Treanda (bendamustine)

Photo by Rhonda Baer, NCI

What is Treanda?

Treanda®, the trade name of bendamustine hydrochloride, is FDA approved for the treatment of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that has not responded well to rituximab treatment. Treanda is also FDA approved for use in the treatment chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

How does it work?

Treanda is an alkylating agent that works to stop the growth of cancer cells by attaching itself to DNA and interfering with DNA replication.

How is it administered?

Treanda is administered intravenously through 60-minute infusion. A needle is put into a vein and the drug is delivered to the body during the infusion process.

How long does it take?

As mentioned above, a single dose can be administered in 60 minutes. However, multiple doses are required for a complete treatment regimen. One treatment cycle is 21 days and Treanda is administered on days 1 and 2 of each cycle. The number of cycles required varies from patient to patient, with a maximum of 8 cycles.

Chemical structure of Treanda®

Is Treanda Effective?

In a clinical study assessed by a blinded independent review committee Treanda produced a robust response when used as a single agent to treat indolent B-cell NHL that has progressed during or within 6 months of treatment with rituximab or a rituximab-containing regimen. In addition, Treanda maintained duration of response, which is the amount of time the response to treatment lasts. In this study, overall response rates were 74% and the median duration of response was 9.2 months.

Side Effects

The following serious adverse reactions have been associated with Treanda: myelosuppression, infections, infusion reactions and anaphylaxis, tumor lysis syndrome, skin reactions including SJS/TEN, other malignancies, and extravasation. Some of these reactions have been fatal, including myelosuppression, infections, and SJS/TEN (when Treanda was administered concomitantly with allopurinol and other medications known to cause SJS/TEN). Patients should be monitored closely for these reactions and treated promptly if any occur. Adverse reactions may require interventions such as decreasing the dose of Treanda, or withholding or delaying treatment. Myelosuppression is frequently severe and should be expected when treating patients with Treanda.

Treanda is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to bendamustine or mannitol. Women should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while using Treanda.

The most common non-hematologic adverse reactions associated with Treanda (frequency ≥15%) are nausea, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, pyrexia, constipation, anorexia, cough, headache, weight decreased, dyspnea, rash, and stomatitis. The most common hematologic abnormalities associated with Treanda (frequency ≥15%) are lymphopenia, anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia.

Dive Deeper

• "FDA Approval for Bendamustine Hydrochloride," National Cancer Institute