China-based HutchMed (China) Ltd (NASDAQ: HCM; HKG: 0013) is poised to receive a milestone payment from its partner Takeda (TYO: 4502), following the successful pricing approval and launch of Fruzaqla (fruquintinib) 1mg/5mg capsules in Japan. The drug is indicated for patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).
Fruzaqla’s Approval and Significance in Japan
Fruzaqla was approved in Japan in September of this year for the treatment of advanced or recurrent CRC that is not curable or resectable and has progressed after chemotherapy. This marks it as the first novel oral targeted therapy for metastatic CRC in Japan, regardless of biomarker status, in over a decade.
Fruquintinib’s Mechanism and Global Reach
Fruquintinib is a selective oral inhibitor of all three VEGF receptors (VEGFR-1, -2, and -3). Takeda holds the rights to market fruquintinib outside of China under the trade name Fruzqala, while Eli Lilly co-markets the drug with HutchMed in China under the brand name Elunate. The drug received approval to treat previously treated mCRC in the US in November 2023 and is also registered in the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Canada, Japan, the UK, Argentina, Australia, and Singapore. Regulatory filings are ongoing in other countries and regions, expanding the drug’s global footprint.-Fineline Info & Tech
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