Carboplatin
Carboplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy given by injection into a vein, used to treat advanced ovarian carcinoma (ovarian cancer) as part of a combination regimen and, as a single agent, when ovarian cancer has come back after earlier chemotherapy.
🧬 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 13 clinical label sets 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 →
Carboplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy, given as an infusion into a vein, that attaches to DNA and links its strands together so cancer cells cannot copy themselves. On the market since about 1989 and available generically, it is a cornerstone of advanced ovarian cancer treatment, used with other chemotherapy first and alone if the cancer returns. It is usually easier to tolerate than its older cousin cisplatin, though nausea, weakness and hair loss are common. The boxed warning covers seriously low blood counts and allergic reactions that can hit within minutes, so counts are checked before each cycle. Call right away for fever, bleeding, trouble breathing or uncontrolled vomiting.
Clinical pearls
- Your dose is calculated from kidney function, not body size, so tell the team about any kidney problems.
- Flag any aminoglycoside antibiotic, such as gentamicin, since together they raise the risk of kidney damage and hearing loss.
- If you take phenytoin for seizures, carboplatin can lower its levels, so ask whether your levels need checking.
- Women should use contraception during treatment and for 6 months after; men with female partners, for 3 months after.
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾
Carboplatin can seriously lower your blood counts, leading to infection or bleeding, and can cause severe allergic reactions. It should be given only by a physician experienced in cancer chemotherapy, in a setting with proper treatment facilities.
- Bone marrow suppression depends on the dose and may be severe.
- Anemia may build up and may need transfusions.
- Vomiting is a frequent side effect.
- Allergic reactions can happen within minutes of the infusion. Epinephrine, corticosteroids and antihistamines are used to treat them.
The dose is usually calculated from your kidney function (the Calvert formula), in total milligrams rather than by body size.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Carboplatin, written from its FDA label.
What Carboplatin is used for
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Carboplatin treats ovarian cancer in the following ways:
- Initial treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma, in combination with other chemotherapy such as cyclophosphamide (Kyxata and carboplatin injection).
- Treatment of ovarian carcinoma that has recurred after prior chemotherapy, as a single agent (Kyxata; carboplatin injection also describes single-agent use for recurrent ovarian carcinoma).
How Carboplatin works
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Carboplatin is a platinum-based drug. It binds to DNA and forms cross-links between the strands. This stops the cell from copying its DNA and making what it needs, and triggers cell death.
It works much like cisplatin, though it reacts more slowly to become active.
Carboplatin dosage
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Carboplatin is given as an infusion into a vein by a healthcare professional, usually over 15 minutes or longer. Treatment is generally on day 1 of a cycle that repeats about every 4 weeks.
- In combination with cyclophosphamide for first treatment, up to 6 cycles are given.
- Alone for recurrent cancer, cycles continue until the cancer progresses or side effects become unacceptable (Kyxata).
- Your dose may be calculated from kidney function and adjusted based on blood counts.
- Anti-nausea medicine is given before and after.
Because it is given in a clinic, there is no home missed-dose routine. Contact your care team to reschedule.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Carboplatin 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.
- Initial Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Carcinoma (in combination with cyclophosphamide)
- KYXATA 300 mg/m2 -OR- AUC of 4 mg/mL∙min to 6 mg/mL∙min intravenously in combination with cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 intravenously on Day 1 every 4 weeks for each cycle
- Administer up to six cycles or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs
- For older adults, calculate the dose based on AUC to reduce risk of severe adverse reactions
- Recurrent/Secondary Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Carcinoma as a Single Agent
- KYXATA 360 mg/m2 -OR- AUC of 4 mg/mL∙min to 6 mg/mL∙min intravenously on Day 1 every 4 weeks for each cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs
- For older adults, calculate the dose based on AUC to reduce risk of severe adverse reactions
- Patients with impaired kidney function, baseline creatinine clearance 41 to 59 mL/min (body surface area dosing, single agent)
- 250 mg/m2 on Day 1
- Applies to the initial course; subsequent dosages adjusted according to tolerance based on degree of bone marrow suppression
- Patients with impaired kidney function, baseline creatinine clearance 16 to 40 mL/min (body surface area dosing, single agent)
- 200 mg/m2 on Day 1
- Applies to the initial course; data for creatinine clearance below 15 mL/min are too limited to permit a recommendation
- Formula dosing (Calvert formula)
- Total Dose (mg) = (target AUC) × (GFR + 25)
- Target AUC of 4 mg/mL•min to 6 mg/mL•min using single agent carboplatin
- Formula dosing based on estimates of GFR should be used in elderly patients; no dose modification recommended for renal impairment when dosed by AUC
Read the label’s full dosing text
