Naxitamab is a monoclonal antibody medication used to treat neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that primarily affects children. It is used in combination with other cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation. Naxitamab works by helping the body's immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It is administered intravenously, either as an infusion or as a single dose. Naxitamab is generally well-tolerated, and side effects may include fever, rash, or nausea.
Naxitamab is a medication sold under the brand name Danyelza. It is a type of cancer treatment known as a monoclonal antibody . It is used in combination with another medication called granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to treat children one year of age and older and adults with high-risk neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that most commonly affects infants and young children. It develops from immature nerve cells. High-risk neuroblastoma is an aggressive form of the cancer that is more likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Naxitamab is specifically designed to target a molecule called GD2, which is found on the surface of neuroblastoma cells. When naxitamab is given, it binds to the GD2 molecule, which helps the immune system to recognize and destroy the cancer cells.
Naxitamab is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion, which means it is injected into a vein. It is typically given on days 1, 3, and 5 of each treatment cycle. GM-CSF is given as a shot under the skin (subcutaneously) on days -4 to 0 and days 1 to 5 of each treatment cycle.
Naxitamab can cause side effects. Some of the most common side effects include fatigue, infection, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headache, dizziness, fever, chills, pain, and swelling at the injection site. Naxitamab can also cause serious side effects, including nerve problems, infusion reactions, and tumor lysis syndrome. Tumor lysis syndrome is a condition that can occur when cancer cells are killed too quickly. Symptoms of tumor lysis syndrome can include low blood calcium levels, high blood potassium levels, and high blood uric acid levels.