How Trastuzumab works

Trastuzumab (Trastuzumab) is suitable for treating patients with HER2-positive cancer. Cancer produces a large amount of a protein called HER2 on the surface of tumor cells in the body, which makes the tumor cells grow faster. HER2 is overexpressed in about one-quarter of breast cancer and one-fifth of gastric cancer.

Trastuzumab, produced in CHO cell culture, is a recombinant IgG1 humanized monoclonal antibody 6 that selectively binds with high affinity to the extracellular domain of the human epidermal growth factor receptor protein (HER2) in cell-based assays. It is indicated for the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2+ metastatic breast cancer in which HER-2 oncogene amplification or HER-2 protein overexpression has been demonstrated in the tumor. This suggests that overexpression or gene amplification of HER2 is found in approximately 20-30% of breast cancers, and that increased activation of HER2 triggers multiple downstream pathways, leading to abnormal proliferation of cancer cells. Trastuzumab binds to HER2 and directly and indirectly inhibits cancer cell growth, proliferation and survival.

Trastuzumab is sold under the brand name Herceptin in China and has entered the scope of Class B medical insurance, but it may be limited to patients who meet the indications for this drug, such as patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and its adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment or HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer. The price is around 6,000 yuan. The original trastuzumab drug has also been launched overseas. The ingredients of domestic and foreign original drugs are basically the same. For specific prices and drug details, you can consult a medical consultant. Currently, there are no generic trastuzumab drugs on the market.