MHRA approves ‘first in class’ breast cancer treatment

Truqap (capivasertib) a ‘first in class drug’ for the targeted treatment of the most common type of advanced breast cancer has been approved by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

To be used in combination with fulvestrant, capivasertib will be available to people in the UK with hormone receptor (HR) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) negative breast cancer, with one or more PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN-alterations following recurrence or progression on or after standard treatments an endocrine based regimen.

Capivasertib works by blocking activity of the cancer drive protein molecule AKT. Its development comes after years of fundamental research at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and was discovered by AstraZeneca following a collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals, and its collaboration with the ICR, London and Cancer Research Technology Limited.

“This is a wonderful development in the treatment of the most common type of advanced breast cancer,” said professor Nicholas Turner, professor of Molecular Oncology at The ICR, London, and Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, who led the CAPItello-291 trial. “Around half of patients with this kind of breast cancer have mutations in one or more of the genes – PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN, and for these patients, capivasertib provides an exciting, new targeted treatment which can keep their cancer from progressing for longer.

 "We hope NICE will recommend the use of capivasertib in combination with fulvestrant for patients on the NHS.”