Immunotherapy Medicines · Nivolumab

Originator vs Biosimilar Nivolumab: Opdyta vs Tishtha

Opdyta and Tishtha are two brands of the same active molecule, nivolumab — an intravenous PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor used in select cancers. Opdyta is the originator (reference) product; Tishtha is a domestically manufactured biosimilar that reached the Indian market in January 2026. This page sets out, in sourced and dated terms, how the two currently compare on price, evidence and approved use — which brand is used in your own treatment is a decision for your oncologist and hospital, not something to settle from a comparison page.

Medically reviewed by Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS · DM (Medical Oncology) · MD (Radiation Oncology) · Last reviewed August 2026

Prescription-only medicine. Both Opdyta and Tishtha (nivolumab) are administered only under specialist oncology supervision, as an intravenous infusion in a hospital day-care setting — neither is available over the counter or through a retail pharmacy without a prescribing oncologist. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use this medicine. It is not suitable for most patients — see "Who this is not for" below.
Start Here

Is Opdyta the same medicine as Tishtha?

Yes, in terms of active molecule — both Opdyta and Tishtha contain nivolumab, a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Opdyta is the original branded product; Tishtha is a biosimilar version approved by India's drug regulator to match it closely on quality, safety and effectiveness. They are not different drugs — they are two manufacturers' versions of the same one.

Nivolumab works by blocking the PD-1 checkpoint that some cancer cells use to hide from the immune system, allowing a patient's own immune cells to recognise and act against the tumour. A biosimilar is not a copy-paste generic in the way a small-molecule tablet can be copied once its patent lapses — because nivolumab is a large, complex antibody, Tishtha had to independently prove, through its own analytical, non-clinical and clinical studies against Opdyta, that there is no clinically meaningful difference between the two, before CDSCO would approve it.

As of August 2026, Tishtha holds CDSCO approval as a biosimilar to nivolumab and has been commercially available in India since January 2026 — several months ahead of Opdyta's Indian patent formally lapsing in May 2026. Opdyta itself has been approved and marketed in India for considerably longer, across a defined set of cancer indications described further down this page.

Did you know?

A biosimilar isn't manufactured the same way a generic tablet is. Because nivolumab is a large, complex antibody rather than a simple chemical, Tishtha had to run its own similarity trials against Opdyta — comparing structure, safety and clinical effect — before regulators would treat it as interchangeable within its approved uses.

Price & Positioning

What is the price difference between Opdyta and Tishtha?

Tishtha, the biosimilar, was reported at roughly one-quarter of Opdyta's reference price when it launched in India in January 2026 — a typical gap for a biosimilar entrant. Exact costs vary by hospital, dose and cycle count, and move over time, so treat every figure below as indicative only, as of August 2026.

Attribute Opdyta (originator) Tishtha (biosimilar)
Product type Reference (originator) nivolumab CDSCO-approved biosimilar to nivolumab
India availability Marketed in India for several years Commercially available since January 2026
Indicative price position (Aug 2026) Higher — the reference-brand price point Reported at roughly one-quarter of the reference price at launch
Administration IV infusion, hospital day-care setting IV infusion, hospital day-care setting
Approved indications Same CDSCO-approved indication set Same CDSCO-approved indication set as the reference product
Insurance / scheme empanelment Varies by hospital and insurer Varies by hospital and insurer — ask your billing team

Indicative only, as of August 2026. Prices are not CION rates — they reflect reported market positioning and change over time. Confirm the current price and brand in use with your treating hospital's billing or pharmacy team.

Evidence

Is Tishtha as effective as Opdyta?

Yes, within its approved indications — Tishtha was granted CDSCO approval as a biosimilar only after trials showed no clinically meaningful difference from Opdyta in efficacy, safety or immunogenicity. Regulators and oncologists treat an approved biosimilar as clinically equivalent to its reference product, not as a lesser alternative chosen purely to save cost.

Both Opdyta and Tishtha are used only for the same CDSCO-approved indications — for example, certain advanced lung, kidney and head-and-neck cancers where nivolumab is indicated, and only when a patient's staging and, where relevant, biomarker results support checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Neither brand is approved for every cancer type, and neither is a first-line option for most patients.

Whether nivolumab benefits a specific patient depends on the cancer type, stage, prior treatment and, in some cases, biomarker testing — not on which of the two brands is administered. Sourced response-rate figures for nivolumab, where published by NCCN, ASCO or ESMO, describe outcomes across trial populations and are not a prediction for any individual patient or a reason to choose treatment on their own.

Who this comparison is not for

This comparison is not for you if your oncologist has not told you that nivolumab, under either brand, is an option for your specific cancer, stage and biomarker profile — approval for one indication does not mean approval for every cancer type.

