The FDA has approved a new drug called Perjeta (pertuzumab) for treating HER2-positive breast cancer. This type of breast cancer is more aggressive because it has too much of a protein called HER2. Perjeta works by blocking that protein to help stop cancer growth.
Perjeta is given through a vein (IV) and is used together with other medicines. For people with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), it is combined with trastuzumab and docetaxel. It is also approved for use before surgery (neoadjuvant) for certain large or node-positive tumors, and after surgery (adjuvant) for early stage breast cancer at high risk of coming back.
This approval means there is a new targeted therapy option for people with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, not everyone with breast cancer will benefit from Perjeta. Only those with HER2-positive disease, confirmed by an FDA-approved test, are candidates.
If you or a loved one has breast cancer, talk to your doctor about whether Perjeta might be right for you. Your doctor can review your specific situation and help you understand the potential benefits and risks.