Verzenio (Abemaciclib Tablets): Uses, Dosage, Side Effects ... - RxList

What Is Verzenio?

Verzenio (abemaciclib) is a kinase inhibitor indicated in combination with fulvestrant for the treatment of women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following endocrine therapy; and as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following endocrine therapy and prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting.

What Are Side Effects of Verzenio?

Verzenio may cause serious side effects, including:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• severe or ongoing diarrhea,
• pain or burning when you urinate,
• right-sided upper stomach pain,
• loss of appetite,
• easy bruising,
• unusual bleeding,
• tiredness,
• fever,
• chills,
• tiredness,
• mouth sores,
• skin sores,
• pale skin,
• cold hands and feet,
• lightheadedness,
• shortness of breath,
• new or worsening cough,
• painful breathing,
• wheezing,
• pain or swelling in an arm or leg,
• chest pain, and
• fast heartbeats

Common side effects of Verzenio include :

• diarrhea,
• low white blood cell count (neutropenia, leukopenia),
• nausea,
• abdominal pain,
• infections,
• fatigue,
• anemia,
• decreased appetite,
• vomiting,
• headache,
• low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia),
• sores and inflammation inside the mouth,
• swelling of extremities,
• fever,
• cough,
• hair loss,
• itching,
• rash,
• changes in taste,
• dizziness,
• alanine aminotransferase increased,
• aspartate aminotransferase increased,
• and weight loss.

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out;
• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

Dosage for Verzenio

The recommended starting dose of Verzenio in combination with fulvestrant is 150 mg twice daily. The recommended starting dose of Verzenio as monotherapy is 200 mg twice daily.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Verzenio?

Verzenio may interact with:

• ketoconazole and other strong CYP3A inhibitors,
• grapefruit, and
• rifampin and other strong CYP3A inducers

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Verzenio During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Verzenio is not recommended for use during pregnancy; it may harm a fetus. Pregnancy testing is recommended for females of reproductive potential prior to initiating treatment with Verzenio, and women are advised to use effective contraception during Verzenio treatment and for at least 3 weeks after the last dose. It is unknown if Verzenio passes into breast milk. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking Verzenio and for at least 3 weeks after the last dose.

Additional Information

Our Verzenio (abemaciclib) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.