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Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): US-approved treatments and how Gulf families can access them

Creator: Reserve Meds
Published: 2026-10-17

A plain guide for families in the Gulf, checked against US FDA labels, Gulf drug registers and published medical research.

Reviewed by the Reserve Meds clinical operations team on 17 October 2026.

Non-small cell lung cancer: the short answer

The US FDA has approved ten medicines on this page for non-small cell lung cancer, each for specific patients. Nine of them are on at least one Gulf register we checked, so ask your hospital about local supply first. Otherwise the hospital can request a named-patient import. Reserve Meds is a digital health company. We do not diagnose or prescribe.

US FDA-approved medicines on this page: Tagrisso, Keytruda, Opdivo, Alecensa, Lorbrena, Rybrevant, Krazati, Retevmo, Tabrecta and Datroway.
Gulf registration (checked 17 October 2026): see each medicine below.
Legal route: Local supply where listed; otherwise a named-patient import request filed by the treating hospital.
Price: Quote on request.

What is non-small cell lung cancer?

Lung cancer forms in the tissues of the lung, usually in the cells that line the air passages. It is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. The two main types are small cell and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and NSCLC is the more common type.^[1]

Smoking is the most important risk factor. Other risks include secondhand smoke, a family history of lung cancer, workplace exposure to substances such as asbestos, and radiation including radon. People who quit smoking lower their risk.^[1]

Treatment depends on the stage and on the tumor's genetic features. Testing for changes such as EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, MET, KRAS G12C, HER2 and NRG1 decides which targeted medicines may apply. Immunotherapy is used for many patients without these changes.^{[2, 3, 4, 5]}

Non-small cell lung cancer in the Gulf

In the Kuwait Cancer Registry, lung cancer ranked 4th among cancers in Kuwaiti men and 9th in women between 2000 and 2009, and it was the leading cause of cancer death in men.^[6]

In Bahrain's national registry, lung cancer was the most common cancer in Bahraini men from 1998 to 2011, accounting for 16.9% of male cancers.^[7]

US FDA-approved medicines for non-small cell lung cancer

Each medicine below is approved in the US for a specific group of patients. The wording summarizes the current US label. Your specialist decides whether any of them is right for the patient.

Tagrisso (osimertinib)
FDA-approved for NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, including after surgery (adjuvant) and in advanced disease, as listed in the label. It is a tablet.^[2]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, India, Pakistan
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
FDA-approved for many NSCLC settings, including first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC without EGFR or ALK changes, alone or with chemotherapy, as listed in the label. It is given by intravenous infusion.^[5]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, India, Pakistan
Opdivo (nivolumab)
FDA-approved for several NSCLC settings, including treatment before surgery with chemotherapy for resectable tumors, as listed in the label. It is given by intravenous infusion.^[10]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Alecensa (alectinib hydrochloride)
FDA-approved for ALK-positive NSCLC, as adjuvant treatment after surgery and for metastatic disease. It is a capsule.^[3]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman
Lorbrena (lorlatinib)
FDA-approved for adults with metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC. It is a tablet.^[11]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman
Rybrevant (amivantamab-vmjw)
FDA-approved for NSCLC with EGFR mutations in specific settings, including first-line treatment with lazertinib (Lazcluze) for exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations. It is given by intravenous infusion.^[12]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Turkey, India
Krazati (adagrasib)
FDA-approved for adults with KRAS G12C-mutated locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. It is a tablet.^[4]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: not found by brand name in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, India
Retevmo (selpercatinib)
FDA-approved for adults with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with a RET gene fusion. It is taken by mouth. It is also approved for some thyroid cancers.^[13]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman
Tabrecta (capmatinib)
FDA-approved for adults with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors have a MET exon 14 skipping mutation. It is a tablet.^[14]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: not found by brand name in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: not found by brand name in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, India
Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan)
FDA-approved for adults with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC who have received EGFR-directed therapy and platinum chemotherapy. It is given by intravenous infusion.^[15]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: not found by brand name in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[8, 9]}
Country guides: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, India, Pakistan

How families in the Gulf can access these medicines

If the medicine is listed in your country. Ask your specialist and the hospital pharmacy about local supply first. A listing does not mean every hospital stocks the medicine, and another brand of the same medicine may also be registered, but local supply is usually the fastest route and you may not need us.

