As early as 2018, the media reported a "miracle drug" in a large number of pages, and many people's circle of friends also reprinted this article, "Major Breakthrough! Yesterday, the US FDA officially listed a "broad-spectrum" anti-cancer drug, with a cure rate of up to 75%!. The cure rate is so high that many people consider this to be a great innovation and legend in the history of human medicine. This miracle drug is lalotinib.
On April 13, 2022, the State Drug Administration officially approved bayer's ralotinib sulfate capsules for all advanced solid tumors of NTRK gene fusion. Ralotinib became China's first pan-solid tumor targeting drug (TRK inhibitor) targeting NTRK gene fusion.
What's so magical about lalotinib?
1. Very efficient
At the ASCO conference on June 6, 2021, four different studies were presented: Among all NTRK-fusion cancer patients, 206 assessable adult and pediatric oncology patients expanded aggregate data showing that the objective response rate (ORR) was as high as 75%! And the duration of remission (DOR) averaged more than 4 years (49.3 months). In 15 assessable patients with advanced lung cancer, the confirmed objective response rate (ORR) was 73% based on investigator assessments, and in assessable patients with baseline brain metastases (n=8), the ORR was 63%. The objective response rate of thyroid cancer, fibrosarcoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor is as high as 100%.
2. True broad spectrum
The latest trial data shows that the number of cancers suitable for treatment with lalotinib has increased from 17 to 21, covering almost all solid tumor types. Specifically, it includes soft tissue sarcoma, infant fibrosarcoma, primary central nervous system tumor, thyroid cancer, salivary gland cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, breast cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, osteosarcoma, bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer, congenital mesoderm kidney cancer, primary unknown cancer, appendix cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer and cervical cancer.
3. There is no age limit
Benefit from lalotinib for all ages, adults and children, with NTRK mutations.
4. Fast and lasting response
Another magic thing about this drug is that the onset of action is very fast, and once it is effective, the relief time will be long. The data showed that the average time of onset was only 1.84 months, with 73% of patients responding for more than 6 months and a median response duration of 32.9 months.
NTRK is an abbreviation for neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase, and the NTRK gene can be fused with other genes to produce abnormal proteins (TRK fusion proteins), which in turn promote tumor growth and spread. Taking advantage of this feature, lalotinib can be accurately struck and produce anti-cancer effects.
In common tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, etc., the incidence of NTRK gene fusion is low, roughly 1% to 3%. However, in some rare cancers, the incidence of NTRK gene fusion is high, such as infant fibrosarcoma, salivary adenocarcinoma, similar breast secretory carcinoma, breast secretory carcinoma and other rare cancers, and the incidence of NTRK gene fusion is as high as more than 90%.
It can be seen that although the miracle drug is magical, in the common cancer type, the NTRK mutation rate is low, and only a very small number of people can benefit from it.