Apalutamide was originally developed by Aragon Pharmaceuticals in the United States. It was then taken over by Johnson & Johnson in 2013 and was approved for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 14, 2018. Apalutamide is a second-generation nonsteroidal androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor that can effectively prevent androgens from binding to androgen receptors in prostate cancer cells, blocking the stimulation of androgens on tumour cells. It also further inhibits the transfer of androgen receptors (AR) to the nuclei of tumour cells, inhibiting the process of androgens promoting tumor cell growth.