Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a quickly progressing malignancy that starts in immune system cells, is treated with acalabrutinib after at least one prior chemotherapeutic drug has failed to control the disease. It is also used to treat small lymphocytic lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL, a kind of malignancy that starts in the white blood cells), either alone or in combination with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) (SLL: a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells). Kinase inhibitors are a class of drugs that includes acalabrutinib. It functions by preventing the aberrant protein from signalling cancer cells to proliferate. The spread of cancer cells is halted as a result.

Acalabrutinib is available as a pill to swallow. It is typically taken every 12 hours (twice a day), with or without food, for however long your doctor suggests you receive treatment. Acalabrutinib should be taken every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Provide acalabrutinib exactly as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

With a glass of water, swallow the capsules whole; do not open, chew, or break them.

Depending on the negative effects you experience, your doctor may shorten or discontinue your acalabrutinib medication altogether. Make careful to discuss your feelings during treatment with your doctor. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking acalabrutinib.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking acalabrutinib,

• If you have any allergies, including to any of the substances in acalabrutinib capsules, notify your doctor and pharmacist right away. For a list of the ingredients, consult the patient information or speak with your pharmacist.
• Inform your physician and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are currently taking or intend to use. Include blood-thinning medications including warfarin (Coumadin), aspirin, cilostazol, clopidogrel (Plavix), dipyridamole (Persantine, in Aggrenox), prasugrel (Effient), ticagrelor (Brilinta), and ticlodipine. Also, mention diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Diltzac, others); proton pump inhibitors as dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium, in Vimovo), lansoprazole (Prevacid, in Prevpac), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (Aciphex); erythromycin (E.E.S., Eryc, Erythrocin, among others); flu (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifater, Rifamate). Your doctor might need to adjust your medication doses or keep a close eye out for any negative side effects. It’s important to inform your doctor about all of the medications you are taking, including any that may not appear on this list, as many other drugs may also interact with acalabrutinib.
• Take acalabrutinib at least two hours before taking cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid, in Duexis), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine (Zantac) if you are taking any of these.
• Take acalabrutinib at least 2 hours before or after taking antacids (Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, and other brands) if you are a user of those products.
• Inform your doctor if you have an infection, have just undergone surgery, have liver illness, particularly hepatitis B, heart rhythm issues, or bleeding issues.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, let your doctor know. Pregnancy should not occur when taking acalabrutinib. Use birth control to avoid pregnancy throughout treatment and for at least a week after your final dosage. You shouldn’t begin taking acalabrutinib until a pregnancy test reveals that you are not pregnant. Acalabrutinib might be harmful to the unborn child. In the event that you conceive while taking acalabrutinib, contact your physician right away.
• If you are breastfeeding, let your doctor know. During therapy and for two weeks following your last dose, your doctor might advise against breastfeeding.
• Inform the surgeon or dentist that you are taking acalabrutinib if you are having surgery, including dental surgery. You could be instructed by your doctor to cease taking acalabrutinib for a while both before and after the procedure.
• Have a plan to limit your time spent in the sun and to use sunscreen, sunglasses, and protective clothes. Acalabrutinib may increase your risk of developing skin cancer and make your skin more vulnerable to the harmful effects of sunlight.

If you plan to consume grapefruits or grapefruit juice while taking this medication, consult your doctor.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. Skip the missed dose and carry on with your regular dosing plan if more than three hours have passed since the missed dose. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

There may be negative consequences from acalabrutinib. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Abdomen ache
• Rash
• Little red or purple patches on the skin or faint bruises
• Muscular or joint ache
• Extreme fatigue

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Stop taking acalabrutinib and contact your doctor right away if you develop any of these symptoms, or seek emergency medical attention:

• Fever, chills, a sore throat, or other symptoms of infection
• Chest pain when you breathe or cough, cough, shortness of breath, and fever
• Palpitations, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, feeling weak or lightheaded, a shortness of breath, or chest pain
• Uncommonly heavy or severe bruising or bleeding
• Pink or brown urine; blood in your stools or black, tarry stools; vomiting coffee grounds or blood; spitting blood
• Speaking differently; experiencing a persistent headache; feeling weak, bewildered, or dizzy

Acalabrutinib may make you more likely to get other cancers. The dangers of using this drug should be discussed with your doctor.

Further negative effects of acalabrutinib are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor your body’s reaction to acalabrutinib, your doctor will request specific lab tests.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.