Breakthrough Breast Cancer Drug Approved, Progression Risk Falls 40%

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for advanced breast cancer, with the progression risk falling by 40 per cent. Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has announced approval of Inluriyo,

an oral estrogen receptor antagonist, which will treat adults with specific types of this deadly condition. Those types include estrogen receptor-positive, or ER+, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, or HER2–, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The pill, to be taken once a day, can also be taken by those who saw disease progression after at least one line of endocrine or hormone therapy, according to a press release.

How does Inluriyo work?

In the phase three EMBER-3 trials, Inluriyo reportedly reduced the risk of cancer progression or death by 38 per cent as compared to endocrine therapy. Inluriyo is said to bind, block, and facilitate the "degradation of these receptors," which helps to slow the progression of breast cancer. According to the scientists involved in the trial, patients who had ESR1-mutated metastatic breast cancer saw a major upgrade in progression-free survival with the medicine, as compared to other drugs, with the median survival of more than five months, as compared to three. "This represents an important advancement for patients with ESR1-mutated MBC, a mutation found in nearly half of patients who have taken hormone therapies, often contributing to treatment resistance," study lead Dr Komal Jhaveri, clinical director of early drug development at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, commented in a press release statement. “With its demonstrated efficacy, tolerability profile, and oral administration, this therapy provides a meaningful alternative treatment option for this patient population," she added.

Are there any side effects of Inluriyo?

Eli Lilly says there are a few cancers, such as the breast, that develop mutations that can cause estrogen receptors to "become overactive and drive cancer growth. And so, Inluriyo works against them. The drug is marked with a warning that it can be dangerous for pregnant women, as it can harm the fetus, and so a doctor’s consultation is a must before taking it. Also, many patients during the phase 3 trial did show common side effects like:

• Body pain
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• High cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Reduced hemoglobin and platelet levels
• Low calcium levels

Eli says Inluriyo will be available in the US in "the coming weeks".

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that affects women across the world. Doctors say it happens when cancerous cells in your breasts begin to multiply and become tumours. According to experts, more than 80 per cent of breast cancer cases are invasive, which means a tumour may spread from your breast to other areas of your body. Breast cancer typically affects women aged 50 years and older, but it can also affect those who are younger. Men may also develop breast cancer.