AHFS Class:

10:00 Antineoplastic Agents

Generic Name

• Pentostatin

Pentostatin is available as a lyophilized powder in vials containing 10 mg of drug with mannitol 50 mg and sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH.¹³⁶² Reconstitute the vial contents with 5 mL of sterile water for injection and shake well to yield a 2-mg/mL solution.¹³⁶² The reconstituted solution may be diluted in 25 or 50 mL of dextrose 5% or sodium chloride 0.9% to a final concentration of 0.33 or 0.18 mg/mL, respectively.¹³⁶²

pH

7 to 8.5.¹³⁶²

Trade Name(s)

Nipent

Pentostatin is administered intravenously by injection or by infusion over 20 to 30 minutes when diluted in 25 to 50 mL of a compatible infusion solution.¹³⁶²

Pentostatin is a white to off-white powder.¹³⁶² Intact vials should be stored at 2 to 8°C;¹³⁶² however, other information indicates that the drug in intact vials is stable for at least three years at room temperature.²³⁴

Following reconstitution, pentostatin solutions may be stored at room temperature under ambient light; however solutions are recommended to be used within 8 hours because the product contains no preservatives.¹³⁶² Other information indicates that the reconstituted solution is stable for 72 hours at room temperature, exhibiting a 2 to 4% loss.²³⁴; ¹⁴⁵³

Pentostatin (Parke-Davis) 0.03 mg/mL diluted in sodium chloride 0.9% and stored at 22°C did not exhibit a substantial antimicrobial effect on the growth of four organisms (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans) inoculated into the solution. C. albicans maintained viability for 24 hours, and the others were viable for 48 to 120 hours. The author recommended that diluted solutions of pentostatin be stored under refrigeration whenever possible and that the potential for microbiological growth be considered when assigning expiration periods.²¹⁶⁰

pH Effects

Pentostatin displays greater decomposition under acidic conditions compared to alkaline conditions. The pH range of maximum stability is about 6.5 to 11.5. At pH 6 to 8, hydrolysis is not sensitive to the ionic strength of the solution.¹⁴⁵³

Sorption

Pentostatin does not undergo sorption to PVC containers or administration sets at concentrations between 0.18 and 0.33 mg/mL in dextrose 5% or sodium chloride 0.9%.¹³⁶²

Solution Compatibility

Y-Site Injection Compatibility (1:1 Mixture)

For a list of references cited in the text of this monograph, search the monograph titled References.

ASHP^® Injectable Drug Information^TM. Selected Revisions October 1, 2012. © Copyright, 2024. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists^®, 4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.