The agreement with Puma Biotechnology supports expanded regional access to neratinib for early-stage and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.

Er-Kim, a pharmaceutical company focused on access to innovative treatments across the EMEA region, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Puma Biotechnology to commercialize neratinib in ten countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The oral therapy, marketed under the name Nerlynx, is indicated for the extended adjuvant treatment of adults with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer following trastuzumab-based therapy. It is also approved for use in combination with capecitabine for patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received at least two prior HER2-directed regimens.

Er-Kim will be responsible for commercializing the treatment in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Breast cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there were approximately 2.3 million new cases and 670,000 deaths globally in 2022. Regions such as Central Asia and Eastern Europe often face disparities in access to targeted therapies.

“While breast cancer is a global health concern, treatment access remains uneven,” said Cem Zorlular, Chief Executive Officer of Er-Kim. “We are committed to expanding availability of evidence-based therapies like neratinib across underserved markets in the CIS. This agreement reflects Er-Kim’s longstanding focus on improving access to treatments for women’s health conditions.”

Neratinib is an irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets HER1, HER2, and HER4 receptors. It is designed to reduce the risk of recurrence in HER2-positive breast cancer by inhibiting signaling pathways involved in tumor growth and spread.