Bayer’s tumor-agnostic cancer drug gets European nod
Bayer said Monday that the European Medicines Agency had approved Vitrakvi for NTRK fusion-positive cancers. The drug won U.S. Food and Drug Administration accelerated approval in November.
Bayer said Monday that the European Medicines Agency had approved Vitrakvi for NTRK fusion-positive cancers. The drug won U.S. Food and Drug Administration accelerated approval in November.
On Thursday, Roche’s Rozlytrek won simultaneous FDA labels for NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors and ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer.
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
The FDA is expected to reach a decision by August on the drug, Rozlytrek, a tumor-agnostic cancer drug and potential competitor to Bayer's Vitrakvi.
Among 29 patients, the drug - designed for patients who become resistant to TRK inhibitors like Vitrakvi - showed a 34 percent response rate, according to Phase I data.
The agency set an August PDUFA date for entrectinib, which it gave priority review. It did the same for another Roche drug, polatuzumab vedotin, for high-grade lymphoma.
That the drug will only be given to patients shown through testing to harbor a genetic anomaly that increases the odds of a response makes its approval an important milestone in the evolution of value-based care.
An oncologist compared NTRK fusion patients to a needle in a haystack, but had some clues of how to find them. Still, drugs like Vitrakvi call for genomic sequencing of all cancer patients, he said.
Larotrectinib showed an 81 percent response rate among 109 patients with NTRK fusion-positive cancers, with most continuing to respond or receiving surgery with curative intent after more than a year.
Targeted therapies have potential to be highly effective. The challenge is finding patients to enroll in clinical trials.