Current Affairs - Science - Discussion

Zytorvi, containing the active ingredient toripalimab, was approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on October 21, 2026, for the first-line treatment of adults with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). It is an immunotherapy drug that works by inhibiting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway, helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells. The approved treatment combines Zytorvi with two chemotherapy medicines, cisplatin and paclitaxel. The approval was supported by findings from the Phase 3 JUPITER-06 clinical trial, which demonstrated improved median overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone.