Pemetrexed
Pemetrexed is the generic name of
Alimta, a drug approved by the FDA in 2004 to
treat patients with
malignant pleural mesothelioma. It is the first drug approved specifically for the condition. It is classified by the FDA as an orphan drug, which are drugs developed to treat rare diseases (defined as conditions that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.) It acts as an antimetabolite, meaning it interferes with the celluar biochemistry (1).
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Though not a cure for
mesothelioma, Alimta interferes with the growth of
cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body (2). The effectiveness of Alimta was established in a
clinical trial that examined the effects of a combination
treatment of Alimta and
cisplatin (another
chemotherapy drug) when compared to a regimen of cisplatin alone. On average, patients receiving the combination treatment lived three months longer than patients given cisplatin alone (twelve months vs. nine months). Because it is only proven effective when given in combination, Alimta is always given with cisplatin (1).
Alimta is given as an injection through an IV; it must be given slowly, and the process can take up to 10 minutes to complete (3). There are some known side-effects from Alimta, included low white blood count, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, rash, and diarrhea. To reduce the severity of these adverse effects, Alimta is administered with vitamin B-12 and folic acid supplements (1).