Dr. Devarakonda on Biomarkers Beyond PD-L1 in NSCLC

Siddhartha Devarakonda, MD, a senior fellow at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, discusses biomarkers beyond PD-L1 being explored in patients with non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

A newer target that is gaining great interest in the field is the MET exon 14 skipping mutation, as research suggests that this is a target with many alterations. Encouraging responses are observed with crizotinib (Xalkori) in these patients. Although it is not approved in lung cancer, cabozantinib (Cabometyx) is a drug with potential.

Secondly, there are good clinical trial data showing that BRAF V600E is a targetable abnormality, as well. Both dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) basket trials and vemurafenib (Zelboraf) have also been linked with responses in lung cancer that had the V600E mutation. Finally, the NTRK1 mutation is being studied in the STARTRK trial with entrectinib.