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Oncaspar®
(pegaspargase) Intravenous -or- Intramuscular Injection
Oncaspar® (pegaspargase) is a modified version of the enzyme L-asparaginase. To produce Oncaspar® (pegaspargase) , L-asparaginase is modified by covalently conjugating units of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (PEG), molecular weight of 5,000, to the enzyme, forming the active ingredient PEG-L-asparaginase. The L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase, type EC-2, EC 3.5.1.1) used in the manufacture of Oncaspar® (pegaspargase) is derived from E coli and supplied by Ovation Pharmaceuticals (U.S. License No. 1688) under a shared manufacturing arrangement. Oncaspar® (pegaspargase) activity is expressed in International Units (IU) according to the recommendation of the International Union of Biochemistry. One IU of L-asparaginase is defined as that amount of enzyme required to generate 1 umol of ammonia per minute at pH 7.3 and 37°C.
Oncaspar® (pegaspargase) is supplied as a clear, colorless, preservative-free, isotonic sterile solution in phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.3. Each milliliter contains Oncaspar® (pegaspargase) 750 IU ± 20% (based on specific activity of at least 85 IU per milligram protein), 1.20 mg monobasic sodium phosphate, USP, 5.58 mg dibasic sodium phosphate, USP, and 8.50 mg sodium chloride, USP, in water for injection, USP.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Oncaspar »
Before using pegaspargase, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to L-asparaginase; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: history of a serious reaction to L-asparaginase (e.g., bleeding, blood clots, pancreatitis).
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: diabetes, clotting/bleeding disorders, liver disease, pancreatitis.
Do not have immunizations/vaccinations without the consent of your doctor, and...
Last reviewed on RxList: 3/2/2009
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
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