Zydus launches Opdivo biosimilar in India, will help cut cancer treatment cost

Zydus

• Zydus launches world's first nivolumab biosimilar, Tishtha, in India
• Tishtha, at a quarter of Opdivo's cost, aims to improve cancer treatment access.
• Tishtha offers 100 mg and 40 mg vials, focusing on affordability and steady supply.

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Zydus Lifesciences has launched the world’s first biosimilar of nivolumab in India, the pharma company said on January 22, a move that will significantly widen access to one of the most important immunotherapies used in cancer treatment.

The product, branded Tishtha, is being introduced at nearly a ‑fourth the price of Amercian drug maker Bristol Myers Squibb’s (BMS) original Opdivo.

Tishtha will be available in 100 mg (Rs 28,950) and 40 mg (Rs 13,950) strengths. According to the company, this will help reduce treatment burden for patients who require long, multi‑cycle therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a category known to be among the costliest in oncology.

“With the launch of Tishtha, we are expanding access to Immuno‑Oncology through a patient‑centric therapy,” Zydus Lifesciences managing director Sharvil P Patel. “Every patient deserves timely access to affordable, advanced cancer care… we remain committed to improving patient access to high‑quality biosimilar immunotherapies.”

Why Nivolumab biosimilar matters

Nivolumab is one of the most widely prescribed PD‑1 immune checkpoint inhibitors, used across cancer types including lung, melanoma, kidney and Hodgkin lymphoma. These drugs activate the immune system to attack tumors, often extending survival in difficult‑to‑treat cancers.

High costs have limited access in lower‑income markets. In India, patients often struggle to maintain continuity of treatment, which can run for several months and require strict dosing schedules. Zydus said its biosimilar aims to address challenges of affordability, consistency and long‑term availability, all of which are critical to patient outcomes.

Zydus said Tishtha is developed and manufactured in India, ensuring what Zydus says will be supply continuity for patients who often face interruptions when relying on imported immunotherapies.

The availability of two vial strengths is intended to help oncologists optimise dosing and reduce wastage — an important cost consideration in immunotherapy regimens.

The company expects the therapy could benefit more than five lakh cancer patients, expanding accessibility to treatments typically restricted to higher‑income cohorts.

BMS spokesperson told Moneycontrol that Opdivo’s patent in India remains valid until May 2026.