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sargramostim, Leukine

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GENERIC NAME: sargramostim

BRAND NAME: Leukine

DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Sargramostim is a man-made form of the naturally-occurring protein, granulocyte, macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). GM-CSF is produced in the body by the immune system and stimulates the formation of white blood cells, including the granulocyte and the macrophage. Granulocytes and macrophages take part in the inflammatory reaction. They are responsible for detecting and destroying harmful bacteria and some fungi. Sargramostim belongs to a class of drugs called colony-stimulating factors because of their ability to stimulate cells in the bone marrow to multiply and form colonies. Sargramostim is man-made. It is a product of the genetic engineering of genes from fungi and is produced by recombinant DNA technology in bacteria. Other colony stimulating factors are epoetin alfa (Epogen, Procrit) and filgrastim (Neupogen).

GENERIC AVAILABLE: no

PRESCRIPTION: yes

PREPARATIONS: Sargramostim is available as a powder or liquid in vials containing 250 or 500 micrograms of drug.

STORAGE: Sargramostim should be stored at 2-8°C (36-46°F). Sargramostim should not be frozen.

PRESCRIBED FOR: Sargramostim is used to increase the number of white blood cells when the white blood cell count is low, a condition called neutropenia. A reduced level of white blood cells causes an increased susceptibility to infections. Sargramostim is used in cancer patients with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Hodgkins lymphoma who have received a bone marrow transplant to rapidly increase the white blood cell count. It also is used to manage patients with acute myelogenous leukemia over the age of 55 years who develop neutropenia because of chemotherapy. Sargramostim also may be used in cancer patients or healthy patients who have low white blood cell counts to boost the counts and thereby improve the bone marrow they will be donating for use in bone marrow transplantation.

DOSING: Sargramostim is administered intravenously or subcutaneously (under the skin) from four to 42 days. Sargramostim vials should not be shaken since the drug may be damaged, and bubbles may form that can prevent some of the drug from being drawn up into the syringe at the time of injection.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: No clinical studies have been done to determine if sargramostim interacts with other drugs.

PREGNANCY: There are no studies of the use of sargramostim in pregnant women.

NURSING MOTHERS: There are no studies to determine if sargramostim is excreted into breast milk.

SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effects while taking sargramostim are mild to moderate fever, weakness, chills, headache, nausea, diarrhea, muscle and bone pain. Side effects less often seen are shortness of breath, leg and arm swelling or a mild rash at the site of injection.

Reference: FDA Prescribing Information

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