Mar 4, 2021 10:54am The FDA has expanded Pfizer's Lorbrena approval to include front-line ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. Pfizer’s Lorbrena has finally broken into front-line non-small cell lung cancer, where Novartis, Roche and Takeda are already jockeying for a niche market. The FDA expanded Lorbrena’s use into newly diagnosed patients with ALK-positive NSCLC, Pfizer said Wednesday. With that front-line nod, the agency converted Lorbrena's conditional green light for previously treated cases into a full approval. How does Pfizer expect to compete in such a crowded field? As a third-generation ALK inhibitor, Lorbrena has arguably the best efficacy data in head-to-head tests against its predecessor, Xalkori.