Bleomycin 15units / 30units Injection

What is Bleomycin and What it is Used For

Bleomycin is used for treating certain types of cancer. It is made from a protein produced by a specific type of bacteria called Streptomyces verticillus. Bleomycin can enter the cells of certain tumours (cancer tissue) and block their growth, hence making it an effective drug for treating these types of cancer.

Bleomycin has both antibiotic and anti cancer activity and belongs to the group of drugs for treating cancer called cytotoxic antibiotics. Bleomycin is used to treat cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma which can affect the mouth, nose, throat, skin, cervix or external genitalia.

It is also used to treat Hodgkin's disease and other types of cancer of the blood, as well as to treat fluid producing cancers in the cavity around the lungs or in the abdomen, and to treat testicular teratoma.

Bleomycin is also of value in treating malignant melanoma (a type of skin cancer) and thyroid, lung and bladder cancer.

Before you use Bleomycin

Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is a Pharmaceutical Generic manufacturer of Bleomycin 15units / 30units Injection and manufacturer of various pharmaceutical formulations in India. Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd. provide different pharmaceutical brands and Generic Medicines

• are allergic (hypersensitive) to bleomycin or to any of the other ingredients of Bleomycin
• have a serious chest infection
• have greatly reduced lung function

• kidney problems, as side effects of bleomycin may be more noticeable
• severe heart disease
• previously received or are presently receiving radiation to the chest since you may be at greater risk of side effects.

You must tell your doctor if you plan an operation before starting your treatment with Bleomycin as it may be necessary to adjust your treatment.

• Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
• Use of Bleomycin with phenytoin or with clozapine should be avoided. There have been some reports of side effects related to the lungs when Bleomycin is given with cisplatin.
• When Bleomycin is used with another type or cancer drug known as vinca alkaloids to treat cancer of the testes, blood circulation to peripheral parts of the body can be severely reduced causing tissue on the fingers, toes or nose to die (necrosis).
• If Bleomycin is used as one of the drugs in a multiple chemotherapy regime it may be necessary to change the dose.

You should not be given Bleomycin if you are pregnant, may be pregnant or if you are breast- feeding. Ask your doctor for advice before taking any medicine.

A few people have reported that they feel tired or weak after the treatmnet. Do not drive or use any tools or machines if you are affected.

How to use Bleomycin

Bleomycin powder from one or more vials will be dissolved in saline (a weak salt solution that mixes well with body fluids). The solution is usually given by injection in to muscle tissue or a blood vessel or into the chest or abdominal cavity depending on the type of cancer. Occasionally, it is injected directly into a tumour.

The usual treatment is for 2 or 3 days in one week and may be repeated in subsequent weeks. Sometimes the treatment is given on consecutive days for up to 5 or 10 days.

The precise dosage, frequency of dosing and duration of treatment with Bleomycin will depend on your age, weight, medical condition and whether Bleomycin is being given in combination with other drug treatment.

If other medicines or radiotherapy are also being used in your treatment or if you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, the amount of Bleomycin given to you may be reduced.

The dose is calculated in relation to child body weight and such treatment will probably take place under the supervision of a specialist treatment centre.

If during treatment you develop a dry cough, breathlessness, rapid breathing or anything else which suggests your lungs might be affected, you may require to be monitored by X-rays of your chest that could continue up to 4 weeks after the end of treatment.

If you have been accidentally given a higher dose you may experience symptoms such as fever, low blood pressure and rapid pulse. Your doctor may give you supportive treatment for any symptoms that may occur.

Possible Side Effects

Like all medicines, Bleomycin can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. These might occur at the time of treatment or might occur at some later time.

If you notice any of the following severe reactions tell your doctor immediately:

• severe breathlessness
• pneumonia – fever, chills, shortness of breath or a cough
• severe allergic reaction – you may experience a sudden itchy rash (hives), swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, face, lips, mouth or throat (which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing), and you may feel you are going to faint.

