A New Way to Receive Targeted Therapy—Once a Month
- Less time in the clinic: After the first month of weekly doses, RYBREVANT FASPRO™ can now be given just once a month as a short under-the-skin injection that takes only a few minutes — meaning fewer long days in the infusion chair.
- Same cancer control, simpler schedule: The monthly injection has been shown to work just as well as earlier schedules, while reducing administration-related reactions and making treatment visits shorter and more manageable.
- More options, more conversation: For people with advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer, this adds another thoughtful, chemo-free option — a pill plus a brief injection — so patients and their doctors can choose the approach that best fits their medical needs and personal lives.
Now, the FDA has approved a once-monthly dosing schedule for the subcutaneous (under-the-skin) form of RYBREVANT FASPRO (amivantamab and hyaluronidase-lpuj)—making it the only EGFR-targeted therapy that can be administered once a month. The change allows the same targeted, chemo-free therapy to be delivered in just minutes, offering patients less time in treatment chairs, fewer clinic visits, and more time living their lives.
Read MoreThe subcutaneous version dramatically shortens treatment time. Rather than multi-hour IV infusions, patients receive a 4–5 minute injection, followed by a period of observation.
“That means less time in clinic and more time at home enjoying life while keeping the cancer under control,” Dr. Nguyen explains.
Maintaining Effectiveness, Improving Convenience
Studies including MARIPOSA and PALOMA-2 show that monthly subcutaneous dosing maintains the same effectiveness as earlier IV and biweekly regimens. Importantly, the change is not about making the drug stronger—it’s about keeping results consistent while improving convenience and tolerability.
“It’s not that the drug is more effective,” Dr. Nguyen says. “It seems to have fewer adverse events, it’s more convenient for patients, and it frees up space capacity for infusion centers.”
How This Fits With Long-Standing EGFR Treatments
For many years, an oral targeted pill called osimertinib (brand name Tagrisso) has been the most commonly used first treatment for people with advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer. It remains an excellent and appropriate option for many patients.
Amivantamab works in a different way. Instead of being a pill, it is an antibody that targets EGFR on the outside of cancer cells and also blocks another pathway called MET, which can contribute to resistance. When combined with the oral drug lazertinib, this approach attacks the cancer from two angles.
Studies comparing these approaches have shown that the amivantamab plus lazertinib combination can keep cancer under control longer than osimertinib alone for many patients. However, combination therapy may also involve more side effects than a single pill, which is why some patients and doctors still prefer starting with osimertinib by itself.
Today, patients and their care teams generally consider three main first-line options:
- Osimertinib alone (one daily pill)
- Osimertinib plus chemotherapy
- Amivantamab plus lazertinib (pill + injection, no chemotherapy)
“There isn’t a single right answer for everyone,” Dr. Nguyen says. “It depends on a patient’s cancer features, overall health, and personal preferences. The important thing is that patients now have more effective choices than ever before.”
What Patients Should Still Watch For
Even with the subcutaneous version, side effects can occur. The most common include:
- Skin rash (face, scalp, or body)
- Swelling (edema)
“The main issue is rash,” Dr. Nguyen says. “It’s much better to let your provider know early, rather than waiting until it becomes severe.”
Most side effects tend to occur within the first four months of treatment. If needed, doctors may briefly pause treatment or adjust dosing. Importantly, taking a short break early on does not appear to reduce the benefit of therapy.
The Bottom Line
The new once-monthly subcutaneous dosing option represents an important step toward making targeted treatment for advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer less disruptive to everyday life.
“It’s a pill plus a short injection,” Dr. Nguyen says. “Patients are living longer, and we’re working toward helping them live better, too.”
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