Daily Medication Pearl: Pertuzumab (Perjeta) Injection for Breast Cancer

Author(s):

Saro Arakelians, PharmD

Key Takeaways

Pertuzumab is indicated for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel for patients without prior anti-HER2 therapy.
The initial dosing regimen involves an 840 mg IV infusion, followed by 420 mg every three weeks.
Adverse events associated with pertuzumab include diarrhea, alopecia, neutropenia, nausea, fatigue, rash, and peripheral neuropathy.
Pertuzumab blocks HER2 dimerization with other HER family members, disrupting signaling pathways critical for cancer cell growth.

Pertuzumab is indicated for use in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel for treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have not received prior anti-HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for metastatic disease.

Medication Pearl of the Day: Pertuzumab (Perjeta) Injection

Indication: Pertuzumabis a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu receptor antagonist indicated for use in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel for treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who have not received prior anti-HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for metastatic disease.

Insight

Dosing: The initial pertuzumabdose is 840 mg administered as a 60-minute intravenous (IV) infusion, followed every 3 weeks thereafter by 420 mg administered as a 30- to 60-minute IV infusion.
Dosage form: Injection 420 mg/14 mL single-dose vial.
Adverse events: Diarrhea, alopecia, neutropenia, nausea, fatigue, rash, and peripheral neuropathy.
Mechanism of action: Pertuzumab targets the extracellular dimerization domain (subdomain II) of the HER2 and, thereby, blocks ligand-dependent heterodimerization of HER2 with other HER family members, including EGFR, HER3, and HER4.
Manufacturer: Genentech

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