Abraxane Drug Information

Generic name: PACLITAXEL

Microtubule Inhibitor [EPC]

Save on Abraxane at your pharmacy Compare prices near you and start saving today—no enrollment required.
See Prices

Uses of Abraxane

  • is a microtubule inhibitor indicated for the treatment of:
  • Metastatic breast cancer, after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. ( 1.1 )
  • Locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as first-line treatment in combination with carboplatin, in patients who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation therapy. ( 1.2 )
  • Metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas as first-line treatment, in combination with gemcitabine. ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Metastatic Breast Cancer ABRAXANE is indicated for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. 1.2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer ABRAXANE is indicated for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with carboplatin, in patients who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation therapy. 1.3 Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas ABRAXANE is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, in combination with gemcitabine.

Dosage & Administration of Abraxane

AST = Aspartate Aminotransferase; MBC = Metastatic Breast Cancer; NSCLC = Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer; ULN = Upper limit of normal. a Dosage recommendations are for the first course of therapy. The need for further dose adjustments in subsequent courses should be based on individual tolerance. b A dose increase to 260 mg/m2 for patients with metastatic breast cancer or 100 mg/m2 for patients with non-small cell lung cancer in subsequent courses should be considered if the patient tolerates the reduced dose for two cycles. c Patients with bilirubin levels above the upper limit of normal were excluded from clinical trials for pancreatic or lung cancer.
AST LevelsBilirubin Levels
MBCNSCLC c
Moderate< 10 x ULN
Severe< 10 x ULN
> 10 x ULNOR

