Sprycel
Sprycel is generic dasatinib 50mg, a once-daily tablet for chronic myeloid leukaemia, supplied in bottles as a single bottle or a pack of two or three.
- Category
- Oncology Support
- Active ingredient
- Dasatinib
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 50mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Chronic myeloid leukemia
- Therapeutic Class
- Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
- Pharmacological Class
- Antineoplastic
- Minor Side Effects
- Diarrhoea, Headache
- Moderate Side Effects
- Fatigue, Muscle pain
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Onset Time
- Systemic
- Duration
- Ongoing
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Antacids, H2 blockers, PPIs
- Age Restrictions
- Consult speciality team.
What you will receive
Sprycel is the originator brand name, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Sprycel.
- The same active ingredient (Dasatinib) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Can I buy Sprycel by the bottle?
Yes. Sprycel comes as generic dasatinib 50mg in bottles, available as single bottles or in packs of 2 or 3. It is generic dasatinib, not the original Sprycel. Larger packs cost less per bottle.
How is a large Sprycel order delivered?
Very large Sprycel orders over 120 units may be split into several parcels. Everything ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents, and tracked courier takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking.
What does Philadelphia chromosome-positive mean?
It means the leukaemia cells carry a specific genetic change — parts of two chromosomes have swapped places — which creates the abnormal protein that drives the disease. Dasatinib blocks that protein, so this type of leukaemia responds to it.
Is dasatinib a type of chemotherapy?
Not in the usual sense. Standard chemotherapy attacks fast-dividing cells throughout the body, while dasatinib blocks one specific protein found in these leukaemias, so it acts more narrowly. It comes as a tablet rather than an infusion.
How does dasatinib compare with imatinib?
They are two different medicines in the same class, both taken as tablets for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Imatinib is usually the first one tried; dasatinib is an option when imatinib stops working well or cannot be taken. They are separate products with their own strengths.
Does dasatinib affect blood counts?
Yes. The bone marrow can produce fewer red cells, white cells and platelets during treatment. That can show up as tiredness, more infections than usual, or bruising and bleeding that happen easily. Blood tests during treatment keep track of the counts, and the dose can be adjusted if they fall.
About Sprycel
What dasatinib treats
Dasatinib belongs to a group of cancer medicines called kinase inhibitors. In chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) — a cancer that begins in the white blood cells of the bone marrow — an abnormal protein keeps telling leukaemia cells to divide. Dasatinib blocks that protein, which slows the build-up of these cells. It is used for CML in adults who are newly diagnosed and in those who cannot take imatinib or whose leukaemia has stopped responding to it. The same medicine is used for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and for children aged one and over.
One tablet a day
Your dose is one 50mg tablet daily, and the time of day is up to you: morning or evening, as long as you keep to roughly the same hour. Take it with a meal or on an empty stomach — either is fine. Swallow the tablet as it is with water rather than breaking or crushing it. If a dose slips past you, take it later the same day and then continue as normal; never take two tablets at once to make up for it.
Side effects worth knowing about
Swelling is the complaint that comes up most often: ankles, feet and legs can hold extra fluid, eyelids look puffy, and weight can creep up by a few kilos over a few days. Tiredness, headache, feeling sick, loose stools and a rash are also common. More rarely, dasatinib can make you bruise or bleed more easily, upset the rhythm of the heart, or allow fluid to gather around the lungs. Breathlessness that starts suddenly, chest pain, or bruising with no obvious cause needs urgent treatment.
Antacids, heartburn medicines and St John's wort
Antacids made with aluminium, magnesium or calcium lower how much dasatinib gets into the bloodstream, so leave a gap of about two hours between the antacid and your tablet. Medicines that cut stomach acid — omeprazole, cimetidine and famotidine among them — do much the same, and St John's wort lowers the amount of dasatinib that stays in the blood.
The bottle and what is inside
The listing is generic dasatinib in 50mg tablets, not the original Sprycel brand. Bottles are sold singly or as a pack of two or three. Keep yours somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight, with the cap screwed on tight between doses.
Sources
- Dasatinib: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Dasatinib 100mg Film-Coated Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)