Pemetrexed

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Pemetrexed
Pemetrexed.svg
Pemetrexed ball-and-stick.png
Clinical data
Trade names Alimta, Pemfexy, Ciambra, others
AHFS/Drugs.com Monograph
License data
Pregnancy
category
  • AU:D
Routes of
administration
Intravenous
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability NA
Protein binding 81%
Metabolism Negligible
Elimination half-life 3.5 hours
Excretion Kidney
Identifiers
  • (2S)-2-{[4-[2-(2-amino-4-oxo-1,7-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl]amino}pentanedioic acid
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard 100.205.735 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Chemical and physical data
Formula C20H21N5O6
Molar mass 427.417 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • Nc3nc2[nH]cc(CCc1ccc(C(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)O)C(=O)O)cc1)c2c(=O)[nH]3
  • InChI=1S/C20H21N5O6/c21-20-24-16-15(18(29)25-20)12(9-22-16)6-3-10-1-4-11(5-2-10)17(28)23-13(19(30)31)7-8-14(26)27/h1-2,4-5,9,13H,3,6-8H2,(H,23,28)(H,26,27)(H,30,31)(H4,21,22,24,25,29)/t13-/m0/s1 Yes check.svgY
  • Key:WBXPDJSOTKVWSJ-ZDUSSCGKSA-N Yes check.svgY
 X mark.svgNYes check.svgY  (what is this?)    (verify)

Pemetrexed, sold under the brand name Alimta among others, is a chemotherapy medication for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). [2]

Contents

It is available as a generic medication. [6] [7]

Medical use

In February 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pemetrexed for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, a type of tumor of the mesothelium, the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs, in combination with cisplatin [8] for patients whose disease is either unresectable or who are not otherwise candidates for curative surgery. [9] In September 2008, the FDA granted approval as a first-line treatment, in combination with cisplatin, against locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with non-squamous histology. [10] [11] [2]

Carboplatin

Pemetrexed is also recommended in combination with carboplatin and pembrolizumab for the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. [12] [13] However, the relative efficacy or toxicity of pemetrexed-cisplatin versus pemetrexed-carboplatin has not been established beyond what is generally thought about cisplatin or carboplatin doublet drug therapy. [14]

Supplementation

Patients are recommended to take folic acid and vitamin B12 supplement even if levels are normal when they are on pemetrexed therapy. [15] [2] (In clinical trials for mesothelioma, folic acid and B12 supplementation reduced the frequency of adverse events.) It is also recommended for patients to be on a glucocorticoid (e.g. dexamethasone) on the day prior, day of, and day after pemetrexed infusion to avoid skin rashes. [2]

Drug interaction

The administration of cisplatin and vitamin B12 concomitantly does not modify the pharmacokinetics of the pemetrexed. It was recently shown that pemetrexed may play a role in cisplatin resistance in lung cancer by increasing the expression of Orai3 calcium channels as well as the expression of certain ABC transporters like MDR1 and MRP-5 responsible for cisplatin efflux and therefore a reduction of the effect of cisplatin [16] As current therapies are based on the co-administration of pemetrexed and cisplatin, there may be interactions between pemetrexed and cisplatin, including a reduction in the therapeutic effects of cisplatin caused by pemetrexed.

Mechanism of action

Pathway of tetrahydrofolate and antimetabolites Pathway of tetrahydrofolate and antimetabolites.pdf
Pathway of tetrahydrofolate and antimetabolites

Pemetrexed is chemically similar to folic acid and is in the class of chemotherapy drugs called folate antimetabolites. It works by inhibiting three enzymes used in purine and pyrimidine synthesis—thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), and glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase [17] [18] (GARFT). By inhibiting the formation of precursor purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, pemetrexed prevents the formation of DNA and RNA, which are required for the growth and survival of both normal cells and cancer cells.

Society and culture

Economics

In the United States, as of 2015, each vial of the medication costs between US$2,623 and US$3,100. [19]

Brand names

In February 2020, Pemfexy was approved for use in the United States. [20]

Research

A Phase III study showed benefits of maintenance use of pemetrexed for non-squamous NSCLC. [21] Activity has been shown in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mesothelioma</span> Cancer associated with asbestos

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs. The area most commonly affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining of the abdomen and rarely the sac surrounding the heart, or the sac surrounding the testis may be affected. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma may include shortness of breath due to fluid around the lung, a swollen abdomen, chest wall pain, cough, feeling tired, and weight loss. These symptoms typically come on slowly.

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References

  1. "Prescription medicines: registration of new generic medicines and biosimilar medicines, 2017". Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 21 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Alimta- pemetrexed disodium injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution". DailyMed. 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  3. "Pemfexy- pemetrexed injection". DailyMed. 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  4. "Alimta EPAR". European Medicines Agency. 17 September 2018. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  5. "Pemetrexed Baxter: Pending EC decision". European Medicines Agency. 14 October 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  6. "2022 First Generic Drug Approvals". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 3 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  7. "Competitive Generic Therapy Approvals". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 29 June 2023. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  8. Manegold C (August 2003). "Pemetrexed (Alimta, MTA, multitargeted antifolate, LY231514) for malignant pleural mesothelioma". Seminars in Oncology. 30 (4 Suppl 10): 32–36. doi:10.1016/S0093-7754(03)00283-5. PMID   12917819.
  9. National Cancer Institute: FDA Approval for Pemetrexed Disodium Archived 6 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
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  11. Rossi A, Ricciardi S, Maione P, de Marinis F, Gridelli C (November 2009). "Pemetrexed in the treatment of advanced non-squamous lung cancer". Lung Cancer. 66 (2): 141–149. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2009.06.006. PMID   19577816.
  12. Ettinger DS, et al. "Non-small Cell Lung Cancer V.1.2007" (PDF). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2007.
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  14. Azzoli CG, Kris MG, Pfister DG (June 2007). "Cisplatin versus carboplatin for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer--an old rivalry renewed". Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 99 (11): 828–829. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djk222 . PMID   17551137.
  15. Hazarika M, White RM, Johnson JR, Pazdur R (2004). "FDA drug approval summaries: pemetrexed (Alimta)". The Oncologist. 9 (5): 482–488. doi:10.1634/theoncologist.9-5-482. PMID   15477632. S2CID   11444611.
  16. Daoudi, Redoane (26 September 2024). "Characterization and implication of the Orai3 channel and ABC type transporters in the phenomenon of chemoresistance to cisplatin and pemetrexed in lung cancer". bioRxiv   10.1101/2024.09.22.613742 .
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  20. "Pemfexy: FDA-Approved Drugs". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
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