A generic version of a treatment harnessing nanotechnology for safer and smarter cancer care is now accessible in the country. Biocare Lifesciences, Inc formally launched PACLIALL on September 19 during a gathering of medical practitioners (oncologists) and selected members of the press, including Tech and Lifestyle Journal, at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.
Pacliall is an anti-cancer prescription injection containing Paclitaxel, a nanoparticle albumin-bound (nab) that is administered as a form of chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced tumors or breast, lung, or pancreatic cancer. The drug is manufactured by India-based global generic and specialty pharmaceutical and vaccine maker Panacea Biotec and distributed locally by Biocare, a duly licensed distributor of oncology products nationwide.
Paclitaxel first gained Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as a metastatic breast cancer therapy in 2005. In 2013, it was approved by the drug regulator as a treatment for pancreatic cancer (as a combination of Gemcitabine).
“We are launching Pacliall in the Philippines strictly for hospital use,” said Dileep Tiwari, Biocare Lifesciences Managing Director. “This is in line with our company’s mission to deliver cost-effective medicines to help strengthen the healthcare system and build a healthier, stronger future that meets global standards.”
Tiwari reiterated that Pacliall was engineered differently through nanotechnology that binds Paclitaxel to albumin, the body’s own natural carrier that guides the medicine straight to where the cancer cells live. There are no solvents nor lengthy pre-medication, just a 30-minute intravenous (IV) infusion that delivers more of the treatment precisely to where it is needed most. “That could spell a big difference for both patients and doctors. They could have more encouraging conversations about the medical condition and progress of treatment,” he said.
Pacliall comes in 100-mg vial, formulated in powder form for injectable suspension. As it is bound to protein albumin, the drug could facilitate delivery of higher doses of chemotherapy to directly target tumors, coming with fewer hypersensitivity risks than standard solvent-based forms of Paclitaxel.
Common side effects during Pacliall treatment include temporary hair loss (alopecia), fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and peripheral neuropathy (tingling or burning sensation in hands or feet). Regular blood monitoring is also required as the sessions could lower white blood cells or blood platelet counts.
In the Philippines, one in every 13 women develop breast cancer in her lifetime, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). About 32 patients in the country perish from this type of cancer each day. Up to 65% of cancer patients are usually diagnosed with advanced stages of breast cancer, making the condition harder and costlier to treat.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the form of cancer treatable by Pacliall, accounts for about 85% of total lung cancer cases in the country. In general, lung cancer still takes the record of being the top cause of cancer mortality and the second most usual malignancy among Filipino patients. Over 70% of local patients are diagnosed with the advanced stages upon initial medical consultation.
Meanwhile, pancreatic cancer is currently the 13th most usual cancer and also the 8th top cause of cancer-related deaths in the country, according to OncoCare Philippines. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer in the country also remains very low at about 2%.
Patients can ask their oncologists about Pacliall and its potential as an option for cancer treatment in the Philippines. Each vial is estimated to cost around ₱10,000, administered weekly (frequency as prescribed) in healthcare facilities.
