Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
What Is Vizimpro?
Vizimpro (dacomitinib) is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test.
What Are Side Effects of Vizimpro?
Common side effects of Vizimpro include:
- diarrhea,
- rash,
- fungal infection of the fingernails or toenails,
- swelling and sores inside the mouth,
- decreased appetite,
- dry skin,
- weight loss,
- hair loss,
- cough, and
- itching
Dosage for Vizimpro
The recommended dosage of Vizimpro is 45 mg orally once daily with or without food.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Vizimpro?
Vizimpro may interact with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and CYP2D6 substrates (antidepressants, antipsychotics, narcotics, beta-blockers, antiarrhythmics, stimulants, and others). Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Vizimpro During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Vizimpro; it can harm a fetus. Females of reproductive potential are advised to use effective contraception during treatment with Vizimpro and for at least 17 days after the final dose. It is unknown if Vizimpro passes into breast milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants, breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Vizimpro and for at least 17 days after the last dose.
Additional Information
Our Vizimpro (dacomitinib) Tablets, for Oral Use Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

QUESTION
Lung cancer is a disease in which lung cells grow abnormally in an uncontrolled way. See AnswerGet emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- new or worsening breathing problems (chest pain, wheezing, cough, feeling short of breath);
- fever;
- severe or ongoing diarrhea;
- swelling, redness, or infection under or around your fingernails or toenails; or
- a severe skin reaction--dry skin, redness, rash, acne, itching, peeling or blistering.
Your cancer treatments may be delayed or permanently discontinued if you have certain side effects.
Common side effects may include:
- diarrhea, loss of appetite;
- weight loss;
- rash, itching, dry skin;
- eye redness, dryness, or itching;
- hair loss;
- problems with your nails;
- mouth sores, mouth pain; or
- cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Vizimpro (Dacomitinib)

SLIDESHOW
Lung Cancer: Early Signs, Symptoms, Stages See SlideshowSIDE EFFECTS
The following adverse drug reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling:
- Interstitial Lung Disease [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Diarrhea [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Dermatologic Adverse Reactions [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
The data in the Warnings and Precautions section reflect exposure to VIZIMPRO in 394 patients with first-line or previously treated NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations who received VIZIMPRO at the recommended dose of 45 mg once daily in 4 randomized, active-controlled trials [ARCHER 1050 (N=227), Study A7471009 (N=38), Study A7471011 (N=83), and Study A7471028 (N=16)] and one single-arm trial [Study A7471017 (N=30)]. The median duration of exposure to VIZIMPRO was 10.8 months (range 0.07-68) [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
The data described below reflect exposure to VIZIMPRO in 227 patients with EGFR mutation-positive, metastatic NSCLC enrolled in a randomized, active-controlled trial (ARCHER 1050); 224 patients received gefitinib 250 mg orally once daily in the active control arm [see Clinical Studies]. Patients were excluded if they had a history of ILD, interstitial pneumonitis, or brain metastases. The median duration of exposure to VIZIMPRO was 15 months (range 0.07-37).
The most common (>20%) adverse reactions in patients treated with VIZIMPRO were diarrhea (87%), rash (69%), paronychia (64%), stomatitis (45%), decreased appetite (31%), dry skin (30%), decreased weight (26%), alopecia (23%), cough (21%), and pruritus (21%).
Serious adverse reactions occurred in 27% of patients treated with VIZIMPRO. The most common (≥1%) serious adverse reactions were diarrhea (2.2%) and interstitial lung disease (1.3%). Dose interruptions occurred in 57% of patients treated with VIZIMPRO. The most frequent (>5%) adverse reactions leading to dose interruptions were rash (23%), paronychia (13%), and diarrhea (10%). Dose reductions occurred in 66% of patients treated with VIZIMPRO. The most frequent (>5%) adverse reactions leading to dose reductions were rash (29%), paronychia (17%), and diarrhea (8%).
Adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation of VIZIMPRO occurred in 18% of patients. The most common (>0.5%) adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation of VIZIMPRO were: rash (2.6%), interstitial lung disease (1.8%), stomatitis (0.9%), and diarrhea (0.9%).
Tables 3 and 4 summarize the most common adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities, respectively, in ARCHER 1050. ARCHER 1050 was not designed to demonstrate a statistically significant difference in adverse reaction rates for VIZIMPRO or for gefitinib for any adverse reaction or laboratory value listed in Table 3 or 4.
