What class is melphalan?

Melphalan is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells in your body.

What type of chemotherapy is melphalan?

Melphalan (U.S. brand name Alkeran) is a chemotherapy drug commonly used in treating multiple myeloma. It belongs to the class of drugs known as alkylating agents, which inhibit DNA and RNA synthesis, causing the death of both dividing and non-dividing tumor cells. It has been used to treat MM since the 1960s.

How do you get melphalan?

Melphalan injection comes as a powder to be mixed with liquid to be slowly injected intravenously (into a vein) over 15 to 30 minutes by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility.

Is melphalan anticancer drug is cell cycle specific?

Melphalan is classified as an alkylating agent. Alkylating agents are most active in the resting phase of the cell. These drugs are cell cycle non-specific.

Is melphalan expensive?

The cost of Melphalan is normally $624.48 at full retail price. A SingleCare Melphalan coupon reduces that price to $134.84.

Can melphalan be used by a nursing mother?

This medicine may affect fertility (ability to have children) in both men and women. However, it is important to use birth control to prevent pregnancy because melphalan can harm an unborn baby. You should not breastfeed while using melphalan.

How long after melphalan does hair fall out?

Thinning or loss of your hair will usually start within two to four weeks of your first dose of melphalan. You may also have thinning or loss of eyelashes, eyebrows and other body hair.

Who owns melphalan?

In August 2019, CASI Pharmaceuticals launched melphalan intravenous in China for use as a high-dose conditioning treatment prior to stem cell transplantation in the treatment of multiple myeloma and as palliative treatment of patients with multiple myeloma for whom oral therapy is not appropriate .

What is cost of melphalan?

Injection. Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Generic : Melphalan. Price :₹ 1,519.92. Unit: 50mg.

Does Medicare pay for stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma?

Medicare does not cover allogeneic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

How long do side effects of melphalan last?

Nausea and throwing up (vomiting). These symptoms may happen within a few hours after treatment and may last up to 48 hours. Medicines are available to stop or lessen these side effects.

Which isomer of melphalan is more active?

Melphalan is the active L-isomer of the compound and was first synthesized in 1953 by Bergel and Stock; the D-isomer, known as medphalan, is less active against certain animal tumors, and the dose needed to produce effects on chromosomes is larger than that required with the L-isomer.

How long after a stem cell transplant are you immunocompromised?

“Even three months is a little early for most stem cell transplant recipients, because they don’t have a fully functional immune system yet,” Chemaly says. “But we don’t want them to wait any longer, because they’re already at higher risk of developing complications if they catch COVID-19.”

Is melphalan generic?

Fresenius Kabi’s Melphalan Hydrochloride for Injection, a generic version of Alkeran®, is now available in the US.

Who manufactures melphalan?

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals has patents for Captisol® technology which covers melphalan, these patents are due to expire between 2025 and 2029 in the US and in 2025 outside the US.

How long does it take to recover from melphalan?

Depending upon the type, recovery can take 2 to 4 weeks in the hospital and several months or more as an outpatient.

How long does melphalan stay in the body?

How long does melphalan stay in the body? White blood cell 8-10 days, 27-32 days (platelets).