Definition

An orally available, tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) inhibitor, with potential antineoplastic activity. Upon administration, larotrectinib binds to Trk, thereby preventing neurotrophin-Trk interaction and Trk activation, which results in both the induction of cellular apoptosis and the inhibition of cell growth in tumors that overexpress Trk. Trk, a receptor tyrosine kinase activated by neurotrophins, is mutated in a variety of cancer cell types and plays an important role in tumor cell growth and survival.