[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Pharmacology](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/) › [Microtubule inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/microtubule-inhibitors/) › Eribulin

# Eribulin

## Microtubule inhibitors?

Microtubule inhibitors

## High alert?

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

Synthetic copy of a sea-sponge toxin that stops microtubule growth. For metastatic breast cancer and liposarcoma; causes neutropenia and neuropathy.

Updated Nov 1, 2026

## Quick facts

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

**Target**
β-tubulin (vinca site, at the growing end of the microtubule)

**Used for**
Unresectable

**Key effects**
Neutropenia and anaemia · Tiredness and weakness

**Monitor**
Blood count before each dose · Signs of neuropathy

**ATC**
L01XX41

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

◆**β-tubulin (vinca site, at the growing end of the microtubule)**Eribulin

ⓘ The crystal shows eribulin bound to bovine α/β-tubulin at the vinca site of β-tubulin.

**Target in 3D:** β-tubulin (vinca site, at the growing end of the microtubule). PDB structure 5JH7 (RCSB PDB, public domain). [View the structure at RCSB PDB](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/5JH7) · Drag to rotate · pinch to zoom

Eribulin is a synthetic analogue of halichondrin B, a polyether macrolide from the marine sponge Halichondria okadai. It binds the vinca site of β-tubulin and blocks only the growth phase of microtubules, without affecting their shortening, and it pulls tubulin into useless aggregates. The mitotic spindle cannot form, the cell stalls in G2/M and dies by apoptosis. It is a poor substrate for the P-glycoprotein efflux pump, so it can act in tumours resistant to other tubulin drugs.

- Eribulin binds the vinca site on β-tubulin
- Microtubules stop growing; tubulin forms useless clumps
- No spindle: the cell arrests in G2/M and dies

## Indications

- Metastatic breast cancer after at least two chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease, including an anthracycline and a taxane. [Breast cancer →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/breast-cancer/)
- Unresectable or metastatic liposarcoma after an anthracycline-containing regimen.

## Adverse effects

### Common

- Neutropenia and anaemia
- Tiredness and weakness
- Hair loss
- Nausea, constipation, loss of appetite
- Bone, back or joint pain, headache

### Serious (rare, important)

- Severe neutropenia with fever and infection
- Peripheral neuropathy: numbness, burning or tingling in the limbs
- QT prolongation
- Low potassium and calcium

## Contraindications

- The label lists none; congenital long QT syndrome is avoided

## Key interactions

**Drugs that prolong the QT interval**
Add to the QT prolongation; the ECG is followed.

**Dextrose-containing solutions and other drugs in the same line**
Not mixed or given together with eribulin.

## What is monitored

- Blood count before each dose
- Signs of neuropathy
- ECG in heart failure, slow heart rate, QT drugs or electrolyte problems
- Potassium and magnesium, corrected before treatment

## Administration and safety

- Intravenous injection over a few minutes by a doctor or nurse.
- Not mixed with other drugs and not given with dextrose-containing solutions.
- The starting dose is lowered in liver impairment and in moderate or severe kidney impairment.
- Hazardous drug: prepared and disposed of under cytotoxic-drug procedures.

## Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Can cause fetal harm; effective contraception is used during treatment and breastfeeding is stopped.

## Nursing care

- Check the neutrophil count before each dose.
- Ask about numbness, burning or tingling before each dose.
- Ask about long QT, slow heart rate, low potassium or magnesium, and heart, liver or kidney disease.
- Teach to report fever, sore throat, painful urination or an irregular heartbeat.

## Pharmacokinetics

**Absorption**
Intravenous injection over a few minutes.

**Distribution**
Wide; moderately bound to plasma proteins.

**Metabolism**
Hardly metabolised: it circulates mostly unchanged; CYP3A4 plays a negligible role.

**Elimination**
Mainly unchanged in the faeces, a small part in the urine; exposure rises in liver and kidney impairment.

**Half-life**
About 40 hours.

## Memory aid

ERIBULIN comes from the sea: a sponge toxin that only stops the microtubule from growing. Neutrophils, nerves and QT are its three checks.

## Test yourself

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

## Where does eribulin come from, and where does it bind tubulin?

It is a synthetic analogue of halichondrin B from a marine sponge, and it binds the vinca site of β-tubulin.

## Which infusion fluid must not be used with eribulin?

Dextrose-containing solutions.

## Which ECG finding is watched during eribulin treatment?

QT prolongation, especially with heart failure, slow heart rate, QT drugs or electrolyte problems.

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

[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.

## Connections

## Related drugs 3

- [Vinorelbine](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/vinorelbine/)
- [Paclitaxel](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/paclitaxel/)
- [Docetaxel](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/docetaxel/)

## Related conditions 1

- [Breast cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/breast-cancer/)

[← Back to the class: Microtubule inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/microtubule-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: [DailyMed - ERIBULIN MESYLATE injection](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=aa69e7a5-fa82-4984-b9d2-653c772b80e3) (DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2025); [Eribulin Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a611007.html) (MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2011); [Tubulin-Eribulin complex](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/5JH7) (RCSB Protein Data Bank, 2016).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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