Skip to main content

Ipilimumab

Generic name: ipilimumab
Brand name: Yervoy
Dosage form: injection
Drug class: Anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Jun 22, 2022.

What is ipilimumab?

Ipilimumab is a medicine that is used to treat specific cancers. It will be prescribed to you by your healthcare professional if you have a type of cancer that has been shown to respond well to this medicine.

Ipilimumab was first approved by the FDA in 2011 for late-stage melanoma (a type of skin cancer) and since then has been approved for other cancers.

Ipilimumab will be given to you as an infusion in your arm, every 3 to 12 weeks depending on your treatment plan. Depending on your type of cancer, ipilimumab may be used alone or in combination with other cancer medicines.

What is ipilimumab used for?

Ipilimumab is used to treat certain types of cancer like

  • melanoma (skin cancer)
  • kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma)
  • colon or rectal cancer (colorectal cancer)
  • liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)
  • non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  • cancer of the lining of the lungs and chest wall (pleural mesothelioma)

Ipilimumab is only used in certain circumstances, depending on what type of cancer you have, whether it has spread to other parts of your body, what other treatments you have tried and for some cancers it will depend on genetic markers.

How does it work?

Ipilimumab is a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein) that is a type of targeted cancer therapy. It binds to CTLA-4 antigen which results in its anti-tumor immune response. This allows the body to attack cancerous cells while less likely to harm healthy tissues.
As it is a targeted cancer therapy it may be less toxic to healthy cells and so side effects may be lower.
Ipilimumab is a human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4)-blocking antibody.

Dosing information

Ipilimumab is given as an infusion into a vein by your doctor or nurse. The medicine is given slowly and will take between 30 to 90 minutes. Different cancers have different dosing schedules so depending on your cancer, it could be one dose of ipilimumab every 3 weeks or up to every 12 weeks. Your healthcare provider will work out the ideal dose, dosing schedule and how long you will be treated with this medicine.

You may be given ipilimumab as a single cancer treatment or it may be used in combination with other treatments. When having cancer treatment you are often given other medications to treat or prevent any side effects.

To check that your medicine is not causing harmful side effects, you may be given frequent medical tests. Your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results.

Important information

Ipilimumab is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. Ipilimumab can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You may have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended. Some of these problems may happen more often when ipilimumab is used in combination with nivolumab.

Call your doctor at once if you have: chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, vision changes, severe muscle pain or weakness, diarrhea and severe stomach pain, blood in your stools, little or no urinating, swelling, bruising or bleeding, dark urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, confusion, hallucinations, a seizure, skin blistering, or a hormonal disorder (frequent headaches, feeling light-headed, increased thirst or urination, feeling cold, weight gain or loss).

What should I tell my doctor before I receive ipilimumab?

Before you receive this medicine tell your doctor if you have liver damage, an autoimmune disorder such as lupus or sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, if you have received an organ transplant, or have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Side effects

What are the most common side effects?

  • cough
  • constipation
  • diarrhea
  • fever
  • headache, dizziness, tiredness
  • hormonal problems
  • nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite
  • pain in your muscles, joints, or bones
  • rash or itching
  • shortness of breath
  • sleep problems (insomnia)
  • weight loss

What are bad (serious) side effects of ipilimumab?
Your doctor may delay or stop treatment if you have certain side effects.
You should get emergency medical help if you have signs of an:

  • allergic reaction with symptoms such as hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat
  • severe skin reaction that has a red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling, along with fever, sore throat, burning eyes.

Some side effects may occur during the injection. Tell your caregiver if you start to feel chilled, dizzy, feverish, itchy, light-headed, short of breath or tingly.

During treatment with ipilimumab or months after stopping you can have serious and sometimes fatal reactions.
It is important that you call your doctor right away if you have symptom like:
chest pain, irregular heartbeats;

  • severe or ongoing diarrhea, severe stomach pain, bloody or tarry stools
  • fever, swollen glands, body aches
  • new or worsening skin rash, itching, or blistering
  • severe muscle weakness, ongoing pain in your muscles or joints
  • vision problems, eye pain or redness
  • numbness or tingling in your hands or feet
  • kidney problems - little or no urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, blood in your urine
  • liver problems - right-sided upper stomach pain, tiredness, bruising or bleeding, dark urine, yellowing of your skin or eyes
  • lung problems - new or worsening cough, chest pain, feeling short of breath
  • symptoms of brain swelling - confusion, headache, memory problems, hallucinations, neck stiffness, drowsiness, seizure (convulsions)
  • signs of a hormonal disorder - frequent or unusual headaches, lack of energy, dizziness, fainting, mood or behavior changes, increased thirst or urination, feeling cold, weight gain, or weight loss.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Interactions:

Some medications interact with ipilimumab, so it is important to tell your doctor about any medicines that you are currently taking, or if you start or stop any medicine while you are having cancer treatment. Also tell your doctor about any over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, minerals or herbal products that you take.

Can you take ipilimumab when you are pregnant or breastfeeding?

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, while using Ipilimumab, as it may harm an unborn baby. You should use effective birth control so you do not get pregnant while having treatment and for at least 3 months after your last dose.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of ipilimumab on the baby.

You should not breastfeed your baby while being treated with Ipilimumab and for 3 months after having your last dose.

What are the ingredients of Yervoy?


Active ingredient: ipilimumab

Inactive ingredients: diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), mannitol, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride, tris hydrochloride, and Water for Injection

Who makes ipilimumab?


Yervoy (ipilimumab) is made by:
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ 08543 USA

 

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.