Side Effects of Abraxane

  • Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) with single-agent use of ABRAXANE in metastatic breast cancer are alopecia, neutropenia, sensory neuropathy, abnormal ECG, fatigue/asthenia, myalgia/arthralgia, AST elevation, alkaline phosphatase elevation, anemia, nausea, infections, and diarrhea [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) of ABRAXANE in combination with carboplatin for non-small cell lung cancer are anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, alopecia, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, and fatigue [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ]. The most common serious adverse reactions of ABRAXANE in combination with carboplatin for non-small cell lung cancer are anemia (4%) and pneumonia (3%). The most common adverse reactions resulting in permanent discontinuation of ABRAXANE are neutropenia (3%), thrombocytopenia (3%), and peripheral neuropathy (1%). The most common adverse reactions resulting in dose reduction of ABRAXANE are neutropenia (24%), thrombocytopenia (13%), and anemia (6%). The most common adverse reactions leading to withholding or delay in ABRAXANE dosing are neutropenia (41%), thrombocytopenia (30%), and anemia (16%). In a randomized open-label trial of ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine for pancreatic adenocarcinoma [see Clinical Studies (14.3) ] , the most common (≥ 20%) selected (with a ≥ 5% higher incidence) adverse reactions of ABRAXANE are neutropenia, fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, alopecia, peripheral edema, diarrhea, pyrexia, vomiting, decreased appetite, rash, and dehydration [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . The most common serious adverse reactions of ABRAXANE (with a ≥ 1% higher incidence) are pyrexia (6%), dehydration (5%), pneumonia (4%), and vomiting (4%). The most common adverse reactions resulting in permanent discontinuation of ABRAXANE are peripheral neuropathy (8%), fatigue (4%), and thrombocytopenia (2%). The most common adverse reactions resulting in dose reduction of ABRAXANE are neutropenia (10%) and peripheral neuropathy (6%). The most common adverse reactions leading to withholding or delay in ABRAXANE dosing are neutropenia (16%), thrombocytopenia (12%), fatigue (8%), peripheral neuropathy (15%), anemia (5%), and diarrhea (5%).
  • The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) in metastatic breast cancer are alopecia, neutropenia, sensory neuropathy, abnormal ECG, fatigue/asthenia, myalgia/arthralgia, AST elevation, alkaline phosphatase elevation, anemia, nausea, infections, and diarrhea. ( 6.1 )
  • The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) in NSCLC are anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, alopecia, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, and fatigue. ( 6.1 )
  • The most common (≥ 20%) adverse reactions of ABRAXANE in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas are neutropenia, fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, alopecia, peripheral edema, diarrhea, pyrexia, vomiting, decreased appetite, rash, and dehydration. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bristol-Myers Squibb at 1-800-721-5072 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Metastatic Breast Cancer Table 6 shows the frequency of important adverse reactions in the randomized comparative trial for the patients who received either single-agent ABRAXANE or paclitaxel injection for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Table 6: Adverse Reactions in the Randomized Metastatic Breast Cancer Study on an Every-3-Weeks Schedule a Paclitaxel injection patients received premedication. b Includes treatment-related events related to hypersensitivity (e.g., flushing, dyspnea, chest pain, hypotension) that began on a day of dosing. c Severe events are defined as at least Grade 3 toxicity. Percent of Patients ABRAXANE 260 mg/m 2 over 30 min (n=229) Paclitaxel Injection 175 mg/m 2 over 3 h a (n=225) Bone Marrow Neutropenia < 2.0 x 10 9 /L 80 82 < 0.5 x 10 9 /L 9 22 Thrombocytopenia < 100 x 10 9 /L 2 3 < 50 x 10 9 /L <1 <1 Anemia < 11 g/dL 33 25 < 8 g/dL 1 <1 Infections 24 20 Febrile Neutropenia 2 1 Neutropenic Sepsis <1 <1 Bleeding 2 2 Hypersensitivity Reaction b All 4 12 Severe c 0 2 Cardiovascular Vital Sign Changes During Administration Bradycardia <1 <1 Hypotension 5 5 Severe Cardiovascular Events c 3 4 Abnormal ECG All Patients 60 52 Patients with Normal Baseline 35 30 Respiratory Cough 7 6 Dyspnea 12 9 Sensory Neuropathy Any Symptoms 71 56 Severe Symptoms c 10 2 Myalgia / Arthralgia Any Symptoms 44 49 Severe Symptoms c 8 4 Asthenia Any Symptoms 47 39 Severe Symptoms c 8 3 Fluid Retention/Edema Any Symptoms 10 8 Severe Symptoms c 0 <1 Gastrointestinal Nausea Any Symptoms 30 22 Severe Symptoms c 3 <1 Vomiting Any Symptoms 18 10 Severe Symptoms c 4 1 Diarrhea Any Symptoms 27 15 Severe Symptoms c <1 1 Mucositis Any Symptoms 7 6 Severe Symptoms c <1 0 Alopecia 90 94 Hepatic (Patients with Normal Baseline) Bilirubin Elevations 7 7 Alkaline Phosphatase Elevations 36 31 AST (SGOT) Elevations 39 32 Injection Site Reaction <1 1 Other Adverse Reactions Hematologic Disorders Neutropenia was dose dependent and reversible. Among patients with metastatic breast cancer in the randomized trial, neutrophil counts declined below 500 cells/mm 3 (Grade 4) in 9% of the patients treated with a dose of 260 mg/m 2 compared to 22% in patients receiving paclitaxel injection at a dose of 175 mg/m 2 . Pancytopenia has been observed in clinical trials. Infections Infectious episodes were reported in 24% of the patients treated with ABRAXANE. Oral candidiasis, respiratory tract infections and pneumonia were the most frequently reported infectious complications. Hypersensitivity Reactions (HSRs) Grade 1 or 2 HSRs occurred on the day of ABRAXANE administration and consisted of dyspnea (1%) and flushing, hypotension, chest pain, and arrhythmia (all <1%). The use of ABRAXANE in patients previously exhibiting hypersensitivity to paclitaxel injection or human albumin has not been studied. Cardiovascular Hypotension, during the 30-minute infusion, occurred in 5% of patients. Bradycardia, during the 30-minute infusion, occurred in <1% of patients. These vital sign changes most often caused no symptoms and required neither specific therapy nor treatment discontinuation. Severe cardiovascular events possibly related to single-agent ABRAXANE occurred in approximately 3% of patients. These events included cardiac ischemia/infarction, chest pain, cardiac arrest, supraventricular tachycardia, edema, thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary emboli, and hypertension. Cases of cerebrovascular attacks (strokes) and transient ischemic attacks have been reported. Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities were common among patients at baseline. ECG abnormalities on study did not usually result in symptoms, were not dose-limiting, and required no intervention. ECG abnormalities were noted in 60% of patients. Among patients with a normal ECG prior to study entry, 35% of all patients developed an abnormal tracing while on study. The most frequently reported ECG modifications were non-specific repolarization abnormalities, sinus bradycardia, and sinus tachycardia. Respiratory Dyspnea (12%), cough (7%), and pneumothorax (<1%) were reported after treatment with ABRAXANE. Neurologic The frequency and severity of sensory neuropathy increased with cumulative dose. Sensory neuropathy was the cause of ABRAXANE discontinuation in 7/229 (3%) patients. Twenty-four patients (10%) treated with ABRAXANE developed Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy; of these patients, 14 had documented improvement after a median of 22 days; 10 patients resumed treatment at a reduced dose of ABRAXANE and 2 discontinued due to peripheral neuropathy. Of the 10 patients without documented improvement, 4 discontinued the study due to peripheral neuropathy. No Grade 4 sensory neuropathies were reported. Only one incident of motor neuropathy (Grade 2) was observed in either arm of the controlled trial. Vision Disorders Ocular/visual disturbances occurred in 13% of all patients (n=366) treated with ABRAXANE and 1% were severe. The severe cases (keratitis and blurred vision) were reported in patients who received higher doses than those recommended (300 or 375 mg/m 2 ). These effects generally have been reversible. Arthralgia/Myalgia The symptoms were usually transient, occurred two or three days after ABRAXANE administration, and resolved within a few days. Hepatic Grade 3 or 4 elevations in GGT were reported for 14% of patients treated with ABRAXANE and 10% of patients treated with paclitaxel injection in the randomized trial. Renal Overall 11% of patients experienced creatinine elevation, 1% severe. No discontinuations, dose reductions, or dose delays were caused by renal toxicities. Other Clinical Events Nail changes (changes in pigmentation or discoloration of nail bed) have been reported. Edema occurred in 10% of patients; no patients had severe edema. Dehydration and pyrexia were also reported. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Adverse reactions were assessed in 514 ABRAXANE/carboplatin-treated patients and 524 paclitaxel injection/carboplatin-treated patients receiving first-line systemic treatment for locally advanced (stage IIIB) or metastatic (IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial. ABRAXANE was administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes at a dose of 100 mg/m 2 on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each 21-day cycle. Paclitaxel injection was administered as an intravenous infusion over 3 hours at a dose of 200 mg/m 2 , following premedication. In both treatment arms carboplatin at a dose of AUC = 6 mg
  • min/mL was administered intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle after completion of ABRAXANE/paclitaxel infusion. The differences in paclitaxel dose and schedule between the two arms limit direct comparison of dose- and schedule-dependent adverse reactions. Among patients evaluable for adverse reactions, the median age was 60 years, 75% were men, 81% were White, 49% had adenocarcinoma, 43% had squamous cell lung cancer, 76% were ECOG PS 1. Patients in both treatment arms received a median of 6 cycles of treatment. The following common (≥ 10% incidence) adverse reactions were observed at a similar incidence in ABRAXANE plus carboplatin-treated and paclitaxel injection plus carboplatin-treated patients: alopecia 56%, nausea 27%, fatigue 25%, decreased appetite 17%, asthenia 16%, constipation 16%, diarrhea 15%, vomiting 12%, dyspnea 12%, and rash 10% (incidence rates are for the ABRAXANE plus carboplatin treatment group). Table 7 provides the frequency and severity of laboratory-detected abnormalities which occurred with a difference of ≥ 5% for all grades (1-4) or ≥ 2% for Grade 3-4 toxicity between ABRAXANE plus carboplatin-treated patients or paclitaxel injection plus carboplatin-treated patients. Table 7: Selected Hematologic Laboratory-Detected Abnormalities with a Difference of ≥ 5% for grades (1-4) or ≥ 2% for Grade 3-4 Toxicity Between Treatment Groups 1 508 patients assessed in ABRAXANE/carboplatin-treated group. 