Lilly presents five-year outcomes for Verzenio in early breast cancer at ESMO 2023

US pharma major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) released five-year outcomes from a pre-planned analysis of the Phase III monarchE study evaluating two years of adjuvant Verzenio (abemaciclib) in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) compared with ET alone in patients with HR+, HER2-, node-positive early breast cancer (EBC) at a high risk of recurrence at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.

"The five-year time period is an established landmark for adjuvant breast cancer clinical trials and is an important milestone for patients and physicians in this curative setting," said Dr Nadia Harbeck, director of the Breast Center and chair for Conservative Oncology, Department of OB&GYN, LMU University Hospital (Munich, Germany), monarchE investigator, and presenter of the results at the 2023 ESMO Congress, adding: "These five-year monarchE data clearly demonstrate a carryover effect beyond the completion of two years of abemaciclib treatment, with the IDFS and DRFS curves continuing to separate, reinforcing confidence in the role of abemaciclib added to endocrine therapy in the adjuvant setting for those with a high risk of recurrence."

Verzenio is already a big seller for Lilly, generated revenues of $2.5 billion in 2022, up 84% from $1.3 billion the year earlier.