Plerixafor Injection

Plerixafor injection is used along with a granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) medication such as filgrastim (Neupogen) or pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) to prepare the blood for an autologous stem cell transplant (procedure in which certain blood cells are removed from the body and then returned to the body after chemotherapy and/or radiation) in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL; cancer that begins in a type of white blood cells that normally fights infection) or multiple myeloma (a type of cancer of the bone marrow). Plerixafor injection is in a class of medications called hematopoeitic stem cell mobilizers. It works by causing certain blood cells to move from the bone marrow to the blood so that they can be removed for transplant.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Plerixafor injection comes as a liquid to be injected subcutaneously (under the skin) by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility. It is usually injected once a day, 11 hours before the removal of blood cells, for up to 4 days in a row. Your treatment with plerixafor injection will begin after you have received a G-CSF medication once a day for 4 days, and you will continue to receive the G-CSF medication during your treatment with plerixafor injection.

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

🔔 What special precautions should I follow?

Before receiving plerixafor injection,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to plerixafor injection or any other medications.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had leukemia (cancer that begins in the white blood cells), an abnormally high number of neutrophils (a type of blood cell), or kidney disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. You should use birth control to prevent pregnancy during your treatment with plerixafor injection. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that will work for you. If you become pregnant while receiving plerixafor injection, call your doctor. Plerixafor injection may harm the fetus.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are receiving plerixafor injection.

🔔 What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.