Eli Lilly partner Hutchmed scraps China stomach cancer filing as approval seems unlikely

Hutchmed, the original developer of Takeda’s Fruzaqla, has decided not to pursue an approval for the VEGFR inhibitor in stomach cancer for now in its home country.

After an internal review and discussions with local authorities, Hutchmed has voluntarily withdrawn its application for fruquinitib in combination with chemotherapy as a second-line treatment for advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma in China, the company said Friday. Hutchmed co-markets the drug with Eli Lilly in China under the brand name Elunate, while Takeda holds ex-China rights.