2 514 patients assessed in paclitaxel injection/carboplatin-treated group. 3 513 patients assessed in paclitaxel injection/carboplatin-treated group. ABRAXANE (100 mg/m 2 weekly) plus carboplatin Paclitaxel Injection (200 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks) plus carboplatin Grades 1-4 (%) Grade 3-4 (%) Grades 1-4 (%) Grade 3-4 (%) Anemia 1,2 98 28 91 7 Neutropenia 1,3 85 47 83 58 Thrombocytopenia 1,3 68 18 55 9 Table 8 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions, which occurred with a difference of ≥ 5% for all grades (1-4) or ≥ 2% for Grade 3-4 between either treatment group for the 514 ABRAXANE plus carboplatin-treated patients compared with the 524 patients who received paclitaxel injection plus carboplatin. Table 8: Selected Adverse Reactions with a Difference of ≥5% for All Grade Toxicity or ≥2% for Grade 3-4 Toxicity Between Treatment Groups a Peripheral neuropathy is defined by the MedDRA Version 14.0 SMQ neuropathy (broad scope). System Organ Class Adverse Reaction ABRAXANE (100 mg/m 2 weekly) + carboplatin (N=514) Paclitaxel Injection (200 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks) + carboplatin (N=524) Grade 1-4 Toxicity (%) Grade 3-4 Toxicity (%) Grades 1-4 Toxicity (%) Grade 3-4 Toxicity (%) Nervous system disorders Peripheral neuropathy a 48 3 64 12 General disorders and administration site conditions Edema peripheral 10 0 4 <1 Respiratory thoracic and mediastinal disorders Epistaxis 7 0 2 0 Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders Arthralgia 13 <1 25 2 Myalgia 10 <1 19 2 For the ABRAXANE plus carboplatin treated group, 17/514 (3%) patients developed Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy and no patients developed Grade 4 peripheral neuropathy. Grade 3 neuropathy improved to Grade 1 or resolved in 10/17 patients (59%) following interruption or discontinuation of ABRAXANE. Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas Adverse reactions were assessed in 421 patients who received ABRAXANE plus gemcitabine and 402 patients who received gemcitabine for the first-line systemic treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas in a multicenter, multinational, randomized, controlled, open-label trial. Patients received a median treatment duration of 3.9 months in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group and 2.8 months in the gemcitabine group. For the treated population, the median relative dose intensity for gemcitabine was 75% in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group and 85% in the gemcitabine group. The median relative dose intensity of ABRAXANE was 81%. Table 9 provides the frequency and severity of laboratory-detected abnormalities which occurred at a higher incidence for Grades 1-4 (≥ 5%) or for Grade 3-4 (≥ 2%) toxicity in ABRAXANE plus gemcitabine-treated patients. Table 9: Selected Hematologic Laboratory-Detected Abnormalities with a Higher Incidence (≥ 5% for Grades 1-4 or ≥ 2% for Grades 3-4 Events) in the ABRAXANE/Gemcitabine Arm a 405 patients assessed in ABRAXANE/gemcitabine-treated group. b 388 patients assessed in gemcitabine-treated group. c 404 patients assessed in ABRAXANE/gemcitabine-treated group. d Neutrophil growth factors were administered to 26% of patients in the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine group. ABRAXANE (125 mg/m 2 )/ Gemcitabine d Gemcitabine Grades 1-4 (%) Grade 3-4 (%) Grades 1-4 (%) Grade 3-4 (%) Neutropenia a,b 73 38 58 27 Thrombocytopenia b,c 74 13 70 9 Table 10 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions which occurred with a difference of ≥ 5% for all grades or ≥ 2% for Grade 3 or higher in the ABRAXANE plus gemcitabine-treated group compared to the gemcitabine group. Table 10: Selected Adverse Reactions with a Higher Incidence (≥5% for All Grade Toxicity or ≥2% for Grade 3 or Higher Toxicity) in the ABRAXANE/Gemcitabine Arm a Peripheral neuropathy is defined by the MedDRA Version 15.0 Standard MedDRA Query neuropathy (broad scope). b Urinary tract infections includes the preferred terms of: urinary tract infection, cystitis, urosepsis, urinary tract infection bacterial, and urinary tract infection enterococcal. System Organ Class Adverse Reaction ABRAXANE (125 mg/m 2 ) and gemcitabine (N=421) Gemcitabine (N=402) All Grades Grade 3 or Higher All Grades Grade 3 or Higher General disorders and administration site conditions Fatigue 248 (59%) 77 (18%) 183 (46%) 37 (9%) Peripheral edema 194 (46%) 13 (3%) 122 (30%) 12 (3%) Pyrexia 171 (41%) 12 (3%) 114 (28%) 4 (1%) Asthenia 79 (19%) 29 (7%) 54 (13%) 17 (4%) Mucositis 42 (10%) 6 (1%) 16 (4%) 1 (<1%) Gastrointestinal disorders Nausea 228 (54%) 27 (6%) 192 (48%) 14 (3%) Diarrhea 184 (44%) 26 (6%) 95 (24%) 6 (1%) Vomiting 151 (36%) 25 (6%) 