Piqray (Alpelisib) is the world's first medicine used to treat patients suffering from breast cancer with PIK3CA mutations.

The first prescription of Piqray (Alpelisib), the world's first medicine used to treat patients suffering from breast cancer caused by PIK3CA mutations, was given to a female patient at Boao Super Hospital in Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, local media outlets reported on Aug 16.

Piqray, developed by Novartis, is currently the only oral medicine approved overseas to treat PIK3CA-mutated, HR-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.

The patient, surnamed Wang, is now in her sixties. After being diagnosed with breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, she has received several kinds of medicine combinations and has developed cancer cell metastasis in several other visceral organs.

"I really thank the preferential policies in Lecheng so that I can use Piqray so fast and I'm looking forward to being treated by this new medicine," said Wang. 

Wang expressed her hope that Piqray can enter the Chinese market soon so that more patients like her can benefit from it. 

The female patient surnamed Wang (R) receives Piqray at Boao Super Hospital in Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone.

"Apart from using the medicine in Lecheng, the patient will be able to take the medicine home after a safety assessment for further treatment," said Meng Yan, an internist at Hainan Cancer Hospital.

Research has shown that the alpelisib–fulvestrant treatment can prolong progression-free survival among patients with PIK3CA-mutated, HR-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer to 11 months on average, nearly doubling the survival time of the previous fulvestrant treatment, which stood at 5.7 months on average. 

The Globocan 2020: New Global Cancer Data released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in December 2020 pointed out that female breast cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer, surpassing lung cancer for the first time. 

Breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer among females in China and 70 percent of the patients have HR-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer, and PIK3CA mutations are one of the most commonly seen mutations in HR-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer patients.

Novartis will continue to take an active part in supporting local governments in introducing global innovative medicines and keep working with Lecheng to help benefit more Chinese patients, said Alexandre Gibim, general manager of Novartis Oncology (China).