HomeNDC LookupIngredientsEtoposide › 68001-0681-25
Etoposide 20 mg/mL Injection, Solution, Concentrate — NDC 68001-0681-25 package photo

Etoposide 20 mg/mL Injection, Solution, Concentrate

by BluePoint Laboratories · 1 VIAL, MULTI-DOSE in 1 CARTON (68001-681-25) / 5 mL in 1 VIAL, MULTI-DOSE
NDC 68001-0681-25
🏷️ FDA NDC (as labeled) 68001-681-25 billing pads the product segment with a zero
Rx only Generic On market Non-controlled
🗂️ Data synced Jul 24, 2026 · sources: openFDA · FDA label (DailyMed) · FDA Orange & Purple Book · First Databank · CMS NADAC, ASP, Medicare & Medicaid · RxNorm
📋 All sources & update times →

🆔 Identity & classification

FDA NDC (as labeled) 68001-681-25
Product NDC 68001-681
11-digit billing NDC 68001068125
RxCUI 310248
UNII 6PLQ3CP4P3
Application # ANDA074529
SPL Set ID 0dddbe44-b4f4-431f-9011-8a54abbd4cbf
Established class (EPC) Topoisomerase Inhibitor
Mechanism of action Topoisomerase Inhibitors
DEA schedule Non-controlled
Marketing category ANDA
Marketing status On market
FDA listing status Listed (active directory)
Marketing start 2025-12-01
Route INTRAVENOUS
Dosage form INJECTION, SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE
Substance ETOPOSIDE
TE code (Orange Book) AP · RLD · RS
Why two NDCs? The FDA registers this code as 68001-681-25 — a 5-3-2 layout, and that's what's printed on the package and shown on DailyMed. For insurance claims, every NDC is standardized to a uniform 11-digit 5-4-2 format by adding a zero to the product segment → 68001-0681-25. Same drug, same package — only the format differs.
Where does this data come from?
Identifiers from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory and Structured Product Labeling; RxCUI from RxNorm (NLM); GPI from Medi-Span; GCN / HIC / AHFS / legend from First Databank.

🏷️ RxNorm drug class

This medicine belongs to the Topoisomerase Inhibitor class.

Pharmacologic class Topoisomerase Inhibitor
Drug family (ATC) Podophyllotoxin derivatives
How it works Topoisomerase Inhibitors
Where does this data come from?
Therapeutic classes from RxNorm RxClass (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — Established Pharmacologic Class (FDA), ATC drug family (WHO) and mechanism of action, matched by this product’s RxCUI.

🏭 Manufacturer & labeler

LabelerBluePoint Laboratories
Application holderMEITHEAL PHARMACEUTICALS INC
FDA applicationANDA074529 (ANDA)
Labeler code68001
First marketedDec 2025
Product typeHuman Prescription Drug
Portfolio347 products on file
The labeler markets the product; the application holder owns the FDA approval. They’re often the same company but can differ (e.g. a repackager or an authorized generic). A mailing address / phone appears here when the manufacturer includes it in the product’s FDA label (not all do).
Where does this data come from?
Labeler, application holder and registered establishment from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory and Drugs@FDA; address/contact from the product’s FDA label.

🩺 Clinical

📖 What it is MedlinePlus · NLM

Etoposide injection is used in combination with other medications to treat cancer of the testicles that has not improved or that has worsened after treatment with other medications or radiation therapy. Etoposide injection is also used in combination with other medications to treat a certain type of lung cancer (small cell lung cancer; SCLC). Etoposide is in a class of medications known as podophyllotoxin derivatives. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.

Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗
📗 Our plain-language guide HelloPharmacist
  • Etoposide is a chemotherapy drug approved for two main cancers: small cell lung cancer and refractory testicular tumors — meaning testicular cancer that hasn't responded to other t...
  • What exactly is etoposide being used to treat in my case?
  • The most common things people experience are low blood counts — which means a higher risk of infection and bleeding — nausea, hair loss, fatigue, and appetite changes. Nausea is us...
  • What side effects should I actually expect?
📖 Read our full Etoposide guide →
Where does this data come from?
Plain-language summary from MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine); supplement & herbal interactions and nutrient depletion data from the Natural Medicines database; our full guide is HelloPharmacist editorial content.

🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients

Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.

💡 Tap an ingredient (hover on desktop) to see what it is and why it’s used.

  • UNII 3K9958V90M
    A liquid solvent derived from fermentation or chemical synthesis. In medicines, alcohol dissolves active ingredients, helps preserve the product, and improves how the body absorbs certain drugs.
  • UNII XF417D3PSL
    Anhydrous citric acid is a sour, crystalline powder derived from citric acid with water removed. In medicines, it acts as a buffer to control pH, adds tartness to improve taste, and helps tablets disintegrate.
  • UNII 5655G9Y8AQ
    A synthetic liquid polymer used as a solvent and humectant in medications. It helps dissolve active ingredients, maintain moisture in the formulation, and improve how the medicine flows and is absorbed.
  • UNII 6OZP39ZG8H
    Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid. It helps mix oil and water-based ingredients together in medications and improves how the product disperses in the body.

4 inactive ingredients listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.

Where does this data come from?
Data sourced from official FDA Structured Product Labeling (SPL) via DailyMedingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.

Inactive ingredient FAQ

Are inactive ingredients the same for every manufacturer?
No. Inactive ingredients can differ by manufacturer, dosage form, strength, and package / product version.
Why might an inactive ingredient be missing?
Some SPLs do not provide a complete structured inactive-ingredient list, and older or unusual labels may only include the information in narrative text.
Can inactive ingredients matter?
Yes. They can matter for allergies, intolerances, dyes, gluten / lactose concerns, preservatives, and formulation differences — but confirm with a pharmacist or the manufacturer when it’s clinically important.

💲 Pricing

A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.

Price systemPer mLPer package
Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly Not in the retail survey — common for institutional, discontinued, or low-volume packs.
Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo No recent Medicaid claims on file for this NDC — rare and low-volume NDCs are suppressed in the public data.
Medicare drug plans payPart D · quarterly No Part D plan price is available for this NDC in our data.
ℹ️
No price is published for this exact package yet. CMS surveys NADAC per package size, so a different pack of the same drug often has one.
Where does this data come from?
NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) is the CMS weekly pharmacy-acquisition-cost survey — what pharmacies pay. ASP (Average Sales Price) is the CMS Medicare Part B drug-payment file, published quarterly. Medicaid pays is computed by us from CMS State Drug Utilization Data (total reimbursed ÷ units, trailing 12 months) — gross of rebates and inclusive of dispensing fees, so it reflects what Medicaid paid, not an acquisition cost. Medicare drug plans pay is the median negotiated point-of-sale unit cost across plans listing this NDC in the CMS quarterly Prescription Drug Plan pricing files, before rebates. The VA pays is the federal contract price (FSS, and the statutory Big 4 ceiling where listed) from the VA National Acquisition Center pharmaceutical price file. All are free public government data; each measures a different payer, so the figures are not directly comparable.

🔁 Therapeutic equivalents

ProductLabelerPackNADAC/unitTEStatusPrice vs. this
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 00143-9376-01 Hikma 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 00143-9510-01 Hikma 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 00143-9511-01 Hikma 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 00143-9512-01 Hikma 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 16729-0114-08 Accord 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 63323-0104-05 Fresenius 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 68001-0265-25 BluePoint 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mLthis 68001-0681-25 BluePoint 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 68001-0682-26 BluePoint 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 68001-0683-27 BluePoint 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 71288-0175-05 Meitheal 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 71288-0176-25 Meitheal 1 vial AP FDA listed
Etoposide 20 mg/mL 71288-0177-50 Meitheal 1 vial AP FDA listed
Avopef 100 mg/5mL 83831-0144-05 Avyxa 1 vial FDA listed
About this product: this is a generic version of the medicine. FDA equivalence ratings are shown when available, and other versions are listed above, least expensive first.
Where does this data come from?
Equivalents are other NDCs of the same ingredient, form and route from the openFDA NDC Directory, ranked least-expensive-first by NADAC. Therapeutic-equivalence (AB) ratings come from the FDA Orange Book; biologics use the FDA Purple Book for biosimilar & interchangeable status.

