Abemaciclib and Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 10, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Abemaciclib
Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
Abemaciclib (Verzenio) is a cancer treatment that can weaken your immune system. The mumps vaccine is a live vaccine, which means it contains a weakened but living form of the mumps virus. Normally your immune system easily controls that weakened virus so you build protection without getting sick.
But when your defenses are lowered by cancer therapy, that vaccine virus can spread and actually cause an infection. That is why this combination is not recommended while you are on treatment. The good news is your care team plans vaccines carefully around your therapy, so please talk with your oncologist or pharmacist before getting any vaccine.
Contraindicated combination. Abemaciclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor used in cancer therapy, produces immunosuppression that impairs the host response to live attenuated vaccines. Administering live mumps virus vaccine in this setting risks uncontrolled vaccine viral replication and disseminated vaccine-strain infection.
- Direction: reduced immune competence, increased risk of vaccine-derived infection (neither agent is enzyme-dependent here; this is a PD/immunologic interaction).
- Evidence: established; per CDC guidance.
- Management: avoid live vaccines during active antineoplastic therapy. Live vaccines may be considered only after immunocompetence is restored and chemotherapy has been discontinued for at least 3 months.
What happens
An increased risk of infection by the live vaccine
Interaction Deep Dive
The mumps virus vaccine should not be given to persons who have severe humoral or cellular immunodeficiency, whether primary or acquired, because of the danger of disseminated infection with the vaccine virus3. According to CDC recommendations, this vaccine is contraindicated in individuals who have hematologic or solid tumors, who are undergoing chemotherapy, who have congenital immunodeficiency, or who are on long-term immunosuppressive therapy2. A live vaccine may be administered to patients with leukemia, lymphoma, or other malignancies once their disease has entered remission, their immunocompetence has been restored, and at least 3 months have passed since chemotherapy was stopped1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Decreased immune response allows live vaccine to produce infection
How to manage this interaction
The key step is timing. Live vaccines like the mumps vaccine are generally avoided while you are receiving abemaciclib and other cancer therapy.
- Keep taking abemaciclib exactly as prescribed. Do not stop it on your own.
- Do not get the live mumps vaccine while on active treatment.
- Tell any provider offering a vaccine that you are on cancer therapy.
- Ask your oncologist or pharmacist about the right timing. Per CDC guidance, live vaccines may be considered once your immune system has recovered and chemotherapy has been stopped for at least 3 months.
Your care team can plan needed vaccinations safely around your treatment schedule.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Common questions
Can I take Abemaciclib and Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live together?
Do not receive the live mumps vaccine while on abemaciclib because your weakened immune system could let the vaccine virus cause an infection; let your care team schedule any vaccines around your treatment. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Abemaciclib and Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live interaction?
It is rated contraindicated. These should generally not be used together.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How is the Abemaciclib and Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live interaction managed?
The key step is timing. Live vaccines like the mumps vaccine are generally avoided while you are receiving abemaciclib and other cancer therapy. Keep taking abemaciclib exactly as prescribed. Do not stop it on your own. Do not get the live mumps vaccine while on active treatment. Tell any provider offering a vaccine that you are on cancer therapy. Ask your oncologist or pharmacist about the right… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "established". Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Abemaciclib or Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (3)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Vaccines & Immunizations: altered immunocompetence. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Atlanta, GA. 2024.
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD): Vaccines & immunizations: contraindications and precautions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Atlanta, GA. 2024.
- Product Information: PRIORIX subcutaneous suspension, measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, live subcutaneous suspension. GlaxoSmithKline (per manufacturer), Research Triangle Park, NC, 2022. DailyMed
Keep reading about Abemaciclib
Keep reading about Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
Check another combination
Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.
Still have questions about this combination?
Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.
Ask the pharmacist