medicationsvidazaVidaza dosage

Vidaza Dosage, forms & strengths

Jamie Winn, PharmD
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Medically reviewed by  Jamie Winn, PharmD

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Vidaza (azacitidine) is a type of cancer treatment that is manufactured by the Celgene Corporation. It is used to prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells. Vidaza also stimulates your bone marrow to produce normal blood cells to decrease the need for blood transfusions. Vidaza is approved by the FDA to treat juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) in pediatric patients aged 1 month and older. It is also indicated for adults who are not eligible for stem cell transplantation with the following French-American-British (FAB) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) subtypes:

  • Refractory anemia (RA) or refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) if you have neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or require blood transfusions
  • Refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB)
  • Refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-T)
  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMMoL)

How does Vidaza work?

Vidaza is a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor that interferes with the RNA and DNA of cancer cells in your bone marrow. It is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog of cytidine, so it is incorporated into RNA to a larger extent than into DNA. Vidaza is thought to work by causing hypomethylation of DNA which slows the growth and spread of rapidly dividing cells and eventually leads to their death. Vidaza can also affect normal cells which can lead to serious adverse effects.

Vidaza dosage forms and strengths

  • Vidaza comes as a lyophilized powder in 100 mg single-dose vials

Vidaza dosage

Vidaza adult dosage

The first treatment cycle of Vidaza is 75mg/m^2 by subcutaneous administration or IV infusion daily for 7 days. This dose is used for all adult MDS patients regardless of your baseline blood counts. You should also be given medications for nausea and vomiting prior to treatment. Your doctor will obtain a complete blood count (CBC), liver function tests, and serum creatinine levels before the first dose. You will then have treatment cycles every 4 weeks for a minimum of 4 to 6 cycles. Your treatment can be continued as long as you continue to benefit, even with complete or partial response.

Dose adjustments will be made based on your hematologic response as well as your WBC, ANC, and platelet counts when your blood cell counts are the lowest (nadir count) they will be during that treatment cycle.

Vidaza pediatric dosage

The recommended starting dose of Vidaza for pediatric JMML patients is:

  • 2.5 mg/kg of body weight for ages 1 month to less than 1 year or weighing less than 10 kg
  • 75mg/m^2 for pediatric patients aged 1 year and older and weighing 10 kg or greater

Vidaza is given to pediatric patients as an intravenous infusion once daily for 7 days in a 28-day cycle. They should be treated for a minimum of 3 cycles and a maximum of 6 cycles. Discontinuation of Vidaza treatment is recommended in patients with a low neutrophil count at end of cycle 3 or on day 1 of cycles 5 or 6.

Vidaza dosage restrictions

You may need dosage adjustments based on your serum electrolyte levels and renal function. If unexplained reductions of your serum bicarbonate levels to less than 20 mEq/L occur, your dose should be reduced by 50% for the treatment cycle.

If you experience unexplained increases in your blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or serum creatinine levels, your next treatment cycle should be held until their values return to normal or baseline and then the dose should be reduced by 50%.

The effects of renal or hepatic impairment, gender, age (geriatric), or race on the pharmacokinetics of Vidaza have not been studied.

How to take Vidaza

Vidaza is given as a subcutaneous injection in your thigh, stomach, or upper arm or as an intravenous infusion. Once reconstituted for subcutaneous administration, Vidaza may be held at room temperature for up to 1 hour but must be administered within 1 hour after reconstitution.

Vidaza is not a medication you give to yourself at home. It has to be administered by a trained nurse or doctor in their office, clinic, or hospital. You will be monitored for any serious adverse reactions you may have to the medication. They should also give you medications for nausea and vomiting before Vidaza treatment.

Vidaza dosage FAQs

What are the most common side effects of Vidaza?

The most common side effects of Vidaza in clinical trials include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Anemia
  • Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
  • Fever
  • Diarrhea
  • Injection site reaction including erythema (redness)
  • Constipation
  • Abdominal pain
  • Febrile neutropenia
  • Leukopenia
  • Petechiae (tiny red spots or bruises)
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure)
  • Dyspepsia (indigestion)
  • Infections
  • Ecchymosis (bruising)
  • Dry skin
  • Pruritus (itching)
  • Anorexia
  • Malaise (tiredness)
  • Stomatitis (mouth sores)

In rare instances, Vidaza can cause more serious adverse events, including:

  • Severe hypersensitivity reactions, including hives, angioedema, and shortness of breath
  • Tumor lysis syndrome
  • Chest pain
  • Arthralgia (joint pain)
  • Myalgia (muscle pain)
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Hypokalemia (low potassium levels)
  • Mental/mood changes
  • Postprocedural hemorrhage

Contact your healthcare provider for medical advice about any adverse effects you experience while taking Anoro Ellipta. You can report your side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Are there any contraindications or precautions with Vidaza?

Vidaza should not be taken by patients with:

  • Advanced malignant hepatic tumors
  • Hypersensitivity to azacitidine, mannitol, or any other ingredient in the formulation

Caution should be used in the following conditions:

  • You should have blood tests performed to monitor your complete blood counts (CBCs) for anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.
  • Vidaza can cause renal toxicity. You should be monitored for signs of renal impairment or renal failure.
  • Vidaza can suppress your immune system. Notify your doctor if you experience any signs of infection.

Can you take Vidaza while you are pregnant or during lactation?

Based on Vidaza’s mechanism of action and animal studies, it may cause harm to the fetus when given to pregnant women. Both men and women using Vidaza should use effective contraception to prevent pregnancy.

While it is not known if Vidaza is found in breast milk, it is recommended that nursing women should stop breastfeeding during treatment and for at least one week after their last dose.

You should always discuss the risks and benefits of any medication with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are breastfeeding. 

What does Vidaza do to the bone marrow?

Vidaza helps your bone marrow produce normal blood cells while also killing abnormal cells in your bone marrow.

How long do you take Vidaza?

Your treatment cycle will consist of daily treatments for 1 week and then no treatment for 3 weeks. You will typically have at least 4 to 6 cycles but the treatment can continue as long as it is working and you have no serious adverse events.

What drug interactions occur with Vidaza?

When Vidaza is taken with other medications, it may change the way they work or increase the frequency and severity of side effects. Discuss with your doctor whether any of the prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take may interact with this medication.

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The content on this website is intended for information purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. The information on this website should not be relied upon and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always speak to your doctor regarding the risks and benefits of any treatment.