^[3]. According to the CAPTAIN-1st trial^[4], use of camrelizumab increased significantly the progression-free survival rates and reduced the risk of progression or death by 49%^[5].

The importance of introducing new approaches to the treatment of esophageal and nasopharyngeal cancer into clinical practice is underscored by the fact that camrelizumab has already been included in practice guidelines^[6] of the Russian Society of Clinical Oncology (RUSSCO) as the most preferred first-line treatment regimen for nasopharyngeal cancer, as well as in the RUSSCO guidelines to treat esophageal cancer^[7].

The Russian Ministry of Health Commission unanimously voted to include the camrelizumab in the VED list.