Rolapitant

Rolapitant is a prescription medication used with other medications to help prevent nausea and vomiting that happens later with certain chemotherapy. 

It belongs to a group of drugs called antiemetics. These work to block the receptor that plays a big part in nausea and vomiting induced by certain cancer chemotherapies. 

Rolapitant is available in tablet form and is typically taken before you receive your chemotherapy. It can be taken with or without food. This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects include low white blood cell count, hiccups, decreased appetite and dizziness.

Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication affects you. 

Rolapitant is a prescription medication used with other medications to help prevent nausea and vomiting that happens later with certain chemotherapy. 

It is not known if rolapitant is safe and effective in children. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Rolapitant may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Varubi

Serious side effects have been reported with rolapitant. See the “Rolapitant Precautions” section.

The most common side effects of rolapitant in people who take rolapitant and Cisplatin chemotherapy medicine include:

• low white blood cell count
• hiccups
• stomach pain

The most common side effects of rolapitant in people who take rolapitant and receive Anthracycline and Cyclophosphamide chemotherapy medicines include:

• decreased appetite
• low white blood cell count
• dizziness
• indigestion
• urinary tract infection
• mouth sores
• low red blood cell count

This is not a complete list of rolapitant side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take: 

• thioridazine. Taking rolapitant with thioridazine can cause serious or life-threatening heart rhythm changes.
• pimozide (Orap). Your doctor will have to monitor you for prolongation of your QTc interval if you have to take both medications.
• other medications that use the enzyme CYP2D6 such as dextromethorphan
• BCRP substrates with a narrow therapeutic index such as methotrexate, topotecan, or irinotecan
• P-gp substrates with a narrow therapeutic index such as digoxin

Serious side effects have been reported with rolapitant including the following:

Rolapitant can change the level of some medicines in your blood. Serious or life-threatening reactions, including heart rhythm changes, may occur if rolapitant is used with certain other medicines.

Do not take rolapitant if you are:

• allergic to rolapitant or any of its ingredients
• taking pimozide or thioridazine

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of rolapitant, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking rolapitant, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to rolapitant or to any of its ingredients
• have liver problems
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if rolapitant will harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if rolapitant passes into your breast milk or could harm your baby. 

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

There is no available data on rolapitant use in pregnant women. In animal reproduction studies, there were no teratogenic or embryo-fetal effects observed with rolapitant.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if rolapitant crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using rolapitant.

Take rolapitant exactly as your doctor tells you to take it.

Rolapitant is available in tablet and injectable forms and is typically taken before you receive your chemotherapy. Varubi tablets can be taken with or without food. 

On Day 1 of chemotherapy, take 2 rolipitant tablets by mouth about 1 to 2 hours before you receive your anti-cancer medicine (chemotherapy). Alternatively, rolipitant IV can be administerd on Day 1 of chemotherapy, as an injection given directly into a vein (IV) over 30 minutes by a healthcare professional.

Do not take rolipitant more than 1 time every 14 days. 

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The recommended dose of Varubi (rolapitant) tablets is 180 mg 1 to 2 hours prior to the start of chemotherapy. 

The recommended dose of Varubi (rolapitant) IV is 166.5 mg administered directly into a vein (IV) over 30 minutes 1 to 2 hours prior to the start of chemotherapy by a healthcare professional.

Take rolapitant with dexamethasone and a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. 

If you take too much rolapitant, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store rolapitant at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
• Keep rolapitant and all medicines out of the reach of children.