Novartis was granted a breakthrough therapy designation for Capmatinib (INC280) as a first-line treatment for MET-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The designation was granted based on the results of a phase 2 clinical trial that showed that the overall response among patients receiving capmatinib was 68 percent for newly treated patients, and 41 percent for previously treated patients.

Incyte granted Novartis worldwide development and commercialization rights to the investigational drug in 2009. Currently, there are no targeted therapies approved to treat the aggressive form of cancer.