DATROWAY^® (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk) has been approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have received prior EGFR-directed therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR). Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trial.

DATROWAY is a specifically engineered TROP2 directed DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) discovered by Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) and being jointly developed and commercialized by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN).

The approval follows Priority Review and Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on subgroup results from the TROPION-Lung05 phase 2 and TROPION-Lung01 phase 3 trials.

In TROPION-Lung05 and TROPION-Lung01, DATROWAY demonstrated a confirmed ORR of 45% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 35-54) in patients (n=114) with previously treated locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). Complete responses were seen in 4.4% of patients and partial responses were seen in 40% of patients. The median DoR was 6.5 months (95% CI: 4.2-8.4).

“Addressing disease progression in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer after prior targeted therapy and chemotherapy is very challenging with limited later-line treatment options available,” said Jacob Sands, MD, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and investigator for TROPION-Lung05 and TROPION-Lung01. “The U.S. approval of datopotamab deruxtecan introduces a novel and needed treatment option to patients with advanced disease.”

“For people with advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer whose disease progresses on initial treatments, additional options are limited,” said Andrea E. Ferris, President and CEO, LUNGevity. “Today’s approval of DATROWAY offers a new treatment option for patients whose disease has progressed following treatment with an EGFR-directed therapy and chemotherapy.”

The safety of DATROWAY (6 mg/kg) was evaluated in a pooled analysis of 125 patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC who received DATROWAY in the TROPION-Lung05, TROPION-Lung01 and TROPION-PanTumor01 trials. The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were stomatitis, nausea, alopecia, fatigue, decreased hemoglobin, decreased lymphocytes, constipation, increased calcium, increased aspartate aminotransferase, decreased white blood cell count, increased lactate dehydrogenase, musculoskeletal pain, decreased appetite, increased alanine aminotransferase and rash. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients who received DATROWAY. Serious adverse reactions in more than 1% who received DATROWAY included COVID-19, stomatitis and pneumonia.

“With today’s accelerated approval, DATROWAY is now the first TROP2 directed medicine available for certain patients in the U.S. living with lung cancer,” said Ken Keller, Global Head of Oncology Business, and President and CEO, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. “We remain committed to our extensive clinical development program to further identify where DATROWAY may be used in other types of lung and breast cancer.”

“This first approval of DATROWAY in lung cancer provides a much-needed option to patients with advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer whose disease has become resistant to past treatments, regardless of the driving mutation,” said Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Oncology Hematology Business Unit, AstraZeneca. “We have long supported patients with EGFR-mutated lung cancer and are proud to bring another innovative treatment option to this community.”

Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca are evaluating DATROWAY alone and/or with osimertinib, AstraZeneca’s EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in other advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC settings in the TROPION-Lung14 and TROPION-Lung15 phase 3 trials.

Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca are committed to ensuring that patients in the U.S. who are prescribed DATROWAY can access the medication and receive necessary financial support. Provider and patient support, reimbursement and distribution for DATROWAY in the U.S. will be accessible by visiting DATROWAY4U.com or calling 1-855-DATRO4U (1-855-328-7648).