The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene plays a key role in the pathogenesis 
of selected tumors, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with 
ALK-rearranged NSCLC are initially sensitive to the ALK inhibitor crizotinib but 
eventually become resistant, limiting its therapeutic potential. Ceritinib is an 
oral second-generation ALK inhibitor with greater preclinical antitumor potency 
than crizotinib in ALK-positive NSCLC. A Phase I trial of ceritinib in 
ALK-positive tumors demonstrated good activity in patients with advanced NSCLC, 
including those who had progressed on crizotinib. Adverse events are similar to 
those seen with other ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors and are generally 
manageable. Ongoing trials are evaluating ceritinib in patients with 
ALK-rearranged NSCLC treated with prior chemotherapy and/or crizotinib.