The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has recently approved surufatinib for drug registration for the treatment of advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). HUTCHMED Limited recently announced the news, as it follows the December 2020 approval of the drug for advanced extra-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (epNETs), or neuroendocrine tumors that form outside of the pancreas. Now, HUTCHMED just has to wait for certification.
Surufatinib for pNETs
Marketed under the name Sulanda, this angio-immuno kinase inhibitor has already demonstrated positive, real-world results in the treatment of epNETs since its launch in January of 2021. Now, HUTCHMED is excited that this therapy will help pNET patients as well.
Approval for surufatinib came after the completion of the SANET-p study. This Phase III trial was conducted in China and enrolled patients with advanced pNETs. The study met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), with a median PFS of 10.9 months. This is clinically significant when compared to the placebo group, whose PFS was 3.7 months. In addition, there was a manageable safety profile that led the treatment to be well-tolerated. You can read more about the study here.
About pNETs
pNETs are neuroendocrine tumors that appear in the pancreas, and these tumors form from the cells that release hormones into the blood. They can fall into one of two types: islet cell tumors or adenocarcinomas. Symptoms of these tumors include diarrhea, indigestion, pain in the abdomen and/or back, yellowing of the skin and eyes, and a lump in the abdomen. There may be additional symptoms that are the result of the hormones released by the tumors, which may include gallstones, dehydration, blood clots, rapid heartbeat, recurring stomach ulcers, high/low blood sugar, rash, sore mouth, altered bowel habits, and unintentional weight loss.
Medical professionals are not entirely sure why these tumors form, but they know that some cells mutate and begin to multiply out of control. They have, however, identified risk factors, which are MEN1 syndrome, NF1 syndrome, and a family history of carcinoid heart syndrome or carcinoid syndrome. Treatment for these tumors depends on a variety of factors, such as the patient’s overall health, the tumor’s location and type, patient age, and if the cancer is recently diagnosed or recurring. Treatment options include:
- Hormone therapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Supportive Care
You can find the source article here.