If you experience any of the following tell your doctor as soon as possible:
Very common: (these may affect more than 1 in 10 patients)

• fever on the day of treatment
• loss of appetite and weight loss
• feeling or being sick
• lung infection
• sore mouth and mouth ulcers
• pain, swelling, redness or tenderness at the site of the injection
• darkening of the skin, which may be itchy
• hardening, thickening, redness, tenderness or swelling of the tips of the fingers and hair loss
• ridging of nails, blisters on pressure points e.g. elbows
• reduced blood flow to the fingers, toes and tip of the nose

Common: (these may affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 patients)

• tiredness, headache
• bruising

Uncommon: (these may affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 patients)

• low blood pressure (you may feel dizzy or faint, particularly when standing up or getting out of bed)
• changes in urinating or pain when urinating
• easily picking up infections
• liver problems

If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor.

How to store Bleomycin

Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
Bleomycin should be kept in its original packaging and stored at 2-8°C.

This medicine will normally be stored by the doctor providing your treatment or by another qualified person such as a nurse or pharmacist.

Avoid contact of Bleomycin on the skin. Each vial of Bleomycin is labelled with a 'use-by' date and the medicine should not be used after this date.

After being treated with Bleomycin, any remaining bleomycin solution or equipment used for the treatment will be safely disposed of by your nurse or doctor. Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. These measures will help to protect the environment.

Bleomycin 15units / 30units Injection

DESCRIPTION

Bleomycin for Injection, USP is a mixture of cytotoxic glycopeptide antibiotics isolated from a strain of Streptomyces verticillus. It is freely soluble in water.

It is available as a lyophilized powder for intramuscular, intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Each vial contains sterile bleomycin sulphate equivalent to 15 units or 30 units of bleomycin.

Sulfuric acid or Sodium hydroxide used, if necessary to adjust the pH.

Bleomycins are a group of related basic glycopeptides which differ in the terminal amine substituent of the common structural unit, bleomycin acid. The main components of Bleomycin for Injection are bleomycins A2 and B2. Chemically, bleomycin A2 is N1-[3-(dimethylsulfonio)propyl]-bleomycinamide and bleomycin B2 is N1-[4-(aminoiminomethyl)amino]butyl]-bleomycinamide.

The molecular formula of bleomycin A2 is C55H84N17O21S3 and a calculated molecular weight of 1414. The molecular formula of bleomycin B2 is C55H84N20O21S2 and a calculated molecular weight of 1425. The structural formula of bleomycins A2 and B2 are shown below.

Note: A unit of bleomycin is equal to the formerly used milligram activity. The term milligram activity is a misnomer and was changed to units to be more precise.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Mechanism of Action
Although the exact mechanism of action of bleomycin is unknown, available evidence indicates that the main mode of action is the inhibition of DNA synthesis with some evidence of lesser inhibition of RNA and protein synthesis. Bleomycin is known to cause single, and to a lesser extent, double-stranded breaks in DNA. In in vitro and in vivo experiments, bleomycin has been shown to cause cell cycle arrest in G2 and in mitosis.

When administered into the pleural cavity in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion, Bleomycin acts as a sclerosing agent.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption
Bleomycin is rapidly absorbed following either intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, or intrapleural administration reaching peak plasma concentrations in 30 to 60 minutes. Systemic bioavailability of bleomycin is 100% and 70% following intramuscular and subcutaneous administrations, respectively, and 45% following both intraperitoneal and intrapleural administrations, compared to intravenous and bolus administration.

Following intramuscular doses of 1 to 10 units/m2, both peak plasma concentration and AUC increased in proportion with the increase of dose.

Following intravenous bolus administration of 30 units of bleomycin to one patient with a primary germ cell tumor of the brain, a peak CSF level was 40% of the simultaneously-obtained plasma level and was attained in two hours after drug administration. The area under the bleomycin CSF concentration x time curve was 25% of the area of the bleomycin plasma concentration x time curve.

Distribution
Bleomycin is widely distributed throughout the body with a mean volume of distribution of 17.5 L/m2 in patients following a 15 units/m2 intravenous bolus dose. Protein binding of bleomycin has not been studied.

Metabolism
Bleomycin is inactivated by a cytosolic cysteine proteinase enzyme, bleomycin hydrolase. The enzyme is widely distributed in normal tissues with the exception of the skin and lungs, both targets of bleomycin toxicity. Systemic elimination of the drug by enzymatic degradation is probably only important in patients with severely compromised renal function.

