HUTCHMED has introduced first-of-its-kind savolitinib for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction (“GEJ”) adenocarcinoma patients with mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (“MET”) amplification who have failed to responded to at least two standard treatments.
Savolitinib is a novel MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor that specifically targets MET pathway abnormalities in certain types of cancers, particularly those with MET amplifications or mutations.
Savolitinib is avaialble in China under the brand name ORPATHYS® specifically for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have MET exon 14 skipping alterations and have either progressed after prior systemic therapy or are not eligible for chemotherapy.
The MET pathway plays a significant role in promoting cancer growth and progression, and drugs like savolitinib are designed to inhibit this pathway and potentially improve outcomes for patients.
Additionally, savolitinib is undergoing clinical development for various tumour types, which includes lung, kidney, and gastric cancers.
The interim results from the Phase II study conducted in China are encouraging, as they indicate a significant objective response rate (ORR) among patients with MET-amplified gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinomas or gastric cancer.
The achieved ORR of 45 percent, demonstrates the potential effectiveness of savolitinib in treating these specific types of cancers characterised by MET amplification.
China’s National Medical Products Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation for savolitinib for gastric cancer.
