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Start fighting with ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) and platinum chemotherapy. Continue fighting over time with ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA.

Treatment will be given once every 21 days. This 3-week period is called a treatment cycle.

Once you’ve finished 4 cycles (about 3 months) with ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA and platinum (carboplatin or cisplatin) chemotherapy, you will stop taking platinum chemotherapy and continue to treat your cancer with ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA.

Your doctor may refer to this phase of your treatment as maintenance therapy.

You may stay on ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA for as long as your cancer remains stable or improves and you don't have any unacceptable side effects (or up to 35 cycles, about 2 years for KEYTRUDA).

Your doctor will continually monitor how you're responding and the level of your side effects to determine if you can keep taking ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA .

How long do I take ALIMTA, Keytruda and platinum chemotherapy?

You will have regular blood tests before and during your treatment with ALIMTA. Your doctor may adjust your dose of ALIMTA, delay your treatment, or stop treatment based on the results of your blood tests and on your general condition, including any side effects that you may have had.



Additional vitamins and medicines

Your treatment with ALIMTA

As a part of your treatment, you will also receive additional medications (including vitamin B12, folic acid, and corticosteroids) to help reduce your risk of certain side effects.


How your ALIMTA maintenance treatment will be given

You must take folic acid every day by mouth beginning 7 days before your first dose of ALIMTA. You must keep taking folic acid every day during the time you are being treated with ALIMTA, and every day for 21 days after you receive your last dose of ALIMTA.


You will get your first vitamin B12 injection 1 week before your first dose of ALIMTA, and then about every 9 weeks during treatment. Do not substitute oral vitamin B12 for the vitamin B12 injection.

Your doctor will prescribe a medicine called a corticosteroid that you must take by mouth twice daily for 3 consecutive days, beginning the day before each treatment with ALIMTA, to reduce the possibility of experiencing skin-related side effects (like rash).

Talk to your doctor about your specific treatment plan and what may be best for you.

Ask your doctor questions.

Your doctor is here to help you.
It’s important that you feel as comfortable as possible preparing for and starting treatment. Be open about how you’re feeling, and address any thoughts or concerns you may have about chemotherapy or what to expect from treatment.

Your treatment day

On days you receive treatment, you should plan to spend a few hours at your doctor’s office or infusion center.

ALIMTA, KEYTRUDA, and a platinum chemotherapy are given through an intravenous (IV) infusion.

Each type of medicine will take a different amount of time. After 4 cycles of treatment, you will stop receiving platinum chemotherapy, which may make visits shorter in length.


Starting with ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA and platinum chemotherapy



How your initial ALIMTA treatment will be given

*Your doctor will help determine if you will take cisplatin or carboplatin as your platinum chemotherapy

The most common side effects of ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA and platinum chemotherapy

In a clinical study, the most common side effects of ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA and platinum chemotherapy were:

  • tiredness/weakness
  • nausea
  • constipation
  • diarrhea
  • loss of appetite
  • rash
  • vomiting
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever

23.0% of people who were treated with ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA and platinum chemotherapy stopped taking ALIMTA because of side effects compared to 11.4% of people who were treated with ALIMTA and platinum chemotherapy.

Talk to your doctor to find out if ALIMTA + KEYTRUDA and platinum chemotherapy may be an option for you.


Have more questions for your doctor?


Download a discussion guide to take to your next visit.

What Is ALIMTA® (pemetrexed for injection) Approved For?

ALIMTA is approved by the FDA in combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) (an immunotherapy) and platinum chemotherapy (carboplatin or cisplatin, two other chemotherapy drugs) as the first treatment for nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread with no abnormal EGFR or ALK genes.*

ALIMTA is not appropriate for people who have a different type of NSCLC called squamous cell.

* Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a tumor marker found in some people with nonsquamous NSCLC. It is found on both normal and tumor cells and is important for cell growth. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a protein that may be involved in cell growth. Changes to the ALK gene have been found in some types of cancer, including nonsquamous NSCLC.

Important Safety Information for ALIMTA
What is the most important information that I should know about ALIMTA?

ALIMTA can cause serious side effects including:

  • Low blood cell counts. Low blood cell counts can be severe, including low white blood cell counts (neutropenia), low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), and low red blood cell counts (anemia). Your healthcare provider will do a blood test to check your blood cell counts regularly during your treatment with ALIMTA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any signs of infection, fever, bleeding, or severe tiredness during your treatment with ALIMTA.
  • Kidney problems, including kidney failure. ALIMTA can cause severe kidney problems that can lead to death. Severe vomiting or diarrhea can lead to loss of fluids (dehydration) which may cause kidney problems to become worse. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have a decrease in amount of urine.
  • Severe skin reactions. Severe skin reactions that may lead to death can happen with ALIMTA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop blisters, skin sores, skin peeling, or painful sores, or ulcers in your mouth, nose, throat or genital area.
  • Lung problems (pneumonitis). ALIMTA can cause serious lung problems that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any new or worsening symptoms of shortness of breath, cough, or fever.
  • Radiation recall. Radiation recall is a skin reaction that can happen in people who have received radiation treatment in the past and are treated with ALIMTA. Tell your healthcare provider if you get swelling, blistering, or a rash that looks like a sunburn in an area that was previously treated with radiation.

Who should not take ALIMTA?

ALIMTA may not be appropriate for some patients. If you are allergic to pemetrexed, tell your doctor because you should not receive it. It is not known if ALIMTA is safe and effective in children.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before receiving ALIMTA?

  • Before receiving ALIMTA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including:

    • if you have kidney problems.
    • if you have had radiation therapy.
    • if you think you are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant as ALIMTA can harm your unborn baby.

      • Females who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with ALIMTA and for 6 months after the final dose. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment with ALIMTA.
      • Males with female partners who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with ALIMTA and for 3 months after the final dose.
    • if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, as it is not known if ALIMTA passes into breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with ALIMTA and for 1 week after the final dose.
  • Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you have kidney problems and take a medicine that contains ibuprofen. You should avoid taking ibuprofen for 2 days before, the day of, and 2 days after receiving treatment with ALIMTA.

How is ALIMTA given?

  • It is very important to take folic acid by mouth and receive vitamin B12 injections from your healthcare provider during your treatment with ALIMTA to lower your risk of harmful side effects.
  • Your healthcare provider will prescribe a medicine called a corticosteroid for you to take 2 times a day for 3 days, beginning the day before each treatment with ALIMTA.
  • ALIMTA is given to you by intravenous (IV) infusion (injection) into your vein. The infusion is given over 10 minutes. You will usually receive ALIMTA once every 21 days (3 weeks).

What are the possible side effects of ALIMTA?

The most common side effects of ALIMTA when given alone are:

  • Tiredness
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite

The most common side effects of ALIMTA when given with cisplatin are:

  • Vomiting
  • Swelling or sores in your mouth or sore throat
  • Constipation
  • Low white blood cell counts (neutropenia)
  • Low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia)
  • Low red blood cell counts (anemia)

The most common side effects of ALIMTA when given with pembrolizumab and platinum chemotherapy are:

  • Tiredness/weakness
  • Nausea
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Rash
  • Vomiting
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fever

ALIMTA may cause fertility problems in males. This may affect your ability to father a child. It is not known if these effects are reversible. Talk to your healthcare provider if this is a concern for you.

Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check for side effects during treatment with ALIMTA. Your healthcare provider may change your dose of ALIMTA, delay treatment, or stop treatment if you have certain side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the side effects of ALIMTA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

ALIMTA is available by prescription only.

For more information about all of the side effects of ALIMTA, please talk with your healthcare team, see the Patient Prescribing Information and full Prescribing Information, or call 1-800-545-5979.


PM_CON_ISI_ALLPC_30JAN2019

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ALIMTA® is a registered trademark owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries, or affiliates and is available by prescription only.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.
Models used for illustrative purposes only. Not actual patients.

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