• Pfizer is promoting its drug, Braftovi, for a rare lung cancer mutation, BRAF V600E. Braftovi, combined with Mektovi, showed promising results in a Phase 2 study.
• Pfizer aims to achieve 60% market penetration in lung cancer patients with the mutation.
• The company is also exploring Braftovi's potential in colorectal cancer, where BRAF mutations make up 10% of cases.

Pfizer, a pharmaceutical giant, is making concerted efforts to raise awareness among doctors about a rare lung cancer mutation. The company's goal is to promote the use of its drug, Braftovi, which it believes could become the standard treatment for patients with this specific mutation.

The mutation, known as the BRAF V600E, is found in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Pfizer's Chief Oncology Officer, Chris Boshoff, revealed that this mutation is present in approximately 2% to 3% of lung cancers.

Currently, the standard treatment for patients with this mutation is a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. However, Pfizer is hopeful that Braftovi, when used in conjunction with another of its drugs, Mektovi, could become the new standard. This optimism is based on the results of a Phase 2 study that Pfizer recently presented.

The study followed patients with the BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who were treated with Braftovi and Mektovi as their first line of treatment.

Promising Results and Market Penetration Goals

The data from the study showed that these patients had a median of over two-and-a-half years of progression-free survival. This measure indicates the length of time during which treated patients live without their cancer worsening.

Boshoff expressed that the new data supports the use of Braftovi and Mektovi as the standard of care for patients with this mutation. He further stated that Pfizer expects to achieve market penetration of up to 60% in lung cancer patients with the mutation.

Despite the promising results, Boshoff revealed that fewer than 50% of lung cancer patients in the U.S. are currently tested for the mutation, and the number is even lower globally. He emphasized the importance of testing for BRAF mutations, stating that it could be done with a simple blood test.

Identifying these patients is crucial as they could significantly benefit from targeted therapy like Braftovi.

Pfizer's Global Initiative and Future Prospects

Pfizer is well-positioned to encourage testing and educate physicians, pathologists, patients, and patient advocate groups, not just in the U.S., but globally. Boshoff reassured that the test is covered by insurance in the U.S.

In 2020, Pfizer sold close to $400 million of Braftovi and Mektovi. However, analysts are not currently forecasting significant growth for the drugs, according to LSEG data.

Boshoff believes that Braftovi could expand its market in colorectal cancer, where BRAF-mutated cancers make up 10% of the cancers. The company's late-stage study in colorectal cancer is expected to be announced by the end of the year.

Pfizer's initiative to increase awareness and testing for the BRAF V600E mutation represents a significant step forward in the fight against lung cancer. If successful, this could lead to improved outcomes for patients with this mutation and potentially transform the standard of care for this disease.

However, it is crucial to continue monitoring the progress of this initiative and the results of ongoing studies to fully understand the potential impact of Braftovi on the treatment of BRAF-mutated cancers.