Temozolomide
Temozolomide Glenmark contains the active substance temozolomide. This medicine is an anticancer medicine.
Temozolomide Glenmark is used to treat certain types of brain tumors:
important role in fighting infections and the blood clotting process. The doctor will examine the blood before starting treatment to ensure that the number of these cells is sufficient.
Before starting treatment with Temozolomide Glenmark, the patient should discuss the following with their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse:
Temozolomide Glenmark should not be given to children under 3 years of age, as there are no data available for this age group. The amount of data on patients over 3 years of age who have taken Temozolomide Glenmark is limited.
The patient should tell their doctor or pharmacist about all medicines they are currently taking or have recently taken, as well as any medicines they plan to take.
If the patient is pregnant, thinks they may be pregnant, or plans to have a child, they should consult their doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Temozolomide Glenmark should not be taken during pregnancy, unless the doctor has explicitly recommended it.
During treatment with Temozolomide Glenmark and for at least 6 months after the end of treatment, women who may become pregnant should use effective contraceptive measures.
Breastfeeding should be discontinued during treatment with Temozolomide Glenmark.
Temozolomide Glenmark may cause permanent infertility. Men taking Temozolomide Glenmark should use effective contraceptive measures and not father a child during treatment and for at least 3 months after the end of treatment. It is recommended that the patient consult their doctor to consider sperm preservation before starting treatment.
During treatment with Temozolomide Glenmark, the patient may experience fatigue or drowsiness. The patient should not drive or operate machinery until they know how the medicine affects them (see section 4).
Temozolomide Glenmark contains lactose (a type of sugar). If the doctor has previously determined that the patient has an intolerance to some sugars, the patient should contact their doctor before taking this medicine.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) of sodium per capsule, which means it is considered "sodium-free".
This medicine should always be taken exactly as prescribed by the doctor or pharmacist. If the patient has any doubts, they should consult their doctor or pharmacist.
Dosage and duration of treatment
The doctor will prescribe the appropriate dose of Temozolomide Glenmark for the patient.
The dose is determined based on the patient's body size (height and weight) and whether the tumor has recurred and whether the patient has previously received chemotherapy. To prevent nausea and vomiting or reduce them, the doctor may prescribe other medicines (anti-emetic medicines) to be taken before and/or after Temozolomide Glenmark.
Patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme:
Treatment is given in two phases:
During the concomitant phase, the doctor will start giving Temozolomide Glenmark at a dose of 75 mg/m² body surface area (the usual dose). The prescribed dose will be taken daily for 42 days (up to 49 days) in combination with radiotherapy. Depending on the results of blood tests and the patient's tolerance to the medicine during the concomitant phase, the doctor may delay or interrupt Temozolomide Glenmark treatment. After the end of radiotherapy, there will be a 4-week break in treatment to allow the patient to recover. Then, the monotherapy phase will begin.
During the monotherapy phase, Temozolomide Glenmark is given at a different dose and in a different way. The doctor will determine the appropriate dose for the patient. The patient may receive up to 6 cycles of treatment. Each cycle lasts 28 days. The patient will take only Temozolomide Glenmark once a day for the first 5 days of each cycle ("days of taking the medicine").
The initial dose is 150 mg/m² body surface area. Then, for 23 days, the patient will not take Temozolomide Glenmark. This gives a 28-day treatment cycle. After
How to take Temozolomide Glenmark
The recommended dose of Temozolomide Glenmark should be taken once a day, preferably at the same time every day.
The capsules should be taken on an empty stomach; for example, at least one hour before planned breakfast. The capsule(s) should be swallowed whole, with a glass of water. The capsules should not be opened, crushed, or chewed. If a capsule is damaged, contact with its contents should be avoided, especially with the skin, eyes, or nose. If the medicine accidentally comes into contact with the eyes or nose, the affected area should be rinsed thoroughly with water.
Depending on the prescribed dose, the patient may take more than one capsule at the same time or may take capsules of different strengths (with different amounts of active substance expressed in milligrams). The color of the capsule cap varies depending on the strength (see the table below).
Strength | Cap color |
Temozolomide Glenmark, 5 mg, hard capsules | green |
Temozolomide Glenmark, 20 mg, hard capsules | orange |
Temozolomide Glenmark, 100 mg, hard capsules | purple |
Temozolomide Glenmark, 140 mg, hard capsules | blue |
Temozolomide Glenmark, 180 mg, hard capsules | chocolate-brown |
Temozolomide Glenmark, 250 mg, hard capsules | white |
The patient must be sure to understand and remember the following information:
Before starting each new cycle, the patient should again receive information from their doctor about how to take the medicine, as it may differ from the previous cycle.
