Verzenio significantly reduced the risk of cancer returning in people with high risk HR+, HER2- early breast cancer.- Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly and Company announced Verzenio (abemaciclib) in combination with standard adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) has met the primary endpoint of invasive disease-free survival (IDFS), significantly decreasing the risk of breast cancer recurrence or death compared to standard adjuvant ET alone. These results are from a pre-planned interim analysis of the Phase III monarch E study – making Verzenio the only CDK4 & 6 inhibitor to demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence for people with high risk hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) early breast cancer. The safety profile was consistent with that observed in other Verzenio studies in the MONARCH clinical program. Lilly plans to present these data at a medical meeting later this year. Despite progress in the treatment of breast cancer, approximately 30 percent of people diagnosed with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer are at risk of their cancer returning. This risk of recurrence increases based on certain clinical and/or pathological features such as breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, a larger tumor size and a higher tumor grade. New treatment options are needed to advance the field and help prevent early breast cancer from returning, potentially to an incurable metastatic stage. The monarchE trial will continue through the completion date, estimated for June 2027. At the time of the interim analysis, the IDFS results are considered definitive. All patients on the monarchE trial will be followed until primary analysis and beyond to assess overall survival and other endpoints. About the monarchE Study : monarchE is a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, open-label trial that enrolled 5,637 patients with high risk, node positive, HR+, HER2- early breast cancer. Patients were randomized 1:1 to Verzenio (150 mg twice daily) plus standard adjuvant endocrine therapy or standard adjuvant endocrine therapy alone. Patients on the Verzenio arm receive treatment for up to two years or until discontinuation criteria are met. All patients receive standard endocrine therapy for at least 5 years if deemed medically appropriate. The primary objective is invasive disease-free survival, which in monarchE is defined as the length of time before any cancer comes back or death. Secondary objectives include distant relapse-free survival, overall survival, safety, pharmacokinetics and health outcomes. High risk was specifically defined as women (any menopausal status) and men with resected HR+, HER2- invasive early breast cancer with either greater than 4 pathologically positive axillary lymph nodes (pALNs) or 1 to 3 pathological pALNs with at least one of the following high-risk features: primary invasive tumor size greater than 5 cm, histological grade 3 tumor, or central Ki-67 index greater than 20%. If applicable, patients must have also completed adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy prior to enrolling and have recovered from all acute side effects. About Early Breast Cancer Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. An estimated 90 percent of all breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage. Approximately 70 percent of all breast cancers are HR+, HER2-, the most common subtype. Even within this subtype, HR+, HER2- breast cancer is a complex disease, and many factors – such as if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and the biology of the tumor – can impact the risk of recurrence. Approximately 30 percent of people diagnosed with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer are at risk of their cancer returning, potentially to incurable metastatic disease.