Produced by recombinant DNA technology, Neulasta®
is a protein that stimulates the production of infection-fighting
white blood cells (neutrophils) that are depleted during chemotherapy.
The "peg" in pegfilgrastim refers to a polyethylene glycol,
"PEG," unit that is added to enlarge the Filgrastim protein.
This enlargement prolongs the length of time it stays in the
body, and this allows for administration in a single dose
per chemotherapy cycle.
Neulasta® appears to be self-regulating:
It remains in the blood while a patient is neutropenic and
is cleared rapidly when the neutrophil count increases and
it is no longer needed.
The recommended dosage of Neulasta® is a
single subcutaneous injection of 6 mg once per chemotherapy
cycle. Neulasta® should be administered 24 hours
after myleosuppressive chemotherapy, but not sooner than 14 days
prior to the next cycle.
Available in a dispensing pack, Neulasta®
is supplied as a preservative-free solution containing 6 mg
of Neulasta® in a single-dose syringe with
a 27-gauge, 1/2-inch needle and an UltraSafe®
Needle Guard.
Neulasta® is indicated to decrease the incidence of infection,
as manifested by febrile neutropenia, in patients with nonmyeloid malignancies
receiving myelosuppressive anticancer drugs associated with a clinically significant
incidence of febrile neutropenia.
UltraSafe® is a registered trademark of SafetySyringes, Inc™.
Neulasta® (pegfilgrastim) is indicated to decrease the incidence
of infection, as manifested by febrile neutropenia, in patients with nonmyeloid
malignancies receiving myelosuppressive anticancer drugs associated with a clinically
significant incidence of febrile neutropenia.
