Finally, we report good news about a new lung cancer drug. Before reading below, check out this inspiring story. Isabella de la Houssaye — Lung Cancer Role Model.
Amgen Announces Good News About a New Lung Cancer Drug
Just a few days ago, Amgen gained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thus, good news about a new lung cancer drug.
As Joseph Walker reports for the Wall Street Journal:
The drug, called Lumakras, treats a portion of lung cancer patients with a particular genetic mutation who already tried other therapies. The mutation, known as KRAS, represents among the most common found in cancers. But researchers struggled for so many years to find a medicine to treat it that the mutation was considered “undruggable.”
The FDA’s approval, which sped through clinical trials since the first encouraging results in 2019, validates Amgen’s drug-discovery capabilities. And serves as a landmark in harnessing genetic discoveries to find new drugs for hard-to-treat cancers and other diseases.
Amgen reoriented its research efforts around insights gleaned from scientific advances in understanding the role of genetics and cell biology in disease. Moreover, more companies now use data analytics to sift through the molecular insights. And to identify targets for potentially powerful — and lucrative — new drugs.
“Firms long considered KRAS mutations resistant to drug therapy. Thus, representing “a true unmet need for patients with certain types of cancer,” said Richard Pazdur, acting head of the FDA’s cancer-drug division. “Our approval represents a significant step towards a future with patients receiving a personalized treatment approach.”
To see how lucrative the drug may be, look at the chart.
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