Breakthrough status for Pfizer's lung cancer hopeful

US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) has been handed a boost in its development of its ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, lorlatinib.

The biomarker-driven drug has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a potential treatment for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), previously treated with one or more ALK inhibitors.

Lorlatinib is backed by data from a Phase I/II study and a Phase III trial has now begun enrolling patients.