Daiichi To File For US Approval of New Lung Cancer Medicine

After showing a benefit in patients with advanced disease, Daiichi Sankyo Co. expects to file for US approval of its innovative lung cancer treatment by the end of March. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had progressed despite extensive prior treatment were given Patritumab deruxtecan. According to a presentation at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Singapore, approximately 30% of patients responded to the medicine in the mid-stage experiment. “These are the patients who have basically no standard of care treatment options,” Ken Takeshita, global head of research and development for Daiichi Sankyo, said in an interview on Monday. “It’s a very important advance for those patients.” The positive outcomes are the drug's initial step.

According to Daiichi, the program will be expanded to test it early in the disease and in individuals with different types of cancer. According to the World Health Organization, lung cancer is the most lethal type of tumor, accounting for nearly one in every five fatalities. In 2020, around 2.2 million people were diagnosed with it, the majority of whom had non-small cell lung cancer. If the cancer returns after chemotherapy and treatment that targets a growth-related gene called EGFR, currently available medicines give modest benefit. Patients in such category, according to the business, require innovative techniques to improve their outcomes.

If authorized, the first-in-class medicine will complement Daiichi Sankyo's cancer portfolio, which is led by best-seller Enhertu, and strengthen the company's position in the global market. In contrast to Enhertu, which it sells alongside AstraZeneca Plc, the Japanese business intends to sell the treatment without a partner to increase profitability.