Lorlatinib: First Global Approval

Abstract

Lorlatinib is an oral small molecule inhibitor of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and C-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1) kinase developed by Pfizer for the treatment of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Based on results from a phase I/II trial, lorlatinib received approval in Japan in September 2018 and in the USA in November 2018 for the treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of lorlatinib leading to the first global approval for this indication.