AstraZeneca’s journey in lung cancer treatment began in 2003 with a drug called Iressa, which targeted a specific gene mutation called EGFR. At first, the drug was approved but later pulled from the market because it didn’t work well for most patients. However, researchers discovered that it helped a smaller group of people with the EGFR mutation, and by 2015, Iressa was approved again for these patients. This success led to the development of Tagrisso, a next-generation drug that is now a key treatment in AstraZeneca’s lung cancer portfolio. Recently, studies showed that Tagrisso, when combined with chemotherapy, significantly improved survival for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. AstraZeneca has also expanded its treatments with the approval of Datroway, aiming to help more than half of all lung cancer patients by 2030. In an interview, Arun Krishna, vice president and head of AstraZeneca’s lung cancer programs, explained the company’s strategy. He noted that while lung cancer is often linked to smoking, 20% of patients have never smoked, and many of these cases are driven by the EGFR mutation. AstraZeneca’s focus on EGFR has led to Tagrisso becoming the standard treatment for these patients, even in early-stage cancer. Krishna emphasized the importance of having multiple drugs targeting the same mutation, as different patients may need different combinations of treatments. To reach its 2030 goal, AstraZeneca is working on improving screening rates, especially for nonsmokers, by partnering with health systems and advocacy groups. The company is also collaborating with universities to develop early detection programs. While EGFR is now a well-known target, Krishna stressed that more awareness is needed among doctors and patients to ensure timely testing and treatment. AstraZeneca remains at the forefront of lung cancer research, continually discovering new mutations and improving patient outcomes.