Camrelizumab Included in Russia’s Essential Drug List

The Government of the Russian Federation has expanded the Essential Drug List (EDL). Starting from 2026, the list will include eight new medicines for the treatment of a range of conditions, including oncological, orphan, chronic, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, including camrelizumab (Areima^®).

The original PD-1 inhibitor Areima^® is used in Russia for the treatment of esophageal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and lung cancer. The medicine was authorized in Russia in 2024 and will be manufactured under a full-cycle manufacturing model, including active pharmaceutical ingredient synthesis, by Petrovax Pharm in partnership with the N. F. Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

The market launch of camrelizumab, a next-generation checkpoint inhibitor, has become a major milestone in the treatment of nasopharyngeal, esophageal, and lung cancers, significantly improving patient outcomes. This immuno-oncology drug demonstrates high affinity and selective, targeted binding to the PD-1 protein, providing clear advantages over first-generation agents in this class.

Camrelizumab has been incorporated in the practical guidelines^[1] of the Russian Society of Clinical Oncology (RUSSCO) as the preferred first-line treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer, as well as in RUSSCO guidelines for esophageal cancer therapy^[2]. In addition, the drug has been recommended for inclusion in clinical guidelines for several other malignancies.

To date, camrelizumab is being evaluated in more than 400 clinical trials worldwide for the treatment of various malignancies, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, esophageal, gastric, hepatic, and lung cancers, among others^[3]. The accumulating evidence supports the expansion of indications and opens up new therapeutic opportunities for Russian physicians and patients.