Dr. Hahn on the Convenience of Subcutaneous Trastuzumab/Pertuzumab in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Olwen Hahn, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, discusses the convenience of the fixed-dose combination of trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) in a subcutaneous formulation in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Based on findings from the phase 3 FeDeriCa trial, on June 29, 2020, the FDA approved a fixed-dose combination of trastuzumab plus pertuzumab with hyaluronidase-zzxf (Phesgo) for administration via subcutaneous injection in combination with intravenous chemotherapy, for the treatment of patients with early and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.

Previously, the initial infusion with the combination of monoclonal antibodies would take around 150 minutes, with subsequent doses lasting approximately 60 minutes, says Hahn. The subcutaneous formulation can be administered in less than 10 minutes, which is significantly more convenient for patients, Hahn explains. Moreover, open chairs may be limited in a cancer center’s infusion suite, so having patients receive quicker therapy opens up space for other patients who require outpatient treatment, concludes Hahn.