Abemaciclib reduces cell viability with the IC50 values ranging from 0.5 μM to 0.7 μM, inhibits Akt and ERK signaling but not mTOR activation at head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells. Abemaciclib shows inhibition on A375R1-4, M14R, and SH4R with EC50 values ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 μM; Abemaciclib inhibits the proliferation of the parental A375 and resistant A375RV1 and A375RV2 cells with similar potencies with IC50 values of 395, 260, and 463 nM, respectively. Abemaciclib inhibits CDK4 and CDK6 with low nanomolar potency, inhibits Rb phosphorylation resulting in a G1 arrest and inhibition of proliferation, and its activity is specific for Rb-proficient cells.