Excretion
The primary route of elimination is via the kidneys. About 65% of the administered intravenous dose is excreted in urine within 24 hours. In patients with normal renal function, plasma concentrations of bleomycin decline biexponentially with a mean terminal half-life of 2 hours following intravenous bolus administration. Total body clearance and renal clearance averaged 51 mL/min/m2 and 23 mL/min/m2, respectively.

Following intrapleural administration to patients with normal renal function, a lower percentage of drug (40%) is recovered in the urine, as compared to that found in the urine after intravenous administration.

Special Populations

Age, Gender, and Race
The effects of age, gender, and race on the pharmacokinetics of bleomycin have not been evaluated.

Pediatric
Children of less than 3 years of age have higher total body clearance than in adults, 71 mL/min/m2 versus 51 mL/min/m2, respectively, following intravenous bolus administration. Children of more than 8 years of age have comparable clearance as in adults.

In children with normal renal function, plasma concentrations of bleomycin decline biexponentially as in adults. The volume of distribution and terminal half-life of bleomycin in children appears comparable to that in adults.

Renal Insufficiency
Renal insufficiency markedly alters bleomycin elimination. The terminal elimination half-life increases exponentially as the creatinine clearance decreases. Dosing reductions were proposed for patients with creatinine clearance values of <50 mL/min.

Hepatic Insufficiency
The effect of hepatic insufficiency on the pharmacokinetics of bleomycin has not been evaluated.

Drugs that Can Affect Renal Clearance
Because bleomycin is eliminated predominantly through renal excretion, the administration of nephrotoxic drugs with bleomycin may affect its renal clearance. Specifically, in one report of 2 children receiving concomitant cisplatin with bleomycin, total body clearance of bleomycin decreased from 39 to 18 mL/min/m2 as the cumulative dose of cisplatin exceeded 300 mg/m2. Terminal half-life of bleomycin also increased from 4.4 to 6.0 hours. Fatal bleomycin pulmonary toxicity has been reported in a patient with unrecognized cisplatin-induced oliguric renal failure.

Malignant Pleural Effusion
The safety and efficacy of bleomycin 60 units and tetracycline (1 g) as treatment for malignant pleural effusion were evaluated in a multicenter, randomized trial. Patients were required to have cytologically positive pleural effusion, good performance status (0,1,2), lung re-expansion following tube thoracostomy with drainage rates of 100 mL/24 hours or less, no prior intrapleural therapy, no prior systemic bleomycin therapy, no chest irradiation, and no recent change in systemic therapy. Overall survival did not differ between the bleomycin (n=44) and tetracycline treatment (n=41) groups. Of patients evaluated within 30 days of instillation, the recurrence rate was 36% (10/28) with bleomycin and 67% (18/27) with tetracycline (p=0.023). Toxicity was similar between groups.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Bleomycin for Injection should be considered a palliative treatment. It has been shown to be useful in the management of the following neoplasms either as a single agent or in proven combinations with other approved chemotherapeutic agents:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Head and neck (including mouth, tongue, tonsil, nasopharynx, oropharynx, sinus, palate, lip, buccal mucosa, gingivae, epiglottis, skin, larynx), penis, cervix, and vulva. The response to bleomycin is poorer in patients with previously irradiated head and neck cancer.

Lymphomas
Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Testicular Carcinoma
Embryonal cell, choriocarcinoma, and teratocarcinoma.

Bleomycin has also been shown to be useful in the management of:

Malignant Pleural Effusion
Bleomycin is effective as a sclerosing agent for the treatment of malignant pleural effusion and prevention of recurrent pleural effusions.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Bleomycin for Injection is contraindicated in patients who have demonstrated a hypersensitive or an idiosyncratic reaction to it.

WARNINGS

Patients receiving bleomycin must be observed carefully and frequently during and after therapy. It should be used with extreme caution in patients with significant impairment of renal function or compromised pulmonary function.

Pulmonary toxicities occur in 10% of treated patients. In approximately 1%, the nonspecific pneumonitis induced by bleomycin progresses to pulmonary fibrosis and death. Although this is age and dose related, the toxicity is unpredictable. Frequent roentgenograms are recommended.

A severe idiosyncratic reaction (similar to anaphylaxis) consisting of hypotension, mental confusion, fever, chills, and wheezing has been reported in approximately 1% of lymphoma patients treated with bleomycin. Since these reactions usually occur after the first or second dose, careful monitoring is essential after these doses.

Renal or hepatic toxicity, beginning as a deterioration in renal or liver function tests, have been reported. These toxicities may occur at any time after initiation of therapy.

Usage in Pregnancy

Pregnancy Category D
Bleomycin can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. It has been shown to be teratogenic in rats. Administration of intraperitoneal doses of 1.5 mg/kg/day to rats (about 1.6 times the recommended human dose on a unit/m2 basis) on days 6 to 15 of gestation caused skeletal malformations, shortened innominate artery and hydroureter. Bleomycin is abortifacient but not teratogenic in rabbits at intravenous doses of 1.2 mg/kg/day (about 2.4 times the recommended human dose on a unit/m2 basis) given on gestation days 6 to 18.

There have been no studies in pregnant women. If Bleomycin for Injection is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while receiving this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant during therapy with Bleomycin for Injection.

PRECAUTIONS

General
Patients with creatinine clearance values of less than 50 mL/min should be treated with caution and their renal function should be carefully monitored during the administration of bleomycin. Lower doses of bleomycin may be required in these patients than those with normal renal function.

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
The carcinogenic potential of bleomycin in humans is unknown. A study in F344-type male rats demonstrated an increased incidence of nodular hyperplasia after induced lung carcinogenesis by nitrosamines, followed by treatment with bleomycin. In another study where the drug was administered to rats by subcutaneous injection at 0.35 mg/kg weekly (3.82 units/m2 weekly or about 30% at the recommended human dose), necropsy findings included dose-related injection site fibrosarcomas as well as various renal tumors. Bleomycin has been shown to be mutagenic both in vitro and in vivo. The effects of bleomycin on fertility have not been studied.

Pregnancy
Pregnancy Category D See WARNINGS.

Nursing Mothers
It is not known whether the drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, it is recommended that nursing be discontinued by women receiving bleomycin therapy.

Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness of Bleomycin for Injection in pediatric patients have not been established.

Geriatric Use
In clinical trials, pulmonary toxicity was more common in patients older than 70 years than in younger patients. Other reported clinical experience has not identified other differences in responses between elderly and younger patients, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out.

Bleomycin is known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of toxic reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Pulmonary
The most serious side effects are pulmonary adverse reactions, occurring in approximately 10% of treated patients. The most frequent presentation is pneumonitis occasionally progressing to pulmonary fibrosis. Approximately 1% of patients treated have died of pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary toxicity is both dose and age related, being more common in patients over 70 years of age and in those receiving over 400 units total dose. This toxicity, however, is unpredictable and has been seen in young patients receiving low doses. Some published reports have suggested that the risk of pulmonary toxicity may be increased when bleomycin is used in combination with G-CSF (filgrastim) or other cytokines. However, randomized clinical studies completed to date have not demonstrated an increased risk of pulmonary complications in patients treated with bleomycin and G-CSF.

Because of lack of specificity of the clinical syndrome, the identification of patients with pulmonary toxicity due to bleomycin sulfate has been extremely difficult. The earliest symptom associated with bleomycin sulfate pulmonary toxicity is dyspnea. The earliest sign is fine rales.

Radiographically, bleomycin-induced pneumonitis produces nonspecific patchy opacities, usually of the lower lung fields. The most common changes in pulmonary function tests are a decrease in total lung volume and a decrease in vital capacity. However, these changes are not predictive of the development of pulmonary fibrosis.

The microscopic tissue changes due to bleomycin toxicity include bronchiolar squamous metaplasia, reactive macrophages, atypical alveolar epithelial cells, fibrinous edema, and interstitial fibrosis. The acute stage may involve capillary changes and subsequent fibrinous exudation into alveoli producing a change similar to hyaline membrane formation and progressing to a diffuse interstitial fibrosis resembling the Hamman-Rich syndrome. These microscopic findings are nonspecific; eg similar changes are seen in radiation pneumonitis and pneumocystic pneumonitis.

