Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer with Lurbinectedin: A Review

Lurbinectedin was approved on June 15, 2020 by the Food and Drug Administration with the brand name ZEPZELCA as the first systematic approved therapy for patients having Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC).

In this review, an attempt is made to summarize different aspects of Lurbinectedin, including the pathophysiology, chemistry, chemical synthesis, mechanism of action, adverse reactions, and pharmacokinetics. Special attention is given to various reported clinical trials of lurbinectedin.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the relevant databases like ScienceDirect, PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar to identify studies. After a thorough study of these reports, significant findings/data were collected and compiled under suitable headings. Important findings related to clinical trials have been tabulated.

Lurbinectedin is known to act by inhibiting the active transcription of encoding genes, thereby suppressing tumor-related macrophages with an impact on tumour atmosphere. Lurbinectedin has emerged as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of Small-Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC).