Abemaciclib
Abemaciclib works by blocking the activity of proteins called CDK4 and CDK6 that control how fast cells grow. Blocking these proteins may slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. Abemaciclib is a type of targeted therapy drug called a kinase inhibitor. It is a small-molecule drug (a drug that can enter cells easily).
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Abemaciclib is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:
- Breast cancer that is hormone receptor positive (HR+) and HER2 negative (HER2-).
- In adults with early-stage breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes and has a high risk of coming back, it is used with tamoxifen citrate or an aromatase inhibitor as adjuvant therapy.
- In adults whose cancer has spread (advanced or metastatic). It is used:
- with fulvestrant for cancer that got worse after treatment with hormone therapy
- alone for cancer that got worse after treatment with hormone therapy and chemotherapy given for metastatic cancer
- with an aromatase inhibitor given as first-line hormone therapy in men and postmenopausal women
Abemaciclib is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Abemaciclib
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Abemaciclib - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
New Way to Classify Meningioma Brain Tumors Suggests Potential Treatments
Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Abemaciclib - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.