What type of drug is Verzenio?

Head-to-head trials comparing Verzenio to Ibrance have not been conducted. However, one is currently underway with results expected in 2023. Verzenio is taken twice daily, every day. Ibrance is taken every day for 21 days followed by a 7-day break. Verzenio can be used as monotherapy or in combination with other treatments. Ibrance is always taken in combination with either an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant. Verzenio is more likely than Ibrance to cause severe diarrhea. Both Verzenio and Ibrance can be used as combination treatment to treat breast cancer in men. Verzenio is also approved to treat adults with early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence in combination with endocrine treatment (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). Continue reading

Both Verzenio and Ibrance belong to the same class of medicine, called CDK 4/6 inhibitors, therefore, because they are both in the same class of medicines, clinically, it is unknown if there is an advantage in switching from one to another if one fails. However, research has shown breast cancer cells can acquire resistance to CDK 4/6 inhibitors by producing higher amounts of CDK6. Laboratory trials have shown that a “treatment holiday” of 28 days reversed this resistance, which implies that there may be some benefit of either stopping Ibrance temporarily or switching from Ibrance to Verzenio after a treatment break. Comparative trials comparing Verzenio to Ibrance are currently underway with results expected in 2023. Continue reading