pemetrexed
Alimta, Armisarte (previously Pemetrexed Actavis) · ATC code L01BA04
Brand names: Alimta, Armisarte, Pemegerolan, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Stada, Albotiva, Pemetrexed Glenmark, Pemetrexed Kelix Bio, Pemetrexed Mylan, Pemetrexed Neocorp, Pemetrexed Ods, Pemetrexed Phares, Pemetrexed Puren, Pemetrexed Ribosepharm …
- Key facts
- Active substance
- pemetrexed
- Drug class
- Antimetabolite
- ATC code
- L01BA04
- Authorisation
- centrally authorised across the EU (EMA)
- Dosage forms
- ALIMTA 100 mg powder for concentrate for solution for infusion / ALIMTA 500 mg powder for concentrate for solution for infusion · Armisarte 25 mg/ml concentrate for solution for infusion
- Marketing authorisation holder
- Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Actavis Group PTC ehf
- Information as of
- 2026-10-27
Key facts
Pemetrexed is an antifolate cytotoxic agent (antimetabolite). It is used in malignant pleural mesothelioma and in non-small cell lung cancer other than predominantly squamous cell histology.
What it is used for
- Unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma in chemotherapy-naïve patients (with cisplatin)
- Locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC other than predominantly squamous histology: first line with cisplatin
- Same NSCLC: maintenance monotherapy after platinum-based chemotherapy without progression
- Same NSCLC: second-line monotherapy
Dosing
- 500 mg/m² BSA as an intravenous infusion over 10 minutes on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle (with cisplatin or as single agent)
- With cisplatin: cisplatin 75 mg/m² over two hours approximately 30 minutes after the end of the pemetrexed infusion
- Premedication: corticosteroid equivalent to 4 mg dexamethasone orally twice a day the day before, the day of and the day after dosing
- Daily folic acid (350 to 1000 micrograms) from the week before the first dose until 21 days after the last; vitamin B12 1000 micrograms IM in the week before the first dose and every three cycles thereafter
- Before each cycle: ANC ≥ 1500 cells/mm³, platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm³, creatinine clearance ≥ 45 ml/min; toxicity-based dose adjustments in the full text
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or any excipient
- Breast-feeding
- Concomitant yellow fever vaccine
Important warnings
- Bone marrow suppression (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anaemia) is usually dose-limiting; blood counts before each dose
- Folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation required to reduce toxicity
- Skin reactions; dexamethasone pre-treatment can reduce them
- Not recommended with creatinine clearance < 45 ml/min; serious renal events including acute renal failure reported
- Radiation pneumonitis and radiation recall have been reported
Side effects
- Most common: bone marrow suppression (anaemia, neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia)
- Gastrointestinal: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, pharyngitis, mucositis, stomatitis
- Other: renal toxicity, increased aminotransferases, alopecia, fatigue, rash, infection/sepsis, neuropathy
- Rare: Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis
Interactions
- Nephrotoxic drugs (e.g. aminoglycosides, loop diuretics, platinum compounds, ciclosporin) may delay clearance
- OAT3 inhibitors (e.g. probenecid, penicillin, proton pump inhibitors) delay clearance
- NSAIDs such as ibuprofen should be avoided around dosing in renal impairment; details in the full text
- Live attenuated vaccines: risk of systemic, possibly fatal disease; yellow fever vaccine contraindicated
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Suspected to cause serious birth defects; women must use contraception during and for 6 months after treatment, men during and up to 3 months after
- Breast-feeding must be discontinued during therapy
Summary of the official product information, written with AI (Claude, Anthropic) on 2026-10-28. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.
