Nerlynx Dosage

Generic name: NERATINIB MALEATE ANHYDROUS 40mg
Dosage form: tablet
Drug classes: EGFR inhibitors, HER2 inhibitors

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 25, 2024.

Premedication for Diarrhea

When not using dose escalation, administer antidiarrheal prophylaxis during the first 56 days of treatment and initiate with the first dose of NERLYNX .

Instruct patients to take loperamide as directed in Table 1. Titrate loperamide to 1–2 bowel movements per day.

Table 1: Loperamide Prophylaxis
Time on NERLYNX	Loperamide Dose and Frequency
Weeks 1–2 (days 1–14)	4 mg three times daily
Weeks 3–8 (days 15–56)	4 mg twice daily
Weeks 9–Discontinuation of NERLYNX	4 mg as needed, not to exceed 16 mg per day; titrate dosing to achieve 1–2 bowel movements per day

If diarrhea occurs despite prophylaxis, treat with additional antidiarrheals, fluids and electrolytes as clinically indicated. NERLYNX dose interruptions and dose reductions may also be required to manage diarrhea .

Recommended Dose and Schedule

Extended Adjuvant Treatment of Early-Stage Breast Cancer

The recommended dose of NERLYNX is 240 mg (six tablets) given orally once daily, with food, continuously until disease recurrence or for up to one year.

Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer

The recommended dose of NERLYNX is 240 mg (six tablets) given orally once daily with food on Days 1–21 of a 21-day cycle plus capecitabine (750 mg/m 2given orally twice daily) on Days 1–14 of a 21-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities.

Dose Escalation

A two-week dose escalation for NERLYNX may be considered instead of starting at the 240 mg daily dose for patients with early-stage breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer, as described in Table 2 .

Table 2: NERLYNX Dose Escalation and Treatment Schedule
Time on NERLYNX	NERLYNX Dose
Week 1 (days 1–7)	120 mg daily (three 40 mg tablets)
Week 2 (days 8–14)	160 mg daily (four 40 mg tablets)
Week 3 and onwards	240 mg daily (six 40 mg tablets, recommended dose)

If diarrhea occurs, treat with antidiarrheal medications, fluids, and electrolytes as clinically indicated. NERLYNX dose interruptions and dose reductions may also be required to manage diarrhea .

Administration Instructions

Instruct patients to take NERLYNX at approximately the same time every day. NERLYNX tablets should be swallowed whole (tablets should not be chewed, crushed, or split prior to swallowing).

If a patient misses a dose, do not replace missed dose, and instruct the patient to resume NERLYNX with the next scheduled daily dose.

Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reactions

NERLYNX dose modification is recommended based on individual safety and tolerability. Management of some adverse reactions may require dose interruption and/or dose reduction as shown in Table 3to Table 6.

Discontinue NERLYNX for patients with adverse reactions that fail to recover to Grade 0–1 or baseline, with toxicities that result in a treatment delay >3 weeks, or if unable to tolerate 120 mg daily. Additional clinical situations may result in dose adjustments as clinically indicated (e.g., intolerable toxicities, persistent Grade 2 adverse reactions, etc.).

When NERLYNX is used in combination with capecitabine, refer to the capecitabine prescribing information for dose modifications of capecitabine.

Table 3: NERLYNX Monotherapy Dose Modifications for Adverse Reactions
Dose Level	NERLYNX Dose
Recommended starting dose	240 mg daily (six 40 mg tablets)
First dose reduction	200 mg daily (five 40 mg tablets)
Second dose reduction	160 mg daily (four 40 mg tablets)
Third dose reduction	120 mg daily (three 40 mg tablets)

Table 4: Recommended Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reactions with NERLYNX Monotherapy
Adverse Reaction	Severity†	Action/Dose Modification
ALT=Alanine Aminotransferase; AST=Aspartate Aminotransferase; ULN=Upper Limit Normal
† Per CTCAE v4.0
* Complicated features include dehydration, fever, hypotension, renal failure, or Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia.
‡ Despite being treated with optimal medical therapy
Diarrhea	Grade 1 diarrhea [increase of <4 stools per day over baseline] Grade 2 diarrhea [increase of 4–6 stools per day over baseline] lasting ≤5 days Grade 3 diarrhea [increase of ≥7 stools per day over baseline; incontinence; hospitalization indicated; limiting self-care activities of daily living] lasting ≤2 days	Adjust antidiarrheal treatment Diet modifications Fluid intake of ~2 L/day should be maintained to avoid dehydration Once event resolves to ≤Grade 1 or baseline, start loperamide 4 mg with each subsequent NERLYNX administration
	Any grade with complicated features* Grade 2 diarrhea lasting longer than 5 days ‡ Grade 3 diarrhea lasting longer than 2 days ‡	Interrupt NERLYNX treatment Diet modifications Fluid intake of ~2 L/day should be maintained to avoid dehydration If diarrhea resolves to ≤Grade 1 in one week or less, then resume NERLYNX treatment at the same dose If diarrhea resolves to ≤Grade 1 in longer than one week, then resume NERLYNX treatment at reduced dose (see Table 3) Once event resolves to ≤Grade 1 or baseline, start loperamide 4 mg with each subsequent NERLYNX administration
	Grade 4 diarrhea [life-threatening consequences; urgent intervention indicated]	Permanently discontinue NERLYNX treatment
	Diarrhea recurs to Grade 2 or higher at 120 mg per day	Permanently discontinue NERLYNX treatment
Hepatotoxicity	Grade 3 ALT or AST (>5–20× ULN) OR Grade 3 bilirubin (>3–10× ULN)	Hold NERLYNX until recovery to ≤Grade 1 Evaluate alternative causes Resume NERLYNX at the next lower dose level if recovery to ≤Grade 1 occurs within 3 weeks. If Grade 3 ALT or AST, or bilirubin occurs again despite one dose reduction, permanently discontinue NERLYNX.
Hepatotoxicity	Grade 4 ALT or AST (>20× ULN) OR Grade 4 bilirubin (>10× ULN)	Permanently discontinue NERLYNX Evaluate alternative causes
Other	Grade 3	Hold NERLYNX until recovery to ≤Grade 1 or baseline within 3 weeks of stopping treatment. Then resume NERLYNX at the next lower dose level.
Other	Grade 4	Discontinue NERLYNX permanently

Table 5: NERLYNX in Combination with Capecitabine Dose Modifications for Adverse Reactions
Dose Level	NERLYNX Dose
Recommended starting dose	240 mg daily (six 40 mg tablets)
First dose reduction	160 mg daily (four 40 mg tablets)
Second dose reduction	120 mg daily (three 40 mg tablets)

