MET mutant anticancer drug Tepmetko challenges

Is it different from Tabrecta?

approved both drugs at the same time in November last year

Tabrecta failed the cancer review committee this month

Following the MET mutant anti-cancer drug Tabrecta, which landed in Korea last year, Tepmetko is also undergoing a review.

 

MET mutations occur only in about 3-4% of non-small cell lung cancer patients, but the prognosis is poor, so there is a desperate need for treatments that are covered by benefits.

 

According to an industry on the 24th, the HIRA is considering establishing a new benefit standard for Tepmetko 225mg.

 

Tepmetko 225mg is an anticancer drug approved in Korea by Merck in November last year and is used to treat patients with local progressive or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with MET Exxon 14 skipping confirmed.

 

When MET Exxon 14 deficiency occurs, the MET pathway, which plays a necessary role in cell signal, proliferation, and survival, is said to be excessively stimulated and cause cancer cell proliferation.

 

On the same day, Tepmetko of Novartis Korea was also approved, allowing MET mutant anticancer drugs to be used for the first time in Korea.

 

The two drugs had a mechanism to block the MET phosphorylation reaction by binding to the phosphorylase region of the receptor in the cell.

 

The two drugs appear to be undergoing a benefit process afterwards.

 

Tepmetko was on the agenda of the Deliberation Committee for Severe Cancer Diseases on the 10th, but failed to set a benefit standard.

 

Currently, the two drugs can be used as non-reimbursedment, but it is difficult for patients to access them easily in that the price is around 10 million won.

 

They want to apply prompt benefit to related patients and medical sites.

 

However, it takes a long time to apply the benefit, such as setting anti-cancer drug benefit standards.

 

Since Tepmetko failed to pass the cancer disease review committee, Tepmetko cannot guarantee to pass the first stage of the benefit process.

 

In particular, in the case of MET Exxon 14 defects, the use environment is not easy because the companion diagnosis method has not yet been developed.

 

Attention is focusing on whether Tabrecta and Tepmetko, which were approved on the same day, will be able to successfully register their benefits.