For HR+, HER2– node-positive early breast cancer with a high-risk of coming back, as determined by your doctor,
Verzenio is approved when added to hormone therapy.
What is Verzenio?
Verzenio in addition to your hormone therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor) can reduce your risk of recurrence vs hormone therapy alone.
Verzenio was studied in a clinical study of 5637 adults, most of whom were women, with HR+, HER2–, node-positive early breast cancer with a high risk of coming back who had previously received primary treatment. In this study, 2808 patients were treated with Verzenio 150mg orally twice a day plus standard hormone therapy for 2 years, and then hormone therapy alone; 2829 patients received standard hormone therapy alone. The approval was based on a smaller group of 2003 patients from this study.
The recommended dose of Verzenio in combination with hormone therapy is 150 mg by mouth twice a day, taken once in the morning and once at night.
- Each pack contains your dose of 150-mg tablets for 7 days (14 individual 150-mg tablets)
- Multiple tablet strengths (50 mg, 100 mg, and 150 mg) allow your doctor to make dose adjustments based on how you tolerate the drug.
- No matter what dose is prescribed, you will take 1 tablet, 2 times a day, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Finally, treatment is moving forward, just like you. Verzenio is the first and only treatment in over 15 years to reduce the risk of recurrence in HR+, HER2– high-risk early breast cancer, when added to hormone therapy.
Results with Verzenio + hormone therapy
In a clinical study, Verzenio + hormone therapy was evaluated in people with HR+, HER2– early breast cancer with a high risk of recurrence based on extent of nodal involvement, tumor size, tumor grade, and signs that the tumor was growing quickly.
Protection against risk of recurrence
Verzenio helps kill cancer cells left behind after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to help prevent recurrence.
Verzenio + hormone therapy showed a 37% reduction in the risk of cancer returning compared with hormone therapy alone.
In a study, 86.1% of people taking Verzenio + hormone therapy were alive without their cancer returning vs 79% taking hormone therapy alone. Data was assessed at 36 months; the study is ongoing to see if there is a survival benefit.
Now there's an opportunity to reduce the risk of cancer returning with Verzenio when added to hormone therapy.
SELECT SAFETY INFORMATION
Verzenio may cause serious side effects, including:
Diarrhea is common with Verzenio, may be severe and may cause dehydration or infection. The most common time to develop diarrhea is during the first month of Verzenio treatment. If you develop diarrhea during treatment, your healthcare provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking it, stop your treatment, or decrease your dose. If you have any loose stools, start taking an antidiarrheal medicine (such as loperamide), drink more fluids, and tell your healthcare provider right away.
What makes Verzenio different?
Verzenio has been used to treat over 15,000 patients in the U.S. with certain types of HR+, HER2– metastatic breast cancer, and is now FDA approved to treat patients with HR+, HER2–, node-positive, early breast cancer with a high risk of coming back, in combination with hormone therapy.
Verzenio is a first-of-its-kind treatment designed to further reduce the risk of cancer recurrence when added to hormone therapy vs hormone therapy alone.
Verzenio is a tablet and not an infusion. This means you do not need to go to your doctor's office for this treatment. However, you may need to see your doctor for other treatments or tests. You can take Verzenio in your own home, which could give you more flexibility in your daily life.
How Verzenio works
Watch a video to learn more about how Verzenio works inside the body
Learn more about starting on Verzenio.
Moving Forward My Way
For women with HR+, HER2–, node-positive early breast cancer with a high risk of coming back, moving forward with additional support can give you the confidence to be there for who and what matters most. See the story behind Verzenio + hormone therapy.
Important Facts About Verzenio® (ver-ZEN-ee-oh). It is also known as abemaciclib.
Verzenio is a prescription medicine used to treat certain types of breast cancer known as HR+/HER2– (hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative) breast cancer.
It is a medicine you can take if:
- You have node-positive early breast cancer that has a high risk of coming back as determined by your healthcare provider. Verzenio is given along with hormonal therapy to women and men.
