Can you take avelumab while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
No information is available on the clinical use of avelumab during breastfeeding. Because avelumab is a large protein molecule with a molecular weight of about 147,000 Da, the amount in milk is likely to be very low and absorption is unlikely because it is probably destroyed in the infant's gastrointestinal tract. Until more data become available, avelumab should be used with caution during breastfeeding, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. The manufacturer recommends that mothers not breastfeed during treatment and for at least one month after the last dose of avelumab.
Quoted from Avelumab — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised April 14, 2023.
How much avelumab gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take avelumab while breastfeeding?
No information is available on the clinical use of avelumab during breastfeeding. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
Does avelumab pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for avelumab are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking avelumab?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on avelumab
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.