Patients in Singapore with an aggressive form of lung cancer (metastatic small cell lung cancer) can now access a new therapy that may improve outcomes.

The drug ZEPZELCA (lurbinectedin) has been provisionally approved by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who have progressed after prior platinum-containing chemotherapy.

This means patients who have failed other existing treatment options will now have a further therapeutic option.

ZEPZELCA is the first new therapy approved by the HSA to treat second-line SCLC in more than two decades, and is the third oncology drug in Specialised Therapeutics (ST) portfolio to receive HSA approval.

The Singapore approval follows on from approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision, as well as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia.

ZEPZELCA is being made available in Singapore by independent pharmaceutical company Specialised Therapeutics under exclusive license from its international partner PharmaMar.