Availability & generic status

🏛️
2025
On the market since
Dec 2025
📍
2026
Currently FDA-listed
1 year listed
🔓
·
Generic on the market
this product is a generic
This is a generic drug

This product is an FDA-approved generic. Other versions of the same drug are listed under Therapeutic equivalents, least expensive first.

Where does this data come from?
Patents and exclusivity from the FDA Orange Book (small-molecule drugs), refreshed from public FDA data. Generic launch timing is an estimate, not a guarantee.

📊 Medicare Part D spend CMS · PART D · 2026 (Q1)

Medicare Part D (outpatient prescription) spending for Etoposide — the program that covers self-administered drugs. 5 manufacturers.
⚠️ Drug-level data: CMS publishes Part D spending by drug, not by NDC — these figures combine every manufacturer, strength and package size sold under the name Etoposide. That’s a different level of aggregation than the Medicaid card above, which is specific to this exact 11-digit NDC (pack size included), so the two aren’t directly comparable.
Period
Total Part D spend
$6.6K
Claims incl. refills
133
Beneficiaries
62
Spend / beneficiary
$106.50
Spend / claim
$49.64
Trend by period
💵 About the dollar figures: spending is what Part D plans paid before confidential manufacturer rebates, so the program’s real net cost is lower. A blank patient count means fewer than 11 people — CMS hides counts that small to protect privacy. Source: CMS Medicare Quarterly Part D Spending by Drug (data.cms.gov), updated quarterly.

🔬 Reported adverse events (FAERS)

Read carefully: FAERS reports are voluntary and unverified. Counts are not incidence, do not establish causation, are subject to reporting bias, and cannot be used to compare one drug to another. Shown for signal context only. Reports for Etoposide — the ingredient across all brands.

Top reported reactions

Febrile Neutropenia7,773
Neutropenia5,108
Disease Progression4,642
Thrombocytopenia4,169
Pyrexia3,494
Anaemia3,408
Sepsis3,074

Reporter sex

74,570 reports

Serious outcomes

Death18,072
Disabling1,072
Reports over time (by year) — tap or hover for the count & year
2019 2021 2023 2026 7,164 0
Most recent year is provisional (FAERS lags ~3 months).
Where does this data come from?
Adverse-event reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA. FAERS reports are voluntary and unverified — counts are not incidence and don’t establish causation.

📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product

Package NDCDescription Marketing startStatus
68001-0681-25 You're viewing this 1 VIAL, MULTI-DOSE in 1 CARTON (68001-681-25) / 5 mL in 1 VIAL, MULTI-DOSE 2025-12-01 Active

🧭 About this NDC listing & data coverage

Finished prescription product
What data is (and isn’t) available for this NDC — tap to expand
NDC identity (package / product / labeler codes) ✓ Available
Labeler ✓ Available
Product & package description ✓ Available
Marketing category & status ✓ Available
Active ingredient / dosage form / route ✓ Available
FDA label (SPL via DailyMed) ✓ Available
Package photos ✓ Available
Inactive ingredients (structured) ✓ Available
NADAC pharmacy acquisition price (CMS) — Not published for this NDC CMS publishes NADAC only for NDCs reported in its retail-pharmacy survey.
Orange Book / therapeutic-equivalence data ✓ Available
HCPCS J-code billing crosswalk — Not published for this NDC Most self-administered / retail products have no J-code — that is normal.
Medicaid utilization (CMS SDUD) — Not published for this NDC CMS reports utilization only for NDCs with Medicaid claims above its privacy threshold.
“Not published” reflects what the public FDA / CMS / NLM sources provide for this exact package code — it is a property of the data feeds, not a judgment about the product.

