Brigatinib for locally advanced or metastatic, ALK-positive, non-small cell lung cancer – first line

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. A small proportion of NSCLC patients have a rearrangement in a gene called anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Younger patients, people who have never smoked (or smoked very little), women, and those with East Asian ethnicity are more likely to have ALK gene rearrangement. Locally advanced or metastatic cancer means the cancer has spread outside the lungs where it started, to other parts of the body and cannot be cured. However, treatment can shrink the cancer, slow its growth, help relief symptoms, and help patients to live longer.
Brigatinib is a new treatment option being developed specifically for ALK-positive NSCLC. It acts by blocking the activity of some specific proteins encoded by the ALK gene, thereby reducing the growth of cancer cells. Brigatinib is taken orally once daily as a tablet and potentially has a broader range of resistance when compared other treatment options in its class. Brigatinib would be offered to patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC, who have not received prior treatment. If licensed, brigatinib will offer an additional treatment option for this patient group.