There are 3 components inside PHESGO: PERJETA® (pertuzumab), Herceptin® (trastuzumab), and hyaluronidase. PERJETA and Herceptin are there to help treat the HER2-positive breast cancer, and the hyaluronidase is there to help them do that.
All the cells in the body—healthy and cancerous—have HER2 receptors. But HER2+ breast cancer cells have too many HER2 receptors, which makes them grow and divide faster than other types of cells.
PERJETA and Herceptin work together inside cells to block HER2 receptors. Each treatment is thought to block a different part of the HER2 receptor to help stop cells from growing and dividing into new cancer cells. Together, they build a stronger blockade. Because normal cells also have some HER2 receptors, targeted therapies may also affect them.
If you are already receiving Herceptin and PERJETA, as part of your breast cancer treatment via an infusion, you may be wondering how hours of infusion can be given in just minutes. It’s made possible by the use of hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase is a protein naturally found in most tissues of the body.
Hyaluronidase helps enhance the way the body absorbs medicines injected under the skin. When PHESGO is injected, the hyaluronidase makes the tissue under the skin more absorbent temporarily so that it’s able to receive the medication.
Once it’s absorbed by your body, the PERJETA and Herceptin inside PHESGO are thought to work the same way to treat your HER2+ breast cancer.
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