Zusduri (Mitomycin) for bladder cancer

Overview

Zusduri is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adults with recurrent low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). It is indicated for people whose cancer returns after initial treatment. Zusduri is also known by its drug name, mitomycin.

Zusduri belongs to a class of drugs called alkylating agents. It works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, which stops them from growing and multiplying. When delivered directly into the bladder, the drug targets the lining where cancer cells are most likely to recur (return).

How do I take it?

Prescribing information states that Zusduri is given by intravesical instillation (placed directly into the bladder using a catheter). It is not to be administered by any other route. Treatment is typically given once a week for six weeks. The medication is provided in a kit that includes mitomycin vials and a sterile hydrogel to prepare the solution. Zusduri should be administered exactly as prescribed by a health care provider.

Side effects

Common side effects of Zusduri include increased creatinine, increased potassium, dysuria (painful urination), decreased hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells), increased levels of liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase), increased eosinophils (a type of white blood cell), decreased lymphocytes (another type of white blood cell), urinary tract infection, decreased neutrophils (another white blood cell type), and hematuria (blood in the urine).

Rare but serious side effects may include damage or perforation of the bladder wall, which can allow the drug to leak into surrounding tissues. Zusduri can also cause embryo-fetal toxicity (harm to an unborn baby) if taken during pregnancy. People taking the drug should use effective contraception, and breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment.

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Zusduri (Mitomycin) for Intravesical Solution — UroGen Pharma