(tucatinib)
Tucatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of HER2. In vitro, tucatinib inhibits phosphorylation of HER2 and HER3, resulting in inhibition of downstream MAPK and AKT signaling and cell proliferation, and showed anti-tumor activity in HER2 expressing tumor cells. In vivo, tucatinib inhibited the growth of HER2 expressing tumors. The combination of tucatinib and trastuzumab showed increased anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo compared to either drug alone.
Exposure-Response Relationship
Tucatinib exposure-response relationships and the time course of pharmacodynamics response have not been fully characterized.
Cardiac Electrophysiology
No large mean increase in QTc (i.e., >20 ms) was detected following treatment with TUKYSA at the recommended dose of 300 mg taken orally twice daily.
Tucatinib AUC0-INF and Cmax increased proportionally over a dosage range from 50 mg to 300 mg (0.17 to 1 times the approved recommended dosage). Time to steady state was approximately 4 days. Steady-state pharmacokinetic parameters following administration of TUKYSA 300 mg twice daily for 7 days in patients with mBC and mCRC are described in Table 12. The geometric mean (CV%) tucatinib AUC accumulation ratios ranged from 2.0 (26) fold to 2.5 (28) fold.
Tumor Type | AUCss (ng*h/mL) | Cmax,ss (ng/mL) | Ctrough,ss (ng/mL) |
mBC | 5620 (43) | 747 (45) | 288 (59) |
mCRC | 3370 (49) | 405 (45) | 197 (63) |
Absorption
The median time to peak plasma concentration of tucatinib was approximately 2 hours (range 1 to 4 hours).
Effects of Food
Following administration of a single oral dose of TUKYSA in 11 subjects after a high-fat meal (approximately 58% fat, 26% carbohydrate, and 16% protein), the mean AUC0-INF increased by 1.5-fold, the Tmax shifted from 1.5 hours to 4 hours, and Cmax was unaltered. The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of tucatinib was not clinically meaningful.
Distribution
The geometric mean (CV%) apparent volume of distribution of tucatinib at steady-state were 903 (42) L and 829 (21) L in patients with mBC and mCRC, respectively. The plasma protein binding was 97.1% at clinically relevant concentrations.
At steady-state, concentrations of tucatinib and its metabolite ONT-993 in the cerebrospinal fluid were comparable to unbound plasma concentrations.
Elimination
At steady-state, tucatinib effective half-life was approximately 11.9 hours and geometric mean (CV%) apparent clearance was 53 (43) L/h in patients with mBC. Tucatinib effective half-life was approximately 16.4 hours and geometric mean (CV%) apparent clearance was 89 (49) L/h in patients with mCRC.
Metabolism
Tucatinib is metabolized primarily by CYP2C8 and to a lesser extent via CYP3A.
Excretion
Following a single oral dose of 300 mg radiolabeled tucatinib, approximately 86% of the total radiolabeled dose was recovered in feces (16% of the administered dose as unchanged tucatinib) and 4.1% in urine with an overall total recovery of 90% within 13 days post-dose. In plasma, approximately 76% of the plasma radioactivity was unchanged, 19% was attributed to identified metabolites, and approximately 5% was unassigned.
Specific Populations
Age (18-77 years), albumin (19 to 52 g/L), creatinine clearance (CLcr: 60 to 89 mL/min (n = 63); CLcr 30 to 59 mL/min (n = 6)), body weight (41 to 146 kg), sex (male (n = 170), female (n = 113)) and race (White (n = 205), Black (n = 37), or Asian (n = 25)) did not have a clinically meaningful effect on tucatinib exposure.
Renal Impairment
No clinically significant differences in the pharmacokinetics of tucatinib were observed in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment (CLcr: 30 to 89 mL/min by Cockcroft-Gault). The effect of severe renal impairment (CLcr: <30 mL/min) on the pharmacokinetics of tucatinib is unknown.
Hepatic Impairment
Mild (Child-Pugh A) and moderate (Child-Pugh B) hepatic impairment had no clinically relevant effect on tucatinib exposure. Tucatinib AUC0-INF was increased by 1.6 fold in subjects with severe (Child-Pugh C) hepatic impairment compared to subjects with normal hepatic function.
Drug Interaction Studies
Clinical Studies
Concomitant Drug | TUKYSA Dose | Ratio (90% CI) of Tucatinib | |
Cmax | AUC | ||
Strong CYP3A Inhibitor | 300 mg single dose | 1.3 | 1.3 |
Strong CYP3A/Moderate 2C8 Inducer | 0.6 | 0.5 | |
Strong CYP2C8 Inhibitor | 1.6 | 3.0 | |
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Concomitant Drug | TUKYSA Dose | Ratio (90% CI) of Exposure | |
Cmax | AUC | ||
CYP2C8 Substrate | 300 mg twice daily | 1.7 | 1.7 |
CYP3A Substrate | 3.0 | 5.7 | |
P-gp Substrate | 2.4 | 1.5 | |
MATE1/2-K substrate* | 1.1 | 1.4 | |
No clinically significant difference in the pharmacokinetics of tucatinib were observed when used concomitantly with omeprazole (proton pump inhibitor) or tolbutamide (sensitive CYP2C9 substrate).
In Vitro Studies
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) Enzymes: Tucatinib is a reversible inhibitor of CYP2C8 and CYP3A and a time-dependent inhibitor of CYP3A, but is not an inhibitor of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, or CYP2D6.
Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT) Enzymes: Tucatinib is not an inhibitor of UGT1A1.
Transporter Systems: Tucatinib is a substrate of P-gp and BCRP, but is not a substrate of OAT1, OAT3, OCT1, OCT2, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, MATE1, MATE2-K, or BSEP.
Tucatinib inhibits MATE1/MATE2-K-mediated transport of metformin and OCT2/MATE1-mediated transport of creatinine. The observed serum creatinine increase in clinical studies with tucatinib is due to inhibition of tubular secretion of creatinine via OCT2 and MATE1.
| This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Revised: 10/2026 | ||
MEDICATION GUIDE TUKYSA® (too-KYE-sah) (tucatinib) tablets | ||
Important: If your healthcare provider prescribes TUKYSA in combination with capecitabine or pertuzumab, also read the Patient Information that comes with capecitabine or pertuzumab. | ||
What is the most important information I should know about TUKYSA? TUKYSA can cause serious side effects, including:
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See “What are the possible side effects of TUKYSA?” for more information about side effects. | ||
What is TUKYSA? TUKYSA is a prescription medicine used in adults:
Your healthcare provider will perform a test to make sure TUKYSA is right for you. It is not known if TUKYSA is safe and effective in children. | ||
Before taking TUKYSA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TUKYSA may affect the way your other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way TUKYSA works. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all the medicines you take and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist every time you get a new medicine. | ||
How should I take TUKYSA?
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What are the possible side effects of TUKYSA? TUKYSA can cause serious side effects, including: The most common side effects of TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab and pertuzumab in adults with HER2-positive breast cancer include: | ||
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The most common side effects of TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine in adults with HER2-positive breast cancer include: | ||
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The most common side effects of TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab in adults with RAS wild-type HER2-positive colorectal cancer include: | ||
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Your healthcare provider may change your dose of TUKYSA, temporarily stop, or permanently stop treatment with TUKYSA if you have certain side effects. TUKYSA may cause fertility problems in males and females, which may affect the ability to have children. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about fertility. These are not all of the possible side effects of TUKYSA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. | ||
How should I store TUKYSA?
Keep TUKYSA and all medicines out of the reach of children. | ||
General information about the safe and effective use of TUKYSA. Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use TUKYSA for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give TUKYSA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them. You can ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for information about TUKYSA that is written for health professionals. | ||
What are the ingredients in TUKYSA? Active ingredient: tucatinib Inactive ingredients: Tablet core: copovidone, crospovidone, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose. Tablet coating: yellow film coat: polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide, macrogol/polyethylene glycol, talc, and yellow iron oxide non-irradiated. | ||
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