Questions about this listing

Why is there no price listed?
The pricing shown on our NDC pages comes from CMS NADAC, a voluntary survey of retail community pharmacy invoices. CMS does not publish a NADAC for every NDC — packages outside the retail survey (institutional and hospital products, bulk packages, discontinued items, and many OTC items) may never receive one. A missing price reflects the survey's scope, not this product's actual cost, and does not mean the product is free or unavailable.
Is the NDC printed on the package the same as the 11-digit billing NDC?
Yes, they identify this exact package in different formats. The FDA registers it as 68001-681-25, which is what is printed on the packaging and shown on DailyMed. Insurance claims use a fixed 11-digit 5-4-2 format, so the short segment is padded with a leading zero: 68001-0681-25, written without dashes as 68001068125. The Identity section at the top of this page lists every form of this code.
What do the three segments of this NDC mean?
In 68001-0681-25, the first segment (68001) is the labeler code FDA assigned to BluePoint Laboratories; the middle segment (0681) identifies this specific product — its ingredient, strength, and dosage form; and the last segment (25) identifies this exact package size and type. Together they name one specific package of one specific product.
Is this package still being marketed?
Yes, per the latest FDA NDC Directory data on this page: this package is listed as actively marketed, with no marketing end date reported by BluePoint Laboratories. Listing status can change — the directory data on this page refreshes weekly.
Who lists this product with the FDA?
BluePoint Laboratories is the labeler of record for this NDC — the company under whose FDA-assigned code the package is listed. The labeler may be the manufacturer itself or a distributor marketing the product under its own code.
Do I need a prescription for this product?
This NDC is listed with FDA as a prescription product, so it is dispensed under a prescriber's order. Your pharmacist can tell you whether any over-the-counter forms of the same medication exist.
This page identifies an FDA-listed package (the NDC) and reports public regulatory and pricing data about the listing. It is reference information, not a medical recommendation — talk to your pharmacist or prescriber about your own medication.
Where does this data come from?
Listing facts (marketing category, packager status, marketing dates) from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory; label availability from DailyMed; pricing coverage from CMS NADAC; equivalence scope from the FDA Orange Book.

📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL

The complete FDA label for this product — the official prescribing information, verbatim, section by section. Jump with a chip, search within the label, or expand everything.
🚨 Boxed Warning 30 words

WARNINGS Etoposide injection should be administered under the supervision of a qualified physician experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Severe myelosuppression with resulting infection or bleeding may occur.

🎯 Indications and Usage 69 words

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Etoposide Injection is indicated in the management of the following neoplasms: Refractory Testicular Tumors Etoposide Injection in combination therapy with other approved chemotherapeutic agents in patients with refractory testicular tumors who have already received appropriate surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiotherapeutic therapy. Small Cell Lung Cancer Etoposide Injection and/or capsules in combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents as first line treatment in patients with small cell lung cancer.

⏱️ Dosage and Administration ~2 min read

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Note: Plastic devices made of acrylic or ABS (a polymer composed of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene) have been reported to crack and leak when used with undiluted etoposide injection. Etoposide Injection The usual dose of etoposide injection in testicular cancer in combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents ranges from 50 to 100 mg/m 2 /day on days 1 through 5 to 100 mg/m 2 /day on days 1, 3, and 5. In small cell lung cancer, the etoposide injection dose in combination with other approved chemotherapeutic drugs ranges from 35 mg/m 2 /day for 4 days to 50 mg/m 2 /day for 5 days.

For recommended dosing adjustments in patients with renal impairment see PRECAUTIONS section. Chemotherapy courses are repeated at 3- to 4-week intervals after adequate recovery from any toxicity. The dosage should be modified to take into account the myelosuppressive effects of other drugs in the combination or the effects of prior x-ray therapy or chemotherapy which may have compromised bone marrow reserve.

Administration Precautions As with other potentially toxic compounds, caution should be exercised in handling and preparing the solution of etoposide injection. Skin reactions associated with accidental exposure to etoposide injection may occur. The use of gloves is recommended.

If etoposide injection solution contacts the skin or mucosa, immediately and thoroughly wash the skin with soap and water and flush the mucosa with water. Preparation for Intravenous Administration Etoposide injection must be diluted prior to use with either 5% Dextrose Injection, USP, or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, to give a final concentration of 0.2 to 0.4 mg/mL. If solutions are prepared at concentrations above 0.4 mg/mL, precipitation may occur.