Common questions – ask Medelix
For patients
Package leaflet, verbatim
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)
- AlimtaEli Lilly Nederland B.V. · EMEA/H/C/000564
- Armisarte (previously Pemetrexed Actavis)Actavis Group PTC ehf · EMEA/H/C/004109
- Pemetrexed Accord · genericAccord Healthcare S.L.U. · EMEA/H/C/004072
- Pemetrexed Fresenius Kabi · genericFresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH · EMEA/H/C/003895
- Pemetrexed Pfizer (previously Pemetrexed Hospira) · genericPfizer Europe MA EEIG · EMEA/H/C/003970
Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA), product information
Austria
- PemegerolanG.L. Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed Ever PharmaEver Valinject Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed SandozSandoz Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed StadaStada Arzneimittel Gmbh · 1 register entry
Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-28
Germany
- AlbotivaRatiopharm Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed Ever PharmaEver Valinject Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed GlenmarkGlenmark Arzneimittel Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed Kelix BioKelix Bio (Malta) Limited · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed MylanViatris Germany Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed NeocorpHexal Ag · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed OdsPharma Resources Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed PharesPharma Resources Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed PurenEugia Pharma (Malta) Limited · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed RibosepharmHikma Farmacêutica (Portugal), S.A. · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed SeacrossSeacross Pharma (Europe) Ltd · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed StadaStadapharm Gmbh · 1 register entry
Show all 14 brand names
- Pemetrexed XellexPharma Resources Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Pemetrexed ZentivaZentiva Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-28
Turkey
- AlimtaLİLLY İLAÇ TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. · 2 register entries
- BimexetBİEM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
- PemcureVEM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
- PemetuONKO İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
- PemtrexKOÇAK FARMA İLAÇ VE KİMYA SAN. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
- PrexetGENSENTA İLAÇ SANAYİ VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
- RelitrexedDEM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
- WelmABDİ İBRAHİM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16
Brand names in 28 more European countries
- Belgium
- Pemetrexed Eg, Pemetrexed Eugia, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Sandoz
- Bulgaria
- Пеметрексед Новамед, Пеметрексед Ромфарм, Пеметрексед Сандоз
- Croatia
- Pemetreksed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma
- Cyprus
- Pemetrexed Koanaa, Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Seacross
- Czechia
- Pemetrexed Ever Pharma
- Denmark
- Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Viatris
- Estonia
- Pemetrexed Zentiva
- Finland
- Pemetrexed Avansor, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Hexal
- France
- Pemetrexed Arrow, Pemetrexed Bioorganics, Pemetrexed Eg, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Stragen, Pemetrexed Viatris, Pemetrexed Zydus
- Greece
- Inopem, Pemetrexed Ebewe, Pemetrexed Mylan, Pemetrexed Vocate
- Hungary
- Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Pharma D&s, Pemetrexed Stada
- Iceland
- Alimta, Armisarte, Pemetrexed Accord, Pemetrexed Fresenius Kabi, Pemetrexed Pfizer, Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Stada, Pemetrexed Viatris, Pemetrexed W&h, Pemetrexed Wh
- Ireland
- Pemetrexed
- Italy
- Pemetrexed Aurobindo, Pemetrexed Eg, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Glenmark, Pemetrexed Hikma, Pemetrexed Mylan, Pemetrexed Sandoz Bv, Pemetrexed Sun
- Latvia
- Pemetrexed Zentiva
- Liechtenstein
- Alimta, Armisarte, Pemetrexed Accord, Pemetrexed Fresenius Kabi, Pemetrexed Pfizer, Pemetrexed Sandoz
- Lithuania
- Pemetrexed Ebewe, Pemetrexed Zentiva
- Luxembourg
- Pemetrexed Eg
- Malta
- Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Viatris
- Netherlands
- Pemetrexed Bioorganics, Pemetrexed Cf, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Hikma, Pemetrexed Koanaa, Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Sun, Pemetrexed Synthon, Pemetrexed Zentiva
- Norway
- Alimta, Armisarte, Pemetrexed Accord, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Fresenius Kabi, Pemetrexed Pfizer, Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Stada, Pemetrexed Viatris
- Poland
- Pemetreksed Sun, Pemetrexed Eugia, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Glenmark, Pemetrexed Sandoz
- Portugal
- Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Hikma, Pemetrexedo
- Romania
- Pemetrexed Ditrometamină Dr. Reddy’s, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Rompharm, Pemetrexed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Stada, Pemetrexed Sun, Pemetrexed Terapia, Pemetrexed Zentiva
- Slovakia
- Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Stada
- Slovenia
- Pemetreksed Sandoz, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma
- Spain
- Mintayax, Pemetrexed Aurovit, Pemetrexed Combix, Pemetrexed Ebewe, Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Glenmark, Pemetrexed Hikma, Pemetrexed Sun, Pemetrexed Tillomed
- Sweden
- Pemetrexed Ever Pharma, Pemetrexed Hexal
EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28
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Another question about this substance?
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Sources
- European Medicines Agency. Alimta – EPAR, Product Information (OF THE TEXT Detailed information on this product is availabl). 2026-10-27. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/alimta-epar-product-information_en.pdf
- European Medicines Agency. Armisarte (previously Pemetrexed Actavis) – EPAR, Product Information (OF THE TEXT Detailed information on this medicinal product i). 2026-10-27. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/armisarte-epar-product-information_en.pdf
- EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
- EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
- TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
- Wikidata (CC0): ATC L01BA.
Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-27 · 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.