Navigating High c-Met NSCLC: What to Know About Emrelis

Written by Patricia Weiser, PharmD
Medically Reviewed by Ami Ishver, PharmD on June 18, 2025
8 min read

If you or a loved one has lung cancer, you may be learning about different treatment options. A new medicine you might hear about is Emrelis (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv).

The FDA approved Emrelis in May 2025. It is approved to treat non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in certain people. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer. 

More specifically, Emrelis is FDA-approved to treat NSCLC in cases where the cancer makes too much of a protein called c-Met. This protein helps the cancer grow and spread. About 25% to 39% of people with NSCLC have tumors that make too much c-Met, known as overexpression, which can make the cancer harder to treat.

Emrelis may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider. Below are common questions and answers about using Emrelis for NSCLC.

To see if Emrelis is right for you, your health care provider will consider things like the type of lung cancer you have and whether it has spread. They may take a tissue sample from your tumor (called a biopsy) for testing and review your medical history and any other medicines you take. They will also consider whether you have already tried other medicines to treat your lung cancer.

Emrelis is FDA-approved to treat non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose cancer meets all of the following requirements:

  • The cancer has high c-Met protein overexpression, which means that at least 50% of tumor cells have abnormally high amounts of the c-Met protein on their surface. This protein helps the cancer grow and spread. 
  • The cancer has spread to nearby tissues (locally advanced) or has spread to distant parts of your body (metastatic).
  • The cancer is non-squamous, which means the cancer formed in lung cells that are not squamous cells. (Squamous cells are located in the lining of the airways in the lungs.) Emrelis treats cancers that started in any other part of the lungs.  
  • The cancer has already been treated with standard medicines.

Before prescribing Emrelis, your health care provider will do a special biomarker test to see if your cancer has high c-Met. Emrelis works by targeting cells with high levels of c-Met on their surface. 

Emrelis is only approved for use in adults. It is not known if this medicine is safe or effective for children.

Emrelis is a type of targeted cancer treatment called an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). It works like a targeted missile that seeks out certain cancer cells and delivers treatment directly inside them. It carries a powerful cancer-killing medicine linked to an antibody. 

The antibody part of Emrelis searches for and attaches to a protein called c-Met, which is found in large amounts on some cancer cells. Once attached, Emrelis is pulled into the cancer cell. Inside, a special link breaks and releases a chemotherapy drug, called MMAE, directly into the cell. This helps stop the cancer cell from growing and can cause the cancer cell to die.

Like other ADCs, Emrelis is designed to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, which may limit harm to healthy cells.

Even though Emrelis is designed to target cancer cells, it can still cause side effects. While the side effects of targeted therapies tend to be less common and less severe than the side effects of chemotherapy, serious side effects are still possible.

Emrelis is given by a health care professional in a hospital or clinic. It is given as an infusion into a vein (intravenously). It usually takes about 30 minutes to receive your dose of Emrelis.  

Emrelis is usually given once every two weeks. The exact dosage depends on your body weight. 

You will likely continue Emrelis treatment for as long as the medicine is safe and effective for you. If you have certain side effects, your health care provider might pause your treatment or lower your dose. If you still have side effects after your dose is lowered, or if you have severe side effects or your cancer gets worse, your health care provider may stop your Emrelis treatment.    

The effectiveness of Emrelis was studied in a clinical trial called LUMINOSITY. This trial involved 84 adults, all of whom had late-stage non-small-cell lung cancer with high levels of c-Met protein and had already received treatments for their cancer. 

The following information describes the people who took part in the LUMINOSITY trial:

  • The median age of people in the study was 64, with ages ranging from 38 to 83. 
  • Most were men (75%) and the rest were women (25%). 
  • About 61% were White, 1% were Black or African American, and 38% were Asian; none were Hispanic or Latino. 
  • About 1 in 4 had no cancer-related symptoms affecting daily activity (ECOG score of 0), while most (74%) had mild symptoms (ECOG score of 1).
  • About 19% had never smoked, 68% smoked in the past, and 13% were current smokers.
  • Nearly all (99%) had stage IV NSCLC, which means the disease had spread from the lungs to distant areas of the body. 

In the study, people received Emrelis once every two weeks. They kept getting the treatment as long as it was working and the side effects were manageable. Treatment stopped if the cancer got worse or serious side effects happened. 

The main goal of the trial was to see how well Emrelis worked. The researchers measured how well the treatment worked by looking at the overall response rate (ORR), which shows how many people had their tumors shrink or disappear on scans. They also tracked the duration of response (DOR), which is how long the tumors stayed smaller before growing again.