Hypotension following rapid intravenous administration has been reported, hence, it is recommended that the etoposide injection solution be administered over a 30- to 60-minute period. A longer duration of administration may be used if the volume of fluid to be infused is a concern. Etoposide injection should not be given by rapid intravenous injection.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration (see DESCRIPTION section) prior to administration whenever solution and container permit. Stability Unopened vials of etoposide injection are stable until the date indicated on the package at room temperature (25°C). Vials diluted as recommended to a concentration of 0.2 to 0.4 mg/mL are stable for 96 and 24 hours, respectively, at room temperature (25°C) under normal room fluorescent light in both glass and plastic containers.

Procedures for proper handling and disposal of anticancer drugs should be considered. Several guidelines on this subject have been published. 1-8 There is no general agreement that all of the procedures recommended in the guidelines are necessary or appropriate.

Contraindications 21 words

CONTRAINDICATIONS Etoposide injection is contraindicated in patients who have demonstrated a previous hypersensitivity to etoposide or any component of the formulation.

⚠️ Warnings ~2 min read

WARNINGS Patients being treated with etoposide injection must be frequently observed for myelosuppression both during and after therapy. Myelosuppression resulting in death has been reported. Dose-limiting bone marrow suppression is the most significant toxicity associated with etoposide injection therapy.

Therefore, the following studies should be obtained at the start of therapy and prior to each subsequent cycle of etoposide injection: platelet count, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, and differential. The occurrence of a platelet count below 50,000/mm 3 or an absolute neutrophil count below 500/mm 3 is an indication to withhold further therapy until the blood counts have sufficiently recovered. Physicians should be aware of the possible occurrence of an anaphylactic reaction manifested by chills, fever, tachycardia, bronchospasm, dyspnea, and hypotension.

Higher rates of anaphylactic-like reactions have been reported in children who received infusions at concentrations higher than those recommended. The role that concentration of infusion (or rate of infusion) plays in the development of anaphylactic-like reactions is uncertain (see ADVERSE REACTIONS section). Treatment is symptomatic.

The infusion should be terminated immediately, followed by the administration of pressor agents, corticosteroids, antihistamines, or volume expanders at the discretion of the physician. For parenteral administration, etoposide injection should be given only by slow intravenous infusion (usually over a 30- to 60-minute period) since hypotension has been reported as a possible side effect of rapid intravenous injection. Pregnancy Etoposide Injection can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.

Etoposide has been shown to be teratogenic in mice and rats. In rats, an intravenous etoposide dose of 0.4 mg/kg/day (about 1/20 th of the human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) during organogenesis caused maternal toxicity, embryotoxicity, and teratogenicity (skeletal abnormalities, exencephaly, encephalocele, and anophthalmia); higher doses of 1.2 and 3.6 mg/kg/day (about 1/7 th and 1/2 of human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) resulted in 90 and 100% embryonic resorptions. In mice, a single 1 mg/kg (1/16 th of human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) dose of etoposide administered intraperitoneally on days 6, 7, or 8 of gestation caused embryotoxicity, cranial abnormalities, and major skeletal malformations.

An I.P. dose of 1.5 mg/kg (about 1/10 th of human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) on day 7 of gestation caused an increase in the incidence of intrauterine death and fetal malformations and a significant decrease in the average fetal body weight. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while receiving this drug, the patient should be warned of the potential hazard to the fetus.

Etoposide injection should be considered a potential carcinogen in humans. The occurrence of acute leukemia with or without a preleukemic phase has been reported in rare instances in patients treated with etoposide alone or in association with other neoplastic agents. The risk of development of a preleukemic or leukemic syndrome is unclear.

Carcinogenicity tests with etoposide injection have not been conducted in laboratory animals.

🤒 Adverse Reactions ~2 min read

ADVERSE REACTIONS The following data on adverse reactions are based on both oral and intravenous administration of etoposide injection as a single agent, using several different dose schedules for treatment of a wide variety of malignancies. Hematologic Toxicity Myelosuppression is dose related and dose limiting, with granulocyte nadirs occurring 7 to 14 days after drug administration and platelet nadirs occurring 9 to 16 days after drug administration. Bone marrow recovery is usually complete by day 20, and no cumulative toxicity has been reported.