113 (28%) 15 (4%) Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders Alopecia 212 (50%) 6 (1%) 21 (5%) 0 Rash 128 (30%) 8 (2%) 45 (11%) 2 (<1%) Nervous system disorders Peripheral neuropathy a 227 (54%) 70 (17%) 51 (13%) 3 (1%) Dysgeusia 68 (16%) 0 33 (8%) 0 Headache 60 (14%) 1 (<1%) 38 (9%) 1 (<1%) Metabolism and nutrition disorders Decreased appetite 152 (36%) 23 (5%) 104 (26%) 8 (2%) Dehydration 87 (21%) 31 (7%) 45 (11%) 10 (2%) Hypokalemia 52 (12%) 18 (4%) 28 (7%) 6 (1%) Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders Cough 72 (17%) 0 30 (7%) 0 Epistaxis 64 (15%) 1 (<1%) 14 (3%) 1 (<1%) Infections and infestations Urinary tract infections b 47 (11%) 10 (2%) 20 (5%) 1 (<1%) Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders Pain in extremity 48 (11%) 3 (1%) 24 (6%) 3 (1%) Arthralgia 47 (11%) 3 (1%) 13 (3%) 1 (<1%) Myalgia 44 (10%) 4 (1%) 15 (4%) 0 Psychiatric disorders Depression 51 (12%) 1 (<1%) 24 (6%) 0 Additional clinically relevant adverse reactions that were reported in < 10% of the patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who received ABRAXANE/gemcitabine included: Infections & infestations: oral candidiasis, pneumonia Vascular disorders: hypertension Cardiac disorders: tachycardia, congestive cardiac failure Eye disorders: cystoid macular edema Peripheral Neuropathy Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 17% of patients who received ABRAXANE/gemcitabine compared to 1% of patients who received gemcitabine only; no patients developed Grade 4 peripheral neuropathy. The median time to first occurrence of Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy in the ABRAXANE arm was 140 days. Upon suspension of ABRAXANE dosing, the median time to improvement from Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy to ≤ Grade 1 was 29 days. Of ABRAXANE-treated patients with Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy, 44% resumed ABRAXANE at a reduced dose. Sepsis Sepsis occurred in 5% of patients who received ABRAXANE/gemcitabine compared to 2% of patients who received gemcitabine alone. Sepsis occurred both in patients with and without neutropenia. Risk factors for sepsis included biliary obstruction or presence of biliary stent. Pneumonitis Pneumonitis occurred in 4% of patients who received ABRAXANE/gemcitabine compared to 1% of patients who received gemcitabine alone. Two of 17 patients in the ABRAXANE arm with pneumonitis died. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of ABRAXANE or with paclitaxel injection and may be expected to occur with ABRAXANE. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Hypersensitivity Reactions Severe and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reactions. Cross-hypersensitivity between ABRAXANE and other taxanes has been reported. Cardiovascular Congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction, and atrioventricular block. Most patients were previously exposed to cardiotoxic drugs, such as anthracyclines, or had underlying cardiac history. Respiratory Pneumonitis, interstitial pneumonia, and pulmonary embolism Radiation pneumonitis in patients receiving concurrent radiotherapy. Lung fibrosis has been reported with paclitaxel injection. Neurologic Cranial nerve palsies and vocal cord paresis, as well as autonomic neuropathy resulting in paralytic ileus. Vision Disorders Reduced visual acuity due to cystoid macular edema (CME). After cessation of treatment, CME may improve, and visual acuity may return to baseline. Abnormal visual evoked potentials in patients treated with paclitaxel injection suggest persistent optic nerve damage. Hepatic Hepatic necrosis and hepatic encephalopathy leading to death in patients treated with paclitaxel injection. Gastrointestinal (GI) Intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, pancreatitis, and ischemic colitis. In patients treated with paclitaxel injection, neutropenic enterocolitis (typhlitis) despite the coadministration of G-CSF, alone and in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. Injection Site Reaction Extravasation. Closely monitor the ABRAXANE infusion site for possible infiltration during drug administration [see Dosage and Administration 2.1) ] . Severe events such as phlebitis, cellulitis, induration, necrosis, and fibrosis have been reported with paclitaxel injection. In some cases, the onset of the injection site reaction occurred during a prolonged infusion or was delayed up to ten days. Recurrence of skin reactions at a site of previous extravasation following administration of paclitaxel injection at a different site has been reported. Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders Tumor lysis syndrome Other Clinical Events Skin reactions including generalized or maculopapular rash, erythema, and pruritus. Photosensitivity reactions, radiation recall phenomenon, scleroderma, and in some patients previously exposed to capecitabine, reports of palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia. Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported. Conjunctivitis, cellulitis, and increased lacrimation have been reported with paclitaxel injection. Accidental Exposure Upon inhalation of paclitaxel, dyspnea, chest pain, burning eyes, sore throat, and nausea have been reported. Following topical exposure, tingling, burning, and redness have been reported.

