Dr. Offin on Targeted Agents in MET- and RET-Altered NSCLC

Michael D. Offin, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses targeted agents in MET- and RET-altered non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The current standard of care in MET-altered NSCLC is crizotinib (Xalkori), as outlined in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. However, capmatinib, tepotinib, and savolitinib are all emerging agents in this space. Each agent had a slightly different safety profile with overall response rates (ORRs) ranging from 40% to 60%, according to data presented at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting.

In the RET space, the NCCN-recommended agents are somewhat toxic with suboptimal response rates, says Offin. Encouragingly, selpercatinib (formerly LOXO-292) and BLU-667 have shown greater tolerability. Although selpercatinib has shown a slightly higher ORR, both agents have been granted breakthrough therapy designations by the FDA for use in patients with RET fusion—positive NSCLC after progression on platinum-based chemotherapy.