To monitor the onset of pulmonary toxicity, roentgenograms of the chest should be taken every 1 to 2 weeks. If pulmonary changes are noted, treatment should be discontinued until it can be determined if they are drug related. Recent studies have suggested that sequential measurement of the pulmonary diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) during treatment with Bleomycin for Injection, USP may be an indicator of subclinical pulmonary toxicity. It is recommended that the DLCO be monitored monthly if it is to be employed to detect pulmonary toxicities, and thus the drug should be discontinued when the DLCO falls below 30% to 35% of the pretreatment value.

Because of bleomycin’s sensitization of lung tissue, patients who have received bleomycin are at greater risk of developing pulmonary toxicity when oxygen is administered in surgery. While long exposure to very high oxygen concentrations is a known cause of lung damage, after bleomycin administration, lung damage can occur at lower concentrations that are usually considered safe. Suggested preventive measures are:

1.   Maintain FIO2 at concentrations approximating that of room air (25%) during surgery and the postoperative period.

2.   Monitor carefully fluid replacement, focusing more on colloid administration rather than crystalloid.

Sudden onset of an acute chest pain syndrome suggestive of pleuropericarditis has been reported during Bleomycin for Injection infusions. Although each patient must be individually evaluated, further courses of Bleomycin for Injection do not appear to be contraindicated.

Pulmonary adverse events which may be related to the intrapleural administration of Bleomycin have been reported.

Idiosyncratic Reactions
In approximately 1% of the lymphoma patients treated with Bleomycin for Injection, an idiosyncratic reaction, similar to anaphylaxis clinically, has been reported. The reaction may be immediate or delayed for several hours, and usually occurs after the first or second dose. It consists of hypotension, mental confusion, fever, chills, and wheezing. Treatment is symptomatic including volume expansion, pressor agents, antihistamines, and corticosteroids.

Integument and Mucous Membranes
These adverse reactions have been reported in approximately 50% of treated patients. They consist of erythema, rash, striae, vesiculation, hyperpigmentation, and tenderness of the skin. Hyperkeratosis, nail changes, alopecia, pruritus, and stomatitis have also been reported. It was necessary to discontinue bleomycin therapy in 2% of treated patients because of these toxicities.

Scleroderma-like skin changes have been reported.

Skin toxicity is a relatively late manifestation usually developing in the second and third week of treatment after 150 to 200 units of bleomycin have been administered and appears to be related to the cumulative dose.

Intrapleural administration of Bleomycin has been associated with local pain. Hypotension possibly requiring symptomatic treatment has been reported. Death has been reported in association with Bleomycin pleurodesis in seriously ill patients.

Other
Vascular toxicities coincident with the use of bleomycin in combination with other antineoplastic agents have been reported. The events are clinically heterogeneous and may include myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, thrombotic microangiopathy (HUS), or cerebral arteritis. Various mechanisms have been proposed for these vascular complications. There are also reports of Raynaud’s phenomenon occurring in patients treated with bleomycin in combination with vinblastine with or without cisplatin or, in a few cases, with bleomycin as a single agent. It is currently unknown if the cause of Raynaud’s phenomenon in these cases is the disease, underlying vascular compromise, bleomycin, vinblastine, hypomagnesemia, or a combination of any of these factors.

Fever, chills, and vomiting have been reported. Anorexia and weight loss have been reported and may persist long after termination of this medication. Pain at tumor site, phlebitis, and other local reactions have been reported.

Malaise has been reported.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Because of the possibility of an anaphylactoid reaction, lymphoma patients should be treated with 2 units or less for the first 2 doses. If no acute reaction occurs, then the regular dosage schedule may be followed.

The following dose schedule is recommended:
Squamous cell carcinoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular carcinoma - 0.25 to 0.50 units/kg (10 to 20 units/m) given intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously weekly or twice weekly.

Hodgkin’s Disease - 0.25 to 0.50 units/kg (10 to 20 units/m2) given intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously weekly or twice weekly. After a 50% response, a maintenance dose of 1 unit daily or 5 units weekly intravenously or intramuscularly should be given.

Pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin appears to be dose-related with a striking increase when the total dose is over 400 units. Total doses over 400 units should be given with great caution.

Note: When Bleomycin for Injection is used in combination with other antineoplastic agents, pulmonary toxicities may occur at lower doses.

