Efficacy

Efficacy of Verzenio (Abemaciclib) in Breast Cancer

Verzenio, also known as abemaciclib, is a targeted therapy approved for the treatment of certain types of breast cancer. Specifically, it is indicated for hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Abemaciclib is a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 and 6 inhibitor, which works by interfering with the proliferation of cancer cells. Clinical trials have demonstrated that when used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant, abemaciclib significantly improves progression-free survival in women with this subtype of breast cancer. Moreover, it has been shown to be beneficial as a monotherapy in patients who have previously received hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

In the MONARCH 2 and MONARCH 3 clinical trials, abemaciclib, in combination with standard endocrine therapy, has shown a substantial increase in progression-free survival compared to endocrine therapy alone. Additionally, the MONARCH 1 trial indicated that abemaciclib as a single agent provided a clinically meaningful response rate in patients with refractory metastatic breast cancer. The efficacy of abemaciclib has led to its consideration as a standard treatment option in the management of HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer.

Efficacy of Capivasertib (Truqap) in Breast Cancer

Capivasertib, also known by its investigational name AZD5363 and marketed as Truqap, is an experimental drug being studied for the treatment of breast cancer. It is a small molecule inhibitor of the serine/threonine protein kinase AKT. Capivasertib targets all three isoforms of AKT, which play a key role in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, a signaling pathway often activated in cancer cells, including breast cancer. While capivasertib is not yet approved for clinical use, early-phase clinical trials have shown promise in its efficacy against breast cancer, particularly in tumors that have alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway.

In clinical studies, capivasertib has been evaluated both as a monotherapy and in combination with other cancer treatments, such as paclitaxel and fulvestrant. The results suggest that capivasertib, when used in combination with other therapies, may improve outcomes for patients with advanced breast cancer, including those with difficult-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The ongoing research is focused on confirming these findings and determining the optimal setting for capivasertib's use in breast cancer treatment regimens.