Ceritinib (INN, trade name Zykadia /zaɪˈkeɪdiːə/ zy-KAY-dee-ə) is a drug for

the treatment of a specific type of lung cancer. It is an anaplastic lymphoma

kinase (ALK) inhibitor.It was developed by Novartis. It was approved in April

2014 by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of ALK-positive 

metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients that failed treatment

with crizotinib. It is a more effective, but more toxic, alternative to traditional

platinum-based chemotherapies.

Adverse effects

Serious adverse effects include gastrointestinal toxicity, hepatotoxicity, interstitial

lung disease, prolonged QT syndrome, hyperglycemia, bradycardia, and pancreatitis.

The most commonly reported side effects were diarrhea, nausea, elevated liver enzymes,

vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, decreased appetite, and constipation.

More than half of patients in clinical trials experienced adverse events that

necessitated a reduction in dose.