Key facts
- AstraZeneca plans to launch sunvozertinib in the US by the end of 2026.
- Sunvozertinib was approved by the FDA in July 2025 for certain advanced lung cancers.
- Americans have traveled to China to obtain the drug due to its unavailability in the US.
- The drug was developed by Dizal Pharmaceutical and licensed to AstraZeneca.
AstraZeneca announced it will begin selling the cancer drug sunvozertinib in the United States by the end of 2026, following criticism for delays in its US market availability. The drug, developed by Dizal Pharmaceutical, received FDA approval in July 2025 for specific advanced lung cancers but remained unavailable domestically for over a year. This gap prompted some Americans with limited treatment options to travel to China or send relatives to procure the medication, with one patient, Debbie Doppelt, receiving sunvozertinib purchased in Shanghai for $10,000. China accounted for a significant portion of new drug trials globally in 2025, drawing international patients. However, the US Food and Drug Administration cautions about potential safety and quality risks associated with treatments obtained outside its regulatory oversight.