Trastuzumab deruxtecan for HER2 mutant unresectable and/or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer – second line

Trastuzumab deruxtecan is in clinical development as a second-line treatment for advanced, HER-2 mutant, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC makes up the majority of lung cancers in the UK and at the metastic stage (stage IV), the disease has already spread from the lungs to other sites. Symptoms of lung cancer include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, aches and pains in the chest or shoulder, loss of appetite, weight loss and fatigue. Most patients with NSCLC are diagnosed at the advanced/metastatic stage where curative treatment with surgery is unsuitable. While current treatments exist for advanced NSCLC, significant unmet medical need remains for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) mutant specific treatments.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan is a humanised monoclonal antibody directed at HER-2 that is present on cancer cells. Activation of HER2 has been linked to cell transformation and oncogenesis. Trastuzumab deruxtecan binds to HER2 and induces cell death. If licensed, trastuzumab deruxtecan (given as an intravenous infusion) may offer a second-line treatment option for patients with advanced HER2 mutant NSCLC.