It is also not: a price quote for your treatment (your actual cost depends on dose, number of cycles, hospital and insurance or scheme coverage); a claim that biosimilars are automatically interchangeable across every biologic medicine — this page covers nivolumab specifically; or a way to source, order or import either product directly. Neither brand is available outside a hospital-administered, prescription-only setting.

If you want to know which brand your hospital uses, why, and what it costs in your specific case, that conversation belongs with your treating oncologist and the hospital's billing or pharmacy team — not this page.

Making The Choice

How do you choose between Opdyta and Tishtha?

The choice is usually made by the hospital and your oncologist, not the patient alone — driven by formulary agreements, insurance or Aarogyasri empanelment for a specific brand, cost, and whether you've already started treatment on one of the two. It is a logistics and access decision, not a judgment that one brand works better than the other.

In practice, families weighing the two brands are usually weighing cost against continuity. If treatment has already begun on one brand, many oncology teams prefer to continue on it rather than switch mid-course, though switching between approved biosimilars is not inherently unsafe. If cost is the deciding factor for your family — which it is for many patients on long-term checkpoint inhibitor therapy — it is entirely reasonable to ask your hospital which brand they can offer, and at what price, before treatment starts.

Because checkpoint inhibitors are high-value, cold-chain medicines, counterfeit product has been reported entering the Indian market around patent and exclusivity changes for some biologics. If you or a family member is administered either Opdyta or Tishtha, it is a fair question — not a challenge to your care team — to ask the treating hospital how the vial's authenticity and cold-chain storage were verified.

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This page is an editorial comparison, not an offer, price list or recommendation. It does not claim either named product is superior to the other. Pricing and availability figures are indicative, dated to August 2026, and drawn from reported market information rather than a CION rate card. Whether nivolumab, and which brand, applies to your treatment is a decision for your treating oncologist.

Common questions

Opdyta vs Tishtha: your questions answered

What is the difference between Opdyta and Tishtha?
Opdyta and Tishtha both contain the same active molecule, nivolumab, a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor given by IV infusion. Opdyta is the original branded (reference) product; Tishtha is a biosimilar version, manufactured separately and approved by India's drug regulator to match Opdyta closely on quality, safety and clinical performance. They are not different drugs in different classes — they are two manufacturers' versions of the same nivolumab molecule, used for the same CDSCO-approved indications.
What is the price difference between Opdyta and Tishtha?
Reported pricing at the time Tishtha launched in India in January 2026 placed it at roughly one-quarter of Opdyta's reference price, consistent with typical biosimilar pricing patterns once a domestic manufacturer enters the market. Exact prices vary by hospital, dose and negotiated rates, and change over time, so any figure here is indicative only, as of August 2026 — ask your treating hospital's billing or pharmacy team for the current price of whichever brand is being used in your treatment.
Is Tishtha as effective as Opdyta?
Tishtha was granted CDSCO approval as a biosimilar only after demonstrating no clinically meaningful difference from Opdyta across analytical, non-clinical and clinical similarity studies — the same evidentiary bar used internationally for biosimilar approval of complex biologic medicines. Within its approved indications, a biosimilar is treated by regulators and oncologists as clinically equivalent to its reference product, not as an inferior substitute. Individual response still depends on your specific cancer, stage and biomarker profile, not on which of the two brands is used.
How do oncologists and hospitals choose between Opdyta and Tishtha?
The choice is usually driven by the hospital's procurement and formulary agreements, insurance or scheme (such as Aarogyasri) empanelment for a particular brand, the patient's cost sensitivity, and whether a patient has already started treatment on one brand, since continuity is often preferred once therapy begins. It is not a reflection of which brand is medically 'better' — both are approved for the same indications. You can, and reasonably should, ask your oncologist or hospital pharmacy which brand is being used and why.
Is nivolumab, under either brand, approved for every type of cancer?
No. Nivolumab is approved in India only for specific cancers and specific situations — for example, certain advanced lung, kidney and head-and-neck cancers — and typically depends on prior treatment history, stage, and sometimes a biomarker result. Whether nivolumab, as Opdyta or Tishtha, applies to your particular diagnosis is a clinical decision made by your treating oncologist, not something this comparison page can determine.
Can I ask my oncologist to switch me from one brand to the other?
You can certainly ask, and it is a reasonable question, particularly where cost is a concern. Whether switching is appropriate depends on your treatment stage, how you have responded so far, hospital protocol, and your oncologist's clinical judgment — some teams prefer continuity on the brand a patient started with, while others move between approved biosimilars without concern. This is a conversation to have directly with your treating oncology team, not a decision to make from a general comparison page.