Pegfilgrastim

Pegfilgrastim is a prescription medicine used for the prevention of infections in people who are undergoing chemotherapy. By binding to stem cells in the bone marrow and stimulating the production of neutrophils, the drug can help reduce the risk of infection. Pegfilgrastim comes as an injection that is given once per chemotherapy cycle. Side effects of pegfilgrastim may include bone pain, headache, and joint pain.

 

What Is Pegfilgrastim?

Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta®) is a prescription medication used to prevent infections in people undergoing certain kinds of chemotherapy. Many types of chemotherapy increase the risk of dangerous infections, and pegfilgrastim can help prevent such infections.
 
(Click What Is Pegfilgrastim Used For? for more information on pegfilgrastim uses, including possible off-label uses.)
 

Who Makes Pegfilgrastim?

Pegfilgrastim is made by Amgen, Inc.
 

How Does Pegfilgrastim Work?

Chemotherapy often decreases the bone marrow's ability to produce neutrophils, a certain type of white blood cell (WBC). Neutrophils help protect the body from infection, and having a low neutrophil count (known medically as neutropenia) increases the risk of infection.
 
Pegfilgrastim belongs to a group of medications called granulocyte colony-stimulating factors. Colony-stimulating factors bind to stem cells in the bone marrow, stimulating the production of blood cells. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a naturally occurring chemical in the body that stimulates the production of neutrophils. Pegfilgrastim is a synthetic version of G-CSF attached to another molecule designed to make it stay in the body longer. This means that it needs to be injected only once per chemotherapy cycle. Pegfilgrastim binds to stem cells and stimulates the production of neutrophils, helping to decrease the risk of infection.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;