Brigatinib/Brigatinib Usage Guidelines and Dosage Adjustments

Brigatinib is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment specifically for adult patients diagnosed with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

When patients take brigatinib, the recommended initial treatment plan is: take 90 mg orally once a day for the first 7 days, then increase to 180 mg once a day, and continue to take it until the condition changes or the drug side effects become unacceptable. Brigatinib can be taken with or without food, but patients should make sure to swallow the tablet whole and avoid crushing or chewing the tablet. If you miss a dose or vomit after taking the medicine, it is not recommended to take the next dose at the originally planned time.

During the use of brigatinib, if the patient experiences adverse reactions, the doctor will adjust the drug dosage according to the situation. When the dose is 90 mg, the first adjustment can be to reduce the dose to 60 mg once a day; if the patient is still unable to tolerate it, the drug should be discontinued. For the 180 mg dose, the first adjustment can be reduced to 120 mg once daily, the second adjustment to 90 mg daily, and the third adjustment to 60 mg daily. Importantly, once the dose is reduced due to adverse effects, the dose of brigatinib should not be subsequently increased. If the patient stops taking the drug for 14 days or more due to reasons other than drug reactions, he should start taking the drug again at 90 mg per day for 7 days and then gradually increase to the previously tolerated dose.

While taking brigatinib, patients should avoid concurrent use with other drugs that may cause drug interactions, especially strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors.CYP3A inhibitors. If use is necessary, a dose reduction of brigatinib may be required. Likewise, an increase in the brigatinib dose may be necessary when used concomitantly with moderate CYP3A inducers.