Afinitor
Generic Afinitor is everolimus in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets, a once-daily targeted cancer medicine for advanced breast cancer, kidney cancer and some neuroendocrine tumours.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5mg | 7 tablets | $267.75 | $38.25 |
| 5mg | 14 tablets | $499.80 | $35.70 |
| 5mg | 28 tablets | $952.00 | $34.00 |
| 10mg | 7 tablets | $386.75 | $55.25 |
| 10mg | 14 tablets | $714.00 | $51.00 |
| 10mg | 28 tablets | $1,359.12 | $48.54 |
- Category
- Oncology Support
- Active ingredient
- Everolimus
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 5/10mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Breast cancer · Kidney cancer
- Therapeutic Class
- Antineoplastic
- Pharmacological Class
- mTOR inhibitor
- Minor Side Effects
- Mouth sores, fatigue, infections
- Moderate Side Effects
- Rash, decreased appetite, nausea
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Novartis
- Onset Time
- 1–2 hours
- Duration
- 30 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature in the original container.
- Drug Interactions
- CYP3A4 inhibitors, CYP3A4 inducers
What you will receive
Afinitor is the originator brand name, made by Novartis. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Afinitor.
- The same active ingredient (Everolimus) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which generic Afinitor strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Generic Afinitor comes as tablets in 5mg and 10mg strengths, in packs of 7, 14 or 28. The pack contains generic everolimus, not the original Afinitor. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How discreet is generic Afinitor delivery to Hong Kong?
Generic Afinitor orders ship in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. Tracked courier takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking. Standard airmail takes 14 to 21 business days, up to 30, and is untracked.
What are the alternative names for Afinitor and everolimus?
Afinitor and Certican are brand names of everolimus. Here, everolimus can be bought online as generic Afinitor. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is generic Afinitor the same as the original Afinitor?
Both contain everolimus as the active ingredient, in the same 5 mg and 10 mg strengths. What differs is the brand name on the pack. If you have taken Afinitor before, the tablet in your hand is still everolimus.
How long will I take generic Afinitor for?
There is no fixed number of weeks. Treatment continues while the cancer is responding and the side effects stay manageable, and for many people that runs into months rather than a short course. Blood tests and scans during treatment show whether it is still doing its job.
Does generic Afinitor affect blood sugar?
Yes. Everolimus often raises blood sugar, and it can push cholesterol up as well. Thirst, passing more urine than usual and blurred vision are the signs to notice, and the blood tests taken during treatment keep an eye on both readings.
What are the mouth ulcers from generic Afinitor like?
Mouth ulcers are the most frequent side effect and usually turn up in the first weeks of treatment. They appear as sore patches on the tongue, gums or inside the cheeks and can be painful enough to make eating and drinking difficult. Some people get them again later on.
What if I forget a dose of generic Afinitor?
A missed tablet is never made up with a bigger dose. Take the tablet once you notice it, and go back to one at the usual hour the next day.
About Afinitor
What generic Afinitor is used for
Everolimus, the ingredient inside these tablets, is an oral targeted cancer medicine: it works on one specific molecule inside cancer cells instead of on all rapidly dividing cells. In adults it treats breast cancer that has spread and is hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative, given with a hormonal drug called exemestane to women past the menopause. It is also used for renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer that has spread) and for neuroendocrine tumours — cancers that arise from hormone-producing cells in the pancreas, gut or lung. Each of these is treated after other options have stopped working.
How the tablets work
Picture a tumour cell that keeps receiving the message to divide and to draw in new blood vessels. A protein called mTOR carries much of that message, and everolimus blocks it, so growth slows. Because the drug hits one pathway and not every fast-dividing cell, its side effects look different from those of conventional chemotherapy.
Taking your daily tablet
Take one tablet a day at a fixed hour, and swallow it whole rather than crushing or chewing it. The same routine matters more than whether the dose goes with a meal or between meals; switching back and forth changes how much everolimus the body absorbs. Most adults take 10 mg once daily; the 5 mg tablet allows a lower dose when that is needed. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice slow the breakdown of everolimus, so leave them out while you are taking it.
Side effects to expect
Mouth ulcers or a sore mouth are the most common complaint in the first weeks, and eating can become uncomfortable. Rash, tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea, a poor appetite, headaches and swelling of the ankles also turn up. Everolimus damps down part of the immune system, so infections come more easily; blood tests often show rising blood sugar or cholesterol, and blood counts can fall, before anything is noticed. A cough that lingers, breathlessness or a fever may point to inflammation of the lungs, which needs urgent treatment. Serious infections and kidney problems are possible but much less common.
Interactions and storage
Some medicines change everolimus levels sharply. Antifungals such as ketoconazole and itraconazole, and the antibiotic clarithromycin, slow its removal from the body and push the level up; the antibiotic rifampicin and the herbal remedy St John's wort speed it up, which can weaken the treatment. Keep the tablets in their blister strips inside the carton, away from direct sun, and check the expiry date on the pack before you start a new one.
Sources
- Everolimus 5 mg Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 12239 — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)
- Everolimus - Macmillan Cancer Support — Macmillan Cancer Support