Lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved as a treatment for ALK-positive lung cancer. This review provides information regarding the pharmacology and clinical features of lorlatinib, including its efficacy and associated adverse events. Pivotal clinical trials are discussed along with the current status of lorlatinib as a treatment for ALK-positive lung cancer and future therapeutic challenges.
Keywords: brain metastasis; pharmacodynamics; pharmacokinetics; real-world data; resistance; treatment sequence.
Lorlatinib has been approved as a new standard treatment for lung cancer with gene alteration known as ALK fusion. This review provides information regarding the characteristics of lorlatinib, including its efficacy and the unexpected medical problems that occur during treatment. Today, treatment of ALK-positive lung cancer is more complicated because of the active development of drugs like lorlatinib. This review demonstrates the logic of including lorlatinib as part of the treatment plan and sheds light on the future of treatment for ALK-positive lung cancer.