Dr. Shaw Discusses Efficacy of Lorlatinib in ALK+ NSCLC

Alice T. Shaw, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, attending physician, Thoracic Cancer Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the efficacy of lorlatinib in ALK-positive non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

In a prior phase I study, 54 patients were enrolled and were treated with escalating doses of the selective, potent, third-generation ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) lorlatinib. Shaw said that findings from the phase I study established that there was no maximum-tolerated dose, but a 100 mg daily dose was suggested for the phase II portion of the study.

In the phase II study, findings of which were presented during the 2018 AACR Annual Meeting, lorlatinib demonstrated high activity in patients who had ALK-positive NSCLC, including those who had failed crizotinib (Xalkori) or multiple ALK TKIs. In the crizotinib-resistant group, the response rate with lorlatinib was about 70%. Additionally, data from this trial showed that has activity in patients who have failed a second-generation inhibitor, such as ceritinib (Zykadia), alectinib (Alecensa), or brigatinib (Alunbrig).

<<< 2018 AACR Annual Meeting