Dr Reddy's gets DCGI nod for esophageal cancer immunotherapy Zytorvi

Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced Wednesday that the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Zytorvi (toripalimab) for treating advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The approval permits use of the immunotherapy in combination with cisplatin and paclitaxel as a first-line treatment for adult patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent, or metastatic ESCC.

This represents the second approved indication for Zytorvi in India, building on its earlier authorisation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment. The approval is particularly significant given that ESCC accounts for approximately 80 per cent of all esophageal cancer cases diagnosed in India, according to the company.

Zytorvi functions as a monoclonal antibody that binds to the PD-1 protein, blocking its interaction with PD-L1 and PD-L2. This mechanism supports enhanced T-cell activity against cancer cells, leveraging the body's immune system to combat the disease. The regulatory approval is supported by data from the Phase 3 JUPITER-06 trial, which evaluated toripalimab's efficacy in this patient population.