How long does Verzenio stay in your system?

Verzenio (ademaciclib) is an oral targeted therapy for people with advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer that is HER2 negative. Doctors may also prescribe it for people with stage 2 or 3 breast cancer that has a high risk of returning. The drug inhibits the CDK4/6 enzyme in breast cancer cells, preventing them from replicating.

People typically take Verzenio alongside hormonal therapies, such as aromatase inhibitors.

This article explains how long Verzenio stays in the system, what to do if a person wants to stop taking it, and how long the side effects may last.

Verzenio is broken down by the kidneys and liver and leaves the body through stool, urine, sweat, and vomit.

The average half-life of Verzenio is 18.3 hours. This means that it takes around 18.3 hours for the body to eliminate half of the Verzenio in the blood. At this rate, it would take 4 to 5 days for the body to eliminate all but traces of the drug.

However, the half-life of Verzenio can vary depending on a person’s liver health. The more severely a person’s liver is damaged, the longer it takes to clear Verzenio from the body. In one study, the half-life of the drug was 55 hours in people with severe liver damage.

Mild and moderate kidney damage does not seem to affect the drug’s half-life. Doctors do not know the impact severe kidney damage may have.

People typically take two Verzenio pills per day. The duration of treatment depends on their cancer stage.

People taking Verzenio for early stage breast cancer typically take it for up to 2 years or until cancer recurs or unacceptable side effects occur.

People taking Verzenio for metastatic breast cancer typically take it for as long as it remains effective and the side effects are manageable.

Some people may wish to stop taking Verzenio because the side effects severely impact their quality of life. People may also have other concerns about the drug that make them want to stop.

A person must not stop taking the drug without consulting their healthcare team first. Stopping taking it completely may allow breast cancer cells to replicate and spread.

Always talk with your healthcare team before making any changes to your medication, such as reducing the amount you take or stopping taking it.

If a person stops taking Verzenio, any short-term side effects such as nausea and diarrhea are likely to stop. However, other side effects, such as low white blood cell counts and liver problems, could take months or years to resolve.

The most common side effect of Verzenio is diarrhea, so doctors usually prescribe an antidiarrheal medication, such as Imodium (loperamide), to take alongside it.

If a person stops taking Verzenio before a doctor recommends, their cancer is likely to grow. Verzenio prevents cancer cells from replicating and slows the progression of cancer. Without the drug, the cells can replicate more rapidly, and the cancer may spread to other areas of the body.

If a person is considering stopping Verzenio, they must talk with their healthcare team to discuss other approaches.

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Verzenio.

Yes, Verzenio typically reaches a steady-state concentration after about 5 days of continuous dosing.

Verzenio can temporarily increase serum creatinine (a kidney marker) without harming kidney function. These changes usually resolve as the body clears the drug.

The body mainly eliminates Verzenio through feces (about 81%) and a smaller amount in urine (about 3%). The remainder is excreted via sweat, vomit, or other bodily fluids.

Verzenio (abemaciclib) typically remains in a person’s system for 4 to 5 days, but this may be longer for people with liver damage. The liver and kidneys break down the drug, and the body excretes it through stool, urine, and other bodily fluids.

The half-life of the drug is around 18 hours, which is the length of time it takes the body to excrete half of one dose.

If a person is considering stopping Verzenio, they must talk with their healthcare team. It is often possible to reduce the amount a person takes or take a break from it until side effects resolve.

Short-term side effects, such as nausea, may resolve when a person stops taking abemaciclib, but others may take longer to improve.