Key takeaways

  • Rybrevant is a targeted therapy for treating specific types of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults, especially when it’s locally advanced or metastatic with certain gene changes.
  • Common side effects of Rybrevant include rash, nausea, and swelling. More serious side effects can include infusion-related reactions and severe skin reactions, necessitating close monitoring by a healthcare professional during treatment.
  • Discuss your health history with your doctor before starting Rybrevant, particularly if you have lung, breathing, or eye issues, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, due to potential risks.

Rybrevant (amivantamab-vmjw) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat a certain type of lung cancer. Rybrevant can cause side effects that range from mild to serious. Examples include rash, nausea, and swelling.

Specifically, Rybrevant is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in adults to:

  • treat certain types of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), (in combination with a drug called lazertinib)
  • treat a specific type of locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC that has progressed during or after other treatments (in combination with the drugs carboplatin and pemetrexed)
  • treat locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC that has certain mutations (in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed)
  • treat locally-advanced or metastatic NSCLC with certain mutations that has progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy

Note: “Locally advanced” means a cancer has spread near the original location but not to other parts of the body; “metastatic” means it has spread from the original location to other parts of the body.

Rybrevant is a biologic drug, meaning it’s made of living cells. Unlike chemotherapy, Rybrevant is targeted therapy. Its mechanism of action (how it works) is to help your immune system identify cancer cells. Then it prevents them from growing and surviving.

The active ingredient in Rybrevant is amivantamab-vmjw. The drug comes as a solution for intravenous (IV) infusion that is given by a healthcare professional.

Keep reading to learn about the common, mild, and serious side effects that Rybrevant can cause. For a general overview of the drug, including details about its uses, see this Rybrevant overview.

Some people may experience mild to serious side effects during their Rybrevant treatment. Examples of the drug’s commonly reported side effects include:

The following sections include more side effects of Rybrevant. Each person’s experience with side effects may differ.

Mild side effects have been reported with Rybrevant. These include:

In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. And some may be managed easily. But if you have symptoms that are ongoing or bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And do not stop using Rybrevant unless your doctor recommends it.

Rybrevant may cause mild side effects other than those listed above. See the drug’s prescribing information for details.

Serious side effects have been reported with Rybrevant. These include:

For more information about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects explained” section.

If you develop serious side effects during Rybrevant treatment, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911. Or call your local emergency number.

Note: After the FDA approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medication safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect from Rybrevant and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

Allergic reaction

For some people, Rybrevant can cause an allergic reaction. But it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in the drug’s studies.

In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious.

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should continue Rybrevant treatment.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 right away. Or call your local emergency number. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

Your doctor can confirm whether you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Rybrevant. If so, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

Learn more about some of the side effects Rybrevant may cause.

Infusion-related reaction

Infusion-related reaction was a serious side effect reported in studies of Rybrevant. This side effect may cause symptoms such as:

What might help

To help prevent infusion-related reaction, your doctor likely will give you medications right before your Rybrevant treatment. These medications can include:

During your infusion, your doctor will monitor you closely for the symptoms noted above. If you develop any infusion-related reactions after receiving Rybrevant, talk with your doctor right away. If the side effects feel life threatening, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Severe skin reaction

Severe skin reaction, including toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), was a serious side effect reported in studies of Rybrevant. Severe skin reactions may cause symptoms such as:

  • skin peeling or blistering
  • painful and discolored skin patches
  • fever
  • body aches

What might help

To help prevent any skin reaction, the drug manufacturer recommends limiting your sun exposure during Rybrevant treatment. It also recommends limiting your sun exposure for 2 months after your last dose. To lower sun exposure, wear protective clothing that covers most of your skin.

You should also use sunscreen regularly. If you have dry skin, consider using a moisturizer that contains no alcohol.

Talk with your doctor immediately if you develop any skin reaction. If the side effects feel life threatening, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.

Keeping track of side effects

During your Rybrevant treatment, consider taking notes on any side effects you’re having. You can then share this information with your doctor. This is especially helpful when you first start taking a new drug or using a combination of treatments.

Your side effect notes can include things such as:

  • what dose of the drug you were receiving when you had the side effect
  • how soon you had the side effect after starting that dose
  • what your symptoms were
  • how your symptoms affected your daily activities
  • what other medications you were taking
  • any other information you feel is important

Keeping notes and sharing them with your doctor will help them learn more about how Rybrevant affects you. They can then use this information to adjust your treatment plan if needed.

Below is important information you should consider before starting Rybrevant.

Warnings

Rybrevant can sometimes cause harmful effects in people who have certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether Rybrevant is a good treatment option for you.

Talk with your doctor about your health history before you start Rybrevant treatment. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.