Court ruling secures affordable prostate cancer treatment

IN A LANDMARK decision, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in South Africa has ruled that the generic prostate cancer medication Enzutrix will remain available at an affordable price, ensuring access for patients in need.

- ZELDA VENTER

This followed an order by the SCA delivered this week in a fierce patent-related battle between the Regents of the University of California (UC), which owned a South African patent for the prostate-cancer drug Xtandi, and Eurolab, which introduced the generic product Enzutrix.

Eurolab was earlier granted the right to continue making and selling the generic prostate cancer medication following an order by the Commissioner of Patents, which sat at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

The matter arose after Eurolab identified the potential of enzalutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor, used in the treatment of prostate cancer patients in South Africa.

The product is distributed through the Dis-Chem companies.