New Delhi: India’s cancer treatment sector is witnessing significant developments that offer renewed hope to patients. Immunotherapy, once considered too expensive for many ordinary families, is becoming increasingly affordable following a substantial reduction in the prices of certain medicines. A treatment cycle that previously cost more than Rs 1 lakh is now available for approximately Rs 30,000 in some cases. With additional lower-cost medicines expected to enter the market, experts believe treatment expenses could fall further in the coming months.
Immunotherapy is an advanced cancer treatment that helps the body’s natural immune system identify and destroy cancer cells. It has transformed the treatment of several types of cancer, particularly certain advanced malignancies, by improving patients’ chances of long-term survival. However, its high cost has prevented many eligible patients from accessing the treatment.
One of the major reasons behind the reduction in immunotherapy costs is the availability of more affordable biosimilar versions of nivolumab in the Indian market.
Nivolumab belongs to a class of medicines known as PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors. These drugs help prevent cancer cells from evading the body’s immune system, allowing immune cells to recognize and attack malignant tumors.
The medicine is used to treat several cancers, including certain types of lung cancer, melanoma, kidney cancer, and head and neck cancers. However, nivolumab is not equally effective against all cancers. Doctors prescribe it based on the type and stage of the disease, specific biomarkers, and the patient’s overall health.
According to specialists at Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), immunotherapy has opened new possibilities for treating several forms of cancer.
Indian research has also suggested that lower doses of certain immunotherapy medicines may be effective in selected patients, potentially reducing treatment expenses. However, experts emphasize that lower-dose treatment is not suitable for everyone and must be prescribed according to scientific evidence and individual medical requirements.
Dr. Imran Shaikh of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai has reported a noticeable increase in the number of patients opting for immunotherapy following the introduction of more affordable medicines.
According to him, immunotherapy prescriptions have increased by more than 50 percent over the past six months.
Previously, a single treatment cycle could cost more than Rs 1 lakh, forcing many patients to delay or abandon treatment because of financial difficulties.
With the introduction of biosimilar medicines, the cost of certain treatment cycles has reportedly fallen to approximately Rs 30,000, providing considerable relief to patients and their families.
However, this is not a fixed price applicable to every patient. The overall cost depends on several factors, including the prescribed dosage, treatment schedule, hospital charges, diagnostic tests, and additional medical care.
The financial barriers preventing Indian cancer patients from accessing immunotherapy have been highlighted in earlier research.
A 2022 study conducted by Tata Memorial Centre found that only 2.8 percent of patients eligible for immunotherapy were receiving the treatment.
The high cost of medicines and limited financial assistance were identified as major obstacles.
Doctors believe the introduction of affordable biosimilar medicines could significantly improve access to immunotherapy. However, updated nationwide figures are needed to determine how many eligible patients are currently receiving the treatment.
According to Dr. Kumar Prabhash, Head of Medical Oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital, immunotherapy has brought significant improvements to the treatment of certain advanced cancers.
The therapy has increased long-term survival rates among selected groups of patients who previously had limited treatment options.
Clinical studies have demonstrated particularly encouraging results in melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer.
While long-term survival was historically poor for many patients with advanced melanoma, newer immunotherapy treatments have substantially improved outcomes. Some clinical studies have reported long-term survival rates approaching 50 percent in specific patient groups.
However, these figures should not be interpreted as applying to all skin cancer patients, as outcomes vary considerably depending on the type and stage of cancer and the treatment used.
Similarly, some patients with advanced lung cancer have survived for five years or longer following immunotherapy.
The effectiveness of treatment depends on the biological characteristics of the cancer, the patient’s general health, and the response to the prescribed medicines.
Immunotherapy has also shown promising results in treating certain colorectal cancers with specific genetic characteristics.
Patients whose tumors exhibit mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) or high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) may respond particularly well to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Studies involving selected patients with rectal cancer have reported complete clinical responses, meaning that no detectable tumor remained after immunotherapy.
These findings have raised the possibility that some patients may avoid surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy while preserving the affected organ.
However, this approach is not suitable for all colorectal cancer patients. Careful patient selection, specialist supervision, and continuous monitoring are essential.
Despite improvements in treatment accessibility, the availability and affordability of immunotherapy medicines remain major challenges in India.
Although several immune checkpoint inhibitors are available internationally, not all are accessible to Indian patients at affordable prices.
Many imported immunotherapy medicines continue to cost hundreds of thousands of rupees, placing them beyond the financial reach of ordinary families.
Patent protections, manufacturing expenses, market competition, import costs, and hospital pricing policies all influence the final cost of treatment.
Measures introduced by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to regulate medicine prices and trade margins are expected to help reduce excessive pricing and improve affordability.
However, experts have raised concerns about the medicine procurement practices followed by certain private hospitals.
Pharmaceutical policy expert K.M. Gopakumar has pointed out that some hospitals reportedly require patients to purchase medicines exclusively from their in-house pharmacies.
There are also concerns that some hospitals may prefer stocking expensive original brands rather than cheaper alternatives because of higher profit margins.
Such practices could prevent patients from benefiting fully from the availability of affordable biosimilar medicines.
The possibility of additional biosimilar versions of nivolumab entering the Indian market has raised expectations of further price reductions.
With four more affordable versions reportedly expected to become available, increased competition among manufacturers could bring down medicine prices substantially.
Some estimates suggest that the cost of certain treatment cycles could potentially decline from approximately Rs 30,000 to Rs 10,000.
However, this remains a projection rather than a confirmed price reduction.
The actual savings will depend on the launch of new products, their pricing, market competition, and whether hospitals make these affordable alternatives available to patients.
Experts emphasize that while immunotherapy offers substantial benefits in selected cancers, it is not appropriate for every patient. The treatment can also cause immune-related adverse effects, some of which may be serious.
Therefore, immunotherapy should be administered only under the supervision of qualified oncology specialists.
A reduction in immunotherapy costs could mark an important milestone in India’s fight against cancer. If affordable biosimilar medicines become widely available and hospitals ensure patients can access them, thousands of families previously unable to afford advanced cancer treatment could benefit.
For patients struggling with the financial burden of cancer care, the growing availability of lower-cost immunotherapy medicines represents an important source of hope.
