Is neratinib maleate/neratinib tablets a new drug? What diseases are mainly treated?

Neratinib/Neratinib (Neratinib), a kinase inhibitor, is widely used to treat certain types of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in adults. This type of breast cancer depends on hormones such as estrogen to grow. Neratinib is often chosen as a further treatment option after treatment with trastuzumab and other drugs. In addition, neratinib may be used in combination with capecitabine in advanced hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer or when the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Neratinib works by blocking the activity of an abnormal protein to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This abnormal protein signals cancer cells to multiply, so inhibition by neratinib helps slow or stop the spread of cancer cells. Neratinib is available as an oral tablet. When neratinib is used alone to treat breast cancer, it may need to be taken daily with food for up to one year. When neratinib is combined with capecitabine for advanced breast cancer or breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, it is usually taken once a day with food and treated within a 21-day cycle until the condition worsens or severe side effects occur.

The combined application of neratinib and capecitabine can enhance the therapeutic effect to a certain extent. Capecitabine is a chemotherapy drug used to treat cancer. It inhibits the growth of cancer cells by interfering with their DNA synthesis and replication processes. Combination with neratinib can increase the comprehensiveness of treatment and is an important option for patients who have been treated with at least two other drugs and whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

When using neratinib to treat breast cancer, patients need to pay attention to any possible side effects and report them to their doctor promptly. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, etc. In addition, neratinib may cause serious heart problems, such as heart failure and arrhythmia. Therefore, before using neratinib, doctors will conduct relevant cardiac evaluations on patients to ensure its safety and suitability.