Belzutifan

Generic name: Belzutifan
Brand names: Welireg
Dosage form: oral tablet (40 mg)
Drug class: Miscellaneous antineoplastics

Usage of Belzutifan

Belzutifan is used in people with von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL), a rare genetic condition that can cause tumors to develop in certain organs of the body.

Belzutifan is for use in adults with VHL who need treatment for certain tumors of the kidneys, pancreas, or brain and spinal cord. Belzutifan is used when these tumors do not require surgery right away.

Belzutifan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Belzutifan side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor right away if you have:

low red blood cells (anemia)--pale skin, tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet; or

low oxygen levels--shortness of breath, chest pain, fast heartbeats.

Your cancer treatments may be delayed or permanently discontinued if you have certain side effects.

Common side effects of belzutifan may include:

headache, dizziness, tiredness;

nausea;

increased blood sugar (increased thirst or urination, dry mouth, fruity breath); or

abnormal kidney function tests.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Belzutifan

Tell your doctor if you have ever had low red blood cells.

Both men and women using this medicine should use effective non-hormonal birth control to prevent pregnancy. Belzutifan can harm an unborn baby if the mother or father is using this medicine.

Keep using birth control for at least 1 week after your last dose. Tell your doctor right away if a pregnancy occurs.

Belzutifan can make hormonal birth control less effective, including birth control pills, injections, implants, skin patches, and vaginal rings. Use barrier birth control to prevent pregnancy: condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, or contraceptive sponge.

Pregnancy may be less likely to occur while the mother or the father is using this medicine. Both men and women should still use birth control to prevent pregnancy because the medicine can harm an unborn baby.

Do not breastfeed while using this medicine, and for at least 1 week after your last dose.

Relate drugs

How to use Belzutifan

Usual Adult Dose for Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome:

Recommended dose: 120 mg orally once daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicityUse: For treatment of adult patients with Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease who require therapy for associated renal cell carcinoma (RCC), central nervous system (CNS) hemangioblastomas, or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET), not requiring immediate surgery.

Warnings

Belzutifan can cause anemia (low red blood cells) or low oxygen levels. These conditions may need to be treated with blood transfusions, oxygen therapy, or hospitalization.

Call your doctor right away if you have pale skin, tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet, fast heartbeats, or chest pain.

Belzutifan may harm an unborn baby. Both men and women using belzutifan should use effective non-hormonal birth control to prevent pregnancy while using belzutifan and for at least 1 week after the last dose.

What other drugs will affect Belzutifan

Other drugs may affect belzutifan, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.