An experimental lung cancer drug reduced the risk of death by 44% compared with existing targeted treatments in a global Phase III trial involving patients whose cancer progressed after earlier treatment.
Divarasib, developed by Roche’s Genentech unit, was tested against approved drugs sotorasib and adagrasib in 338 patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) carrying the KRAS G12C mutation. Results were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October.
Patients receiving divarasib lived a median of 17.7 months, compared with 12 months on existing treatments. The drug also reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 42%. Severe treatment-related adverse events occurred in 24.6% of patients versus 34.5% in the comparison group.
The findings matter in the Philippines, where lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths. GLOBOCAN 2024 estimated 15,312 new cases nationwide, including 9,910 among men. Although KRAS G12C is less common in Asian patients than in Western populations, studies have detected it in approximately 4% of Asian NSCLC patients. Its prevalence among Filipinos is not firmly established.
For Filipino oncologists, the results highlight the importance of molecular testing in advanced NSCLC. Validated tests, including next-generation sequencing, can identify KRAS G12C and help determine whether patients may qualify for mutation-specific treatments.
Access remains a hurdle. Philippine General Hospital expanded genetic-testing capacity in 2025, but high out-of-pocket costs and limited testing infrastructure can still restrict access to molecular diagnostics.
Divarasib remains investigational, with no Philippine regulatory approval confirmed. Roche is pursuing additional trials and working with regulators. The findings show a survival benefit in previously treated patients with KRAS G12C-positive advanced lung cancer, not a cure or a treatment for all lung cancers.