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: NOTE: Aluminum reacts with carboplatin causing precipitate formation and loss of potency, therefore, needles or intravenous sets containing aluminum parts that may come in contact with the drug must not be used for the preparation or administration of Carboplatin Injection. Single-Agent Therapy Carboplatin Injection, as a single agent, has been shown to be effective in patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma at a dosage of 360 mg/m 2 IV on day 1 every 4 weeks (alternatively see Formula Dosing ). In general, however, single intermittent courses of Carboplatin Injection should not be repeated until the neutrophil count is at least 2,000 and the platelet count is at least 100,000. Combination Therapy with Cyclophosphamide In the chemotherapy of advanced ovarian cancer, an effective combination for previously untreated patients consists of: Carboplatin Injection–300 mg/m 2 IV on day 1 every 4 weeks for 6 cycles (alternatively see Formula Dosing ). Cyclophosphamide–600 mg/m 2 IV on day 1 every 4 weeks for 6 cycles. For directions regarding the use and administration of cyclophosphamide please refer to its package insert (see CLINICAL STUDIES ). Intermittent courses of Carboplatin Injection in combination with cyclophosphamide should not be repeated until the neutrophil count is at least 2,000 and the platelet count is at least 100,000. Dose Adjustment Recommendations Pretreatment platelet count and performance status are important prognostic factors for severity of myelosuppression in previously treated patients. The suggested dose adjustments for single agent or combination therapy shown in the table below are modified from controlled trials in previously treated and untreated patients with ovarian carcinoma. Blood counts were done weekly, and the recommendations are based on the lowest post-treatment platelet or neutrophil value. Platelets Neutrophils Adjusted Dose * (From Prior Course) > 100,000 > 2000 125% 50 to 100,000 500 to 2000 No Adjustment < 50,000 <500 75% *Percentages apply to Carboplatin Injection as a single agent or to both carboplatin and cyclophosphamide in combination. In the controlled studies, dosages were also adjusted at a lower level (50 to 60%) for severe myelosuppression. Escalations above 125% were not recommended for these studies.
Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Carboplatin side effects
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Many people have side effects from carboplatin. Common ones include:
Common side effects
- Low blood counts (white cells, platelets, red cells)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Anemia (low red blood cells)
- Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
- Hair loss
- Pain and weakness
- Low levels of sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea and vomiting, usually within 24 hours of treatment
- Low electrolytes such as magnesium and sodium
- Injection site redness, swelling or pain
When to get medical help
- Call your care team right away for fever or signs of infection, since low white cells can cause serious or fatal infections.
- Tell them about unusual bleeding or bruising, which can come from low platelets.
- Seek emergency help for rash, hives, itching, wheezing, trouble breathing or faintness. Allergic reactions can happen within minutes.
- Report severe vomiting that anti-nausea medicine does not control.
- Report new numbness or tingling.
- Report hearing changes or vision loss.
- Report rapidly worsening anemia, dark urine, or reduced urine, which can signal hemolytic anemia or hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
Carboplatin warnings and precautions
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- Bone marrow suppression can cause severe or fatal infection or bleeding. Counts usually reach their lowest around day 21.
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can happen within minutes, with higher risk after prior platinum treatment.
- Vomiting can be severe, especially after previous chemotherapy.
- Nerve problems are more likely in people over 65 or previously treated with cisplatin.
- Hemolytic anemia and hemolytic-uremic syndrome can be life-threatening.
- High doses have caused vision loss and liver problems. Rare cases of hepatic veno-occlusive disease have occurred.
- It can harm an unborn baby.
Carboplatin interactions
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Tell your care team about every medicine you take. Key concerns:
- Aminoglycoside antibiotics: higher risk of kidney and hearing toxicity.
- Other kidney-toxic drugs: carboplatin may increase their kidney effects.
- Phenytoin or fosphenytoin: levels can drop, which may worsen seizures.
- Other drugs that lower blood counts, or radiation: effects on bone marrow add up.
Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label
From the Carboplatin prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.
- Nephrotoxic compounds: The renal effects of nephrotoxic compounds may be potentiated by carboplatin.
- Phenytoin/fosphenytoin: A decrease in phenytoin serum levels has been observed with concurrent administration with carboplatin, which may lead to exacerbation of seizures.
Read the label’s full interactions text
Drug Interactions The renal effects of nephrotoxic compounds may be potentiated by carboplatin. A decrease in phenytoin serum levels has been observed with concurrent administration of carboplatin and phenytoin/fosphenytoin. This may lead to exacerbation of seizures.
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 Carboplatin
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- Do not use if you have had a severe allergy to cisplatin, other platinum drugs, or mannitol.
- Not for people with severe bone marrow depression or significant bleeding.
- Kidney problems may require dose changes and closer blood count monitoring.
- Pregnancy: it can cause fetal harm. Pregnancy testing and contraception are advised (Kyxata label: 6 months after the last dose for women, 3 months for men with female partners).
- Breastfeeding: Kyxata label advises not to breastfeed during treatment and for 1 week afterward.
- Children: safety and effectiveness have not been established, and hearing loss is a risk.
