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Tepmetko

tepotinib hydrochloride
Used for Lung Cancer
Used for Lung Cancer

Tepmetko (tepotinib) is a medication that’s used for adults with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with certain mutations in the MET gene. This medication is convenient to take because it’s taken by mouth once a day. But, it commonly causes side effects like swelling, fatigue, and nausea.

Reviewed by:
reviewer
Julia Lee, PharmD, BCOP
reviewer
Cydnee Ng, PharmD
Last reviewed on June 1, 2023
BasicsSide effectsPros & consPharmacist tipsFAQsWarningsDosageCostAlternativesReferencesPricesMedicare
basics-icon

What is Tepmetko (tepotinib)?

What is Tepmetko (tepotinib) used for?

  • Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) mutations

How Tepmetko (tepotinib) works

Tepmetko (tepotinib) is a kinase inhibitor. It targets a kinase called mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), which is a protein in your body that signals cells to grow and divide. In some lung cancers, the MET gene, which gives the body instructions on how to make the MET protein, is abnormal (mutated). When the MET protein is made incorrectly, cells grow and divide out of control, leading to tumor growth. By blocking MET, Tepmetko (tepotinib) blocks tumor growth.

Are you looking for information on Mekinist (trametinib), Tukysa (tucatinib), or Talzenna (talazoparib) instead?

Drug Facts

Common BrandsTepmetko
Drug ClassKinase inhibitor
Controlled Substance ClassificationNot a controlled medication
Generic StatusNo lower-cost generic available
AvailabilityPrescription only
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What are the side effects of Tepmetko (tepotinib)?

The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.

Common Side Effects

  • Swelling (70%)
  • Fatigue (27%)
  • Nausea (27%)
  • Diarrhea (26%)
  • Muscle, joint, or bone pain (24%)
  • Shortness of breath (20%)

Other Side Effects

  • Stomach pain
  • Constipation
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Cough

Serious Side Effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
  • Lung damage: cough, shortness of breath, fever
  • Liver injury: pain in the right side of the stomach, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark or brown urine

Source: DailyMed

The following side effects have also been reported

Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:

  • Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
  • Dry cough, shortness of breath or trouble breathing
  • Liver injury—right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing skin or eyes, unusual weakness or fatigue
  • Pancreatitis—severe stomach pain that spreads to your back or gets worse after eating or when touched, fever, nausea, vomiting

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):

pros-and-cons

Pros and cons of Tepmetko (tepotinib)

thumbs-up

Pros

Pill that’s taken by mouth

Once-a-day dosing

Targeted therapy that can be used as first-choice for NSCLC with MET mutations

thumbs-down

Cons

Should be taken with a meal

Commonly causes swelling, fatigue, and nausea

Can cause serious liver injury

pharmacist-tips

Pharmacist tips for Tepmetko (tepotinib)

pharmacist

  • Keep Tepmetko (tepotinib) in the original packaging, and don’t transfer the tablets to a pill organizer or other container. Store the medication away from children and pets to keep them safe.

    • Take your daily dose of Tepmetko (tepotinib) as two 225 mg tablets at one time each day. Take it with food to make sure your body absorbs the medication well.

      • If you’re having trouble swallowing Tepmetko (tepotinib) tablets, don’t cut, crush, or chew the tablets. Instead, you can place your dose in a glass with 30 mL (2 tablespoons) of tap water. Gently mix until the tablets break up into small pieces (the tablets won’t dissolve completely). Then, drink the mixture right away without chewing any tablet pieces. Add another 30 mL (2 tablespoons) water to the glass, and drink to make sure you’ve taken all the medication for your dose.

        • Let your healthcare team know if you’re starting any new medications, herbals, or supplements to make sure they’re safe to use with Tepmetko (tepotinib). Tepmetko (tepotinib) can interact with other medications or supplements. These interactions can possibly raise your risk of side effects or make Tepmetko (tepotinib) less effective (not work as well). For example, taking Tepmetko (tepotinib) with the blood thinner dabigatran (Pradaxa) might raise your risk of bleeding.

          • While you’re taking Tepmetko (tepotinib), make sure to use birth control to avoid becoming pregnant or getting your partner pregnant. Continue to use birth control for 1 week after stopping this medication. Tepmetko (tepotinib) is likely to cause harm to an unborn baby based on studies done in animals.

            faqs

            Frequently asked questions about Tepmetko (tepotinib)