Warnings & Cautions for Abraxane

  • Sensory neuropathy occurs frequently and may require dose reduction or treatment interruption. ( 5.2 )
  • Sepsis occurred in patients with or without neutropenia who received ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine; interrupt ABRAXANE and gemcitabine until sepsis resolves, and if neutropenia, until neutrophils are at least 1500 cells/mm 3 , then resume treatment at reduced dose levels. ( 5.3 )
  • Pneumonitis occurred with the use of ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine; permanently discontinue treatment with ABRAXANE and gemcitabine. ( 5.4 )
  • Severe hypersensitivity reactions with fatal outcome have been reported. Do not rechallenge with this drug. ( 4 , 5.5 )
  • Exposure and toxicity of paclitaxel can be increased in patients with hepatic impairment, consider dose reduction and closely monitor patients with hepatic impairment. ( 2.5 , 5.6 )
  • ABRAXANE contains albumin derived from human blood, which has a theoretical risk of viral transmission. ( 5.7 )
  • ABRAXANE can cause fetal harm. Advise patients of potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception. ( 5.8 , 8.1 , 8.3 ) 5.1 Severe Myelosuppression Severe myelosuppression (primarily neutropenia) is dose-dependent and a dose-limiting toxicity of ABRAXANE. In clinical studies, Grade 3-4 neutropenia occurred in 34% of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), 47% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and 38% of patients with pancreatic cancer. Monitor for severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia by performing complete blood cell counts frequently, including prior to dosing on Day 1 (for MBC) and Days 1, 8, and 15 (for NSCLC and for pancreatic cancer). Do not administer ABRAXANE to patients with baseline absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) of less than 1,500 cells/mm3 [see Contraindications (4) ] . In the case of severe neutropenia (<500 cells/mm 3 for seven days or more) during a course of ABRAXANE therapy, reduce the dose of ABRAXANE in subsequent courses in patients with either MBC or NSCLC. In patients with MBC, resume treatment with every-3-week cycles of ABRAXANE after ANC recovers to a level >1,500 cells/mm 3 and platelets recover to a level >100,000 cells/mm 3 . In patients with NSCLC, resume treatment if recommended at permanently reduced doses for both weekly ABRAXANE and every-3-week carboplatin after ANC recovers to at least 1500 cells/mm 3 and platelet count of at least 100,000 cells/mm 3 on Day 1 or to an ANC of at least 500 cells/mm 3 and platelet count of at least 50,000 cells/mm 3 on Days 8 or 15 of the cycle [see Dosage and Administration (2.6) ]. In patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, withhold ABRAXANE and gemcitabine if the ANC is less than 500 cells/mm 3 or platelets are less than 50,000 cells/mm 3 and delay initiation of the next cycle if the ANC is less than 1500 cells/mm 3 or platelet count is less than 100,000 cells/mm 3 on Day 1 of the cycle. Resume treatment with appropriate dose reduction if recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.6) ]. 5.2 Severe Neuropathy Sensory neuropathy is dose- and schedule-dependent [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . If ≥ Grade 3 sensory neuropathy develops, withhold ABRAXANE treatment until resolution to Grade 1 or 2 for metastatic breast cancer or until resolution to ≤ Grade 1 for NSCLC and pancreatic cancer followed by a dose reduction for all subsequent courses of ABRAXANE [see Dosage and Administration (2.6) ] . 5.3 Sepsis Sepsis occurred in 5% of patients with or without neutropenia who received ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine. Biliary obstruction or presence of biliary stent were risk factors for severe or fatal sepsis. If a patient becomes febrile (regardless of ANC) initiate treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics. For febrile neutropenia, interrupt ABRAXANE and gemcitabine until fever resolves and ANC ≥ 1500, then resume treatment at reduced dose levels [see Dosage and Administration (2.6) ] . 5.4 Pneumonitis Pneumonitis, including some cases that were fatal, occurred in 4% of patients receiving ABRAXANE in combination with gemcitabine. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of pneumonitis and interrupt ABRAXANE and gemcitabine during evaluation of suspected pneumonitis. After ruling out infectious etiology and upon making a diagnosis of pneumonitis, permanently discontinue treatment with ABRAXANE and gemcitabine. 5.5 Severe Hypersensitivity Severe and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic reactions, have been reported. Do not rechallenge patients who experience a severe hypersensitivity reaction to ABRAXANE with this drug [see Contraindications (4) ] . Cross-hypersensitivity between ABRAXANE and other taxane products has been reported and may include severe reactions such as anaphylaxis. Closely monitor patients with a previous history of hypersensitivity to other taxanes during initiation of ABRAXANE therapy. 5.6 Use in Patients with Hepatic Impairment The exposure and toxicity of paclitaxel can be increased in patients with hepatic impairment. Closely monitor patients with hepatic impairment for severe myelosuppression. ABRAXANE is not recommended in patients who have total bilirubin >5 x ULN or AST >10 x ULN. In addition, ABRAXANE is not recommended in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who have moderate to severe hepatic impairment (total bilirubin >1.5 x ULN and AST ≤10 x ULN). Reduce the starting dose for patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment [see Dosage and Administration (2.5) , Use in Specific Populations (8.7) , Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . 5.7 Albumin (Human) ABRAXANE contains albumin (human), a derivative of human blood. Based on effective donor screening and product manufacturing processes, it carries a remote risk for transmission of viral diseases. A theoretical risk for transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) also is considered extremely remote. No cases of transmission of viral diseases or CJD have ever been identified for albumin. 5.8 Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on mechanism of action and findings in animals, ABRAXANE can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. In animal reproduction studies, administration of paclitaxel formulated as albumin-bound particles to rats during pregnancy at doses lower than the maximum recommended human dose, based on body surface area, caused embryo-fetal toxicities, including intrauterine mortality, increased resorptions, reduced numbers of live fetuses, and malformations. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception and avoid becoming pregnant during treatment with ABRAXANE and for at least six months after the last dose of ABRAXANE [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1 , 8.3) , Clinical Pharmacology (12.1) ]. Based on findings from genetic toxicity and animal reproduction studies, advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception and avoid fathering a child during treatment with ABRAXANE and for at least three months after the last dose of ABRAXANE [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1 , 8.3) , Nonclinical Toxicology (13.1) ].

Drug Interactions with Abraxane

The metabolism of paclitaxel is catalyzed by CYP2C8 and CYP3A4. Caution should be exercised when administering ABRAXANE concomitantly with medicines known to inhibit or induce either CYP2C8 or CYP3A4. Use caution when concomitantly administering ABRAXANE with inhibitors or inducers of either CYP2C8 or CYP3A4.

Pregnancy Safety for Abraxane

Pregnancy Risk Summary Based on its mechanism of action and findings in animals, ABRAXANE can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman . There are no available human data on ABRAXANE use in pregnant women to inform the drug-associated risk. In animal reproduction studies, administration of paclitaxel formulated as albumin-bound particles to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis resulted in embryo-fetal toxicity at doses approximately 2% of the daily maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis (see Data ). Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus. The background rate of major birth defects and miscarriage is unknown for the indicated population.

In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. Data Animal Data In embryo-fetal development studies, intravenous administration of paclitaxel formulated as albumin-bound particles to rats during pregnancy, on gestation days 7 to 17 at doses of 6 mg/m 2 (approximately 2% of the daily maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) caused embryo-fetal toxicities, as indicated by intrauterine mortality, increased resorptions (up to 5-fold), reduced numbers of litters and live fetuses, reduction in fetal body weight, and increase in fetal anomalies. Fetal anomalies included soft tissue and skeletal malformations, such as eye bulge, folded retina, microphthalmia, and dilation of brain ventricles.

