pharmacopeia
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Mechanism of action

Sourced from openFDA

Mesna reacts chemically with the urotoxic ifosfamide metabolites, acrolein and 4-hydroxy-ifosfamide, resulting in their detoxification. The first step in the detoxification process is the binding of mesna to 4-hydroxy-ifosfamide forming a non-urotoxic 4-sulfoethylthioifosfamide.

Indications

Sourced from openFDA
  • MESNEX is indicated as a prophylactic agent in reducing the incidence of ifosfamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. Limitation of Use: MESNEX is not indicated to reduce the risk of hematuria due to other pathological conditions such as thrombocytopenia.

Contraindications

Sourced from openFDA
  • MESNEX is contraindicated in patients known to be hypersensitive to mesna or to any of the excipients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. Known hypersensitivity to mesna or to any of the excipients, including benzyl alcohol.contraindicated

Dosage & administration

Sourced from openFDA

MESNEX may be given on a fractionated dosing schedule of three bolus intravenous injections or a single bolus injection followed by two oral administrations of MESNEX tablets as outlined below. The dosing schedule should be repeated on each day that ifosfamide is administered. When the dosage of ifosfamide is adjusted, the ratio of MESNEX to ifosfamide should be maintained. ( 2 ) Intravenous Dosing Schedule: 0 Hours 4 Hours 8 Hours Ifosfamide 1.2 g/m 2 -- -- MESNEX injection 240 mg/m 2 240 mg/m 2 240 mg/m 2 Intravenous and Oral Dosing Schedule: 0 Hours 2 Hours 6 Hours Ifosfamide 1.2 g/m 2 -- -- MESNEX injection 240 mg/m 2 -- -- MESNEX tablets -- 480 mg/m 2 480 mg/m 2 Maintain sufficient urinary output, as required for ifosfamide treatment, and monitor urine for the presence of hematuria. ( 2.3 ) 2.1 Intravenous Dosing MESNEX may be given on a fractionated dosing schedule of three bolus intravenous injections as outlined below. MESNEX injection is given as intravenous bolus injections in a dosage equal to 20% of the ifosfamide dosage weight by weight (w/w) at the time of ifosfamide administration and 4 and 8 hours after each dose of ifosfamide. The total daily dose of MESNEX is 60% of the ifosfamide dose. The recommended dosing schedule is outlined below in Table 1. Table 1. Recommended Intravenous Dosing Schedule 0 Hours 4 Hours 8 Hours Ifosfamide 1.2 g/m 2 – – MESNEX injection The dosing schedule should be repeated on each day that ifosfamide is administered. When the dosage of ifosfamide is increased or decreased, the ratio of MESNEX to ifosfamide should be maintained.

Warnings & precautions

Sourced from openFDA

Hypersensitivity reactions: Anaphylactic reactions have been reported. Less severe hypersensitivity reactions may also occur. Monitor patients. If a reaction occurs, discontinue MESNEX and provide supportive care. ( 5.1 ) Dermatologic toxicity: Skin rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis have occurred. Skin rash, urticaria, and angioedema have also been seen. Monitor patients. If a reaction occurs, discontinue MESNEX and provide supportive care. ( 5.2 ) Benzyl alcohol toxicity: Serious and fatal adverse reactions can occur in premature neonates and low-birth weight infants treated with benzyl alcohol-preserved drugs, including MESNEX injection. Avoid use in premature neonates and low-birth weight infants. ( 5.3 ) Laboratory test alterations: False positive tests for urinary ketones and interference with enzymatic CPK activity tests have been seen. ( 5.4 ) 5.1 Hypersensitivity Reactions MESNEX may cause systemic hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis. These reactions may include fever, cardiovascular symptoms (hypotension, tachycardia), acute renal impairment, hypoxia, respiratory distress, urticaria, angioedema, laboratory signs of disseminated intravascular coagulation, hematological abnormalities, increased liver enzymes, nausea, vomiting, arthralgia, and myalgia. These reactions may occur with the first exposure or after several months of exposure. Monitor for signs or symptoms. Discontinue MESNEX and provide supportive care.

Adverse reactions

Sourced from openFDA

The following are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling. Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Dermatological Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Benzyl Alcohol Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Laboratory Test Interferences [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Use in Patients with a History of Adverse Reactions to Thiol Compounds [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] The most common adverse reactions (> 10%) when MESNEX is given with ifosfamide are nausea, vomiting, constipation, leukopenia, fatigue, fever, anorexia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, granulocytopenia, diarrhea, asthenia, abdominal pain, headache, alopecia, and somnolence. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Baxter Healthcare at 1-866-888-2472, or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. MESNEX adverse reaction data are available from four Phase 1 studies in which single intravenous doses of 600-1200 mg MESNEX injection without concurrent chemotherapy were administered to a total of 53 healthy volunteers and single oral doses of 600-2400 mg of MESNEX tablets were administered to a total of 82 healthy volunteers.

