Brentuximab Vedotin Injection
Brentuximab vedotin injection is a targeted cancer medicine given by IV infusion to treat CD30-positive lymphomas, including classical Hodgkin lymphoma, certain T-cell lymphomas and large B-cell lymphoma.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 1 clinical label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) is a specialist IV cancer drug, on the U.S. market since about 2011, for CD30-positive lymphomas including classical Hodgkin lymphoma, some T-cell lymphomas and large B-cell lymphoma that has returned or resisted treatment; its antibody finds CD30 on cancer cells and releases a cell-killing agent inside that stops them dividing. It is demanding but manageable, and many people notice numbness or tingling in hands and feet that builds dose by dose, plus tiredness and nausea. The boxed warning is PML, a rare, potentially fatal brain infection; report new confusion, weakness, trouble walking or vision changes at once, and any fever, since blood counts can drop.
Clinical pearls
- Adcetris must never be given with bleomycin because of serious lung damage, which is why it replaces bleomycin in some regimens.
- Before starting antifungals like ketoconazole, mention Adcetris, since strong CYP3A4 (liver enzyme) blockers raise levels of its cell-killing agent.
- Women need effective contraception through treatment and 2 months after the last dose; men with female partners, 4 months.
- Share any liver or kidney disease first, since it is avoided in severe kidney or moderate to severe liver impairment.
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾
Adcetris can cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare brain infection caused by the JC virus. It can lead to death.
Tell your care team right away about new or worsening confusion, trouble thinking, weakness, balance or walking problems, or vision changes.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Brentuximab Vedotin Injection, written from its FDA label.
What Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is used for
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Brentuximab vedotin is used for several lymphomas. The label’s approvals are for Adcetris given by IV infusion:
- Previously untreated Stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma in adults, with doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine.
- Previously untreated high risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma in children 2 years and older, with doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, prednisone and cyclophosphamide.
- Classical Hodgkin lymphoma in adults at high risk of relapse or progression after an autologous stem cell transplant (consolidation).
- Classical Hodgkin lymphoma in adults after failed stem cell transplant, or after at least two prior chemotherapy regimens when transplant is not an option.
- Previously untreated systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas in adults, with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone.
- Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma in adults after at least one prior chemotherapy regimen.
- Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides in adults after prior systemic therapy.
- Relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma in adults after two or more lines of therapy who are not eligible for stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy, with lenalidomide and a rituximab product.
How Brentuximab Vedotin Injection works
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Brentuximab vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate. Its antibody part targets CD30, a protein found on Hodgkin lymphoma cells, anaplastic large cell lymphoma cells and some other lymphoma cells. CD30 is found on few healthy cells.
After the drug attaches, the cell takes it in and releases MMAE. MMAE disrupts the cell’s microtubules (its internal scaffolding), which stops cell division and triggers cell death.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection dosage
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Adcetris is given only as an IV infusion over about 30 minutes, by a healthcare professional. Timing is usually every 2 or 3 weeks, and the number of doses depends on the condition and treatment plan.
- Dose is based on body weight, with a cap.
- Your team may delay or lower doses for side effects such as neuropathy or low neutrophils.
- Growth factor medicine (G-CSF) is often given from the first cycle in combination regimens.
- Contact your care team if you miss an appointment.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Brentuximab Vedotin Injection prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.
