Pemetrexed Dipotassium
PrescriptionBrand names: PEMETREXED DIPOTASSIUM
About This Medication
11 DESCRIPTION Pemetrexed is a folate analog metabolic inhibitor. The drug substance is pemetrexed dipotassium heptahydrate, has the chemical name L-glutamic acid, N-[4-[2-(2-amino-4,7-dihydro-4-oxo-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl]-, dipotassium salt, heptahydrate. It is a white to off-white powder having blue or green tinge with a molecular formula of C 20 H 19 K 2 N 5 O 6 .7 H 2 O and a molecular weight of 629.49. Pemetrexed dipotassium is freely soluble in water. The reported pKaS are 3.6 and 4.5. The structural formula of pemetrexed dipotassium heptahydrate is as follows: Pemetrexed for Injection is supplied as a sterile white to light-yellow or green-yellow lyophilized powder or cake for intravenous infusion available in single-dose vials. Each 100-mg or 500-mg vial of Pemetrexed for Injection contains 100 mg pemetrexed equivalent to 118.3 mg pemetrexed dipotassium and 106 mg mannitol or 500 mg pemetrexed equivalent to 591.5 mg pemetrexed dipotassium and 500 mg mannitol, respectively. Hydrochloric acid may have been added to adjust the pH. Image
Active Ingredients
| Ingredient | Strength |
|---|---|
| Pemetrexed | - |
Indications & Usage
How It Works
Dosage & Administration
Side Effects Overview
Warnings & Precautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Myelosuppression: Can cause severe bone marrow suppression resulting in cytopenia and an increased risk of infection. Do not administer Pemetrexed for Injection when the absolute neutrophil count is less than 1500 cells/mm 3 and platelets are less than 100,000 cells/mm 3 . Initiate supplementation with oral folic acid and intramuscular vitamin B 12 to reduce the severity of hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity of Pemetrexed for Injection. ( 2.4 , 5.1 ) Renal Failure: Can cause severe, and sometimes fatal, renal failure. Do not administer when creatinine clearance is less than 45 mL/min. ( 2.3 , 5.2 ) Bullous and Exfoliative Skin Toxicity: Permanently discontinue for severe and life-threatening bullous, blistering or exfoliating skin toxicity. ( 5.3 ) Interstitial Pneumonitis: Withhold for acute onset of new or progressive unexplained pulmonary symptoms. Permanently discontinue if pneumonitis is confirmed. ( 5.4 ) Radiation Recall: Can occur in patients who received radiation weeks to years previously; permanently discontinue for signs of radiation recall. ( 5.5 ) Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Can cause fetal harm. Advise patients of the potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception. ( 5.7 , 8.1 , 8.3 ) 5.1 Myelosuppression and Increased Risk of Myelosuppression without Vitamin Supplementation Pemetrexed for Injection can cause severe myelosuppression resulting in a requirement for transfusions and which may lead to neutropenic infection. The risk of myelosuppression is increased in patients who do not receive vitamin supplementation. In Study JMCH, incidences of Grade 3-4 neutropenia (38% versus 23%), thrombocytopenia (9% versus 5%), febrile neutropenia (9% versus 0.6%), and neutropenic infection (6% versus 0) were higher in patients who received pemetrexed plus cisplatin without vitamin supplementation as compared to patients who were fully supplemented with folic acid and vitamin B 12 prior to and throughout pemetrexed plus cisplatin treatment. Initiate supplementation with oral folic acid and intramuscular vitamin B 12 prior to the first dose of Pemetrexed for Injection; continue vitamin supplementation during treatment and for 21 days after the last dose of Pemetrexed for Injection to reduce the severity of hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity of Pemetrexed for Injection [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.4 )] . Obtain a complete blood count at the beginning of each cycle. Do not administer Pemetrexed for Injection until the ANC is at least 1500 cells/mm 3 and platelet count is at least 100,000 cells/mm 3 . Permanently reduce Pemetrexed for Injection in patients with an ANC of less than 500 cells/mm 3 or platelet count of less than 50,000 cells/mm 3 in previous cycles [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.6 )] . In Studies JMDB and JMCH, among patients who received vitamin supplementation, incidence of Grade 3-4 neutropenia was 15% and 23%, the incidence of Grade 3-4 anemia was 6% and 4%, and incidence of Grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia was 4% and 5%, respectively. In Study JMCH, 18% of patients in the pemetrexed arm required red blood cell transfusions compared to 7% of patients in the cisplatin arm [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . In Studies JMEN, PARAMOUNT, and JMEI, where all patients received vitamin supplementation, incidence of Grade 3-4 neutropenia ranged from 3% to 5%, and incidence of Grade 3-4 anemia ranged from 3% to 5%. 5.2 Renal Failure Pemetrexed for Injection can cause severe, and sometimes fatal, renal toxicity. The incidences of renal failure in clinical studies in which patients received pemetrexed with cisplatin were: 2.1% in Study JMDB and 2.2% in Study JMCH. The incidence of renal failure in clinical studies in which patients received pemetrexed as a single agent ranged from 0.4% to 0.6% (Studies JMEN, PARAMOUNT, and JMEI [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Determine creatinine clearance before each dose and periodically monitor renal function during treatment with Pemetrexed for Injection. Withhold Pemetrexed for Injection in patients with a creatinine clearance of less than 45 mL/minute [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.3 )] . 5.3 Bullous and Exfoliative Skin Toxicity Serious and sometimes fatal, bullous, blistering and exfoliative skin toxicity, including cases suggestive of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic epidermal necrolysis can occur with Pemetrexed for Injection. Permanently discontinue Pemetrexed for Injection for severe and life-threatening bullous, blistering or exfoliating skin toxicity. 5.4 Interstitial Pneumonitis Serious interstitial pneumonitis, including fatal cases, can occur with Pemetrexed for Injection treatment. Withhold Pemetrexed for Injection for acute onset of new or progressive unexplained pulmonary symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, or fever pending diagnostic evaluation. If pneumonitis is confirmed, permanently discontinue Pemetrexed for Injection. 5.5 Radiation Recall Radiation recall can occur with Pemetrexed for Injection in patients who have received radiation weeks to years previously. Monitor patients for inflammation or blistering in areas of previous radiation treatment. Permanently discontinue Pemetrexed for Injection for signs of radiation recall. 5.6 Increased Risk of Toxicity with Ibuprofen in Patients with Renal Impairment Exposure to pemetrexed is increased in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment who take concomitant ibuprofen, increasing the risks of adverse reactions of Pemetrexed for Injection. In patients with creatinine clearances between 45 mL/min and 79 mL/min, avoid administration of ibuprofen for 2 days before, the day of, and 2 days following administration of Pemetrexed for Injection. If concomitant ibuprofen use cannot be avoided, monitor patients more frequently for pemetrexed adverse reactions, including myelosuppression, renal, and gastrointestinal toxicity [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.5 ), Drug Interactions ( 7 ), and Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . 5.7 Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on findings from animal studies and its mechanism of action, Pemetrexed for Injection can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. In animal reproduction studies, intravenous administration of pemetrexed to pregnant mice during the period of organogenesis was teratogenic, resulting in developmental delays and increased malformations at doses lower than the recommended human dose of 500 mg/m 2 . Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with Pemetrexed for Injection and for 6 months after the last dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with Pemetrexed for Injection and for 3 months after the last dose [see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.1 , 8.3 ) and Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.1 )] .
Contraindications
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Pemetrexed for Injection is contraindicated in patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to pemetrexed [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . History of severe hypersensitivity reaction to pemetrexed. ( 4 )
Pharmacokinetics
Frequently Asked Questions
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Pemetrexed for Injection is a folate analog metabolic inhibitor indicated: in combination with cisplatin for the initial treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous NSCLC. ( 1.1 ) as a single agent for the maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous NSCLC whose disease has not progressed after four cycles of platinum-based first-line chemotherapy. ( 1.1 ) as a single agent for the treatment of patients with recurrent, metastatic non-squamous, NSCLC …
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The recommended dose of Pemetrexed for Injection, administered as a single agent or with cisplatin, in patients with creatinine clearance of 45 mL/minute or greater is 500 mg/m 2 as an intravenous infusion over 10 minutes on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle. ( 2.1 , 2.2 ) Initiate folic acid 400 mcg to 1000 mcg orally, once daily, beginning 7 days prior to the first dose of Pemetrexed for Injection and continue until 21 days …
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Myelosuppression: Can cause severe bone marrow suppression resulting in cytopenia and an increased risk of infection. Do not administer Pemetrexed for Injection when the absolute neutrophil count is less than 1500 cells/mm 3 and platelets are less than 100,000 cells/mm 3 . Initiate supplementation with oral folic acid and intramuscular vitamin B 12 to reduce the severity of hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity of Pemetrexed for Injection. ( 2.4 , 5.1 ) Renal Failure: Can cause severe, …
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Pemetrexed for Injection is contraindicated in patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to pemetrexed [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . History of severe hypersensitivity reaction to pemetrexed. ( 4 )
Pemetrexed Dipotassium is a prescription medication. You will need a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
Similar Injection Products
Browse all Injection products →References & Data Sources
- • DailyMed — Pemetrexed Dipotassium drug label (National Library of Medicine)
- • openFDA — Pemetrexed Dipotassium label data (U.S. Food & Drug Administration)
- • RxNorm — RXCUI 1728072 (NLM Normalized Drug Names)
- • NDC Directory — Pemetrexed Dipotassium (FDA National Drug Code)
Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or medication.
Data sources: DailyMed (NLM), openFDA, MFDS