Use in specific populations

Sourced from openFDA

Pregnancy: MESNEX in combination with ifosfamide can cause fetal harm. Advise patients of potential risk to a fetus. (8.1) Lactation: Do not breastfeed. (8.2) Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Advise patients to use effective contraception. Verify pregnancy status prior to initiation of MESNEX in combination with ifosfamide. (8.3) Pediatric use: In premature neonates and low-birth weight infants, avoid use of benzyl alcohol–containing solutions. (8.4) Geriatric use: Dose selection should be cautious. (8.5) 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary MESNEX is used in combination with ifosfamide or other cytotoxic agents. Ifosfamide can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Refer to the ifosfamide prescribing information for more information on use during pregnancy. MESNEX injection contains the preservative benzyl alcohol. Because benzyl alcohol is rapidly metabolized by a pregnant woman, benzyl alcohol exposure in the fetus is unlikely [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) and Use in Specific Populations (8.4)]. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated populations are unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S.

Pharmacokinetics

Sourced from openFDA
Metabolism
Absorption Following oral administration, peak plasma concentrations were reached within 1.5 to 4 hours and 3 to 7 hours for free mesna and total mesna (mesna plus dimesna and mixed disulfides), respectively. Oral bioavailability averaged 58% (range 45 to 71%) for free mesna and 89% (range 74 to 104%) for total mesna based on plasma AUC data from 8 healthy volunteers who received 1200 mg oral or intravenous doses.

Overdosage

Sourced from openFDA

There is no known antidote for MESNEX. In a clinical trial, 11 patients received intravenous MESNEX 10 mg/kg to 66 mg/kg per day for 3 to 5 days. Patients also received ifosfamide or cyclophosphamide. Adverse reactions included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. An increased rate of these adverse reactions has also been found in oxazaphosphorine-treated patients receiving ≥80 mg MESNEX per kg per day intravenously compared with patients receiving lower doses or hydration treatment only. Postmarketing, administration of 4.5 g to 6.9 g of MESNEX resulted in hypersensitivity reactions including mild hypotension, shortness of breath, asthma exacerbation, rash, and flushing.

Approval history

Sourced from openFDA
  • Dec 30, 1988NDANDA019884Baxter Hlthcare
  • Apr 26, 2001ANDAANDA075811Fresenius Kabi Usa
  • Mar 21, 2002NDANDA020855Baxter Hlthcare
  • Jan 9, 2004ANDAANDA075739Hikma
  • Apr 13, 2010ANDAANDA090913Sagent Pharms Inc
  • Dec 18, 2017ANDAANDA206992Gland
  • Jan 13, 2025ANDAANDA218871Ingenus Pharms Llc
  • Jan 27, 2026ANDAANDA220518Eugia Pharma

FAERS reports

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Reference statistics only. FAERS reports are voluntarily submitted and are not incidence rates, safety signals, or causal evidence. Counts reflect reporting volume — how often a reaction was reported, not how often it occurs. For decision-grade use, consult openFDA and the FAERS Public Dashboard directly.
8,272 total reports matchedLatest report Share = reports listing the reaction ÷ total matched reports. Rows can sum to >100% because a single report often lists multiple reactions.
  1. 1Febrile Neutropenia1,27315%
  2. 2Pyrexia6848.3%
  3. 3Off Label Use6507.9%
  4. 4Neutropenia5757.0%
  5. 5Thrombocytopenia3914.7%
  6. 6Anaemia3864.7%
  7. 7Vomiting3774.6%
  8. 8Nausea3624.4%
  9. 9Sepsis3574.3%
  10. 10Pancytopenia3534.3%
  11. 11Mucosal Inflammation3444.2%
  12. 12Diarrhoea3414.1%
  13. 13Pneumonia2863.5%
  14. 14Disease Progression2853.4%
  15. 15Death2613.2%

Literature

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Recent PubMed references pinned to Mesna as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Clinical trials

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The 10 most recently updated of 355 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Mesna as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.

Frequently asked questions

How does Mesna work?
Mesna reacts chemically with the urotoxic ifosfamide metabolites, acrolein and 4-hydroxy-ifosfamide, resulting in their detoxification. The first step in the detoxification process is the binding of mesna to 4-hydroxy-ifosfamide forming a non-urotoxic 4-sulfoethylthioifosfamide.
What is Mesna used for?
According to FDA labeling, Mesna carries indications including: MESNEX is indicated as a prophylactic agent in reducing the incidence of ifosfamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. Limitation of Use: MESNEX is not indicated to reduce the risk of hematuria due to other pathological conditions such as thrombocytopenia.. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
What class of drug is Mesna?
Mesna is classified as Detoxifying agents for antineoplastic treatment, Mucolytics, Binding Activity, Increased Renal Organic Ion Excretion.
What are the brand names for Mesna?
Mesna is marketed under brand names including Mesnex.
What are the contraindications for Mesna?
Mesna labeling lists contraindications including: MESNEX is contraindicated in patients known to be hypersensitive to mesna or to any of the excipients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. Known hypersensitivity to mesna or to any of the excipients, including benzyl alcohol.. Always consult the full prescribing information and a clinician.
Note. Data for mesna is illustrative MVP content compiled from public sources. pharmacopeia is for educational and informational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

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