- Or, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastasized). If you are postmenopausal, or male, then Verzenio is given with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy. If you are a female or male, and the cancer has gotten worse after hormone therapy, then Verzenio is given with fulvestrant. If you are female or male and the cancer has gotten worse after both hormone therapy and chemotherapy, then Verzenio is given by itself.
It is not known if Verzenio is safe and effective in children.
Warnings
Verzenio may cause serious side effects, including:
Diarrhea is common with Verzenio, may sometimes be severe and may cause dehydration or infection. The most common time to develop diarrhea is during the first month of Verzenio treatment. If you develop diarrhea during treatment with Verzenio, your healthcare provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking it, stop your treatment, or decrease your dose.
If you have any loose stools, start taking an antidiarrheal medicine (such as loperamide), drink more fluids, and tell your healthcare provider right away.
Low white blood cell counts (neutropenia) are common with Verzenio and may cause serious infections that can lead to death. Your healthcare provider should check your white blood cell counts before and during treatment. If you develop low white blood cell counts during treatment with Verzenio, your healthcare provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking it, decrease your dose, or wait before starting your next month of treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have signs and symptoms of low white blood cell counts or infections, such as fever and chills.
Verzenio may cause severe or life-threatening inflammation (swelling) of the lungs during treatment that can lead to death. If you develop lung problems during treatment with Verzenio, your healthcare provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking it, decrease your dose, or stop your treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new or worsening symptoms, including:
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
- Cough with or without mucus
- Chest pain
Verzenio can cause serious liver problems. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your liver before and during treatment. If you develop liver problems during treatment with Verzenio, your healthcare provider may reduce your dose or stop your treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems:
- Feeling very tired
- Pain on the upper right side of your stomach area (abdomen)
- Loss of appetite
- Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
Verzenio may cause blood clots in your veins, or in the arteries of your lungs. Verzenio may cause serious blood clots that have led to death. If you develop blood clots during treatment with Verzenio, your healthcare provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking it. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of a blood clot:
- Pain or swelling in your arms or legs
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fast breathing
- Fast heart rate
Verzenio can harm your unborn baby. Use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose of Verzenio and do not breastfeed during treatment with Verzenio and for at least 3 weeks after your last dose. Verzenio may affect the ability of males to father a child.
Common side effects
The most common side effects of Verzenio include:
- Nausea
- Infections
- Low red blood cell counts (anemia)
- Decreased appetite
- Headache
- Hair thinning or hair loss (alopecia)
- Abdominal pain
- Tiredness
- Low white blood cell counts (leukopenia)
- Vomiting
- Low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia)
These are not all the possible side effects of Verzenio.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects. You can report side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Before using
Before you use Verzenio, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including:
- If you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection.
- If you have a history of blood clots in your veins.
- Have lung or breathing problems.
- Have liver or kidney problems.
- If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
- About all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take a medicine that contains ketoconazole.
How to take
- Take Verzenio exactly as your healthcare provider tells you.
- Your healthcare provider may change your dose if needed. Do not stop taking Verzenio or change the dose without talking to your healthcare provider.
- Verzenio may be taken with or without food.
- Swallow Verzenio tablets whole. Do not chew, crush, or split the tablets before swallowing. Do not take Verzenio tablets if they are broken, cracked, or damaged.
- Take your doses of Verzenio at about the same time every day.
- If you vomit or miss a dose of Verzenio, take your next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for the missed dose.
What to avoid during treatment
- Avoid taking ketoconazole during treatment with Verzenio. Tell your healthcare provider if you take a medicine that contains ketoconazole
- Avoid grapefruit and products that contain grapefruit during treatment with Verzenio. Grapefruit may increase the amount of Verzenio in your blood
Learn more
For more information, call 1-800-545-5979 or go to verzenio.com.
This summary provides basic information about Verzenio but does not include all information known about this medicine. Read the information that comes with your prescription each time your prescription is filled. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about Verzenio and how to take it. Your healthcare provider is the best person to help you decide if Verzenio is right for you.
Verzenio® is a registered trademark owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates.
AL CON BS 14OCT2021