On September 16, 2026 Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) reported that it has obtained approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) on June 17, 2026 for FoundationOneCDx Cancer Genomic Profile to be used as a companion diagnostic for Ojemda Tablets 100 mg and Ojemda Dry Syrup 300 mg (generic name: tovorafenib), an anti-cancer agent/BRAF inhibitor, which IPSEN Co., Ltd. obtained a regulatory approval in Japan, for BRAF V600 alterations and BRAF fusion gene-positive glioma.
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This approval enables the detection of BRAF V600 alterations and BRAF fusion genes using the FoundationOne CDx Cancer Genomic Profile to guide the decision to use tovorafenib for BRAF V600 alterations and BRAF fusion gene-positive glioma. The efficacy and safety of tovorafenib for relapsed or progressive low-grade glioma with BRAF V600 alterations or BRAF fusion gene-positive were evaluated in an overseas Phase II clinical study (FIREFLY-1 study). IPSEN Co., Ltd. obtained a regulatory approval from the MHLW on September 16, 2026.
FoundationOne CDx Cancer Genomic Profile has continuously expanded its companion diagnostic capabilities, enabling a single comprehensive genomic profiling test to support treatment decisions for multiple medicines. With the addition of a new companion diagnostic for glioma, the test now has companion diagnostic capabilities covering 9 cancer types including solid tumors. This is expected to further enhance its clinical utility.
As a leading company in oncology, Chugai is committed to realizing more advanced personalized healthcare in the oncology field and contributing to patients through the wider adoption of comprehensive genomic profiling.
Approval information The underlined and bolded part has been newly added.
Intended uses or indications
The product is used for comprehensive genomic profiling of tumor tissues in patients with solid cancers.
The product is used for detecting gene mutations and other alterations to support the assessment of drug indications listed in the table below.
Alterations Cancer type Relevant drugs
Activated EGFR alterations Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) afatinib, erlotinib, gefitinib, osimertinib
EGFR exon 20 T790M alterations osimertinib
ALK fusion genes alectinib, crizotinib, ceritinib, brigatinib
ROS1 fusion genes entrectinib
MET exon 14 skipping alterations capmatinib
BRAF V600E and V600K alterations Malignant melanoma dabrafenib, trametinib, vemurafenib, encorafenib, binimetinib
BRAF V600 alterations and BRAF fusion genes Glioma tovorafenib
ERBB2 copy number alterations (HER2 gene amplification positive) Breast cancer trastuzumab
AKT1 alterations capivasertib
PIK3CA alterations
PTEN alterations
KRAS/NRAS wild-type Colorectal cancer cetuximab, panitumumab
Microsatellite instability high nivolumab
Microsatellite instability high Solid tumors pembrolizumab
Tumor mutational burden high pembrolizumab
NTRK1/2/3 fusion genes entrectinib, larotrectinib, repotrectinib
RET fusion genes selpercatinib
ALK fusion genes alectinib
BRCA1/2 alterations Ovarian cancer olaparib
BRCA1/2 alterations Prostate cancer olaparib
FGFR2 fusion genes Biliary tract cancer pemigatinib
About FoundationOne CDx Cancer Genomic Profile
Developed by Foundation Medicine Inc., FoundationOne CDx Cancer Genomic Profile is a next-generation sequencing based in vitro diagnostic device for the detection of substitutions, insertion and deletion alterations, and copy number alterations in 324 genes and select gene rearrangements, as well as genomic signatures including microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) using DNA isolated from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue specimens. The program is available as a companion diagnostic for multiple molecular-targeted drugs approved in Japan.
(Press release, Chugai, SEP 16, 2026, View Source;category= [SID1234670874])