- Adult patients with previously untreated Stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma
- 1.2 mg/kg in combination with chemotherapy
- Administer every 2 weeks until a maximum of 12 doses, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity
- Maximum: 120 mg
- Dose for patients weighing greater than 100 kg calculated based on a weight of 100 kg; mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A): reduce to 0.9 mg/kg up to a maximum of 90 mg every 2 weeks
- Pediatric patients with previously untreated high risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma
- 1.8 mg/kg in combination with chemotherapy
- Administer every 3 weeks with each cycle of chemotherapy for a maximum of 5 doses
- Maximum: 180 mg
- Dose for patients weighing greater than 100 kg calculated based on a weight of 100 kg
- Adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma consolidation
- 1.8 mg/kg
- Initiate within 4-6 weeks post-auto-HSCT or upon recovery from auto-HSCT
- Administer every 3 weeks until a maximum of 16 cycles, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity
- Maximum: 180 mg
- Mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A): reduce to 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 3 weeks
- Adult patients with relapsed classical Hodgkin lymphoma
- 1.8 mg/kg
- Administer every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity
- Maximum: 180 mg
- Mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A): reduce to 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 3 weeks
- Adult patients with previously untreated systemic ALCL or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas
- 1.8 mg/kg in combination with chemotherapy
- Administer every 3 weeks with each cycle of chemotherapy for 6 to 8 doses
- Maximum: 180 mg
- Mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A): reduce to 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 3 weeks
- Adult patients with relapsed Systemic ALCL
- 1.8 mg/kg
- Administer every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity
- Maximum: 180 mg
- Mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A): reduce to 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 3 weeks
- Adult patients with relapsed primary cutaneous ALCL or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides
- 1.8 mg/kg
- Administer every 3 weeks until a maximum of 16 cycles, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity
- Maximum: 180 mg
- Mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A): reduce to 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 3 weeks
- Adult patients with relapsed or refractory LBCL
- 1.2 mg/kg in combination with lenalidomide and rituximab
- Administer every 3 weeks until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity
- Maximum: 120 mg
- Mild hepatic impairment: reduce to 0.9 mg/kg up to a maximum of 90 mg every 3 weeks
Read the label’s full dosing text
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION • Administer only as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes ( 2.1 ). • The recommended dosage as monotherapy for adult patients is 1.8 mg/kg up to a maximum of 180 mg every 3 weeks ( 2.1 ). • The recommended dosage in combination with chemotherapy for adult patients with previously untreated Stage III or IV cHL is 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 2 weeks for a maximum of 12 doses ( 2.1 ). • The recommended dosage in combination with chemotherapy for pediatric patients 2 years and older with previously untreated high risk cHL is 1.8 mg/kg up to a maximum of 180 mg every 3 weeks for a maximum of 5 doses ( 2.1 ). • The recommended dosage in combination with chemotherapy for adult patients with previously untreated PTCL is 1.8 mg/kg up to a maximum of 180 mg every 3 weeks for 6 to 8 doses ( 2.1 ). • The recommended dosage in combination with lenalidomide and a rituximab product for adult patients with relapsed or refractory LBCL is 1.2 mg/kg up to a maximum of 120 mg every 3 weeks ( 2.1 ). • Avoid use in patients with severe renal impairment ( 2.2 ) • Reduce dose in patients with mild hepatic impairment; avoid use in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment ( 2.3 ). 2.1 Recommended Dosage The recommended ADCETRIS dosage is provided in Table 1 . Administer ADCETRIS as a 30-minute intravenous infusion. For recommended dosage for patients with renal or hepatic impairment, see Dosage and Administration (2.2 and 2.3 ) . For dosing instructions of combination agents administered with ADCETRIS, see Clinical Studies (14.1 , 14.2, and 14.5 ) and the manufacturer’s prescribing information. Table 1: Recommended ADCETRIS Dosage Indication Recommended Dose The dose for patients weighing greater than 100 kg should be calculated based on a weight of 100 kg.
Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection side effects
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Common side effects include:
Common side effects
- Numbness, tingling or pain in hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy)
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Mouth sores, abdominal pain, rash, or upper respiratory infection
- Hair loss (with combination therapy)
When to get medical help
- Call your care team right away about new confusion, trouble thinking or walking, vision changes, or weakness. These can be signs of PML, a rare brain infection.
- Tell your team about worsening numbness, tingling or weakness in your hands or feet.
- Get help right away for signs of a serious allergic or infusion reaction during or after treatment.
- Report fever, chills or other signs of infection promptly, since your blood counts can drop.
- Report new or worsening cough or shortness of breath (possible lung problems).
- Report severe stomach pain, skin blistering or peeling, or a severe rash.
- Report symptoms of high blood sugar, such as increased thirst or urination.
- Tell your team right away if you become pregnant.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection warnings and precautions
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PML, a rare brain infection that can be fatal, is the boxed warning. Report new confusion, balance problems, weakness or vision changes right away.
- Peripheral neuropathy is cumulative and can be lasting.
- Infusion reactions and anaphylaxis can occur.
- Low blood counts and serious infections need monitoring.
- Tumor lysis syndrome is a risk with rapidly growing or large tumors.
- Liver toxicity, lung toxicity, severe skin reactions, stomach and bowel complications and high blood sugar can occur.
- It can cause fetal harm.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection interactions
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A few medicines need special care with Adcetris:
- Bleomycin: contraindicated because of lung toxicity.
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (for example, ketoconazole): raise MMAE levels and side-effect risk, so you will be monitored closely.
- Strong CYP3A4 inducers: may change MMAE levels.
Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label
From the Brentuximab Vedotin Injection prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole): Co-administration with ketoconazole, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, increased exposure to MMAE, which may increase the risk of adverse reaction. Closely monitor adverse reactions when ADCETRIS is given concomitantly with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.
- Strong CYP3A4 inducers: Concomitant use has the potential to affect the exposure to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE).
