What are the new drugs for breast cancer (and how to get them in Nigeria)?

Last updated: 21 January 2025

What are the new drugs for breast cancer (and how to get them in Nigeria)?

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In Nigeria, 52 to 65 women in every 100,000 are affected by breast cancer 1. With a 3-year survival rate of 38%, the country is, however, not faring well against other African countries such as Uganda (44%), Zambia (47%), Namibia (56%), and South Africa (59%) 2. One of the factors involved is the lack of access to new drugs for breast cancer. Many of the medicines approved recently in the world are not available in Nigeria yet, limiting the treatment options for local patients.

However, the good news is that patients in Nigeria can get the newest breast cancer treatments before they're available locally. In this article, you'll find out which are some of the latest breakthroughs in the field, and how to get them in Nigeria without delay.

What are the newest breast cancer drugs in the world [2025]?

In the last few years, multiple new treatments and drug combinations have been approved for breast cancer. Below are some of the most notable ones.

#1: Kisqali (ribociclib)

Ribociclib has been approved for the treatment of:

  • Early breast cancer: Combined with an aromatase inhibitor, it is used for adults with HR-positive, HER2-negative stage II or III breast cancer at high risk of coming back.
  • Advanced or metastatic breast cancer: It is used for adults with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Ribociclib can be used as a first-line treatment along with either an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant 3.

How successful is Kisqali (ribociclib)?

Kisqali has been tested in multiple clinical trials, with the most notable results being:

  • In premenopausal women:
    • the median overall survival with Kisqali was 58.7 months (vs. 47.7 months for the control group);
    • the median time to chemotherapy with Kisqali was 50.9 months (vs. 36 months for the control group);
  • In postmenopausal women (with aromatase inhibitor):
    • the median overall survival with Kisqali and an aromatase inhibitor was 63.9 months (vs. 51.4 months in the control group);
    • the median time to chemotherapy with Kisqali + aromatase inhibitor was 50.6 months (vs. 38.9 months in the control group);
  • In postmenopausal women (with fulversant):
    • the median overall survival with Kisqali + fulversant was 67.6 months (vs. 51.8 months for the control group);
    • the median time to chemotherapy was 48.1 months (vs. 28.8 months for the control group) 4.

Is Kisqali available in Nigeria?

No. As of January 2025, ribociclib is not registered by NAFDAC. However, this doesn't mean that you cannot access it. If you have a prescription for this breast cancer medicine from your doctor in Nigeria, you can order it right away via Everyone.org. We're experts in helping patients get medicines unavailable in their countries, and we'd be happy to assist you.

 

Buy ribociclib
 

#2: Lynparza (olaparib)

Olaparib is used to treat certain types of HER2-negative breast cancer in adults who have a specific BRCA mutation (gBRCAm):

  • Early Breast Cancer: It is given after chemotherapy (before or after surgery) to patients with high-risk early breast cancer.
  • Metastatic Breast Cancer: It is used for patients with advanced or spreading breast cancer who have already been treated with chemotherapy 5.

How successful is olaparib for breast cancer?

In the OlympiA Phase 3 trial, Lynparza was evaluated against placebo as a first-line therapy in germline BRCA-mutated HER2-negative high-risk early breast cancer. Some of the key reported results at the 6-year evaluation point were:

  • The overall survival rate with Lynparza was 87.5% (vs. 83.2% for placebo);
  • The rate of Lyparza patients free from invasive breast cancer was 79.6% (vs. 70.3% with placebo);
  • The rate of Lynparza patients free from metastatic breast cancer was 83.5% (vs. 75.7% with placebo) 6.

Este Lynparza disponibil în Nigeria?

As of January 2025, not yet. However, if your treating doctor believes you could benefit from treatment with this new drug for breast cancer, they can prescribe it to you. With a prescription, you can buy Lynparza immediately, even if it's not approved or available in Nigeria. Simply click the button below.

