Download Drug Monograph - Iowa Medicaid PDL

Preferred Drug List
NEW DRUG REVIEW
Proprietary Name: Alimta®
Common Name: Pemetrexed disodium
PDL Category: Antineoplastic
Comparable Products
Preferred Drug List/
Recommended Drug List Status
Summary
Indications and Usage: In combination with cisplatin for the treatment of patients with malignant
pleural mesothelioma (MPM) whose disease is unresectable or who are otherwise not candidates for
curative surgery.
Dosage Forms: Powder for injection, lyophilized: 500 mg. In single-use vials.
Recommended Dosage: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): The recommended dose of
pemetrexed is 500 mg/m 2 administered as an IV infusion over 10 minutes on day 1 of each 21-day
cycle. The recommended dose of cisplatin is 75 mg/m 2 infused over 2 hours beginning
approximately 30 minutes after the end of pemetrexed administration. Non-small cell lung cancer
(NSCLC): The recommended dose of pemetrexed is 500 mg/m 2 administered as an IV infusion
over 10 minutes on day 1 of each 21-day cycle
Common Adverse Drug Reactions: Neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, fatigue,
fever, infection, stomatitis/pharyngitis and rash/desquamation.
Contraindications: History of severe hypersensitivity reaction to pemetrexed or any other ingredient
used in the formulation.
Manufacturer: Eli Lilly
Analysis: Alimta® is the first drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the
treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the inside lining of the chest cavity usually
caused by asbestos exposure) when surgery is not an option. Alimta® is an orphan drug and is to be
used in combination with cisplatin. In clinical trials, patients who were treated with Alimta® and
cisplatin had a median survival rate of 12.1 months compared to 9.3 months for patients treated with
cisplatin alone.
Preferred Drug
Recommended Drug
IME Recommendation:
Non-Preferred Drug
Preferred Drug with Conditions
Prepared By: Iowa Medicaid Enterprise
Non-Recommended Drug
Date: 8/12/2017