What do you mean by TRK Fusion Cancer and it's treatment?

The tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK Fusion Cancer) family of receptor tyrosine kinases are encoded by NTRK genes and have a role in the development and normal functioning of the nervous system. Since the discovery as many as 80 different oncogenic NTRK gene fusion have been identified in a wide array of adult and paediatric tumours, providing actionable targets for targeted therapy.

Vitrakvi, Rozlytrek won approval for tumor-specific indication in ROS1 positive NSCLC in addition to the tumor agonist indication, solid tumors with NTRK gene fusion. The approval was based on an integrated analysis of three phase II and phase I/II trials. In ROS1-positive, metastatic NSCLC (these occur in around 1-2% of cases), Rozlytrek shrank tumors in 78% of people with the disease and the duration of response ranged from 1.8 to 36.8+ months. 

Rozlytrek also shrank tumors in more than half of people with NTRK gene fusion-positive, locally advanced, or metastatic solid tumors and objective responses were observed across 10 tumor types.

Do you know about TRK Fusion Cancer Treatment?

Finding patients with NTRK fusion is difficult, as this molecular aberration is rare in common cancers and frequent only in rare cancers. However, it is important to consider testing patients without other activating mutations. The TRK fusions are oncogenic and patients may have failed standard of care. 

Treatment with emerging TRK inhibitors like larotrectinib and entrectinib may be transformative, leading to fast and durable responses and few adverse events.

In 2018, Bayer’s Vitrakvi became the first FDA tumor-agnostic approval for a drug not already in use. It was granted accelerated approval to treat any advanced solid tumor with mutations in the NTRK genes. The FDA's approval of Vitrakvi was based on data from three open-label, single-arm trials of the drug.

 The first 55 patients with NTRK fusion-positive cancers enrolled in the trial had an impressive overall response rate of 75%. The median duration of the response had not been reached at the time of data lock, but 73% of patients reached at least 6 months, and 39% of patients reached at least 12 months.

Read for more information about TRK Fusion Cancer Types