Drug Evaluation

The role of neratinib in HER2-driven breast cancer

Mathew A Cherian

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: mcherian@wustl.edu

Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in Saint Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA

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Cynthia X Ma

Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in Saint Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA

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Published Online:30 Jun 2017https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2017-0186

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Abstract

Up to 25% of patients with early-stage HER2+ breast cancer relapse despite adjuvant trastuzumab-based regimens and virtually all patients with metastatic disease eventually die from resistance to existing treatment options. In addition, recent studies indicate that activating HER2 mutations without gene amplification could drive tumor growth in a subset of HER2-negative breast cancer that is not currently eligible for HER2-targeted agents. Neratinib is an irreversible HER kinase inhibitor with activity as extended adjuvant therapy following standard trastuzumab-based adjuvant treatment in a Phase III trial. Phase II trials of neratinib demonstrate promising activity in combination with cytotoxic agents in trastuzumab resistant metastatic HER2+ breast cancer, and either as monotherapy or in combination with fulvestrant for HER2-mutated breast cancers. We anticipate a potential role for neratinib in the therapy of these patient populations.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Published online 30 June 2017

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In addition to the peer-review process, with the author's consent, the manufacturer of the product discussed in this article was given the opportunity to review the manuscript for factual accuracy. Changes were made by the author at their discretion and based on scientific or editorial merit only. The author maintained full control over the manuscript, including content, wording and conclusions.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

MA Cherian is supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K12CA167540. This publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K12CA167540. CX Ma had received consulting fees and research funding from Puma Biotechnology. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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