- Older adults: more likely to have severe low platelets and nerve problems, so dosing is based on kidney function.
Carboplatin overdose
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There is no known antidote for overdose. Expected problems are severe bone marrow suppression and liver toxicity, and vision loss or hearing loss (in children) have been reported at higher than recommended doses. Dialysis removes Kyxata, and patients are monitored closely and given supportive care.
What Carboplatin does in the body
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The relationship between carboplatin exposure and its effects, and the time course of those effects, has not been fully worked out.
How your body processes Carboplatin
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After an infusion into a vein, carboplatin levels fall in two phases, with half-lives of about 1 to 2 hours and then about 2.6 to 5.9 hours. It is not bound to plasma proteins, but its platinum slowly binds to proteins and is cleared over days.
The kidneys clear most of it. About 65% of a dose appears in urine within 12 hours when kidney function is good. With reduced kidney function, clearance falls, so doses are lowered.
How to store Carboplatin
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Unopened vials of carboplatin injection are stable to the date indicated on the package when stored at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) . PROTECT FROM LIGHT.
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Carboplatin: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Carboplatin — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is carboplatin used for?
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How will I get it?
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Will I feel sick afterward?
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What should I call my care team about right away?
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Why do I need blood tests?
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Is it safe in pregnancy?
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Is Carboplatin available over the counter?
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When was Carboplatin first available?
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Who makes Carboplatin?
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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 Carboplatin on HelloPharmacist
Carboplatin forms and strengths (how it comes)
Carboplatin 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 Carboplatin inactive ingredients by manufacturer.
Injection
How this form is used
- Kyxata is used with other chemotherapy for the initial treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma in adults.
- Kyxata is used alone for ovarian carcinoma that returned after prior chemotherapy.
- Carboplatin injection is used for the initial treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma in established combination with other approved chemotherapy.
- Kyxata is given into a vein, with anti-nausea medicine beforehand, in a setting equipped for emergency resuscitation.
- Carboplatin injection is given by an infusion into a vein usually lasting 15 minutes or longer.
- Carboplatin injection must not be prepared or given with needles or IV sets containing aluminum.
Show 1 more strength Show fewer strengths
Carboplatin on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Carboplatin 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.
11 companies list 34 Carboplatin product records with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1989. Brand names on the directory include Kyxata, Paraplatin; the rest are generics.
Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (8) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
How widely Carboplatin is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Carboplatin 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 Carboplatin 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 Carboplatin prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Carboplatin ranks #688 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 57% of them.
Utilization by Carboplatin 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.
carboplatin 10 MG/ML Injectable Solution
Summed across the 20 of 69 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 597195
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 Carboplatin, 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 20 of 69 listed Carboplatin NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Carboplatin products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Carboplatin — 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 | ||||
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | Accord Healthcare, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | Apotex Corp. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 80 mg/8 mL | Intravenous | Avyxa Pharma, LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 500 mg/50 mL | Intravenous | Avyxa Pharma, LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | BPI Labs LLC × 4 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg/5 mL | Intravenous | Eugia US LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg/15 mL | Intravenous | Eugia US LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 450 mg/45 mL | Intravenous | Eugia US LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 600 mg/60 mL | Intravenous | Eugia US LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | Gland Pharma Limited × 4 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | Hospira, Inc. × 5 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg/5 mL | Intravenous | Natco Pharma USA LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg/15 mL | Intravenous | Natco Pharma USA LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 450 mg/45 mL | Intravenous | Natco Pharma USA LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 600 mg/60 mL | Intravenous | Natco Pharma USA LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg/mL | Intravenous | Teva Parenteral Medicines, Inc. × 4 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg/5 mL | Intravenous | Teyro Labs Private Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg/15 mL | Intravenous | Teyro Labs Private Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 450 mg/45 mL | Intravenous | Teyro Labs Private Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 600 mg/60 mL | Intravenous | Teyro Labs Private Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
Showing 34 of 34 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 34 Carboplatin NDCs →
Carboplatin 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 Carboplatin — 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 Carboplatin 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.
Carboplatin FDA approval history
How Carboplatin went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Carboplatin 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 Carboplatin recalls since July 2021.
✅No Carboplatin 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 40048 1 dose form · 1 strength
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Dose form (SCDF) Injectable Solution RxCUI 378363In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 10 MG/MLRxCUI 597195
Look up RxCUI 40048 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.
Carboplatin supply and shortage status
Whether Carboplatin 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.
Carboplatin brand names
Carboplatin is sold under 2 brand names in the FDA directory — Kyxata, Paraplatin. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Carboplatin: manufacturers and labelers
11 companies list Carboplatin products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Hospira, Inc., BPI Labs LLC, Eugia US LLC. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Carboplatin drug class (RxNorm)
Carboplatin belongs to the Platinum-based Drug 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 Carboplatin 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. Avyxa Pharma, LLC 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 →