How it Works

Stem cells are made deep in your bone marrow. Your stem cells will need to move from the bone marrow to the bloodstream for collection during a process called apheresis. APHEXDA, in combination with a drug called filgrastim, helps your stem cells move from your bone marrow and into your bloodstream faster. The benefit of this is that the collection process happens in a shorter period of time.

How it’s Administered

Every day for 4 days before collecting your cells you will receive 1 filgrastim injection, including the day you receive APHEXDA. 30-60 minutes before APHEXDA on day 4 you should receive premedications to help reduce the risk of hypersensitivity reactions and injection site reactions. For 1 hour after APHEXDA your treatment team should monitor you for potential side effects. APHEXDA should only be given in a place where your treatment team can immediately address any side effects that may occur.

APHEXDA is given as a slow, 2-minute injection under the skin, your dose will be based on your body weight. You may need more than 1 injection to get a full dose, 10-14 hours after APHEXDA your apheresis (collecting blood cells) session will begin. It should take about 5 hours.

Who Should Take Motixafortide (APHEXDA™)

APHEXDA can cause harm to an unborn baby. If you are pregnant you should not take APHEXDA. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on the safety profile and efficacy results from a clinical study. Your doctor will determine if APHEXDA, is necessary.

Who Shouldn’t Take Motixafortide (APHEXDA™)

Do not use APHEXDA if you have a history of serious allergic reactions to motixafortide (the active ingredient in APHEXDA).

Some things can make stem cell mobilization more difficult, such as:

• Advanced age, as you get older, the number of stem cells that can be used for transplant goes down
• Previous treatment, while there have been advancements in treatment options, taking them before your transplant may lower the number of stem cells collected for transplant. 
• Other risk factors, if you were not able to collect enough cells for transplant before, or had certain previous therapies, you may not mobilize the target number of stem cells

The Most Common Side Effects of Taking Motixafortide (APHEXDA™) Include:

• Anaphylactic shock and hypersensitivity reactions
• Injection site reactions including pain, redness, and itching
• Patients with leukemia because of the risk of cancer cells being released from the bone marrow
• Increases in circulating white blood cells have occurred when APHEXDA is used in combination with filgrastim
• Cancer cells may be released from bone marrow and subsequently collected along with your stem cells

Commonly Used With 

• Filgrastim

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