Brigatinib (Alunbrig) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (online only)

Date: April 23, 2018 Issue #:  1545Summary:  The FDA has approved brigatinib (Alunbrig– Takeda), an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, for treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib(Xalkori). Translocations of the ALK gene are found in about 5% of lung cancers; they occur predominantly in nonsmokers with adenocarcinoma. Brigatinib is the third tyrosine kinase inhibitor to be approved for this indication; ceritinib(Zykadia) and alectinib(Alecensa) were approved earlier, and subsequently were approved for first-line treatment as well. Loratinib, another oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is currently under review by the FDA for treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC.
Source: The Medical Letter - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Source Type: research