What is osimertinib?
A personalised treatment option
This website is only intended for UK patients who have been prescribed TAGRISSO® (osimertinib)
What is osimertinib?
Unlike Chemotherapy, osimertinib is a personalised treatment option which is a type of targeted cancer therapy specifically for patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutations. Osimertinib is an EGFR-targeted medicine known as a protein kinase inhibitor (PKI), also known as EGFR PKI. Osimertinib is not chemotherapy.1,2
Osimertinib is not chemotherapy or immunotherapy.1,2
Osimertinib is used in adult patients to treat:1,2
- After complete removal of your cancer as a post-surgical (adjuvant) treatment.1,2
- As the first medicine you receive for your cancer which has spread to other parts of the body.1,2
- If your cancer has progressed while you were being treated with other protein kinase inhibitor medicines, it means that your cancer contains a gene defect called ‘T790M’. Because of this defect, other protein kinase medicines may no longer work.1,2
What are targeted therapies?
Targeted therapies are treatments designed for specific types of cancer. Targeted therapies work on certain types of cancer to block the growth and spread of cancer cells. Targeted therapies are not chemotherapy or immunotherapy.5-8
How does osimertinib work?
Osimertinib works by blocking EGFR and may help to slow or stop your lung cancer from growing. It may also help to reduce the size of the tumour and prevent the tumour from coming back after removal by surgery.1,2
Osimertinib is a once-daily pill1
Osimertinib may fit conveniently into your daily routine, and you may be able to take it at home. You can take your pill with or without food, so there’s no need to plan your meals around your treatment.1
References:
- Tagrisso 40 mg and 80 mg film coated tablets. Summary of product characteristics.
- Tagrisso 40 mg and 80 mg film coated tablets. Patient Information Leaflet.
- Cancer Research UK (CRUK). Stages and grades of lung cancer. Last reviewed: 28 Jan 2020. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/lung-cancer/stages-types-grades/stages-grades Accessed December 2023.
- ESMO Patient Guide Series based on the ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines. What is Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer? Available at: https://www.esmo.org/content/download/7252/143219/1/EN-Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer-Guide-for-Patients.pdf Accessed December 2023.
- NIH. Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/targeted-therapies#what-is-targeted-therapy Accessed December 2023
- NIH NCI Dictionary. Targeted therapy. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/targeted-therapy Accessed December 2023
- NIH NCI Dictionary. Immunotherapy. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/immunotherapy Accessed December 2023
- NIH NCI Dictionary. Chemotherapy. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/chemotherapy Accessed December 2023.
GB-73011 I DOP: January 2026
This website is only intended for UK patients who have been prescribed TAGRISSO® (osimertinib), which is indicated after surgery in adults with stage 1B-3A NSCLC with a particular EGFR mutation, and also in locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with a particular EGFR mutation. It does not replace the Patient Information Leaflet, which you can find in the carton containing your medicine and which you should read alongside this information. If you have any questions about your treatment, talk to your healthcare team or refer to the Patient Information Leaflet.