Russia's First Trametinib Generic Hits Market as Promomed Challenges Novartis' Mekinist
核心洞察
Russian biopharmaceutical company Promomed (搜索) has registered the first domestic generic of the anticancer drug trametinib, a MEK (搜索) inhibitor used in targeted cancer therapy.
Until now, only Novartis' original product Mekinist was available on the Russian market for treating BRAF V600 (搜索)-mutant melanoma (搜索) and non-small cell lung cancer (搜索).
Trametinib procurement volumes in Russia grew 24% in 2025, exceeding 3.84 billion roubles and 42,900 packs, with continued growth in 2026.
Russian biopharmaceutical company Promomed (搜索) has registered the first domestic generic of the anticancer drug trametinib, marking a significant shift in the country's oncology market. The drug belongs to the class of high-tech MEK (搜索) inhibitors and is used in targeted cancer therapy. Until now, only Novartis' original product Mekinist was available on the Russian market.
Clinical Indications and Therapeutic Role
Trametinib is used in combination with dabrafenib for the treatment of BRAF V600 (搜索)-mutant melanoma (搜索) and non-small cell lung cancer (搜索). As a MEK (搜索) inhibitor, the drug plays a central role in targeted therapy for patients whose tumors harbor specific genetic mutations, offering a precision-medicine approach to these malignancies.
Market Dynamics and Pricing
The maximum registered wholesale price for the generic has not yet been set. The original trametinib is included on Russia's list of vital and essential drugs under its brand name, and it is also covered under the state guarantees programme for free supply to eligible patient groups.
According to analytics firm Cursor, trametinib procurement volumes in 2025 grew by 24% in both value and volume terms, exceeding 3.84 billion roubles and 42,900 packs. The growth trend continued in 2026: in the first seven months, procurement volumes reached more than 1.75 billion roubles (+1.8%) and 20,900 packs (+7.8%) compared with the same period last year.
The weighted average price of a 0.5 mg pack (No. 30) fell by 8% in 2026 to 23,600 roubles, while a 2 mg pack (No. 30) dropped by 7% to 90,400 roubles.
Origin and Corporate History
The original trametinib was initially developed by GlaxoSmithKline. However, in 2015, rights to the drug and other oncology products — including dabrafenib — were transferred to Novartis as part of a major asset swap valued at over $20 billion. Promomed (搜索)'s registration of a domestic generic now introduces direct competition to Novartis' blockbuster franchise in the Russian market.