“Super nuclear bomb” fills the gap in treatment and helps to overcome liver cancer
SIR-Spheres® Y-90 microsphere injection is a targeted internal radionuclide product for liver malignant tumors, applying the world’s leading interventional technology to inject Y-90 microsphere injection into the blood vessels of the liver tumors and release high-energy beta radiation to kill tumor cells. It is still the only product in the world for selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for colorectal cancer liver metastases.
During the 20 years since it was launched, Y-90 microsphere injection has treated more than 120,000 patients worldwide. Its clinical safety and efficacy have been widely recognized, and is recommended by the guidelines issued by different institutions. Since the beginning of this year, many grade-A primary hospitals in Tianjin, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Hangzhou, Hunan, Liaoning, Haikou and other provinces and cities have successfully performed precision interventional surgery of Y-90 microsphere injection for many patients. At present, all patients that had interventional surgery have undergone SPECT examinations, which are in line with pre-treatment expectations.
As Y-90 gradually enters grade-A primary hospitals in Mainland China, the product will provide a new and effective treatment method for a large number of patients with liver malignant tumors in Mainland China, creating potential surgical resection opportunities, filling the gap in the local treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases, and marking the landing of a new international precision interventional treatment plan in the field of liver malignant tumors in Mainland China.
Dong Jiahong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital affiliated to Tsinghua University, said: “Y-90 microsphere injection is like a ‘super nuclear bomb’ that can be accurately delivered to kill tumors. Precise manipulation of Y-90 microsphere injection can effectively control patients with advanced liver cancer. Some cases are expected to achieve the effect of downstaging treatment, thus creating opportunities for curative surgery such as liver resection or liver transplantation. It becomes a new blockbuster weapon to overcome liver cancer in Mainland China.”
Fan Jia, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, also pointed out that China is a big country with a large number of patients with liver cancer. The medical community has been constantly seeking new methods for the treatment of liver cancer. As a new treatment method for liver cancer, the introduction of Y-90 microsphere injection into the treatment method of Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of primary liver cancer in China (2019 edition), will bring positive and important clinical significance to Chinese doctors and patients.
Grand Pharma strategically plans a whole industrial chain of radionuclide drugs based on Y-90
In addition to being a milestone in the history of liver cancer treatment in Mainland China, the Y-90 microsphere injection also has great value to Grand Pharma.
In recent years, Grand Pharma has been focusing on building its radiopharmaceutical diagnosis and treatment platform with the core of Y-90 microsphere injection. Currently, the Company has established a comprehensive layout in the field of research, production and commercialization worldwide, and three radiopharmaceutical R&D bases and five radiopharmaceutical production bases are set globally. The radiopharmaceutical diagnosis and treatment platform is currently one of the most globalized segments of the Company.
Grand Pharma’s radiopharmaceutical diagnosis and treatment platform now has reserved 10 innovative products, covering 6 nuclides including 68Ga, 177Lu, 131I, 90Y, 89Zr and 99mTc. In terms of indications, it covers 13 cancer types including liver cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and bone metastases of malignant tumors. Its product types cover two types of radionuclide drugs for diagnosis and treatment, providing patients with multi-indication treatment options, multi-method and integrated diagnosis and treatment of the world’s leading anti-tumor solutions.
From the perspective of market space, there are nearly 400,000 new cases of liver cancer and about 380,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in Mainland China every year, of which about 30-50% of colorectal cancer patients will develop liver metastasis. Most patients are already in the middle and late stages when they are discovered, and the existing treatment options are relatively limited. Y-90 microsphere injection will provide more treatment options for patients with liver cancer in Mainland China.
The official commercialization of Y-90 microsphere injection is an important step in the establishment of the radionuclide diagnosis and treatment platform of Grand Pharma. It is also expected to further improve the production and sales network of radionuclide drugs, and achieve comprehensive localized production in Mainland China. In the future, with the sales volume of innovative products of Y-90 microsphere injection increasing gradually, Grand Pharma’s performance is also expected to empower “nuclear power” and further increase the market value of its product pipeline.
