Cardiovascular toxicities of selective ret-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a pharmacovigilance study based on the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database

Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2025 Jul;24(7):883-891. doi: 10.1080/14740338.2024.2392003. Epub 2024 Aug 19.

Abstract

Background: Selective RET-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RET-TKIs) treat RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but studies on their cardiovascular toxicities are limited. This study aimed to characterize the cardiovascular toxicities associated with selective RET-TKI in real-world settings.

Research design and methods: Data from the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2023, were analyzed. Two disproportionality methods, information component and reporting odds ratio (ROR) were used.

Results: Both pralsetinib and selpercatinib showed positive signals for hypertension (pralsetinib: ROR: 5.25, 95% CI: 4.40-6.26; selpercatinib: ROR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.87-3.82). Additionally, pralsetinib showed a positive signal for ischemic heart disease (ROR: 3.92, 95% CI: 2.94-5.23), and selpercatinib for torsade de pointes/QT prolongation (ROR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.74-4.04). The median time to onset(TTO) of cardiovascular toxicities was 33 days (IQR: 9-73 days) for pralsetinib and 15 days (IQR: 10-50 days) for selpercatinib. The proportion of deaths, life-threatening events, and hospitalizations due to cardiovascular toxicities were 8.57%, 1.19%, and 31.43%, respectively, for total selective RET-TKI.

Conclusions: Selective RET-TKIs are related to multiple cardiovascular toxicities. Pralsetinib was linked to ischemic heart disease, and selpercatinib to torsade de pointes/QT prolongation and thrombotic events.

Keywords: Cardiovascular toxicities; Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System; Selective ret-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors; disproportionality analysis; non-small cell lung cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / statistics & numerical data
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / chemically induced
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Databases, Factual
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pharmacovigilance
  • Piperidines / administration & dosage
  • Piperidines / adverse effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / administration & dosage
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / adverse effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Pyrazoles / administration & dosage
  • Pyrazoles / adverse effects
  • Pyridines / administration & dosage
  • Pyridines / adverse effects
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines / adverse effects
  • Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret
  • Pyrazoles
  • pralsetinib
  • selpercatinib
  • RET protein, human
  • Pyrimidines
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Pyridines
  • Piperidines
  • Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors