Drug reference

Avelumab

Monoclonal Antibody · Antineoplastic

Monoclonal AntibodyAntineoplastic

CDSCO approvedSchedule H

EXCRETION

—

not curated

INTERACTIONS

3 major

SEVERE in our sources

PREGNANCY

—

not curated

Top interactionssee all 4 →

LenalidomideSevereDatabaseDDInter
PomalidomideSevereDatabaseDDInter
ThalidomideSevereDatabaseDDInter

Mechanism

Avelumab is a monoclonal antibody. It functions by binding to the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor. This binding action potentiates an immune response against tumour cells.

Indications

Metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (specialist use only)Metastatic melanomaNon–small cell lung cancerRenal cell carcinomaHead and neck cancers (clinical trials)Breast cancer (clinical trials)Small cell lung cancer (clinical trials)Hodgkin lymphoma (clinical trials)Gastric cancer (clinical trials)Hepatocellular carcinoma (clinical trials)Bladder cancer (clinical trials)Ovarian cancer (clinical trials)Colon cancer (clinical trials)Merkel cell carcinoma (clinical trials)cancer therapymetastatic urothelial cancerMerkel cell cancerRCC as first-line treatment in combination with axitinibadvanced Merkel cell carcinoma

Dosing

Adult: 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks by intravenous infusion. Patients should receive pre-medication to minimise the development of adverse reactions (consult product literature).

Side effects

Common

Abdominal painanaemiaappetite decreasedarthralgiaastheniaback painchillsconstipationcoughdiarrhoeadizzinessdry mouthdyspnoeafeverheadachehypertensionhypotensionhypothyroidisminfluenza like illnessinfusion related reactionlymphopeniamyalgianauseanervous disordersperipheral oedemapneumonitisskin reactionsvomitingweight decreased

Serious

Adrenal insufficiency
diabetes mellitus
eosinophilia
flushing
gastrointestinal disorders
hepatic disorders
hypersensitivity
hyperthyroidism
hypopituitarism
myositis
nephritis
systemic inflammatory response syndrome
thrombocytopenia
thyroiditis
uveitis
myocarditis
pancreatitis
endocrine disorders
autoimmune thyroid disease (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism)
Immune-related adverse events (hepatitis, pneumonitis, colitis, rash, vitiligo, endocrine pathology)