What is Panitumumab?

Panitumumab is a human monoclonal antibody antagonist specific for EGFR (also known as EGF receptor, c-erbB-1 and HER1 in humans). It is a single agent indicated for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed on or after fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan chemotherapy regimens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves drugs based on progression-free survival, and there is no data showing that the use of panitumumab improves disease-related symptoms or improves survival.

Panitumumab is manufactured byAmgen (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and marketed as Vectibix. According to the prescribing information, panitumumab is administered intravenously at a dose of 6 mg/kg every 14 days over 60 minutes (≤1000 mg) or 90 minutes (>1000 mg). Panitumumab exhibits nonlinear pharmacokinetics when administered as a single agent, with an elimination half-life of approximately 7.5 days. The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were cutaneous toxicity (i.e., erythema, acneiform dermatitis, pruritus, exfoliation, rash, and fissures), paronychia, hypomagnesemia, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.

It is understood that the original version of panitumumab has not yet been launched in China, and therefore it has not been covered by medical insurance. The price of the Hong Kong original version of panitumumab sold in Hong Kong, China100mg/5mL may be around RMB 9,000 (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). There are currently no generic drugs of Panitumumab on the market. If a patient has a need to purchase Panitumumab, please consult a medical consultant for specific prices and more drug information.