Erivedge

Generic name: Vismodegib
Drug class: Hedgehog pathway inhibitors

Usage of Erivedge

Erivedge (vismodegib) belongs to a class of medications called hedgehog pathway inhibitors. Vismodegib works by blocking the action of a protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps stop or slow the spread of cancer cells and may help shrink tumors.

Erivedge is used to treat basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer) in people with cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Erivedge is also used to treat basal cell carcinoma that cannot be treated with surgery or radiation or has come back after surgery.

Erivedge side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Erivedge (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Seek medical treatment if you have a serious drug reaction that can affect many parts of your body. Symptoms may include skin rash, fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, severe weakness, unusual bruising, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.

Erivedge may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

muscle spasms or muscle pain.

Vismodegib can affect bone growth in children. Tell your doctor if your child is not growing at a normal rate while using and after stopping this medicine.

Call your doctor at once if you miss a menstrual period. This could be a side effect, or it may be a sign that you are pregnant.

Common Erivedge side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite;

diarrhea, constipation;

tired feeling;

joint pain, muscle spasms;

hair loss;

weight loss; or

decreased sense of taste.

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 Erivedge

You should not use Erivedge if you are allergic to vismodegib.

To make sure Erivedge is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

a muscle disorder; or

kidney disease.

Vismodegib can harm an unborn baby if the mother or the father is using this medicine.

If you are a woman, you will need a pregnancy test within 7 days before starting Erivedge to make sure you are not pregnant. Use birth control while using this medicine and for at least 24 months after your last dose.

If you are a man, use birth control if your sex partner is able to get pregnant. Keep using birth control for at least 3 months after your last dose.

Tell your doctor right away if a pregnancy occurs.

If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of vismodegib on the baby.

Do not breastfeed while using this medicine, and for at least 24 months after your last dose.

Relate drugs

How to use Erivedge

Usual Adult Dose for Basal Cell Carcinoma:

150 mg orally once a day until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity Comments: -Withhold therapy for up to 8 weeks for intolerable adverse reactions until improvement or resolution. -Treatment durations shorter than 8 weeks prior to interruptions have not been studied. Use: Treatment of adults with metastatic basal cell carcinoma, or with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma that has recurred following surgery or who are not candidates for surgery and who are not candidates for radiation

Warnings

Do not use Erivedge if you are pregnant. Both men and women using this medicine should use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy. Vismodegib can harm an unborn baby if the mother or father is using this medicine.

For Women: Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine and for at least 24 months after your last dose. Call your doctor at once if you quit using birth control, if your period is late, or if you think you might be pregnant.

For Men: Always use a latex condom and spermicide when having sex, even if you have had a vasectomy. Continue using condoms and spermicide for at least 3 months after you stop taking Erivedge.

Call your doctor at once if a pregnancy occurs while either sexual partner is taking Erivedge.

What other drugs will affect Erivedge

Other drugs may interact with vismodegib, 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.