Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has announced that its Phase III trial for the RET kinase inhibitor Retevmo (selpercatinib) has successfully met its primary endpoint in patients with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The trial demonstrated a significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to cabozantinib or vandetanib, which are multikinase inhibitors (MKIs) from Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL) and Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY) respectively, and are currently the first-line therapies for MTC. This study aims to highlight the importance of selective RET inhibition in cancer treatment and to establish Retevmo as a potential first-line treatment option.
Retevmo’s Selectivity in RET-driven Cancers
Lilly’s drug, Retevmo, is already approved in the United States, and the Phase III study is designed to underscore the significance of selectivity in RET-driven cancers. The results of the trial could potentially promote the use of Retevmo as a first-line treatment, offering an alternative to the existing therapies.
MTC’s Prevalence and RET Mutation Correlation
According to Eli Lilly, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) accounts for 1% to 2% of all thyroid cancers in the United States. Within this patient population, approximately 60% of sporadic MTC cases and over 90% of hereditary MTC cases present with RET mutations. These statistics underscore the importance of targeted therapies like Retevmo in addressing the unmet needs of patients with RET-mutant MTC.-Fineline Info & Tech
