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Besponsa vs. Mylotarg

Are Besponsa and Mylotarg the Same Thing?

Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin) for injection and Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin for injection) are monoclonal antibodies used to treat different types of leukemia.

Besponsa is used to treat adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Mylotarg is used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Mylotarg is usually given to people who are at least 60 years old and have a relapse of their disease and who cannot receive other cancer medications.

The brand name Mylotarg is discontinued, but generic versions may be available.

Besponsa and Mylotarg are different types of monoclonal antibodies. Besponsa is a CD22-directed monoclonal antibody and Mylotarg is a CD33-directed monoclonal antibody.

Side effects of Besponsa and Mylotarg that are similar include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, and constipation.

Side effects of Besponsa that are different from Mylotarg include low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), low white blood cell counts (neutropenia, leukopenia), infection, anemia, fatigue, bleeding, febrile neutropenia, increased transaminases, abdominal pain, swelling and sores inside the mouth, increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, and too much bilirubin in the blood.

Side effects of Mylotarg that are different from Besponsa include dizziness, anxiety, depression, sleep problems (insomnia), shortness of breath, high or low blood pressure, high blood sugar, and low blood oxygen.

Besponsa may interact with drugs known to prolong the QT interval or induce Torsades de Pointes.

Mylotarg may interact with "live" vaccines, other chemotherapy treatments, antibiotics, antifungals, antidepressants, anti-malaria medicines, asthma inhalers, antipsychotic medicines, certain HIV/AIDS medicines, heart or blood pressure medicines, and medicines to prevent vomiting.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Besponsa?

Common side effects of Besponsa include:

  • low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia),
  • low white blood cell counts (neutropenia, leukopenia),
  • infection,
  • anemia,
  • fatigue,
  • bleeding,
  • fever,
  • nausea,
  • headache,
  • febrile neutropenia,
  • transaminases increased,
  • abdominal pain, diarrhea,
  • constipation,
  • vomiting,
  • swelling and sores inside the mouth,
  • chills,
  • gamma-glutamyltransferase increased, and
  • too much bilirubin in the blood

What Are Possible Side Effects of Mylotarg?

Common side effects of Mylotarg include:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • constipation
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • sleep problems (insomnia)
  • fever
  • chills
  • shortness of breath
  • high or low blood pressure
  • high blood sugar, or
  • low blood oxygen (hypoxia)

What Is Besponsa?

Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin) for injection is a CD22-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) indicated for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

What Is Mylotarg?

Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin for injection) is a cancer medication used to treat acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer. Mylotarg is usually given to people who are at least 60 years old and have a relapse of their disease and who cannot receive other cancer medications. The brand name Mylotarg is discontinued, but generic versions may be available.

What Drugs Interact With Besponsa?

Besponsa may interact with drugs known to prolong the QT interval or induce Torsades de Pointes. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

What Drugs Interact With Mylotarg?

Mylotarg may interact with "live" vaccines, or other chemotherapy treatments. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Mylotarg can cause harm to a fetus or cause birth defects. Before you receive Mylotarg, tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Use birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

How Should Besponsa Be Taken?

The dose and cycle length for Besponsa depends on the cycle, the day of the cycle, and any prior response to treatment. Patients are pre-medicated with a corticosteroid, anti-fever medication, and antihistamine prior to all Besponsa infusions.

How Should Mylotarg Be Taken?

The recommended dose of Mylotarg is 9 mg/m², infused over a 2-hour period.

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