Abemaciclib Shows Benefit in Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma

A recent study presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting reveals that an oral drug called abemaciclib (brand name Verzenio) offers a practice-changing new treatment for dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS). DDLS is a rare, aggressive soft-tissue cancer that develops from fat cells and has historically been very difficult to treat once it recurs or spreads, as standard chemotherapy only pauses tumor growth for a few months. In this landmark clinical trial, abemaciclib—a targeted pill already widely used to treat certain breast cancers—successfully stopped the progression of DDLS for an average of nearly 10 months, keeping the cancer at bay more than six times longer than the placebo.

In simple terms, this treatment works by taking advantage of a specific genetic flaw found in almost all DDLS tumors. These cancer cells rely on an overactive protein called CDK4 to continuously divide and multiply. Abemaciclib acts like a targeted brake, specifically blocking this protein and forcing the cancer cells into a permanent “sleep” state where they can no longer grow. Beyond delaying tumor growth, the drug even managed to shrink tumors in roughly 9% of patients—a rare feat for this type of cancer. While it can cause manageable side effects like low blood counts and diarrhea, experts say these highly successful results will likely establish the daily pill as the new standard of care for patients .

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