AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso Accepted for Use in Scotland to Treat EGFR Mutated Advanced Lung Cancer
AstraZeneca's Tagrisso has been accepted for use as a monotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with activating EGFR mutations in Scotland.
AstraZeneca has announced, in a Jan. 17, 2022 press release, that the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted Osimertinib (Tagrisso) for use as a monotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.
Lung cancer is a significant cause of cancer-related death in Scotland, with NSCLC being recorded as the most common form of the disease. It is estimated, by AstraZeneca, that through the recent acceptance of Tagrisso, approximately 192 patients in Scotland will be eligible for targeted therapy to treat locally advanced or metastatic EGFR mutated NSCLC each year.
“Osimertinib is a third-generation EGFR inhibitor that has demonstrated clear survival benefit in clinical trials when compared to the previous generation of these medicines,” said Brian Clark, consultant clinical oncologist at Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, in the press release. “Getting access to this treatment is an important development for people living with advanced lung cancer in Scotland, as it provides them with a treatment option that has the potential to improve their outcomes and does not compromise quality of life.”
“This decision from the SMC is further welcome news aligned with the Scottish Government’s commitment to cancer as a national clinical priority,” added Tom Keith-Roach, president, AstraZeneca UK, in the press release. “Providing access to cutting-edge treatments like osimertinib is an important part of getting back on track post-COVID.”
“With almost half of all lung cancers in Scotland diagnosed at a late stage, there is a clear unmet need for additional effective treatment options,” said Arun Krishna, head of Oncology, AstraZeneca UK, in the press release. “Osimertinib can significantly increase survival of patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, with a comparable safety profile to first generation EGFR TKIs [tyrosine kinase inhibitors].”
Source: AstraZeneca
