Table 1.
Top 20 infused cancer drugs based on projected 2016 sales sold in single dose vials and dosed based on patient body size
| Drug (brand name), year of FDA approval | Dose of first approved indication (highest approved dose at any time) | Amount of drug in available single dose vials (discontinued vial sizes)* | Vial sharing | 2016 expected sales ($m) | 2016 expected revenue from leftover drug ($m) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of leftover drug using only full vials | % doses with vial sharing | % of leftover drug adjusted for frequency of vial sharing† | |||||
| Paclitaxel protein bound (Abraxane), 2005 | Breast 260 mg/m2 | 100 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 960.77 | 76.72 |
| Brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris), 2011 | Lymphoma 1.8 mg/kg | 50 | 15 | 36 | 10 | 292.18 | 29.15 |
| Pemetrexed (Alimta), 2004 | Mesothelioma/lung 500 mg/ m2 | 100, 500 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 1269.04 | 54.64 |
| Bevacizumab (Avastin), 2004 | Colorectal 5 (15) mg/kg | 100, 400 | 11 | 19 | 9 | 3159.32 | 284.49 |
| Ramucirumab (Cryamza), 2014 | Gastric 8 (10) mg/kg | 100, 500 | 7 | 16‡ | 6 | 471.55 | 28.78 |
| Cetuximab (Erbitux), 2004 | Head/neck 250 (400) mg/m2 | 100, 200 | 6 | 19 | 5 | 570.22 | 29.18 |
| Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi (Erwinaze), 2011 | All 25000 IU/ m2 | 10000 | 10 | 16‡ | 8 | 170.40 | 14.13 |
| Eribulin (Halaven), 2010 | Breast 1.4 mg/ m2 | 1 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 167.71 | 21.85 |
| Cabazitaxel (Jevtana), 2010 | Prostate 25 mg/m2 | 60 | 23 | 12 | 21 | 127.96 | 26.89 |
| Ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla), 2013 | Breast 3.6 mg/kg | 100, 160 | 7 | 16‡ | 6 | 413.96 | 23.66 |
| Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), 2014 | Melanoma 2 mg/kg | (50), 100 | 24 | 16‡ | 21 | 943.07 | 197.94 |
| Carfilzomib (Kyprolis), 2012 | Myeloma 20 (27) mg/ m2 | 60 | 37 | 16‡ | 33 | 697.65 | 231.45 |
| Filgrastim (Neupogen), 1991 | Neutropenia 5 (10) µg/kg | 300, 480 | 17 | 0§ | 17 | 623.85 | 106.01 |
| Irinotecan liposome (Onivyde), 2015 | Pancreatic 70 mg/m2 | 43 | 7 | 16 | 6 | 118.09 | 7.13 |
| Nivolumab (Opdivo), 2014 | Melanoma 3 mg/kg | 40, 100 | 4 | 16‡ | 3 | 2078.63 | 68.93 |
| Rituximab (Rituxan), 1997 | Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 375 (500) mg/m2 | 100, 500 | 7 | 0§ | 7 | 3852.75 | 253.85 |
| Bendamustine (Treanda), 2008 | Chronic lymphocytic leukemia 100 (120) mg/ m2 | 25, 45, 100, 180 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 563.44 | 7.38 |
| Panitumumab (Vectibix), 2006 | Colorectal 6 mg/kg | 100, 200, 400 | 10 | 17 | 8 | 237.41 | 18.72 |
| Bortezomib (Velcade), 2003 | Myeloma:1.3 mg/ m2 | 3.5 | 30 | 16 | 27 | 1160.64 | 308.74 |
| Ipilimumab (Yervoy), 2011 | Melanoma 3 mg/kg | 50, 200 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 620.22 | 46.47 |
| Total | — | — | — | — | — | 18 498.86 | 1836.11 |
*All amounts in mg except for filgrastim (µg) and asparaginase (IU). Filgrastim also sold in single dose prefilled syringes.
†Based on (discarded percentage assuming full vials×proportion of full vials)/((discarded percentage assuming full vials×proportion of full vials)+average dose).
‡Based on median of drugs for which there were available data.
§Billed in full vial or full prefilled syringe units.