Eli Lilly and Company India has announced the launch of Tanstrive (selpercatinib) in India following marketing authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). The targeted therapy is indicated for patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours driven by rearranged during transfection (RET) gene alterations, offering a new precision medicine option for eligible cancer patients.
Tanstrive is an oral selective RET inhibitor designed to block abnormal RET signalling pathways that promote tumour growth. The medicine is available in 40 mg, 80 mg, 120 mg, and 160 mg tablet strengths and is administered twice daily. The company has priced the therapy at Rs. 2.15 lakh per box, with each pack covering a 14-day treatment regimen.
Precision Oncology Approach
RET gene alterations are uncommon but clinically significant genetic abnormalities that can drive the development and progression of several cancers. By specifically targeting these molecular alterations, Tanstrive offers a biomarker-guided treatment approach intended to improve outcomes while limiting effects on normal cells.
The therapy has demonstrated rapid and durable clinical responses, including meaningful activity in patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement, making it an important advancement in precision oncology for selected patients.
Approved Indications
Tanstrive is approved for the treatment of :
Adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring a RET gene fusion.
Adult and paediatric patients (2 years and older) with advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) carrying a RET mutation and requiring systemic therapy.
Adult and paediatric patients (2 years and older) with advanced thyroid cancer with a RET gene fusion that is refractory to radioactive iodine treatment, where appropriate.
Adult and paediatric patients (2 years and older) with locally advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive solid tumours that have progressed following prior systemic treatment or for whom satisfactory alternative treatment options are unavailable.
Commenting on the launch, Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Eli Lilly and Company (India), said the introduction of Tanstrive reflects Lilly's long-standing commitment to bringing innovative, evidence-based therapies to patients with RET-altered cancers. He noted that as precision oncology continues to evolve, the therapy represents an important step toward expanding access to targeted cancer treatments in India.
Importance of Genomic Testing
According to Dr. Rahul Kapur, Senior Director, Medical, Eli Lilly and Company (India), RET-altered cancers are driven by identifiable genetic changes that require targeted treatment strategies. He emphasized that Tanstrive is the first and only selective RET inhibitor approved in India for RET-altered solid tumours irrespective of tumour type, highlighting the growing importance of comprehensive genomic testing in identifying patients who may benefit from precision therapies.
Growing Role of Targeted Cancer Therapies
The launch of Tanstrive underscores the increasing adoption of precision oncology in India, where treatment decisions are guided by specific genetic alterations rather than tumour location alone. Although RET alterations occur in only a small proportion of cancers including approximately 1–2% of non-small cell lung cancer cases in India, identifying these patients through molecular testing can enable access to highly targeted therapies designed for their disease.