If it is not registered. The usual legal route is a named-patient request: the treating hospital, on your specialist's written request, asks the national regulator for permission to import the medicine for one patient, using the US FDA approval as the reference. In Saudi Arabia the SFDA Special Access Program guidance covers these requests; in Bahrain, NHRA Circular 41 of 2020 sets the procedure. Other Gulf countries have their own procedures, which the hospital pharmacy confirms.^{[16, 17]} Once approval is in place, Reserve Meds arranges supply through a US-licensed pharmaceutical wholesale partner to the hospital pharmacy.

Who does what

Your treating specialist decides whether a medicine is right for the patient and writes the letter.
The hospital checks local supply, files any import request, and gives the treatment safely.
The national regulator decides whether to approve the import of a medicine that is not registered.
The manufacturer decides where its medicine can be supplied, especially for cell and gene therapies.
Reserve Meds helps organize records, coordinates US supply through our wholesale partner, shipping and updates to your family. We do not give medical advice.

Documents you will usually need

A letter from the treating specialist with the diagnosis, past treatments and why the medicine is being considered
Reports that confirm the diagnosis, such as laboratory, genetic, imaging or pathology results, translated into English where needed
Recent clinic notes and a list of current medicines
For a hospital import request: the prescription, the hospital's request form and the written consent of the patient or guardian
Proof of the US FDA approval and the US prescribing information (we can supply these)

We give you a written timeline estimate once we see the hospital file. The regulator, the treatment center and the manufacturer set their own timelines.

What treatment costs

Quote on request. Your total cost depends on the medicine, the dose, shipping, import steps and coordination. Your coordination fee is quoted in writing for your case before you commit. No hidden charges.

How Reserve Meds helps

Reserve Meds is a digital health company. Medicines are supplied through a US-licensed pharmaceutical wholesale partner. We help your doctor and hospital prepare the file, arrange US supply and temperature-controlled shipping once approval is in place, and keep your family updated. We coordinate access to FDA-approved medicines only. Investigational medicines are only available through a manufacturer's expanded-access program requested by the treating physician; we can explain that route, but we do not supply them.

Ask us about treatment for non-small cell lung cancer

Tell us the medicine, your country and a WhatsApp or phone number. We reply within one business day. On WhatsApp we usually reply the same day.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an FDA-approved treatment for non-small cell lung cancer?

Yes. The medicines on this page have US FDA approval for specific groups of patients: Tagrisso, Keytruda, Opdivo, Alecensa, Lorbrena, Rybrevant, Krazati, Retevmo, Tabrecta and Datroway. The exact conditions are in each US label and are summarized above. Your specialist decides whether any of them fits.

Is Tagrisso available in Saudi Arabia or the UAE?

Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register. A listing in Abu Dhabi does not show federal UAE status.

How can a family in the Gulf get Tagrisso?

Ask the treating hospital about local supply first. If it is not available, the hospital can file a named-patient import request with the national regulator on your specialist's written request. Once approved, we arrange US supply to the hospital pharmacy.

How much does treatment cost?

Quote on request. Your total cost, including the medicine, shipping, import steps and coordination, is quoted in writing for your case before you commit. No hidden charges.

Why is tumor gene testing so important?

Most targeted medicines on this page are approved only for tumors with a specific change, such as EGFR, ALK, KRAS G12C, RET or MET, confirmed by an approved test. Ask your oncologist whether a full panel was done.

Does quitting smoking still help after diagnosis?

MedlinePlus explains that people who quit smoking have a lower risk than if they had kept smoking. Your care team can support you to stop.

Sources for the last two answers: ^{[2, 4, 14]} ^[1]

Sources

Checked on 17 October 2026. Labels, registers and regulator rules change. Your hospital pharmacy confirms the current position before filing.

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It does not replace a consultation with your doctor.