12/22/2020 By Dr. Dan Platt
Summary: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to Gavreto, the second drug for adult patients with metastatic RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Dr. Dan’s Takeaway: The RET mutation signals cells to grow uncontrollably and is found in ~2% of NSCLC as well as several forms of thyroid cancer. Gavreto and another drug, Retevmo (approved May 2020), are selective inhibitors of the mutant RET protein and are very effective in patients who have this mutation. Though data is still coming in because these drugs were approved in the middle of clinical trials, the progression free survival for Retevmo is 17.5 months in previously-treated NSCLC. These drugs will immediately become standard of care for the few patients with metastatic NSCLC that contains the RET mutation.
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“One small way I am personally contributing to education is through sharing my take on academic and industry articles, using my medical background to boil down the jargon and pull out the benefits of the news for you.”
– Dan Platt, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