Read the label’s full interactions text
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers has the potential to affect the exposure to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) ( 7.1 ). 7.1 Effect of Other Drugs on ADCETRIS CYP3A4 Inhibitors: Co-administration of ADCETRIS with ketoconazole, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, increased exposure to MMAE [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ], which may increase the risk of adverse reaction. Closely monitor adverse reactions when ADCETRIS is given concomitantly with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.
Before taking Brentuximab Vedotin Injection
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- Do not use with bleomycin.
- Severe kidney impairment: use is avoided.
- Mild liver impairment: dose is reduced. Moderate or severe: use is avoided.
- Pregnancy: can cause fetal harm. Pregnancy status is checked first.
- Contraception: females for 2 months and males with female partners for 4 months after the last dose.
- Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment.
- Fertility may be affected in women and men.
- Children: established only for previously untreated high risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma in ages 2 and older.
- Adults 65 and older had more febrile neutropenia in some studies.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection overdose
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There is no known antidote for an Adcetris overdose. You would be closely monitored for side effects, especially low neutrophils (neutropenia). Supportive treatment would be given.
What Brentuximab Vedotin Injection does in the body
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Adcetris works by targeting CD30-expressing cells and killing them through MMAE. At the recommended dose, it did not cause a large QTc prolongation, a heart rhythm effect measured on ECG.
How your body processes Brentuximab Vedotin Injection
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Levels of the antibody-drug conjugate peak near the end of the infusion. Its half-life is about 4 to 6 days. MMAE peaks about 1 to 3 days after the infusion and has a half-life of about 3 to 4 days. Only a small fraction of MMAE is metabolized, mainly by CYP3A4/5. About 24% of MMAE was recovered in urine and stool over a week, mostly in stool. Sex and race do not meaningfully affect how the drug behaves in the body.
How to store Brentuximab Vedotin Injection
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Store vial refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) in the original carton to protect from light.
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Brentuximab Vedotin Injection
121 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Brentuximab Vedotin Injection in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 2
- Moderate · 87
- Minor · 32
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Brentuximab Vedotin Injection — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is Adcetris used for?
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How is it given?
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What side effects should I expect?
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When should I call my care team right away?
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Can I take other medicines with it?
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What about pregnancy and breastfeeding?
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Is Brentuximab Vedotin Injection available over the counter?
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When was Brentuximab Vedotin Injection first available?
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Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
More about Brentuximab Vedotin Injection on HelloPharmacist
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection forms and strengths (how it comes)
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Need a version that does not list lactose, a gluten source, a dye or gelatin? Inactive ingredients differ by manufacturer: see Brentuximab Vedotin Injection inactive ingredients by manufacturer.
Injection
How this form is used
- Adcetris is used for classical Hodgkin lymphoma in adults and in children 2 years and older with previously untreated high risk disease.
- Adcetris is used for systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma and other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas.
- Adcetris is used for primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides after prior systemic therapy.
- Adcetris is used with lenalidomide and a rituximab product for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma.
- Adcetris is given only as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes.
- Adcetris is usually given every 2 or 3 weeks, depending on the condition.
- Adcetris dosing may be lowered for mild liver impairment, and use is avoided in severe kidney impairment.
- Adcetris is not used with bleomycin.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Brentuximab Vedotin Injection appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
1 company lists 1 Brentuximab Vedotin Injection product record with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 2011. Brand names on the directory include Adcetris; the rest are generics.
How widely Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Brentuximab Vedotin Injection prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Brentuximab Vedotin Injection ranks #1,168 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 27% of them.
Utilization by Brentuximab Vedotin Injection product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
brentuximab vedotin 50 MG Injection
Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1147323
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Brentuximab Vedotin Injection, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 1 of 1 listed Brentuximab Vedotin Injection NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Brentuximab Vedotin Injection products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Brentuximab Vedotin Injection — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Injection | ||||
| 50 mg/10.5 mL | Intravenous | Seagen Inc. | BLA | View NDC → |
Showing 1 of 1 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 1 Brentuximab Vedotin Injection NDCs →
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Brentuximab Vedotin Injection — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Brentuximab Vedotin Injection in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection FDA approval history
How Brentuximab Vedotin Injection went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Brentuximab Vedotin recalls since July 2021.
✅No Brentuximab Vedotin recalls on record since July 2021Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 1147320 1 dose form · 1 strength
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Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1655962In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 50 MGRxCUI 1147323
Look up RxCUI 1147320 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection supply and shortage status
Whether Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection brand names
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection is sold under one brand name in the FDA directory — Adcetris. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Brentuximab Vedotin Injection: manufacturers and labelers
One company lists Brentuximab Vedotin Injection products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Seagen Inc.. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection drug class (RxNorm)
Brentuximab Vedotin Injection belongs to the CD30-directed Immunoconjugate class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
Sources for this Brentuximab Vedotin Injection page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How this page is built
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Seagen Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →