A new oral cancer drug combination has gained a quick federal nod after clinical trials found that it provides significant and longer-lasting relief for a rare ovarian cancer that doesn’t respond well to standard therapies. This marks the first and only FDA-approved medicine for low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) that tests positive for a gene change known as the KRAS mutation.
The treatment includes two drugs known as avutometinib and defactinib and is marketed as Avmapki Fakzynja Co-Pack. It is for adult patients who have already tried other therapies, offering hope to about 6,000 to 8,000 women in the United States who are living with this disease.
LGSOC is a rare, slow-growing cancer affecting about 80,000 people worldwide, mostly women
in their 20s-30s or 50s-60s. About 30% of cases involve changes in the KRAS gene, which fuel cancer growth. It’s difficult to treat, often doesn’t respond well to standard therapies, and tends to come back. While people may live for around 10 years with LGSOC, it can significantly impact physical and mental health, fertility, and quality of life.
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