Pediatric Use of Abraxane

Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. Pharmacokinetics, safety, and antitumor activity of ABRAXANE were assessed in an open-label, dose escalation, dose expansion study (NCT01962103) in 96 pediatric patients aged 1.4 to < 17 years with recurrent or refractory pediatric solid tumors. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) normalized for body surface area (BSA) was lower in pediatric patients compared to adults.

No new safety signals were observed in pediatric patients across these studies. Paclitaxel protein-bound exposures normalized by dose were higher in 96 pediatric patients (aged 1.4 to < 17 years) as compared to those in adults.

Contraindications for Abraxane

  • is contraindicated in patients with:
  • Baseline neutrophil counts of < 1,500 cells/mm 3 [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]
  • A history of severe hypersensitivity reactions to ABRAXANE [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ]
  • Neutrophil counts of < 1,500 cells/mm 3 . ( 4 )
  • Severe hypersensitivity reactions to ABRAXANE. ( 4 )

Overdosage Information for Abraxane

There is no known antidote for ABRAXANE overdosage. The primary anticipated complications of overdosage would consist of bone marrow suppression, sensory neurotoxicity, and mucositis.

Clinical Studies of Abraxane

  • 14.1 Metastatic Breast Cancer Data from 106 patients accrued in two single arm open label studies and from 460 patients enrolled in a randomized comparative study were available to support the use of ABRAXANE in metastatic breast cancer. Single Arm Open Label Studies In one study, ABRAXANE was administered as a 30-minute infusion at a dose of 175 mg/m 2 to 43 patients with metastatic breast cancer. The second trial utilized a dose of 300 mg/m 2 as a 30-minute infusion in 63 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Cycles were administered at 3-week intervals. Objective responses were observed in both studies. Randomized Comparative Study This multicenter trial was conducted in 460 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Patients were randomized to receive ABRAXANE at a dose of 260 mg/m 2 given as a 30-minute infusion, or paclitaxel injection at 175 mg/m 2 given as a 3-hour infusion. Sixty-four percent of patients had impaired performance status (ECOG 1 or 2) at study entry; 79% had visceral metastases; and 76% had > 3 sites of metastases. Fourteen percent of the patients had not received prior chemotherapy; 27% had received chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting, 40% in the metastatic setting and 19% in both metastatic and adjuvant settings. Fifty-nine percent received study drug as second or greater than second-line therapy. Seventy-seven percent of the patients had been previously exposed to anthracyclines. In this trial, patients in the ABRAXANE treatment arm had a statistically significantly higher reconciled target lesion response rate (the trial primary endpoint) of 21.5% (95% CI: 16.2% to 26.7%), compared to 11.1% (95% CI: 6.9% to 15.1%) for patients in the paclitaxel injection treatment arm. See Table 11 . There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between the two study arms. Table 11: Efficacy Results from Randomized Metastatic Breast Cancer Trial a Reconciled Target Lesion Response Rate (TLRR) was the prospectively defined protocol specific endpoint, based on independent radiologic assessment of tumor responses reconciled with investigator responses (which also included clinical information) for the first 6 cycles of therapy. The reconciled TLRR was lower than the investigator Reported Response Rates, which are based on all cycles of therapy. b From Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test stratified by 1 st line vs. > 1 st line therapy. c Prior therapy included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. ABRAXANE 260 mg/m 2 Paclitaxel Injection 175 mg/m 2 Reconciled Target Lesion Response Rate (primary endpoint) a All randomized patients Response Rate [95% CI] 50/233 (21.5%) [16.19% – 26.73%] 25/227 (11.1%) [6.94% – 15.09%] p-value b 0.003 Patients who had failed combination chemotherapy or relapsed within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy c Response Rate [95% CI] 20/129 (15.5%) [9.26% – 21.75%] 12/143 (8.4%) [3.85% – 12.94%] 14.2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer A multicenter, randomized, open-label study was conducted in 1052 chemotherapy naive patients with Stage IIIb/IV non-small cell lung cancer to compare ABRAXANE in combination with carboplatin to paclitaxel injection in combination with carboplatin as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. ABRAXANE was administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes at a dose of 100 mg/m 2 on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each 21-day cycle. Paclitaxel injection was administered as an intravenous infusion over 3 hours at a dose of 200 mg/m 2 , following premedication. In both treatment arms carboplatin at a dose of AUC = 6 mg
