Bangalore, India, September 01, 2014 

Campaign will be organized across various centers in 23 cities

Biocon Ltd, Asia's premier biopharmaceuticals company, today announced the launch of ‘Free Oral Screening Camps’ at an event held at Hotel Lalit Ashok, Bangalore. It was launched by Mr. U T Khader, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka and Mr. Praveen Bose, Sr Director & Head, Biocon Oncotherapeutics, at a press conference in the city. This campaign is intended to screen people for Oral Cancer and create awareness about the disease. This week-long campaign (Sept. 1-Sept. 7, 2014) will be organized across various centers in 23 cities in India.

Oncologists and nurses will conduct oral screening across Bangalore, Mangalore, Hubli, Coimbatore, Kankanady, Hissar, Mohali, Nashik, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Patna, Kochi, Jaipur, Indore, Bhopal, Cuttack, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jalandhar and Aurangbad.

Mr. U T Khader, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka said, "Oral Cancer is one of the top three cancers in India and can be cured only if identified at an early stage. Due to lack of awareness and limited technology, most of the cases are diagnosed very late leading to poor treatment outcomes. This initiative from Biocon will not only help screen the masses for oral cancer but will also create much needed awareness required for the disease. We look forward to supporting more such campaigns from corporate citizens for the larger good of the people.”

Talking about Biocon's drive against cancer Mr. Shukrit Chimote, Vice President & Head- Branded Formulations, India, said: “As India’s leading Oncology Company, Biocon has been making a significant impact in the area of cancer care through its affordable, life-saving therapies. Through this initiative we hope to educate a large number of Indians on the risk factors associated with this killer disease and encourage them to get regular oral screening  by qualified doctors, as a means of early cancer detection, that can lead to better treatment outcomes.”

Oral cancer accounts for 30% of all cancers in India, with about 77,000 new cases being diagnosed annually (Source: Globocan 2012). Though oral cancer is completely preventable, an estimated 60%-80% of oral cancer cases in India are diagnosed very late and that leads to poor treatment outcomes and additional cost to patients. Early detection of oral cancer through screening programs could mean better treatment outcomes and longer survival. Oral cancer has an overall 52% survival rate after five years, but when detected early the rate increases to above 80%. (Source: US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health). Tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption contribute to 90% of oral cancers, awareness about the risk factors can go a long way in helping prevent the disease.

Developing countries like India are challenged with a much larger disease burden due to ageing populations and rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cancer and autoimmune disorders. Among the NCDs, cancer is the second largest cause of death in India.

Biocon has introduced several anti-cancer therapies in this life-threatening segment. The quest for a cost-effective treatment for one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in India led Biocon to develop India’s first indigenously produced monoclonal antibody for head and neck cancer in 2006. Thousands of patients have benefited from this product. Taking the battle with cancer forward, Biocon has successfully developed the world’s first follow-on biologic to treat HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

The Company has also been addressing the problem of cancer in the country through its CSR interventions aimed at early detection of cervical cancer and oral cancer among marginalized communities and their management in secondary and tertiary stages.

About Biocon:
Biocon Ltd. is a fully-integrated, innovation-led, emerging global biopharmaceutical enterprise serving customers in over 85 countries. It is committed to reduce therapy costs of chronic diseases like autoimmune, diabetes, and cancer to enable access to affordable healthcare solutions for patients, partners and healthcare systems across the globe. Biocon’s branded formulations business is an India-centric business with a portfolio of over 70 brands across seven therapeutic segments comprising Oncology, Immunology, Diabetology, Nephrology, Cardiology and Comprehensive Care.



For further information, please contact:

Media Relations

Seema Ahuja
Phone: +91 080 2808 2808
Email: seema.ahuja@biocon.com

Rumman Ahamed
Phone: +91 080 2808 2808
Email: rumman.ahmed@biocon.com


Investor Relations

Saurabh Paliwal
Phone: +91 95383 80801
Email: saurabh.paliwal@biocon.com