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carmustine

Carmustine medac (previously Carmustine Obvius) · ATC code L01AD01

Also known as: Carmustin, Karmustin · Brand names: Carmubris®, Carmustin Accord, Carmustin Stada, Carmustin Waymade, Carmubris, Carmustin Accordpharma, Carmustin Glenmark, Carmustin Puren, Carmustin Ratiopharm, Gliadel, Bicnu, Bimustin, Carmucnu, Trabiem

Key facts
Active substance
carmustine
Drug class
Nitrosourea compound
ATC code
L01AD01
Authorisation
centrally authorised across the EU (EMA)
Dosage forms
Carmustine medac 100 mg powder and solvent for concentrate for solution for infusion
Information as of
2026-10-29

Key facts

Carmustine (Carmustine medac) is an alkylating nitrosourea cytotoxic agent used in adults for several malignant tumours and as conditioning before autologous stem cell transplantation.

What it is used for

  • Brain tumours (glioblastoma, brain-stem gliomas, medulloblastoma, astrocytoma, ependymoma) and brain metastases.
  • Secondary therapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease; tumours of the gastrointestinal tract; malignant melanoma in combination.
  • Conditioning treatment prior to autologous haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation (HPCT) in malignant haematological diseases.

Dosing

  • Single agent in previously untreated patients: 150 to 200 mg/m² intravenously every 6 weeks, as a single dose or divided as 75 to 100 mg/m² on two successive days.
  • Repeat courses only when platelets are above 100,000/mm³ and leukocytes above 4,000/mm³, and not before six weeks; subsequent doses are adjusted to the prior nadir (down to 70% or 50% of the prior dose).
  • Conditioning before HPCT: 300 – 600 mg/m² intravenously in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents.
  • Reduce the dose if glomerular filtration rate is reduced; in elderly patients usually start at the low end of the dose range.

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to carmustine, other nitrosoureas or any excipient.
  • Severe bone marrow depression; severe (end-stage) renal impairment.
  • Children and adolescents; breast-feeding.

Important warnings

  • Pulmonary toxicity (infiltrates and/or fibrosis) in up to 30%, possibly years later; higher risk with cumulative doses of 1,200-1,500 mg/m² and high-dose therapy (600 mg/m²). Pulmonary function tests and chest X-ray before and during treatment.
  • Delayed, cumulative myelosuppression (onset 7-14 days); monitor blood counts frequently.
  • Long-term use may lead to acute leukaemia and bone marrow dysplasia.
  • Reversible, delayed hepatotoxicity and renal damage may occur.

Side effects

  • Very common: myelosuppression, ataxia, dizziness, headache, ocular toxicity, hypotension (high dose, alcohol content of the solvent), phlebitis, pulmonary toxicity, severe nausea and vomiting.
  • Common: anaemia, encephalopathy (high dose), anorexia, constipation, diarrhoea, stomatitis, hepatotoxicity, acute leukaemia.
  • Not known: opportunistic infections (including fatal), seizures.

Interactions

  • Cimetidine increases carmustine toxicity.
  • Reduced effect of digoxin and of antiepileptics (phenytoin) may occur.
  • Melphalan increases the risk of pulmonary toxicity.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

  • Should not be given in pregnancy; women and men should use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after treatment.
  • Breast-feeding is contraindicated.

Summary of the official product information, written with AI on 2026-10-29. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.

Full official text →

Common questions – ask Medelix

For patients

Package leaflet, verbatim

This product has no separate US patient information.

Authorisation and brand names by country

Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.

EU – centrally authorised (all member states)

Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA), product information

Austria

  • Carmubris®Tillomed Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin AccordAccord Healthcare B.V. · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin StadaStada Arzneimittel Ag · 2 register entries
  • Carmustin WaymadeWaymade B.V. · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29

Germany

  • CarmubrisTillomed Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin AccordAccord Healthcare B.V. · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin AccordpharmaAccord Healthcare B.V. · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin GlenmarkGlenmark Arzneimittel Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin PurenEugia Pharma (Malta) Limited · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin RatiopharmRatiopharm Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin StadaStadapharm Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Carmustin WaymadeWaymade Plc · 1 register entry
  • GliadelClinigen Healthcare B.V. · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29

Turkey

  • BicnuIDEOGEN İLAÇ SAN. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
  • BimustinKOÇAK FARMA İLAÇ VE KİMYA SAN. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
  • CarmucnuVEM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
  • TrabiemBİEM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 1 register entry

Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16

Brand names in 25 more European countries
Belgium
Carmustine Tillomed
Croatia
Karmustin Msn, Karmustin Pliva, Karmustin Teva
Cyprus
Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Msn
Czechia
Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Msn, Carmustine Waymade, Carmustine Zentiva
Denmark
Carmustin Waymade, Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Accordpharma, Carmustine Macure, Carmustine Stada
Estonia
Carmustine Accord
Finland
Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Accordpharma, Carmustine Macure, Carmustine Waymade
France
Bicnu, Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Accordpharma, Carmustine Arrow, Carmustine Hikma, Carmustine Vivanta, Gliadel
Greece
Carmustine Tillomed, Carmustine Waymade
Hungary
Carmustine Teva, Carmustine Tillomed
Iceland
Carmustine Medac, Carmustine Stada
Ireland
Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Tillomed Pharma Gmbh, Gliadel
Italy
Bicnu, Carmustina Hikma, Carmustina Waymade, Gliadel
Liechtenstein
Carmustin Medac
Lithuania
Carmustine Zentiva
Malta
Carmustine Dr. Reddys
Netherlands
Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Glenmark, Carmustine Hikma, Carmustine Teva, Carmustine Vivanta
Norway
Carmustine
Poland
Carmustine Accord, Carmustine Accordpharma, Carmustine Waymade, Carmustine Zentiva
Portugal
Carmustina Accord, Carmustina Accordpharma, Carmustina Generis, Carmustina Hikma, Carmustina Teva, Carmustina Tillomed, Carmustina Waymade, Gliadel
Romania
Carmustină Waymade
Slovakia
Carmustine Zentiva
Slovenia
Karmustin Teva, Karmustin Tillomed Pharma
Spain
Bicnu, Carmustina Accord, Carmustina Accordpharma, Carmustina Aurovitas, Carmustina Glenmark, Carmustina Hikma, Carmustina Teva, Carmustina Waymade, Gliadel
Sweden
Carmustine

EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29

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Sources

  1. European Medicines Agency. Carmustine medac (previously Carmustine Obvius) – EPAR, Product Information. 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/carmustine-medac-epar-product-information_en.pdf
  2. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  3. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  4. TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
  5. Wikidata (CC0): ATC L01AD.

Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-29 · How these pages are made · Report an error

Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA), product information. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.