  • min/mL was administered intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle after completion of ABRAXANE/paclitaxel infusion. Treatment was administered until disease progression or development of an unacceptable toxicity. The major efficacy outcome measure was overall response rate as determined by a central independent review committee using RECIST guidelines (Version 1.0). In the intent-to-treat (all-randomized) population, the median age was 60 years, 75% were men, 81% were White, 49% had adenocarcinoma, 43% had squamous cell lung cancer, 76% were ECOG PS 1, and 73% were current or former smokers. Patients received a median of 6 cycles of treatment in both study arms. Patients in the ABRAXANE/carboplatin arm had a statistically significantly higher overall response rate compared to patients in the paclitaxel injection/carboplatin arm [(33% versus 25%) see Table 12 ]. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between the two study arms. Table 12: Efficacy Results from Randomized Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Trial (Intent-to-Treat Population) CI = confidence interval; DoR= Duration of response. ABRAXANE (100 mg/m 2 weekly) + carboplatin (N=521) Paclitaxel Injection (200 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks) + carboplatin (N=531) Overall Response Rate (ORR) Confirmed complete or partial overall response, n (%) 170 (33%) 132 (25%) 95% CI 28.6, 36.7 21.2, 28.5 P-value (Chi-Square test) 0.005 Median DoR in months (95% CI) 6.9 (5.6, 8.0) 6.0 (5.6, 7.1) Overall Response Rate by Histology Carcinoma/Adenocarcinoma 66/254 (26%) 71/264 (27%) Squamous Cell Carcinoma 94/229 (41%) 54/221 (24%) Large Cell Carcinoma 3/9 (33%) 2/13 (15%) Other 7/29 (24%) 5/33 (15%) 14.3 Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas A multicenter, multinational, randomized, open-label study was conducted in 861 patients comparing ABRAXANE plus gemcitabine versus gemcitabine monotherapy as first-line treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Key eligibility criteria were Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥70, normal bilirubin level, transaminase levels ≤ 2.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or ≤ 5 times the ULN for patients with liver metastasis, no prior cytotoxic chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting or for metastatic disease, no ongoing active infection requiring systemic therapy, and no history of interstitial lung disease. Patients with rapid decline in KPS (≥10%) or serum albumin (≥20%) during the 14 day screening period prior to study randomization were ineligible. A total of 861 patients were randomized (1:1) to the ABRAXANE/gemcitabine arm (N=431) or to the gemcitabine arm (N=430). Randomization was stratified by geographic region (Australia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, or North America), KPS (70 to 80 versus 90 to 100), and presence of liver metastasis (yes versus no). Patients randomized to ABRAXANE/gemcitabine received ABRAXANE 125 mg/m 2 as an intravenous infusion over 30-40 minutes followed by gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 as an intravenous infusion over 30-40 minutes on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each 28-day cycle. Patients randomized to gemcitabine received 1000 mg/m 2 as an intravenous infusion over 30-40 minutes weekly for 7 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period in Cycle 1 then as 1000 mg/m 2 on Days 1, 8, and 15 of each subsequent 28-day cycle. Patients in both arms received treatment until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The major efficacy outcome measure was overall survival (OS). Additional outcome measures were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR), both assessed by independent, central, blinded radiological review using RECIST (version 1.0). In the intent-to-treat (all randomized) population, the median age was 63 years (range 27-88 years) with 42% ≥ 65 years of age; 58% were men; 93% were White and KPS was 90-100 in 60%. Disease characteristics included 46% of patients with 3 or more metastatic sites; 84% of patients had liver metastasis; and the location of the primary pancreatic lesion was in the head of pancreas (43%), body (31%), or tail (25%). Results for overall survival, progression-free survival, and overall response rate are shown in Table 13 . Table 13: Efficacy Results from Randomized Study in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas (ITT Population) CI = confidence interval, HR = hazard ratio of ABRAXANE plus gemcitabine / gemcitabine, ITT = intent-to-treat population. a Stratified Cox proportional hazard model. b Stratified log-rank test stratified by geographic region (North America versus Others), Karnofsky performance score (70 to 80 versus 90 to 100), and presence of liver metastasis (yes versus no). c Based on Independent Radiological Reviewer Assessment. d Chi-square test. ABRAXANE (125 mg/m 2 ) and gemcitabine (N = 431) Gemcitabine (N = 430) Overall Survival Number of deaths, n (%) 333 (77) 359 (83) Median Overall Survival (months) 8.5 6.7 95% CI 7.9, 9.5 6.0, 7.2 HR (95% CI) a 0.72 (0.62, 0.83) P-value b <0.0001 Progression-free Survival c Death or progression, n (%) 277 (64) 265 (62) Median Progression-free Survival (months) 5.5 3.7 95% CI 4.5, 5.9 3.6, 4.0 HR (95% CI) a 0.69 (0.58, 0.82) P-value b <0.0001 Overall Response Rate c Confirmed complete or partial overall response, n (%) 99 (23) 31 (7) 95% CI 19.1, 27.2 5.0, 10.1 P-value d <0.0001 In exploratory analyses conducted in clinically relevant subgroups with a sufficient number of subjects, the treatment effects on overall survival were similar to that observed in the overall study population. Figure 1: Kaplan-Meier Curve of Overall Survival (Intent-to-Treat Population) Figure 1: Kaplan-Meier Curve of Overall Survival (Intent-to-Treat Population)

Drug information sourced from the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before making any medication decisions.

Ready to save on Abraxane?

Compare prescription prices at over 70,000 pharmacies and start saving today—no enrollment required.

Compare Abraxane Prices