Press Release – Roche’s Tecentriq® SC (atezolizumab) becomes the first subcutaneous anti-PD-(L)1 cancer immunotherapy available to patients in Singapore, reducing treatment time to a few minutes

• Tecentriq SC is now approved in Singapore for all indications of intravenous Tecentriq, including certain types of lung, breast and liver cancer, offering a faster, more convenient option to receive treatment.
• Tecentriq SC is the first anti-PD-(L)1 cancer immunotherapy that can be administered under the skin (subcutaneous). With a treatment time of within approximately seven minutes, it saves time for patients and helps conserve resources in healthcare systems.¹
• It is the first cancer immunotherapy approved for subcutaneous administration of lung cancer treatment.
• Approval of Tecentriq SC can enhance existing home- and community-based cancer care delivery and is in line with Singapore’s growing shift towards decentralised care.^2-3

SINGAPORE, 01 July 2024 — Roche announced today that Tecentriq^® SC (atezolizumab) has been approved by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for all indications in which the intravenous (IV) formulation of Tecentriq has been previously approved, including certain types of lung, breast and liver cancer.⁴ Tecentriq SC is Roche’s fourth subcutaneous cancer therapy,^5-7 and the world’s first injectable anti-PD-(L)1 cancer immunotherapy.

Injecting Tecentriq subcutaneously takes approximately seven minutes, compared with 30-60 minutes for IV infusion. Tecentriq SC also requires no aseptic preparation or dilution, saving valuable time for pharmacists. In the IMscin001 trial, it was found to produce comparable serum drug concentrations as Tecentriq IV with a similar safety and efficacy profile.⁸ Multiple oncology studies suggest that the majority of cancer patients generally prefer to receive treatment subcutaneously due to reduced pain and discomfort, ease of administration and shorter duration of treatment, compared to IV infusion.^9-14 In Singapore, SC formulations of key breast cancer medicines have already enabled successful delivery of care in the community and at home via the NCIS On The Go and NCCS Home Care programmes, respectively.^15-16

“Cancer immunotherapy treatments such as Tecentriq have transformed the way we treat cancer. Giving Tecentriq subcutaneously now offers patients a faster and more flexible treatment option and can free up resources for healthcare systems, while maintaining its established safety profile,” said Yeoh Ying Ying, General Manager of Roche Pharmaceuticals Singapore. “Tecentriq SC’s approval in Singapore is part of Roche’s commitment to delivering medicines that meet the diverse needs and preferences of patients.”

Dr Tanujaa Rajasekaran, Senior Consultant at Parkway Cancer Centre, said “With lung cancer being among the top three most common cancers in Singapore, the availability of subcutaneous Tecentriq has the potential to enable faster and more comfortable care delivery for all our patients.”

Tecentriq SC is currently under review for subsidy and coverage under public funding mechanisms such as MediShield and MediSave.

References

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9. De Cock E, Pivot X, Hauser N, et al. A time and motion study of subcutaneous versus intravenous trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer. Cancer Med. 2016;5(3):389-397. doi:10.1002/cam4.573
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11. Pivot X, Verma S, Fallowfield L, et al. Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous trastuzumab and intravenous trastuzumab as part of adjuvant therapy for HER2-positive early breast cancer: Final analysis of the randomised, two-cohort prefher study. European Journal of Cancer. 2017;86:82-90. doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2017.08.019
12. Rummel M, Kim TM, Aversa F, et al. Preference for subcutaneous or intravenous administration of rituximab among patients with untreated CD20+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or follicular lymphoma: results from a prospective, randomized, open-label, crossover study (PrefMab). Ann Oncol. 2017;28(4):836-842. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdw685
13. Denys H, Martinez-Mena CL, Martens MT, et al. Safety and tolerability of subcutaneous trastuzumab at home administration, results of the phase IIIb open-label BELIS study in HER2-positive early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2020;181(1):97-105. doi:10.1007/s10549-020-05604-7
14. Cappuzzo F, Zvirbule Z, Korbenfeld E, et al. Primary results from IMscin002: a study to evaluate patient- and healthcare professional-reported preferences for atezolizumab subcutaneous vs intravenous for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Presented at: 2024 European Lung Cancer Congress; March 20-23, 2024; Prague, Czech Republic. Abstract 244MO.
15. NCIS On The Go Programme. National University Cancer Institute, Singapore. Accessed May 7, 2024. https://www.ncis.com.sg/Our-Services/Home-and-Community-Programmes/Pages/NCIS-on-the-Go-Programme.aspx.
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