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What is the difference between Cabometyx and Cometriq?

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Sep 14, 2023.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Cabometyx and Cometriq are two brand name drugs that both contain the same active ingredient cabozantinib, a kinase inhibitor used to treat certain types of cancer. Cabozantinib inhibits multiple tyrosine kinases, including the MET, AXL and VEGF receptors.

Cabometyx and Cometriq are taken once per day and are both marketed by Exelixis in the US.

The two drugs are not bioequivalent however. That is to say, you can’t switch between the two brands.

Cabometyx and Cometriq come in different oral formulations and are used to treat different types of cancer

Cabometyx Cometriq
Marketed since 2016 2012
Dosage form Tablets Capsules
Strength 20, 40 and 60 mg 20 and 80 mg
Used to treat
  • Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
  • Advanced RCC as a first-line treatment in combination with nivolumab
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who have previously been treated with sorafenib
  • Locally advanced or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer that has progressed following VEGFR-targeted therapy in people who do not respond to or are unable to take radioactive iodine
  • Progressive metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC)
References

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Cabometyx (cabozantinib) is taken until disease progression - the cancer starts to get worse - or you can no longer tolerate therapy because of the side effects or adverse reactions.

In clinical trials the median amount of time patients took Cabometyx for before their cancer progressed was:

  • METEOR trial - 7.4 months (95% CI 5.6, 9.1)
  • CABOSUN trial - 8.6 months (95% CI 6.8, 14.0)
  • CELESTIAL trial - 5.2 months (95% CI 4.0, 5.5)
  • CHECKMATE-9ER trial - 16.6 months (95% CI 12.5, 24.9)
  • COSMIC-311 - 11 months (95% CI 7.4, 13.8)
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How successful Cabometyx (cabozantinib) is can be measured by how:

  • Long patients take the treatment for
  • Long patients survive for without their cancer getting worse (progression-free survival)
  • Many months patients remain alive for while taking the treatment
  • Many patients respond to the drug
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Cabometyx (cabozantinib) is a chemotherapy drug that is used to treat patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), including as a first-line treatment when used in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab), and patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) who have previously been treated with Nexavar (sorafenib). It is also used to treat differentiated thyroid cancer that has spread and progressed after VEGFR-targeted treatment in people who can no longer be treated with radioactive iodine or who are unable to receive that treatment. It is taken once daily.

Cabometyx comes in tablet form and is available in three different strength yellow tablets including a:

  • 60 mg oval tablet
  • 40 mg triangular tablet
  • 20 mg round tablet
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