Rigel Pharmaceuticals has made VEPPANU (vepdegestrant) commercially available in the US for ER+/HER2-, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The drug is the first FDA-approved PROTAC, priced at $29,400 per 30-day supply, with a market opportunity exceeding $1 billion.
Rigel Pharmaceuticals made VEPPANU (vepdegestrant) available by prescription in the US at $29,400 per 30-day supply for ER+/HER2-, ESR1-mutated metastatic breast cancer.
"The commercial launch of VEPPANU marks an important milestone for Rigel and, more importantly, for patients living with ER+/HER2-, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer," Raul Rodriguez, president and CEO at Rigel, said. "As the first and only FDA-approved PROTAC, VEPPANU introduces a novel mechanism of action and represents an important new treatment option for healthcare providers to consider with their patients."
VEPPANU is the first and only FDA-approved PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC), a class of heterobifunctional protein degraders that harness the body's natural machinery to selectively degrade disease-causing proteins rather than inhibit them. The recommended dose is 200 mg taken orally once daily. The drug is available through Rigel's network of specialty distributors and specialty pharmacies in the United States and Puerto Rico.
In the Phase 3 VERITAC-2 trial, vepdegestrant demonstrated a median progression-free survival of 5.0 months versus 2.1 months for fulvestrant (hazard ratio 0.57, p<0.001) in patients with ESR1 mutations. The clinical benefit rate more than doubled to 42 percent versus 20 percent, and the objective response rate reached 18.6 percent versus 4 percent. Grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 23 percent of vepdegestrant patients, with discontinuation rates of 3 percent and dose reductions of 2 percent.
Rigel estimates approximately 20,000 US patients are diagnosed and treated annually with second-line or later ER+/HER2-, ESR1-mutated metastatic breast cancer, representing a market opportunity exceeding $1 billion. The company in May entered an exclusive global license agreement with Arvinas and Pfizer to develop, manufacture and commercialize VEPPANU, paying $70 million upfront with up to $320 million in potential regulatory and commercial milestones.
The launch expands Rigel's commercial portfolio to four FDA-approved products alongside TAVALISSE, GAVRETO and REZLIDHIA. The company reported Q2 2026 total revenue of $78.7 million, including $67 million in net product sales, and raised full-year revenue guidance to $285 million-$295 million. Management expects VEPPANU to become Rigel's largest revenue producer, with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network adding vepdegestrant to its breast cancer guidelines as a Category 2A treatment option.
Rigel's RIGEL ONECARE patient support center is available to help patients navigate insurance coverage and provide financial assistance for those who qualify. The company plans to begin a branded omni-channel promotional campaign in the fourth quarter to expand awareness and adoption among healthcare providers.
The commercial availability of the first PROTAC therapy gives Rigel an opening to capture share in a market where oral SERDs have gained nearly 60 percent of second-line treatment share since introduction. Investors will watch third-quarter sales figures, expected in November, for early signals on launch trajectory.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
