Novartis has launched Pluvicto, India's first regulatory authority-approved radioligand therapy for advanced prostate cancer, marking a significant milestone in the country's precision oncology landscape. According to reports from Business Standard, the launch comes months after Novartis exited its listed Indian subsidiary, demonstrating the company's continued commitment to the country's innovation medicines market. Pluvicto (lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan) is designed for eligible patients with Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-positive metastatic prostate cancer, introducing an entirely new treatment approach for prostate cancer patients in India. The therapy represents a major breakthrough in precision oncology, offering highly targeted treatment that delivers radiation directly to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues.
As reported by Business Standard, India sees around 250,000 prostate cancer cases annually, with more than half diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options become more limited and outcomes poorer. Prostate cancer is now among the three most common cancers among urban men in the country. The launch highlights the growing maturity of India's nuclear medicine ecosystem, with Novartis estimating India now has more than 250 nuclear medicine centres, suggesting the infrastructure has reached a scale where advanced targeted radiation therapies can be deployed more widely. Pluvicto will initially be available through select hospitals and nuclear medicine centres and will be imported from Novartis manufacturing facilities in Spain and Italy. This specialized infrastructure requires trained personnel and strict safety protocols for handling radioactive substances, creating a strong foundation for wider adoption of advanced targeted therapies.
According to Business Standard, unlike chemotherapy, which affects both cancerous and healthy cells, radioligand therapy seeks out cancer cells and delivers radiation directly to them. The treatment combines a targeting molecule with the radioactive isotope lutetium-177, with the targeting component binding to PSMA, a protein found in large quantities on many prostate cancer cells. In Phase III studies, Pluvicto demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of disease progression or death and improved radiographic progression-free survival in eligible patients compared with standard treatment approaches, while also supporting patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes. Radioligand therapy is often described as the "guided missile" approach to cancer treatment, targeting Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) and delivering radiation directly to the tumour site. Unlike conventional radiation therapy that is delivered externally, this therapy carries radiation inside the body directly to the cancer site, making it highly personalized cancer treatment that combines advances in molecular imaging, nuclear medicine and targeted therapy.
As reported by Business Standard, the launch reflects a broader shift among multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in India, with several global drugmakers increasingly focusing on innovative medicines, oncology therapies, rare-disease treatments and specialty products. Earlier this year, Novartis sold its majority stake in listed Novartis India Ltd in a $159 million transaction, however, the company retained its innovation medicines, research and development, and global operations footprint in the country through its wholly owned subsidiary, Novartis Healthcare Pvt Ltd. Judith Love has said in recent media interactions that India remains a priority market for the company as it expands its portfolio of innovative medicines and advanced therapies. Globally, radioligand therapy is emerging as one of the fastest-growing areas in precision oncology, with researchers currently exploring applications for several other types of cancers beyond prostate cancer, potentially transforming future cancer treatment strategies worldwide.
