Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

A nurse or other trained health professional may give you this medicine. It is given as a shot under your skin.

You may be taught how to give this medicine at home. Make sure you understand all of the instructions before giving yourself an injection. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to.

This medicine may be given in 2 ways: a single prefilled syringe for manual use or for use with the On-body Injector for Neulasta® use.

This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about:

  • How to prepare the injection.
  • The proper use of disposable syringes.
  • How to give the injection.
  • How long the injection can be stored at home.

If you have any questions about any of these, check with your doctor.

Start using the medicine 24 hours or more after you finish your chemotherapy. However, do not use it within 24 hours before you begin another chemotherapy treatment.

Allow the medicine to warm to room temperature before you inject it. If the medicine in the prefilled syringe has changed color, looks cloudy, or if you see particles in it, do not use it. Do not shake the syringe. Use the syringe only once. Do not save leftover medicine.

The needle cover of the prefilled syringe contains dry natural rubber (a derivative of latex), which may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to latex. Tell your doctor if you have a latex allergy before you start using this medicine.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For injectable dosage form:
    • To increase white blood cell count:
      • Adults—6 milligrams (mg) as a single injection under the skin once every cancer treatment cycle.
      • Children weighing more than 45 kilograms (kg)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. It is usually 6 milligrams (mg) as a single injection under the skin once every cancer treatment cycle.
      • Children weighing less than 45 kilograms (kg)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
        • Weighing 31 kg to 44 kg—4 milligrams (mg) as a single injection under the skin once every cancer treatment cycle.
        • Weighing 21 kg to 30 kg—2.5 mg as a single injection under the skin once every cancer treatment cycle.
        • Weighing 10 kg to 20 kg—1.5 mg as a single injection under the skin once every cancer treatment cycle.
        • Weighing less than 10 kg—0.1 mg per kg as a single injection under the skin once every cancer treatment cycle.

Missed Dose

This medicine needs to be given on a fixed schedule. If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Neulasta® single-use prefilled syringe: Leave the medicine in the carton until you are ready to use it. If you accidentally freeze the medicine, let it thaw out in the refrigerator before you use it. If you accidentally freeze the medicine a second time, do not use it. You may let the medicine warm up to room temperature before you use it. Keep it away from heat or direct light. The medicine can stay out of the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Discard any medicine that has been out of the refrigerator for more than 48 hours.

Neulasta® Onpro™ kit: Leave the medicine in the carton until you are ready to use it. You may let the medicine warm up to room temperature before you use it. Keep it away from heat or direct light. The medicine can stay out of the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Discard any medicine that has been out of the refrigerator for more than 12 hours.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container where the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.

Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2024

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