Q&A: Behind the approvals—decades of research lead to a new generation of targeted cancer therapies

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the drug capivasertib, in combination with a current cancer treatment called fulvestrant for patients with the most common type of breast cancer, the HR-positive/HER2-negative subtype. Known as an AKT inhibitor, the new drug works by targeting the AKT kinase, which is responsible for the growth and proliferation of certain tumors. The drug has been approved for use in breast cancer patients whose tumor has returned or become worse after treatment with chemotherapy or hormone-based therapies.