The LUMINOSITY trial found that Emrelis is an effective treatment based on the main results of the study. Your results may be different from what was seen in studies. 

  • Out of 84 people, 29 people (35%) treated with EMRELIS had their tumors shrink by at least 30%, also known as a partial response.
  • No one had a complete response. In other words, no one had their cancer fully disappear on scans.

The trial also found that many people had a lasting response to Emrelis. Of the 29 people who responded, their tumors stayed smaller for a median of 7.2 months. This is called the duration of response (DOR). Of all the duration of response times that all the people in the study had from smallest to largest, 7.2 months was the middle value.

Based on the results of this trial, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Emrelis for certain adults with advanced NSCLC whose tumors have high levels of c-Met protein. This early approval was based on how many people responded to Emrelis and how long the responses lasted. But more studies are still needed to confirm whether Emrelis can help people live longer. If future studies confirm the benefit, full approval may be granted.

The list below includes some of the common side effects of Emrelis and tips on how to manage them. This is not a complete list of side effects. Tell your health care provider if side effects bother you or do not go away. 

  • Dry eyes. Emrelis commonly causes dry eyes. In mild cases, dry eyes can be managed with over-the-counter eye drops called artificial tears. Tell your health care provider if you have eye problems or vision changes. They may tell you to make an appointment with an eye doctor to check your eyes.
  • Nerve problems. Nerve damage, called peripheral neuropathy, can happen in people who are using Emrelis. Call your health care provider if you have new or worsening pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness in your arms, hands, legs, or feet. Peripheral neuropathy from cancer treatment may be managed by monitoring symptoms closely and adjusting treatment if needed to prevent long-term damage. Your health care provider may give you medicines to help reduce nerve-related pain, such as numbing creams, duloxetine, gabapentin, or opioids. Staying hydrated, eating a healthy diet, and following your care team’s instructions can also support symptom management.
  • Tiredness. To help manage fatigue, try to stay active by doing things like walking or yoga. Stick to a daily routine and do your most important tasks when you have the most energy. Make sure to get plenty of rest, aiming for seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Take short naps if needed, but avoid too much napping because it can make you feel more tired. Eat a balanced diet and drink enough fluids to support your body. 
  • Infusion reactions. Emrelis is given as an infusion into a vein. Some people may have reactions during an infusion that can be serious. If you have these reactions, your infusion may need to be paused, slowed, or stopped. Tell your health care provider right away if you have trouble breathing, chills, dizziness, flushing, or chest pain during your infusion. To prevent infusion reactions, your health care provider may give you the following medicines to take 30 to 60 minutes before your infusion.
    • Diphenhydramine and famotidine, which are medicines that block histamines
    • Acetaminophen, which is a medicine for pain and fever
    • Methylprednisolone, which is a steroid medicine for swelling

Emrelis may cause other serious side effects. Tell your health care provider or get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms while using Emrelis as these could be signs of serious side effects.

  • Lung problems: Trouble breathing or cough that is worse than usual, chest pain, fever.
  • Severe eye problems: Eye pain, itchiness, dryness, or blurred vision or sensitivity to light.
  • Allergic reactions: Breathing problems or wheezing, swelling of the face or throat, throat tightness, skin rash or hives, or fainting.

Getting care right away can help prevent more serious problems. Your health care provider will monitor you during Emrelis treatment and may recommend ways to prevent or manage side effects. If side effects are severe or serious, they might adjust your dose, pause treatment, or stop it altogether.

It takes about three to four days for half of a dose of Emrelis to leave your body. The medicine should be cleared from your system about two to three weeks after your last dose. 

Emrelis may cause harm to an unborn baby if used during pregnancy. If you can become pregnant, your health care provider will give you a test to make sure you are not pregnant before starting Emrelis treatment. You should use effective birth control during Emrelis treatment and for two months after your last dose.

If you are able to get a partner pregnant, you should use effective birth control (such as condoms) during Emrelis treatment and for four months after your last dose.

Emrelis may affect male fertility. If this is a concern for you, talk with your health care provider before starting Emrelis treatment. 

A cost assistance program is available from Abbvie, the drugmaker of Emrelis. It may reduce the amount you pay. Whether you qualify to enroll may depend on what type of insurance you have or if you are uninsured. Visit www.emrelis.com or www.abbvie.com/patients/patient-support for more information about Emrelis copay savings and patient assistance programs. You can also contact the drugmaker at 844-859-5760 to connect with a representative for financial support information and other resources.