Gemtuzumab Injection

• Type: Targeted cancer therapy

• Drug Class: Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)

• Form: Lyophilized powder for intravenous (IV) infusion

How It Works

• Gemtuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets CD33, a protein found on the surface of most acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells.

• It is linked to calicheamicin, a potent cytotoxic agent.

• Once bound to CD33, the drug is internalized, releasing calicheamicin inside the cell → causes DNA strand breaks → leads to apoptosis (cell death) of AML cells.

Common Uses

Gemtuzumab injection is specifically used for:

• Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) –

  • Newly diagnosed AML (in combination with chemotherapy)

  • Relapsed or refractory AML in adults and children

Advantages

• Targeted therapy – attacks leukemia cells expressing CD33 while sparing most normal cells

• Can be used in combination with standard chemotherapy for better remission rates

• Allows lower-intensity treatment in some patients who may not tolerate aggressive chemotherapy

Possible Side Effects

Common:

• Fever, chills

• Nausea, vomiting

• Fatigue, headache

• Low blood counts (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia)

Serious / Important:

• Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver – potentially life-threatening

• Severe infusion-related reactions (low blood pressure, breathing problems)

• Severe infections due to immunosuppression

• Bleeding risk from low platelets

Precautions

• Monitor liver function before, during, and after therapy (risk of VOD)

• Pretreatment with steroids, antihistamines, and antipyretics recommended to reduce infusion reactions

• Frequent blood count monitoring is necessary

• Avoid use in patients with severe liver dysfunction or those who recently received stem cell transplant (high VOD risk)