Generic name: Vandetanib

Caprelsa^® is the trade name for the generic chemotherapy drug Vandetanib. In some cases, health care professionals may use the generic name Vandetanib when referring to the trade name Caprelsa^®.

Drug type: Caprelsa^® is a targeted therapy. It is an oral receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor - (For more detail, see "How this drug works," below.)

What Caprelsa Is Used For:

• For the treatment of symptomatic or progressive medullary thyroid cancer in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic disease.

Note: If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians may elect to use this same drug for other problems if they believe it may be helpful.

How Caprelsa Is Given:

• Caprelsa^® is a pill, taken by mouth. It can be taken with or without food.
• Take Caprelsa^® exactly as prescribed.
• Swallow Caprelsa^® capsules whole. Do not crush, dissolve or open capsules. If tablets are accidentally crushed, contact with skin should be avoided. If contact occurs, wash affected areas with water.
• You may put tablet in ¼ cup of water, mix for 10 minutes and drink. Rinse cup with ½ cup more water and drink.
• Do not change your dose or stop Caprelsa^® unless your health care provider tells you to.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is too close to your next dose (within 12 hours), just take your next dose at your regular time.
• Do not take more than 1 dose of Caprelsa^® at one time. Call your health care provider right away if you take too much.
• The amount of Caprelsa^® that you will receive depends on many factors, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition being treated.

Side Effects:

Important things to remember about the side effects of Caprelsa^®:

• Most people do not experience all of the side effects listed.
• Side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset and duration.
• There are many options to help minimize or prevent side effects.
• There is no relationship between the presence or severity of side effects and the effectiveness of the medication.

The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking Caprelsa^®:

• Diarrhea
• Rash
• Elevated Liver Enzymes (ALT)
• Low calcium levels
• Acne
• High blood pressure

• Nausea

These side effects are less common side effects (occurring in about 10-29%) of patients receiving Caprelsa^®:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Low blood sugar
• Abdominal pain
• Poor appetite
• Low white blood cell count
• Kidney problems
• Dry skin
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Irregular heartbeat
• Insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
• Photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight)
• Bleeding
• Anemia
• Liver tests increased (bilirubin)
• Itching
• Heartburn
• Cough
• Upper respiratory infection
• Depression
• Weight loss

Possible ECG changes which is a finding on your heart rhythm test that makes you prone to certain serious abnormal heart rhythms.

Not all side effects are listed above. Some that are rare (occurring in less than 10% of patients) are not listed here. However, you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

When to contact your doctor or health care provider:

Contact your health care provider immediately, day or night, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:

• Fever of 100.4° F (38°C or higher, chills)
• Irregular heartbeat, lightheadedness or feeling faint
• Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
• Headaches, seizures, confusion, changes in vision or thinking

The following symptoms require medical attention, but are not an emergency. Contact your health care provider within 24 hours of noticing any of the following:

• Diarrhea (4-6 episodes in a 24-hour period).
• Nausea (interferes with ability to eat and unrelieved with prescribed medication).
• Vomiting (vomiting more than 4-5 times in a 24 hour period).
• Unable to eat or drink for 24 hours or have signs of dehydration: tiredness, thirst, dry mouth, dark and decrease amount of urine, or dizziness.
• Skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow
• Urine turns dark or brown (tea color)
• Decreased appetite
• Pain on the right side of your stomach
• Bleed or bruise more easily than normal
• Skin changes (rash, acne, itching, blisters, peeling, redness or swelling).
• High blood pressure

Always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

Precautions:

• Before starting Caprelsa^® treatment, make sure you tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking (including prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbal remedies, etc.). Do not take aspirin, or products containing aspirin unless your doctor specifically permits this.
• Do not receive any kind of immunization or vaccination without your doctor's approval while taking Caprelsa^®.
• Inform your health care professional if you are pregnant or may be pregnant prior to starting this treatment. Pregnancy category D (Caprelsa^® may be hazardous to the fetus. Women who are pregnant or become pregnant must be advised of the potential hazard to the fetus.)
• For both men and women: Do not conceive a child (get pregnant) while taking Caprelsa^®. Barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, are recommended. Discuss with your doctor when you may safely become pregnant or conceive a child after therapy.
• Do not breast feed while taking this medication.
• You should not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit during your treatment with Caprelsa^®. It may make the amount of Caprelsa ^® in your blood increase to a harmful level.

Self-Care Tips:

• Drink at least two to three quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you are instructed otherwise.
• If you should experience nausea, take anti-nausea medications as prescribed by your doctor, and eat small frequent meals. Sucking on lozenges and chewing gum may also help.
• Avoid sun exposure. Wear SPF 15 (or higher) sun block and protective clothing.
• In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely. You should discuss this with your doctor.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Maintain good nutrition.
• Vandetanib can cause tiredness, weakness or blurred vision. If you have any of these symptoms, use caution when driving a car, using machinery, or anything that requires you to be alert.
• If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are effective in managing such problems.

Monitoring and Testing:

You will be checked regularly by your health care professional while you are takingVandetanib. Testing may include: electrolytes, thyroid test and electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy.

How Caprelsa Works:

Targeted therapy is the result of about 100 years of research dedicated to understanding the differences between cancer cells and normal cells. To date, cancer treatment has focused primarily on killing rapidly dividing cells because one feature of cancer cells is that they divide rapidly. Unfortunately, some of our normal cells divide rapidly too, causing multiple side effects.

Targeted therapy is about identifying other features of cancer cells. Scientists look for specific differences in the cancer cells and the normal cells. This information is used to create a targeted therapy to attack the cancer cells without damaging the normal cells, thus leading to fewer side effects. Each type of targeted therapy works a little bit differently but all interfere with the ability of the cancer cell to grow, divide, repair and/or communicate with other cells.

There are different types of targeted therapies, defined in three broad categories. Some targeted therapies focus on the internal components and function of the cancer cell. The targeted therapies use small molecules that can get into the cell and disrupt the function of the cells, causing them to die. There are several types of targeted therapy that focus on the inner parts of the cells. Other targeted therapies target receptors that are on the outside of the cell. Therapies that target receptors are also known as monoclonal antibodies. Antiangiogenesis inhibitors target the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the cells, ultimately causing the cells to starve.

Caprelsa^® is a targeted therapy that targets and binds to the tyrosine kinase receptors and inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), rearranged during transfection (RET), protein tyrosine kinase 6 (BRK), TIE2, EPH kinase receptors and SRC kinase receptors on the surface of the cell. By binding to these receptors Vandetanib blocks an important pathway that promotes cell division.

Research continues to identify which cancers may be best treated with targeted therapies and to identify additional targets for more types of cancer.

Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.

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