 

 

Buy olaparib
 

#3: Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki)

Enhertu is used to treat unresectable or metastatic breast cancer in adults with specific HER2 status:

  • HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
    • For patients with IHC 3+ or ISH-positive HER2 status.
    • Treated previously with anti-HER2-based therapy:
      • In the metastatic setting.
      • After disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy.
  • HER2-Low Breast Cancer
    • For patients with IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-negative HER2 status.
    • Treated with prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting or after disease recurrence within 6 months of completing adjuvant chemotherapy 7.

How successful is Enhertu for breast cancer?

In the Phase 3 DESTINY-Breast03 trial, Enhertu demonstrated the following key outcomes in breast cancer, in comparison to Kadcyla:

  • The median progression-free survival was 28.8 months (vs. 6.8 months in the control group);
  • The median overall survival was 52.6 months (vs. 42.7 months in the control group);
  • 82.7% of patients on Enhertu had their tumors shrink or disappear (vs. 36.7% of the control group);
  • 1 out of every 5 patients had a complete response to Enhertu (i.e. their tumor disappeared) 8.

Is Enhertu available in Nigeria?

No. As of January 2025, Enhertu is not widely available to Nigerian patients. However, any breast cancer patient in Nigeria can buy the treatment for personal use immediately if it has been prescribed to them. If you have a prescription for Enhertu, request the medicine via the button below.

 

 

Cumpărați Enhertu
 

#4: Faslodex (fulvestrant) with Itovebi (inavolisib) and Ibrance (palbociclib)

In 2024, the FDA approved the combination of three breast cancer medicines - Faslodex (fulvestrant) with Itovebi (inavolisib) and Ibrance (palbociclib) 9. This new treatment is applicable for endocrine-resistant, PIK3CA-mutated, HR-positive, HER2-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

How successful is the new drug combination for breast cancer?

Approval was based on the reported results of the INAVO120 clinical trial. Some of the key outcomes of the trial were:

  • Progression-Free Survival (PFS): Patients receiving inavolisib + palbociclib + fulvestrant had a median PFS of 15.0 months, compared to 7.3 months in the placebo group.
  • Objective Response Rate (ORR): The treatment group achieved a response rate of 58%, compared to 25% in the placebo group.
  • Duration of Response (DOR): The median DOR was 18.4 months for the treatment group versus 9.6 months for the placebo group 10.

Are inavolisib, fulvestrant, and palbociclib available in Nigeria?

No, unfortunately none of these breast cancer treatments are available in Nigeria as of January 2025. However, you can get them immediately for personal use, if you have a prescription from your treating doctor. Simply request the medicines below.

 

Always the newest drugs for breast cancer

The reality is that it takes a long time for new medicines to be registered in Nigeria and to become available. However, as a patient, it's important to know that you don't have to wait until a medicine is registered locally. You can always get the latest approved medicines from around the world as soon as you need them.

Simply contact our expert team at Everyone.org. We'll help you get the best treatment for breast cancer in Nigeria. Of course, always following your doctor's recommendation.

 

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Referințe:

  1. Cancer Incidence in Nigeria: A Report from Population-based Cancer Registries. PubMed Central, Accessed 21 January 2025.
  2. Breast Cancer Treatment and Outcomes in Nigeria: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Care, 01 July 2023.
  3. PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. Novartis, Accessed 21 January 2025.
  4. KISQALI + Fulvestrant in 1L Postmenopausal | mBC. KISQALI® (ribociclib) | HCP, Accessed 21 January 2025.
  5. HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. Accessdata.fda.gov, Accessed 21 January 2025.
  6. Lynparza demonstrated clinically meaningful prolonged survival benefit in early breast cancer in OlympiA Phase III trial. Astrazeneca, Accessed 21 January 2025.
  7. HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. DaiichiSankyo, Accessed 21 January 2025.
  8. Efficacy, Enhertu, Accessed 21 January 2025. 

  9. FDA Approves New Drug Combination for ER+, HER2- Breast Cancer. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 10 October 2024. 

  10. FDA approves inavolisib with palbociclib and fulvestrant for endocrine-resistant, PIK3CA-mutated, HR-positive, HER2-negative, advanced breast cancer. FDA.gov, Accessed 21 January 2025.