            How do I know if Tepmetko (tepotinib) is right for me?
            Tepmetko (tepotinib) is currently only approved for people with metastatic lung cancer and specific changes in one of their genes called MET. These changes are called MET exon 14 skipping abnormalities. Your provider will collect a sample of your tumor tissue (biopsy) or a blood test to check if your lung cancer has MET gene mutations. If your lung cancer has this type of mutation, Tepmetko (tepotinib) could be a treatment option for you.
            Why should I take Tepmetko (tepotinib) with food?
            It’s best if you take Tepmetko (tepotinib) with food. This is because Tepmetko (tepotinib) is better absorbed by the body when it’s taken with a meal.
            What should I do if I miss a dose of Tepmetko (tepotinib) or vomit after I take it?
            If you miss your Tepmetko (tepotinib) dose and your next dose is coming up within the next 8 hours, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Don’t take extra doses to make up for the missed dose. If you take a dose of Tepmetko (tepotinib) and vomit afterward, don’t make up the dose; wait until your next dose to take your medication.
            How long should I take Tepmetko (tepotinib)?
            Talk with your provider about how long you should take Tepmetko (tepotinib). Usually, you’ll continue to take Tepmetko (tepotinib) as long as your lung cancer doesn’t grow bigger. You’ll probably stop the medication if the cancer starts to grow again (meaning Tepmetko (tepotinib) isn’t working). You might also stop the medication if you have side effects, like swelling, fatigue, or nausea, that you aren’t able to tolerate. If you’re having trouble with Tepmetko (tepotinib) side effects, let your healthcare team know. They can lower the dose or prescribe medications to help manage side effects before considering whether you should stop treatment.
            What can I do to help with the swelling I get from Tepmetko (tepotinib)?
            In a clinical study, more than half of people taking Tepmetko (tepotinib) experienced swelling. If you have swelling in the legs while taking Tepmetko (tepotinib), there are several things you can do to help. You can try elevating your legs or wearing compression socks. You can also prevent swelling by keeping a low-salt diet. Talk with your healthcare team if the swelling is disrupting your daily activities. They might have you take a break from Tepmetko (tepotinib), adjust your Tepmetko (tepotinib) dose, or prescribe medications to stop fluid buildup.
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            What are the risks and warnings for Tepmetko (tepotinib)?

            Tepmetko (tepotinib) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.

            risk-warning

            Lung damage

            • Risk factors: Previous interstitial lung disease | Previous radiation to the lung | Smoking | Previous exposure to certain chemotherapies | Male sex

              Lung damage has occurred in some people taking Tepmetko (tepotinib). In rare cases, this lung damage can be life-threatening. In general, you might be at higher risk of lung problems if you’ve had previous lung damage, previous radiation to the lung, you smoke, or you’re male. Other risk factors for lung damage with Tepmetko (tepotinib) can include previous treatment with chemotherapies like paclitaxel (Taxol) and immunotherapies like Keytruda (pembrolizumab). In studies, lung damage occurred within a month to a year of treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have new or worsened cough, shortness of breath, or fevers. Your provider will probably have you stop taking Tepmetko (tepotinib) while they check up on your lungs.

              risk-warning

              Liver injury

              Tepmetko (tepotinib) might cause liver injury, which can be fatal in rare cases. In studies, some people had serious liver injury within the first month of starting the medication. While you’re taking Tepmetko (tepotinib), alert your healthcare team if you notice pain in the right side of your stomach, yellowing of your eyes or skin, or dark or brown urine.

              It’s possible that you won’t feel any symptoms of liver injury, so your provider will order blood tests to check on your liver. You’ll need to get these blood tests done before starting Tepmetko (tepotinib), every 2 weeks for the first few months of treatment, and then monthly after that. If your provider notices signs of liver injury from your blood test results, they might ask you to do blood tests more frequently so they can keep a closer eye on your liver. Depending on how serious the liver injury is, you might need to take a break from Tepmetko (tepotinib) so your liver can recover and then restart the medication at a lower dose or even stop Tepmetko (tepotinib) completely.

              risk-warning

              Risk of harm to the unborn baby

              In animal studies, Tepmetko (tepotinib) caused birth defects and even death in unborn babies. If you’re able to have children, your provider will ask you to do a pregnancy test before starting Tepmetko (tepotinib). Use birth control if you or your partner is taking Tepmetko (tepotinib), and continue using birth control until 1 week after stopping the medication. Alert your healthcare team right away if you become pregnant while taking Tepmetko (tepotinib).

              dosage

              Tepmetko (tepotinib) dosage forms

              Typical dosing for Tepmetko (tepotinib)

              The typical dose is 450 mg by mouth once a day with food.

              drug-cost

              How much does Tepmetko (tepotinib) cost?

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              Tepmetko (brand)
              GoodRx lowest price

              $25670.59

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              alternatives

              What are alternatives to Tepmetko (tepotinib)?

              There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Tepmetko (tepotinib). Compare a few possible alternatives below.
              Tepmetko (tepotinib)
              Used for:

              • Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) mutations

              $25670.59 Lowest GoodRx priceView Prices
              Tabrecta (capmatinib)
              Used for:

              • Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with changes in the MET gene

              $22937.33 Lowest GoodRx priceView Prices

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              References

              Best studies we found

              American Cancer Society. (2023). If you have non-small cell lung cancer.

              American Cancer Society. (2023). Tests for lung cancer.

              American Lung Association. (2021). MET and lung cancer.

              View All References (6)

              EMD Serono, Inc. (2023). Tepmetko- tepotinib hydrochloride tablet [package insert]. DailyMed.

              European Medicines Agency. (n.d.). Summary of the risk management plan for Tepmetko (tepotinib).

              Le, X., et al. (2022). Tepotinib efficacy and safety in patients with MET exon 14 skipping NSCLC: Outcomes in patient subgroups from the VISION study with relevance for clinical practice. Clinical Cancer Research.

              Merck KgaA. (2022). Taking Tepmetko

              National Comprehensive Cancer Network. (2023). Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

              Paik, P. K., et al. (2020). Tepotinib in non-small-cell lung cancer with MET exon 14 skipping mutations. The New England Journal of Medicine.

              GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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