Novartis India has launched Pluvicto (lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan), the country’s first regulatory authority-approved radioligand therapy for eligible patients with Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-positive advanced prostate cancer.
The launch introduces a new precision oncology treatment option for metastatic prostate cancer, designed to selectively target cancer cells while reducing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
Pluvicto is an intravenous radioligand therapy that combines a targeting compound with a therapeutic radioisotope. Once administered into the bloodstream, it binds to Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-expressing cells, including prostate cancer cells. The radioactive component then delivers targeted radiation to destroy cancer cells and nearby affected tissue, disrupting tumour growth and triggering cell death.
The therapy arrives at a critical time as prostate cancer continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing cancer burdens among men in India. The disease is now among the top three cancers affecting urban men, with nearly 250,000 new cases reported annually. Around half of patients are diagnosed only after the disease has reached a metastatic stage, limiting treatment options and worsening outcomes.
Judith Love, Region Head Asia Pacific Middle East Africa at Novartis, said India remains a priority market for the company as precision oncology and advanced cancer care continue to gain momentum.
She described the introduction of Pluvicto as an important step in bringing globally approved innovation closer to patients who require more targeted treatment options.
“What makes this launch especially impactful is not just the science, but the opportunity to expand access through India’s growing nuclear medicine infrastructure. We remain committed to enabling access to next-generation treatments, and I’m excited about the difference Pluvicto can make for patients in India,” she added.
Amitabh Dube, Country President and Managing Director of Novartis India, said that beyond introducing the therapy, Novartis is focused on building long-term partnerships with hospitals and healthcare stakeholders to strengthen access pathways, multidisciplinary collaboration,
and readiness for the future of nuclear medicine in India.
“India’s nuclear medicine ecosystem has expanded significantly over the past decade and today includes more than 250 nuclear medicine centres across the country. Novartis plans to collaborate with healthcare institutions, oncologists, nuclear medicine specialists, and hospital partners to support treatment readiness and multidisciplinary care pathways for eligible patients,” he added.
Pluvicto will initially be available through selected hospitals and nuclear medicine centres across India under Novartis’ partnership-led access model. The company said it is working with healthcare stakeholders to strengthen awareness and infrastructure preparedness for precision oncology care.
Imported from GMP-certified manufacturing facilities in Spain and Italy, Pluvicto is the only regulatory authority-approved finished formulation for PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
In Phase III clinical studies, Pluvicto demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of disease progression or death and improved radiographic progression-free survival compared with standard treatment approaches in eligible patients. The therapy also showed a manageable safety profile and contributed to improved patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes in defined treatment settings.