Temozolomide Glenmark should always be taken exactly as prescribed by the doctor. It is very important to consult a doctor or pharmacist if the patient has any doubts. Errors in taking the medicine can have serious consequences for the patient's health.
If the patient accidentally takes more Temozolomide Glenmark capsules than prescribed by the doctor, they should immediately consult their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
A missed dose of the medicine should be taken as soon as possible on the same day. If the missed dose is not taken until the next day, the patient should contact their doctor. A double dose should not be taken to make up for a missed dose, unless the doctor recommends it.
If the patient has any further doubts about taking this medicine, they should consult their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
Like all medicines, Temozolomide Glenmark can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The patient should immediatelycontact their doctor if they experience any of the following symptoms:
Taking Temozolomide Glenmark may cause a decrease in the number of a certain type of blood cell. This can lead to more frequent bruising or bleeding, anemia (reduced number of red blood cells), fever, and reduced resistance to infections.
The decrease in blood cells is usually temporary. In some cases, it may be prolonged and lead to a very severe form of anemia (aplastic anemia).
The doctor will regularly perform blood tests and, based on the results, decide whether any appropriate treatment is needed. In some patients, it may be necessary to reduce the dose or interrupt treatment.
Other reported side effects are listed below:
If the patient experiences any side effects, including any side effects not listed in the leaflet, they should tell their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
Side effects can be reported directly to the Department of Adverse Reaction Monitoring of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products
Al. Jerozolimskie 181C, 02-222 Warsaw; tel.: +48 22 49 21 301; fax: +48 22 49 21 309
Website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl
Side effects can also be reported to the marketing authorization holder.
Reporting side effects will help to gather more information on the safety of the medicine.
The medicine should be stored out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Accidental ingestion of the medicine can be fatal for a child.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date stated on the sachet label after "EXP" and on the carton after "Expiry date". The expiry date refers to the last day of the month stated.
Sachet
Temozolomide Glenmark, 5 mg and 20 mg: Store below 25°C.
Temozolomide Glenmark, 100 mg, 140 mg, 180 mg, 250 mg: Store below 30°C.
The patient should inform their pharmacist about any changes in the appearance of the capsules.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. The patient should ask their pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer needed. This will help protect the environment.
The active substance of the medicine is temozolomide.
Other ingredients are:
capsule contents: lactose, colloidal anhydrous silica, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Type A), tartaric acid, stearic acid
capsule shell, size 0
Temozolomide Glenmark, 5 mg: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E 171), yellow iron oxide (E 172), indigo carmine (E 132)
Temozolomide Glenmark, 20 mg: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E 171), red iron oxide (E 172), yellow iron oxide (E 172)
Temozolomide Glenmark, 100 mg: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E 171), red iron oxide (E 172), indigo carmine (E 132)
Temozolomide Glenmark, 140 mg: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E 171), indigo carmine (E 132)
Temozolomide Glenmark, 180 mg: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E 171), red iron oxide (E 172), black iron oxide (E 172), yellow iron oxide (E 172)
Temozolomide Glenmark, 250 mg: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E 171)
Printing ink
Black ink: shellac, macrogol, concentrated ammonia solution, potassium hydroxide, iron oxide black (E172)
Temozolomide Glenmark, 5 mg: hard gelatin capsules, size 0, with a green cap and white body. The body is printed with the number 5 in black ink.
Temozolomide Glenmark, 20 mg: hard gelatin capsules, size 0, with an orange cap and white body. The body is printed with the number 20 in black ink.
Temozolomide Glenmark, 100 mg: hard gelatin capsules, size 0, with a purple cap and white body. The body is printed with the number 100 in black ink.
Temozolomide Glenmark, 140 mg: hard gelatin capsules, size 0, with a blue cap and white body. The body is printed with the number 140 in black ink.
Temozolomide Glenmark, 180 mg: hard gelatin capsules, size 0, with a chocolate-brown cap and white body. The body is printed with the number 180 in black ink.
Temozolomide Glenmark, 250 mg: hard gelatin capsules, size 0, with a white cap and white body. The body is printed with the number 250 in black ink.
Sachet
The sachet is made of paper/LDPE/aluminum/ethylene and acrylic acid copolymer. Each sachet contains 1 hard capsule. The sachets are packed in a carton. The carton contains 5 hard capsules, each packed in a separate sachet.
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals s.r.o.
Hvězdova 1716/2b
140 78 Prague 4
Czech Republic
EirGen Pharma Ltd.
Westside Business Park, Old Kilmeaden Road
Waterford, X91 YV67
Ireland
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals s.r.o.
Fibichova 143
566 17 Vysoké Mýto
Czech Republic
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Sp. z o.o.
Osmańska 14 Street
02-823 Warsaw
Date of last revision of the leaflet:February 2022
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