Improvement of Hodgkin’s disease and testicular tumors is prompt and noted within 2 weeks. If no improvement is seen by this time, improvement is unlikely. Squamous cell cancers respond more slowly, sometimes requiring as long as 3 weeks before any improvement is noted.

Malignant Pleural Effusion — 60 units administered as a single dose bolus intrapleural injection.

Use in Patients with Renal Insufficiency
The following dosing reductions are proposed for patients with creatinine clearance (CrCL) values of less than 50 mL/min:

Administration
Bleomycin for Injection may be given by the intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous or intrapleural routes.

Administration Precautions
Caution should be exercised when handling Bleomycin for injection. Procedures for proper handling and disposal of anticancer drugs should be utilized. Several guidelines on this subject have been published.1-4 To minimize the risk of dermal exposure, always wear impervious gloves when handling vials containing Bleomycin for injection. If Bleomycin for injection contacts the skin, immediately wash the skin thoroughly with soap and water. If contact with mucous membranes occurs, the membranes should be flushed immediately and thoroughly with water. More information is available in the references listed below.

Intramuscular or Subcutaneous
The Bleomycin for Injection, USP 15 units vial should be reconstituted with 1 to 5 mL of Sterile Water for Injection, USP, Sodium Chloride for Injection, 0.9%, USP, or Sterile Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP. The Bleomycin for Injection, USP 30 units vial should be reconstituted with 2 to 10 mL of the above diluents.

Intravenous
The contents of the 15 units or 30 units vial should be dissolved in 5 mL or 10 mL, respectively of Sodium Chloride for Injection, 0.9%, USP, and administered slowly over a period of 10 minutes.

Intrapleural
Sixty units of Bleomycin are dissolved in 50 to 100 mL Sodium Chloride for Injection, 0.9%, USP, and administered through a thoracostomy tube following drainage of excess pleural fluid and confirmation of complete lung expansion. The literature suggests that successful pleurodesis is, in part, dependent upon complete drainage of the pleural fluid and reestablishment of negative intrapleural pressure prior to instillation of a sclerosing agent. Therefore, the amount of drainage from the chest tube should be as minimal as possible prior to instillation of Bleomycin. Although there is no conclusive evidence to support this contention, it is generally accepted that chest tube drainage should be less than 100 mL in a 24-hour period prior to sclerosis. However, Bleomycin instillation may be appropriate when drainage is between 100 to 300 mL under clinical conditions that necessitate sclerosis therapy. The thoracostomy tube is clamped after Bleomcyin instillation. The patient is moved from the supine to the left and right lateral positions several times during the next four hours. The clamp is thenremoved and suction reestablished. The amount of time the chest tube remains in place following sclerosis is dictated by the clinical situation.

The intrapleural injection of topical anesthetics or systemic narcotic analgesia is generally not required.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

HOW SUPPLIED

Bleomycin for Injection, USP contains sterile bleomycin sulfate equivalent to 15 units or 30 units of bleomycin.

15 units per vial, packaged individually.
30 units per vial, packaged individually.

Stability
The sterile powder is stable under refrigeration 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) and should not be used after the expiration date is reached.

Bleomycin for Injection should not be reconstituted or diluted with 5% Dextrose Injection or other dextrose containing diluents. When reconstituted in 5% Dextrose Injection and analyzed by HPLC, Bleomycin for Injection demonstrates a loss of A2 and B2 potency that does not occur when Bleomycin for Injection is reconstituted in Sodium Chloride for Injection, 0.9%, USP.

Bleomycin for Injection, USP is stable for 24 hours at room temperature in Sodium Chloride.

REFERENCES

1. NIOSH Alert: Preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in healthcare settings. 2004. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004 165.
2. OSHA Technical Manual, TED 1-0.15A, Section VI: Chapter 2. Controlling occupational exposure to hazardous drugs. OSHA, 1999. http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_vi/otm_vi_2.html
3. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. ASHP guidelines on handling hazardous drugs. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2006; 63:1172-1193.
4. Polovich M, White JM, Kelleher LO, eds. 2005. Chemotherapy and biotherapy guidelines and recommendations for practice. 2nd ed. Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society.