Dive Brief:
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The European Commission approved Eli Lilly's lung cancer med Portrazza, making it the first biologic approved to treat EGFR-expressing squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the E.U., according to the PharmaTimes.
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Portrazza was approved as a first-line treatment in conjunction with certain chemotherapies. The med won approval in the U.S. in November 2015.
- Almost one-third of patients with lung cancer have EGFR-expressing squamous NSCLC.
Dive Insight:
Portrazza represents an important breakthrough as the first biologic for treatment of EGFR-expressing squamous NSCLC. The approval also is significant because it has some time since a new first-line therapy was introduced for treatment of this type of cancer, as noted by the PharmaTimes.
The approval is based on data from the Phase 3 SQUIRE trial, in which patients treated with Portrazza and standard chemotherapy had an overall survival of 11.5 months versus 9.9 months.
Lilly priced Portrazza at $11,430 a month in the U.S., far above what some physicians have suggested is appropriate. An article in JAMA Oncology recommended a price of $1,870 for a 30-day supply.