The Clicks growth strategy is moving the retailer beyond its pharmacy roots, with CEO Bertina Engelbrecht targeting GLP-1 medicines, specialist healthcare and medical consumables. Clicks has raised its pharmacy market share to 24.7% and operates 835 pharmacies and 225 clinics. GLP-1 medicines the biggest near-term opportunity Engelbrecht sees GLP-1 medicines as the biggest short-term opportunity. These drugs treat diabetes and…
Tag: Oncology
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Cancer Drug Prices Reduced for 137 Vital Medicines in India
India is cutting cancer drug prices by up to 70% after adding 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines to its price control list. The move aims to make treatment more affordable in the country’s $2.6 billion oncology market, according to a statement from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers. Margins capped across all formulations The medicines include immunotherapy drugs used for 20…
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Cancer in South Africa: Deaths Set to Nearly Double by 2050
Deaths from cancer in South Africa are forecast to nearly double, from about 64,000 in 2024 to 127,000 in 2050, according to Global Burden of Disease (GBD) projections. Experts quoted by Spotlight and Daily Maverick link the rise mainly to an ageing population and changing lifestyles. Measuring the cancer burden The National Cancer Registry recorded about 91,600 diagnosed cases in…
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Rasonque pancreatic cancer drug wins FDA approval
The Rasonque pancreatic cancer treatment from Revolution Medicines has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for certain patients with metastatic disease. The once-daily oral medicine, also known as daraxonrasib, is approved for patients who have received previous treatment or cannot undergo combination chemotherapy. It targets several forms of the RAS protein, which plays a significant role in driving…
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Cancer Sugar Shield Helps Tumours Evade Immunity
South African-led research has revealed new molecular details about how cancer changes the MUC1 protein to evade the immune system. The findings could support the development of new cancer vaccines, biomarkers and precision therapies. MUC1 is found on epithelial cells lining organs including the breast, colon and lungs. In healthy tissue, it carries long, complex sugar chains that help protect…
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Moderna Merck Melanoma Vaccine Shows Late-Stage Success
Moderna and Merck have announced that late-stage trials of a personalised mRNA cancer vaccine for the treatment of melanoma have yielded positive results. The companies stated that the treatment reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or spread when used in conjunction with Merck’s immunotherapy drug Keytruda. Notably, Keytruda is already widely used to treat melanoma and several other cancers. This…
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Cancer Heat Therapy: R57m Public Health Rollout
A R57 million funding drive could determine whether a South African cancer treatment is adopted in the public healthcare system. Cancer heat therapy has been shown to improve survival and reduce long-term costs. Dr Carrie Minnaar, a South African researcher specialising in oncologic hyperthermia, is leading plans to install six modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) devices at three public hospitals over the…
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Daraxonrasib Pancreatic Cancer Results: A Historic Breakthrough
Every so often, a medical advance is so significant that it gives seasoned oncologists chills. This is currently the case for Revolution Medicines and their experimental therapy, daraxonrasib. In a recent late-stage study, the drug allowed patients with advanced disease to live twice as long as those receiving standard chemotherapy. For a field where progress is often measured in mere…
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Cardio-Oncologist Shortage Hits Cancer Care
South Africa is recording a steady rise in cancer diagnoses, with more than 100,000 new cases reported each year. An ageing population is a major driver. Lifestyle risks are adding to the trend. That growing burden is falling on a health system already under pressure in both public and private care. A less visible threat is also building. South Africa’s…
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Non-Invasive Colon Cancer Test Could Speed Diagnosis
A new screening approach being developed by scientists in China and the UK could change how colorectal cancer is detected, especially in health systems with limited access to colonoscopy. The innovation is a Non-Invasive Colon Cancer Test that analyses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vapour trapped above bowel faeces. The aim is simple. Identify higher-risk patients quickly, then prioritise…
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Huawei AI In Healthcare Drives Global Clinical Innovation
Chinese technology giant Huawei is intensifying its investment in Huawei AI in Healthcare, positioning its new tools as “transformative” solutions for the sector. The company, already a major player in South Africa’s energy and banking industries, has identified healthcare as a priority area for growth and service modernisation. In its domestic market, the “AI+ healthcare” initiative is applying artificial intelligence…
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Childhood Cancer Diagnosis: The Impact of Delayed Treatment
South Africa diagnoses too few children with cancer, a gap that experts say costs lives. In the Cape Town metro, the Western Cape health department estimates that clinicians diagnose about 100 children under 15 with cancer each year. Rates are broadly stable, but case numbers are rising with population growth. Nationally, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) estimates that…