Fever and infection have also been reported in patients with neutropenia. Death associated with myelosuppression has been reported. The occurrence of acute leukemia with or without a preleukemic phase has been reported rarely in patients treated with etoposide injection in association with other antineoplastic agents (see WARNINGS section).

Gastrointestinal Toxicity Nausea and vomiting are the major gastrointestinal toxicities. The severity of such nausea and vomiting is generally mild to moderate with treatment discontinuation required in 1% of patients. Nausea and vomiting can usually be controlled with standard antiemetic therapy.

Mild to severe mucositis/esophagitis may occur. Gastrointestinal toxicities are slightly more frequent after oral administration than after intravenous infusion. Hypotension Transient hypotension following rapid intravenous administration has been reported in 1% to 2% of patients.

It has not been associated with cardiac toxicity or electrocardiographic changes. No delayed hypotension has been noted. To prevent this rare occurrence, it is recommended that etoposide injection be administered by slow intravenous infusion over a 30- to 60-minute period.

If hypotension occurs, it usually responds to cessation of the infusion and administration of fluids or other supportive therapy as appropriate. When restarting the infusion, a slower administration rate should be used. Allergic Reactions Anaphylactic-like reactions characterized by chills, fever, tachycardia, bronchospasm, dyspnea, and/or hypotension have been reported to occur in 0.7% to 2% of patients receiving intravenous etoposide injection and in less than 1% of the patients treated with the oral capsules.

These reactions have usually responded promptly to the cessation of the infusion and administration of pressor agents, corticosteroids, antihistamines, or volume expanders as appropriate; however, the reactions can be fatal. Hypertension and/or flushing have also been reported. Blood pressure usually normalizes within a few hours after cessation of the infusion.

Anaphylactic-like reactions have occurred during the initial infusion of etoposide injection. Facial/tongue swelling, coughing, diaphoresis, cyanosis, tightness in throat, laryngospasm, back pain, and/or loss of consciousness have sometimes occurred in association with the above reactions. In addition, an apparent hypersensitivity-associated apnea has been reported rarely.

Rash, urticaria, and/or pruritus have infrequently been reported at recommended doses. At investigational doses, a generalized pruritic erythematous maculopapular rash, consistent with perivasculitis, has been reported. Alopecia Reversible alopecia, sometimes progressing to total baldness, was observed in up to 66% of patients.

Other Toxicities The following adverse reactions have been infrequently reported: abdominal pain, aftertaste, constipation, dysphagia, asthenia, fatigue, malaise, somnolence, transient cortical blindness, optic neuritis, interstitial pneumonitis/pulmonary fibrosis, fever, seizure (occasionally associated with allergic reactions), Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis, pigmentation, and a single report of radiation recall dermatitis. Hepatic toxicity, generally in patients receiving higher doses of the drug than those recommended, has been reported with etoposide injection.

Metabolic acidosis has also been reported in patients rece…

🔄 Drug Interactions 38 words

Drug Interactions High-dose cyclosporin A resulting in concentrations above 2000 ng/mL administered with oral etoposide has led to an 80% increase in etoposide exposure with a 38% decrease in total body clearance of etoposide compared to etoposide alone.

🤰 Pregnancy ~1 min read

Pregnancy Etoposide Injection can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Etoposide has been shown to be teratogenic in mice and rats. In rats, an intravenous etoposide dose of 0.4 mg/kg/day (about 1/20 th of the human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) during organogenesis caused maternal toxicity, embryotoxicity, and teratogenicity (skeletal abnormalities, exencephaly, encephalocele, and anophthalmia); higher doses of 1.2 and 3.6 mg/kg/day (about 1/7 th and 1/2 of human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) resulted in 90 and 100% embryonic resorptions.

In mice, a single 1 mg/kg (1/16 th of human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) dose of etoposide administered intraperitoneally on days 6, 7, or 8 of gestation caused embryotoxicity, cranial abnormalities, and major skeletal malformations. An I.P. dose of 1.5 mg/kg (about 1/10 th of human dose on a mg/m 2 basis) on day 7 of gestation caused an increase in the incidence of intrauterine death and fetal malformations and a significant decrease in the average fetal body weight. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant.