Table 6: Recommended Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reactions with NERLYNX in Combination with Capecitabine
ALT=Alanine Aminotransferase; AST=Aspartate Aminotransferase; ULN=Upper Limit Normal
† Per CTCAE v4.0
aSince capecitabine is provided as 150 mg or 500 mg tablets, it is recommended that the capecitabine dose reduction(s) is(are) rounded down to the nearest 500 mg or multiple of 150 mg for the twice daily dose. If the patient's body surface area is >2.0, the standard of care for the study center can be utilized for capecitabine mg/m 2dosing.
Adverse Reaction	Severity†	Action/Dose Modification
Diarrhea	Grade 1 Diarrhea [Increase of <4 stools per day over baseline] Grade 2 Diarrhea [Increase of 4–6 stools per day over baseline] lasting ≤5 days Grade 3 Diarrhea [Increase of ≥7 stools per day over baseline; incontinence; hospitalization indicated; limiting self-care and activities of daily living] lasting ≤2 days	Adjust antidiarrheal treatment Continue NERLYNX and capecitabine at full doses Diet modifications Fluid intake of ~2 L/day should be maintained to avoid dehydration Once the event resolves to Grade ≤1 or baseline, start loperamide 4 mg with each subsequent NERLYNX administration
Diarrhea	Persisting and intolerable Grade 2 Diarrhea lasting >5 days Grade 3 Diarrhea lasting >2 days Grade 4 Diarrhea [Life-threatening consequences; urgent intervention indicated]	Adjust antidiarrheal treatment Hold NERLYNX and capecitabine until recovery to Grade ≤1 or baseline Diet modifications Fluid intake of ~2 L/day should be maintained intravenously, if needed If recovery occurs: ≤1 week after withholding treatment, resume same doses of NERLYNX and capecitabine Within 1–3 weeks after withholding treatment, reduce NERLYNX dose to 160 mg and maintain the same dose of capecitabine If event occurs a second time and the NERLYNX dose has not already been decreased, reduce NERLYNX dose to 160 mg (maintain the same dose of capecitabine). If NERLYNX dose has already been reduced, then reduce the dose of capecitabine to 550 mg/m 2 given twice daily a(maintain the same dose of NERLYNX). If subsequent events occur, reduce the dose of NERLYNX or capecitabine to the next lower dose level in an alternate fashion (i.e., reduce capecitabine to 375 mg/m 2 given twice daily aif NERLYNX was previously reduced, or reduce NERLYNX to 120 mg if capecitabine was previously reduced) Once the event resolves to Grade ≤1 or baseline, start loperamide 4 mg with each subsequent NERLYNX administration
Hepatotoxicity	Grade 3 ALT or AST (>5–20× ULN) OR Grade 3 bilirubin (>3–10× ULN)	Hold NERLYNX until recovery to ≤Grade 1 Evaluate alternative causes Resume NERLYNX at the next lower dose level if recovery to ≤Grade 1 occurs within 3 weeks. If Grade 3 ALT or AST, or bilirubin occurs again despite one dose reduction, permanently discontinue NERLYNX.
Hepatotoxicity	Grade 4 ALT or AST (>20× ULN) OR Grade 4 bilirubin (>10× ULN)	Permanently discontinue NERLYNX Evaluate alternative causes
Other	Grade 3	Hold NERLYNX until recovery to Grade ≤1 or baseline within 3 weeks of stopping treatment. Then resume NERLYNX at the next lower dose level.
Other	Grade 4	Discontinue NERLYNX permanently

Dosage Modifications for Hepatic Impairment

Reduce the NERLYNX starting dose to 80 mg in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child Pugh C). No dose modifications are recommended for patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment (Child Pugh A or B) .

Dosage Modifications for Gastric Acid Reducing Agents

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI):Avoid concomitant use with NERLYNX .

H2-receptor antagonists:Take NERLYNX at least 2 hours before the next dose of the H 2-receptor antagonist or 10 hours after the H 2-receptor antagonist .

Antacids:Separate dosing of NERLYNX by 3 hours after antacids .

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Drug Status

Availability Prescription only Rx

Pregnancy & Lactation Risk data available

CSA Schedule* Not a controlled drug N/A

Approval History Drug history at FDA

User Reviews & Ratings

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Pill W104 is Nerlynx 40 mg — Nerlynx 40 mg (W104)

Nerlynx Dosage

Premedication for Diarrhea

Recommended Dose and Schedule

Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reactions

Dosage Modifications for Hepatic Impairment

Dosage Modifications for Gastric Acid Reducing Agents

Frequently asked questions

More about Nerlynx (neratinib)

Patient resources

Professional resources

Related treatment guides

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Further information

Nerlynx Dosage

Premedication for Diarrhea

Recommended Dose and Schedule

Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reactions

Dosage Modifications for Hepatic Impairment

Dosage Modifications for Gastric Acid Reducing Agents

Does Nerlynx interact with my other drugs?

Frequently asked questions

More about Nerlynx (neratinib)

Patient resources

Professional resources

Related treatment guides

See also:

Further information