[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Pharmacology](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/) › [MET inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/met-inhibitors/) › Capmatinib

# Capmatinib

## MET inhibitors?

MET inhibitors

## High alert?

An error with this medicine can cause serious harm: double checks and protocols are used.

## Pregnancy: avoid?

Avoid in pregnancy. Capmatinib may harm the fetus: a pregnancy test is done first, women and men use contraception during treatment and for a week after, and breastfeeding is…

An oral MET inhibitor for lung cancer with MET exon 14 skipping. Watch for leg swelling, lung inflammation, liver injury and sun sensitivity.

Updated Nov 12, 2026

## Quick facts

**Group**
[MET inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/met-inhibitors/)

**Target**
MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) tyrosine kinase

**Key effects**
Swelling of the legs and hands · Nausea · Fatigue

**Monitor**
MET exon 14 test before starting · Liver tests

**ATC**
L01EP01

No doses: the clinician sets them by the current guideline.

On this page

- The basics Mechanism of action
- Indications
- Adverse effects
- Pharmacokinetics
- Memory aid

- Clinical What the labels mean

- Safety Contraindications
- Key interactions
- What is monitored
- Administration and safety
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Nursing care

- Study Test yourself

- Connections Connections

## Mechanism of action

✂**MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) tyrosine kinase**Capmatinib

ⓘ The crystal shows capmatinib in the ATP site of normal (wild-type) human MET kinase.

**Target in 3D:** MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) tyrosine kinase. PDB structure 9SXJ (RCSB PDB, public domain). [View the structure at RCSB PDB](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/9SXJ) · Drag to rotate · pinch to zoom

Skipping of exon 14 removes the part of MET that normally lets the cell tag and destroy the receptor, so MET accumulates and signals constantly. Capmatinib binds the ATP site of MET very selectively and blocks its signalling, so MET-dependent lung cancer cells stop growing.

- Capmatinib binds the ATP site of MET
- MET signalling (RAS and PI3K pathways) stops
- MET-driven lung cancer cells stop growing

## Indications

- Metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumour has a MET exon 14 skipping mutation. [Lung cancer →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/lung-cancer/)

## Adverse effects

### Common

- Swelling of the legs and hands (peripheral oedema)
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation
- Fatigue, decreased appetite
- Muscle, bone or back pain
- Breathlessness, rash

### Serious (rare, important)

- Interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis
- Hepatotoxicity
- Pancreatitis (high amylase and lipase)
- Photosensitivity

## Contraindications

- Hypersensitivity to capmatinib

## Key interactions

**St John's wort**
Can lower capmatinib levels; avoided.

## What is monitored

- MET exon 14 test before starting
- Liver tests
- Amylase and lipase
- New cough, fever or breathlessness

## Administration and safety

- Oral tablets swallowed whole, not split, chewed or crushed.
- If vomiting follows a dose, no extra dose is taken.
- Sun protection: clothing, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

## Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Avoid in pregnancy. Capmatinib may harm the fetus: a pregnancy test is done first, women and men use contraception during treatment and for a week after, and breastfeeding is stopped.

## Nursing care

- Teach to report new cough, fever or breathlessness at once.
- Teach the signs of liver injury and pancreatitis.
- Monitor weight and limb swelling.
- Teach sun protection; contraception during treatment and for a week after.

## Pharmacokinetics

**Absorption**
Oral tablets twice a day, with or without food.

## Memory aid

«MET-tinibs swell the legs»: capmatinib and tepotinib cause oedema in most patients.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which genetic change in lung cancer is treated with capmatinib?

MET exon 14 skipping.

## What is the most common adverse effect of MET inhibitors?

Peripheral oedema.

## Which pulmonary toxicity must be recognised quickly?

Interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis.

[Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/pharmacology/capmatinib/)

[More Pharmacology questions →](https://durgical.com/en/practice/?f=pharmacology)

## What the labels mean

**High alert**
An error with this medicine can cause serious harm: double checks and protocols are used.

**Pregnancy: avoid**
Avoid in pregnancy. Capmatinib may harm the fetus: a pregnancy test is done first, women and men use contraception during treatment and for a week after, and breastfeeding is…

## Connections

## Related drugs 2

- [Tepotinib](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/tepotinib/)
- [Crizotinib](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/crizotinib/)

## Related conditions 1

- [Lung cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/lung-cancer/)

[← Back to the class: MET inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/met-inhibitors/)

Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Capmatinib: MedlinePlus Drug Information](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a620038.html) (MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2022); [Capmatinib Hydrochloride - NCI](https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/capmatinibhydrochloride) (National Cancer Institute, 2022); [RCSB PDB - 9SXJ: Crystal structure of wild-type c-MET bound by capmatinib.](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/9SXJ) (RCSB Protein Data Bank, 2026); [ATCDDD - ATC/DDD Index](https://atcddd.fhi.no/atc_ddd_index/?code=L01EP01) (WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, 2026).

## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake

Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/capmatinib/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/capmatinib/