FDA approves erlotinib (Tarceva) as first-line lung cancer therapy for certain patients

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a companion diagnostic test for erlotinib (Tarceva), an oral cancer drug. The cobas EGFR mutation test detects mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. Patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who test positive for an EGFR mutation may be eligible for erlotinib. Erlotinib is a reversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets EGFR. Read more here.