If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while receiving this drug, the patient should be warned of the potential hazard to the fetus. Etoposide injection should be considered a potential carcinogen in humans. The occurrence of acute leukemia with or without a preleukemic phase has been reported in rare instances in patients treated with etoposide alone or in association with other neoplastic agents.

The risk of development of a preleukemic or leukemic syndrome is unclear. Carcinogenicity tests with etoposide injection have not been conducted in laboratory animals.

Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Pregnancy "Category D." (See WARNINGS section.)

🧒 Pediatric Use 57 words

Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. Etoposide injection contains polysorbate 80. In premature infants, a life-threatening syndrome consisting of liver and renal failure, pulmonary deterioration, thrombocytopenia, and ascites has been associated with an injectable vitamin E product containing polysorbate 80. Anaphylactic reactions have been reported in pediatric patients (see WARNINGS section).

🧓 Geriatric Use ~2 min read

Geriatric Use Clinical studies of etoposide injection for the treatment of refractory testicular tumors did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 years and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients. Of more than 600 patients in four clinical studies in the NDA databases who received etoposide injection or etoposide phosphate in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), about one third were older than 65 years. When advanced age was determined to be a prognostic factor for response or survival in these studies, comparisons between treatment groups were performed for the elderly subset.

In the one study (etoposide in combination with cyclophosphamide and vincristine compared with cyclophosphamide and vincristine or cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and doxorubicin) where age was a significant prognostic factor for survival, a survival benefit for elderly patients was observed for the etoposide regimen compared with the control regimens. No differences in myelosuppression were seen between elderly and younger patients in these studies except for an increased frequency of WHO Grade III or IV leukopenia among elderly patients in a study of etoposide phosphate or etoposide in combination with cisplatin.

Elderly patients in this study also had more anorexia, mucositis, dehydration, somnolence, and elevated BUN levels than younger patients. In five single-agent studies of etoposide phosphate in patients with a variety of tumor types, 34% of patients were age 65 years or more. WHO Grade III or IV leukopenia, granulocytopenia, and asthenia were more frequent among elderly patients.

Postmarketing experience also suggests that elderly patients may be more sensitive to some of the known adverse effects of etoposide, including myelosuppression, gastrointestinal effects, infectious complications, and alopecia. Although some minor differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between elderly and nonelderly patients have been observed, these differences were not considered clinically significant. Etoposide and its metabolites are known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of adverse reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function.

Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function (see PRECAUTIONS , Renal Impairment for recommended dosing adjustments in patients with renal impairment).

🆘 Overdosage 11 words

OVERDOSAGE No proven antidotes have been established for etoposide injection overdosage.

🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ~3 min read

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Etoposide Injection has been shown to cause metaphase arrest in chick fibroblasts. Its main effect, however, appears to be at the G 2 portion of the cell cycle in mammalian cells. Two different dose-dependent responses are seen.

At high concentrations (10 mcg/mL or more), lysis of cells entering mitosis is observed. At low concentrations (0.3 to 10 mcg/mL), cells are inhibited from entering prophase. It does not interfere with microtubular assembly.

The predominant macromolecular effect of etoposide appears to be the induction of DNA strand breaks by an interaction with DNA topoisomerase II or the formation of free radicals. Pharmacokinetics On intravenous administration, the disposition of etoposide is best described as a biphasic process with a distribution half-life of about 1.5 hours and terminal elimination half-life ranging from 4 to 11 hours. Total body clearance values range from 33 to 48 mL/min or 16 to 36 mL/min/m 2 and, like the terminal elimination half-life, are independent of dose over a range 100 to 600 mg/m 2 .

Over the same dose range, the areas under the plasma concentration vs time curves (AUC) and the maximum plasma concentration (C max ) values increase linearly with dose. Etoposide does not accumulate in the plasma following daily administration of 100 mg/m 2 for 4 to 5 days. The mean volumes of distribution at steady state fall in the range of 18 to 29 liters or 7 to 17 L/m 2 .

Etoposide enters the CSF poorly. Although it is detectable in CSF and intracerebral tumors, the concentrations are lower than in extracerebral tumors and in plasma. Etoposide concentrations are higher in normal lung than in lung metastases and are similar in primary tumors and normal tissues of the myometrium.

In vitro , etoposide is highly protein bound (97%) to human plasma proteins. An inverse relationship between plasma albumin levels and etoposide renal clearance is found in children. In a study determining the effect of other therapeutic agents on the in vitro binding of carbon-14 labeled etoposide to human serum proteins, only phenylbutazone, sodium salicylate, and aspirin displaced protein-bound etoposide at concentrations achieved in vivo .

Etoposide binding ratio correlates directly with serum albumin in patients with cancer and in normal volunteers. The unbound fraction of etoposide significantly correlated with bilirubin in a population of cancer patients. Data have suggested a significant inverse correlation between serum albumin concentration and free fraction of etoposide (see PRECAUTIONS section).

After intravenous administration of 14 C-etoposide (100 to 124 mg/m 2 ), mean recovery of radioactivity in the urine was 56% of the dose at 120 hours, 45% of which was excreted as etoposide; fecal recovery of radioactivity was 44% of the dose at 120 hours. In children, approximately 55% of the dose is excreted in the urine as etoposide in 24 hours. The mean renal clearance of etoposide is 7 to 10 mL/min/m 2 or about 35% of the total body clearance over a dose range of 80 to 600 mg/m 2 .

Etoposide, therefore, is cleared by both renal and nonrenal processes, i.e., metabolism and biliary excretion. The effect of renal disease on plasma etoposide clearance is not known. Biliary excretion of unchanged drug and/or metabolites is an important route of etoposide elimination as fecal recovery of radioactivity is 44% of the intravenous dose.

The hydroxy acid metabolite [4'-demethylepipodophyllic acid-9-(4,6-O-(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside)], formed by opening of the lactone ring, is found in the urine of adults and children. It is also present in human plasma, presumably as the trans isomer. Glucuronide and/or sulfate conjugates of etoposide are also excreted in human urine.

Only 8% or less of an intravenous dose is excreted in the urine as radiolabeled metabolites of 14 C-etoposide. In addition, O-demethylation of the dimethoxyphenol ring occurs through the CYP450 3A4 isoenzyme pathway to produce the cor…

📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling 102 words

HOW SUPPLIED Etoposide Injection, USP, 20 mg per mL is supplied as follows: NDC Etoposide Injection, USP (20 mg per mL) Package Factor 68001- 681 -25 100 mg per 5 mL Multi-Dose Vial 1 vial per carton 68001- 682 -26 500 mg per 25 mL Multi-Dose Vial 1 vial per carton 68001- 683 -27 1 gram per 50 mL Multi-Dose Vial 1 vial per carton All are available individually packaged. Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F). [See USP Controlled Room Temperature.] DO NOT FREEZE. Protect from light Sterile, Nonpyrogenic, Preservative-free.

The container closure is not made with natural rubber latex.

📋 Description 147 words

DESCRIPTION Etoposide Injection, USP (also commonly known as VP-16) is a semisynthetic derivative of podophyllotoxin used in the treatment of certain neoplastic diseases. It is 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9-[4,6-0-(R)-ethylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside]. It is very soluble in methanol and chloroform, slightly soluble in ethanol, and sparingly soluble in water and ether.

It is made more miscible with water by means of organic solvents. Etoposide Injection, USP is available for intravenous use as a sterile 20 mg per mL solution in 100 mg (5 mL), 500 mg (25 mL), or 1 g (50 mL) sterile, multiple dose vials. The pH of the clear, colorless to yellow solution is 3.0 to 4.0.

Each mL contains: 20 mg etoposide, USP, 2 mg citric acid anhydrous, 80 mg polysorbate 80, 650 mg polyethylene glycol 300 (57.5% v/v and 65.0% w/v), and 262 mg dehydrated alcohol (33.2% v/v and 26.2% w/v). The structural formula is: Structural Formula

Source: FDA Structured Product Labeling, mirrored from DailyMed / openFDA. Prefer the government’s original formatting? View this label on DailyMed ↗
For educational and professional reference only — not medical advice. Pricing reflects published NADAC and CMS ASP (free public data) and may differ from your acquisition cost; always verify before billing or dispensing.