Table 3. Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥10% of Patients Receiving VIZIMPRO in ARCHER 1050*
Adverse Reaction | VIZIMPRO (N=227) | Gefitinib (N=224) | ||
All Gradesa % | Grades 3 and 4 % | All Grades % | Grades 3 and 4 % | |
Gastrointestinal | ||||
Diarrheab | 87 | 8 | 56 | 0.9 |
Stomatitisc | 45 | 4.4 | 19 | 0.4 |
Nausea | 19 | 1.3 | 22 | 0.4 |
Constipation | 13 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
Mouth ulceration | 12 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue | ||||
Rashd | 69 | 23 | 47 | 0.4 |
Paronychiae | 64 | 8 | 21 | 1.3 |
Dry skinf | 30 | 1.8 | 19 | 0.4 |
Alopecia | 23 | 0.4 | 13 | 0 |
Pruritusg | 21 | 0.9 | 15 | 1.3 |
Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome | 15 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 0 |
Dermatitis | 11 | 1.8 | 4 | 0.4 |
Metabolism and Nutrition | ||||
Decreased appetite | 31 | 3.1 | 25 | 0.4 |
Decreased weight | 26 | 2.2 | 17 | 0.4 |
Respiratory | ||||
Cough | 21 | 0 | 19 | 0.4 |
Nasal mucosal disorderh | 19 | 0 | 4.9 | 0 |
Dyspnea | 13 | 2.2 | 13 | 1.8 |
Upper respiratory tract infection | 12 | 1.3 | 13 | 0 |
Chest pain | 10 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
Eye | ||||
Conjunctivitis | 19 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Musculoskeletal | ||||
Pain in extremity | 14 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
Musculoskeletal pain | 12 | 0.9 | 13 | 0 |
General | ||||
Asthenia | 13 | 2.2 | 13 | 1.3 |
Psychiatric | ||||
Insomnia | 11 | 0.4 | 15 | 0 |
* National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) v4.03. a Grades 1 through 5 are included in All Grades. b One Grade 5 (fatal) event in the VIZIMPRO arm. c Stomatitis includes mucosal inflammation and stomatitis. d Rash includes dermatitis acneiform, rash, and rash maculo-papular. e Paronychia includes nail infection, nail toxicity, onychoclasis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, paronychia. f Dry skin includes dry skin, xerosis. g Pruritus includes pruritus, pruritus generalized, rash pruritic. h Nasal mucosal disorder includes epistaxis, nasal inflammation, nasal mucosal disorder, nasal mucosal ulcer, rhinitis. |
Additional adverse reactions (All Grades) that were reported in <10% of patients who received VIZIMPRO in ARCHER 1050 include:
General: fatigue 9%
Skin and subcutaneous tissue: skin fissures 9%, hypertrichosis 1.3%, skin exfoliation/exfoliative skin reactions 3.5%
Gastrointestinal: vomiting 9%
Nervous system: dysgeusia 7%
Respiratory: interstitial lung disease 2.6%
Ocular: keratitis 1.8%
Metabolism and nutrition: dehydration 1.3%
Table 4. Laboratory Abnormalities Worsening from Baseline in >20% of Patients in ARCHER 1050*
Laboratory Test Abnormalitya | VIZIMPRO | Gefitinib | ||
Change from Baseline All Grades (%) | Change from Baseline to Grade 3 or Grade 4 (%) | Change from Baseline All Grades (%) | Change from Baseline to Grade 3 or Grade 4 (%) | |
Hematology | ||||
Anemia | 44 | 0.9 | 26 | 2.7 |
Lymphopenia | 42 | 6 | 35 | 2.7 |
Chemistry | ||||
Hypoalbuminemia | 44 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
Increased ALT | 40 | 1.4 | 63 | 13 |
Hyperglycemia | 36 | 1.0 | 38 | 2.5 |
Increased AST | 35 | 0.5 | 57 | 8 |
Hypocalcemia | 33 | 1.4 | 28 | 2.0 |
Hypokalemia | 29 | 7 | 18 | 2.8 |
Hyponatremia | 26 | 2.9 | 20 | 1.5 |
Increased creatinine | 24 | 0 | 16 | 0.5 |
Increased alkaline phosphatase | 22 | 0.5 | 21 | 2.0 |
Hypomagnesemia | 22 | 0.5 | 9 | 0 |
Hyperbilirubinemia | 16 | 0.5 | 22 | 0.5 |
ALT=alanine aminotransferase; AST=aspartate aminotransferase. *NCI CTCAE v4.03, except for increased creatinine which only includes patients with creatinine increase based on upper limit of normal definition. a Based on the number of patients with available baseline and at least one on-treatment laboratory test. |
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Vizimpro (Dacomitinib)
© Vizimpro Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Vizimpro Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
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