Overview
Hernexeos is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adults with unresectable (cannot be removed by surgery) or metastatic (spread to other parts of the body) non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 (ERBB2) tyrosine kinase domain activating mutations (changes). A person must have previously received systemic therapy and be confirmed to have this mutation by an FDA-approved test. This approval was granted in August 2025 under the FDA’s accelerated approval pathway, which means continued approval may depend on results from further studies confirming its benefit. Hernexeos is also known by its drug name, zongertinib.

Hernexeos is a kinase inhibitor, a type of targeted therapy that blocks the activity of abnormal proteins (kinases) that help cancer cells grow. By inhibiting HER2 signaling, the drug may slow or stop cancer cell growth in tumors with these mutations.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Hernexeos is taken by mouth once daily, with or without food, until disease progression or unacceptable side effects occur. The recommended dosage depends on body weight. The treatment should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Hernexeos include diarrhea, liver toxicity (hepatotoxicity), skin rash, fatigue, and nausea. The drug may also cause laboratory abnormalities, including decreased lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell), increased alanine aminotransferase (a liver enzyme), increased aspartate aminotransferase (a liver enzyme), decreased potassium, and increased gamma glutamyl transferase (a liver enzyme).

Rare but serious side effects may include severe liver toxicity, left ventricular dysfunction (decreased heart function), interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis (lung inflammation), and embryo-fetal toxicity (harm to an unborn baby).

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Hernexeos (Zongertinib Tablets), for Oral Use — Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals