Dr. Alexander Drilon

Dr. Alexander E. Drilon, MD, is a leading medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), where he specializes in cancers of the lung, trachea, and thymus. He earned his medical degree from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital Center, and pursued a fellowship in medical oncology at MSKCC. He is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Dr. Drilon currently serves as Chief of the Early Drug Development Service and is a member of the Thoracic Oncology Service at MSK. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Filipino, he provides care to a diverse patient population, offering both in-person and telehealth consultations. His clinical work focuses on integrating the latest targeted therapies into treatment for patients with advanced thoracic malignancies.

Dr. Drilon is internationally recognized for his research in precision oncology and early-phase clinical trials, particularly those focused on genetic alterations in lung cancers. He has led and contributed to pivotal studies targeting alterations such as ALK, ROS1, RET, NTRK, MET exon 14 skipping, and KRAS G12C. One of his most notable achievements includes leading the LIBRETTO-001 trial, which demonstrated the efficacy of selpercatinib in RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer. The trial's findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed both durable responses and intracranial activity, marking a major advancement in targeted lung cancer treatment. Dr. Drilon was also instrumental in the development of therapies such as larotrectinib for TRK fusion-positive cancers and continues to explore novel agents in ongoing clinical research aimed at improving patient outcomes.

With more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Drilon is a respected voice in the field of oncology research and education. He has received numerous honors, including the ASCO Career Development and Young Investigator Awards, and has been awarded funding from the National Cancer Institute and several cancer research foundations. He currently serves on the editorial board of ASCO University and contributes to ongoing scientific discourse around biomarker-driven therapy and resistance mechanisms in targeted treatments. At MSK, Dr. Drilon’s leadership in early drug development ensures that emerging therapies are rapidly translated from the lab to the clinic. His integrated role as physician, researcher, and educator places him at the forefront of precision medicine for lung and thoracic cancers.