Guangzhou First-hand Hospital | Our hospital successfully issued a prescription for Astellas (Enfortumab Vedotin for Injection), opening a new chapter in precision treatment of urological tumors.

On April 10, 2025, Dr. Liu Huixia, Deputy Director of the Department of Internal Medicine III at Guangzhou RoyalLee Cancer Hospital, prescribed Guangzhou's first dose of Astellas (Enfortumab Vedotin for Injection) for a patient with advanced bladder cancer. This marks a significant breakthrough for our hospital in the field of precision treatment for urological oncology, bringing more hope for extending the precious lives of advanced patients and improving their quality of life.

△ Chief Physician Liu Huixia prescribes a prescription for the patient.

△ Chief Physician Liu Huixia explains the new drug treatment plan to the patient.

Chief Physician

Liu Huixia

Deputy Director of the Internal Medicine Ⅲ Department

Areas of Expertise

Specializes in the comprehensive treatment of common cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, genitourinary system tumors, esophageal cancer, digestive tract tumors, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, lymphoma, brain metastases, and bone metastases, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

[Academic Achievements]

With nearly 20 years of experience in frontline clinical oncology work involving concurrent or sequential chemoradiotherapy, I have instructed and treated tens of thousands of patients with various malignant tumors. I serve as a member of the Tumor Microenvironment Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, a standing member of the Oncology Professional Committee of the Guangdong Clinical Medical Association, a standing member of the Immunotherapy Branch of the Guangdong Health Association, a member of the Multidisciplinary Oncology Diagnosis and Treatment Professional Committee of the Guangdong Anti-Cancer Association, and a member of the Precision Oncology Committee of the Guangdong Health Association. I have also published numerous SCI papers and articles in national journals.

Enfortumab Vedotin for Injection:

New hope for patients with advanced bladder cancer

Enfortumab Vedotin for Injection is the world's first and currently only antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting Nectin-4.

The treatment regimen of Enfortumab Vedotin combined with Pembrolizumab was approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China on January 2, 2025, and was listed on the Guangzhou GPO website on March 27. Our hospital was the first to place an order and prescribe the first prescription on the GPO website.

Enfortumab Vedotin exerts its anticancer activity by specifically binding to cells expressing Nectin-4 protein, then internalizing and releasing its antitumor component, monomethylaurestatin E (MMAE), into the cells, leading to cell proliferation arrest (cell cycle arrest) and programmed cell death (apoptosis). Its advantages are reflected in the following aspects:

01Significantly prolongs survival

Compared with platinum-based chemotherapy, the combination of Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab has a complementary mechanism, significantly improving the survival benefit of first-line treatment for la/mUC patients, and almost doubling the patients' overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS);

02Good security

Enfortumab Vedotin in combination with Pembrolizumab resulted in fewer grade ≥3 adverse events compared to platinum-based chemotherapy, significantly reduced pain symptoms, and had no negative impact on overall quality of life.

03Guide Recommendations

Both domestic and international guidelines recommend Enfortumab Vedotin as the first-line treatment option after progression of platinum-based chemotherapy and CPI therapy.

Patient-centered

Enabling smooth access to over 100 new drugs for hospital admission

Guangzhou RoyalLee Cancer Hospital has always adhered to a patient-centered approach, providing high-quality and standardized medical services while actively exploring more cutting-edge and diversified treatment methods.

We closely monitor the launch progress of international innovative drugs in China, establish strategic partnerships with well-known domestic and international pharmaceutical companies, open up direct supply channels for original drugs and special-needs drugs, and ensure the timely delivery of specialized, new and special drugs. In order to meet the personalized medication needs of customers at all levels, we break through the barriers of delayed access to new and special drugs in public hospitals.

In addition to Astellas (Enfortumab Vedotin for Injection), the hospital has successively prescribed evanixib tablets, paclitaxel oral solution, riertinib tablets, and other medications. It has nearly 200 imported drugs available, covering various disease areas including oncology, rare diseases, lymphoma, wound repair, and cancer pain relief.