NALA showed that the irreversible HER2 inhibitor neratinib, given with capecitabine, kept heavily pretreated HER2-positive breast cancer under control for longer than lapatinib and reduced the need for treatment of brain metastases.
NALA randomised 621 patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who had received two or more prior HER2-directed regimens to neratinib plus capecitabine or lapatinib plus capecitabine. The co-primary endpoints were progression-free and overall survival.
Neratinib improved progression-free survival, with a smaller and non-significant difference in overall survival, and fewer patients needed intervention for central nervous system metastases. Diarrhoea was the dominant toxicity and requires prophylaxis. The regimen was approved in the United States in February 2020 for third-line or later HER2-positive metastatic disease.
Numbers are from the trial as recorded here; see the source links in the table below. This is orientation, not medical advice: ask your team how closely the trial population matches you.
621 enrolled.
Medians not reported in the abstract
SourceLoperamide prophylaxis
Source| Endpoint | Arm | n | Value | HR (95% CI) | p | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progression-free survival (central review)primary | Neratinib + capecitabine | 307 | Medians not reported in the abstract | 0.76 (0.63 to 0.93) | 0.0059 | link |
| Lapatinib + capecitabine | 314 | - | ||||
| Overall survivalprimary | Neratinib + capecitabine | 307 | - | 0.88 (0.72 to 1.07) | 0.2098 | link |
| Lapatinib + capecitabine | 314 | - | ||||
| Objective response rate | Neratinib + capecitabine | 307 | 32.8% | - | 0.1201 | link |
| Lapatinib + capecitabine | 314 | 26.7% | ||||
| Duration of response | Neratinib + capecitabine | 307 | 8.5 months | 0.5 (0.33 to 0.74) | 0.0004 | link |
| Lapatinib + capecitabine | 314 | 5.6 months | ||||
| Intervention for CNS disease (cumulative incidence) | Neratinib + capecitabine | 307 | 22.8% | - | 0.043 | link |
| Lapatinib + capecitabine | 314 | 29.2% | ||||
| Diarrhoea (all grades) | Neratinib + capecitabine | 307 | 83% | - | - | link |
| Lapatinib + capecitabine | 314 | 66% |
The full inclusion and exclusion criteria are on the registry record. Read 2026-10-07. Recruiting overall does not mean a particular site is open; ask the study team.
ClinicalTrials.gov data courtesy of the US National Library of Medicine.
Shares HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases, HER2-positive breast cancer, Breast cancer (all types) and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares HER2-positive breast cancer, Breast cancer (all types) and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares HER2-positive breast cancer, Breast cancer (all types) and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares Lapatinib, Breast cancer (all types) and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares Breast cancer (all types), Small-molecule kinase inhibitors and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares Lapatinib and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares Small-molecule kinase inhibitors and the tag subtype-trials.
Shares Breast cancer (all types) and the tag subtype-trials.
Every source this page cites, grouped by who published it. Grouping is read from the web address, not assigned by hand.
A source that has moved or gone is reported by the weekly link check. /audit/