Bendamustine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Bendamustine is an alkylating drug sold in the U.S. under 4 brand and generic names, for lymphoid leukemia and non-hodgkin lymphoma. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Alkylating Drug
- Treats (across its forms)
- Lymphoid Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Available as
- Injectable · Powder
- Sold as
- 4 products — Bendeka, Vivimusta and Bendamustine Hydrochloride, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
How Bendeka is dosed
From the FDA label for Bendeka (application NDA208194). Other bendamustine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
For CLL : 100 mg/m 2 infused intravenously over 10 minutes on Days 1 and 2 of a 28-day cycle, up to 6 cycles. ( 2.1 ) For NHL : 120 mg/m 2 infused intravenously over 10 minutes on Days 1 and 2 of a 21-day cycle, up to 8 cycles. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Dosing Instructions for CLL Recommended Dosage : The recommended dosage is 100 mg/m 2 administered intravenously over 10 minutes on Days 1 and 2 of a 28-day cycle, up to 6 cycles. Dose Delays, Dosage Modifications and Reinitiation of Therapy for CLL : Delay BENDEKA administration in the event of Grade 4 hematologic toxicity or clinically significant greater than or equal to Grade 2 non-hematologic toxicity. Once non-hematologic toxicity has recovered to less than or equal to Grade 1 and/or the blood counts have improved [Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) greater than or equal to 1 x 10 9 /L, platelets greater than or equal to 75 x 10 9 /L], reinitiate BENDEKA (bendamustine hydrochloride) injection at the discretion of the treating physician. In addition, consider dose reduction. [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Dosage modifications for hematologic toxicity: for Grade 3 or greater toxicity, reduce the dose to 50 mg/m 2 on Days 1 and 2 of each cycle; if Grade 3 or greater toxicity recurs, reduce the dose to 25 mg/m 2 on Days 1 and 2 of each cycle. Dosage modifications for non-hematologic toxicity: for clinically significant Grade 3 or…
Everything below is the FDA label for Bendeka (injectable). Bendamustine is also sold as powder, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Bendeka side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions have been associated with bendamustine hydrochloride in clinical trials and are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the prescribing information. Myelosuppression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Anaphylaxis and Infusion Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Tumor Lysis Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Skin Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Hepatotoxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] Other Malignancies [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] Extravasation Injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] Adverse reactions (frequency >5%) during infusion and within 24 hours post-infusion are nausea and fatigue. ( 6.1 ) Most common adverse reactions (≥15%) for CLL are anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, leukopenia, hyperbilirubinemia, pyrexia, nausea, vomiting. ( 6.1 , 6.2 ) Most common adverse reactions (≥15%) for NHL are lymphopenia, leukopenia, anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, pyrexia, constipation, anorexia, cough, headache, weight decreased, dyspnea, rash, and stomatitis. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Teva Pharmaceuticals at 1-888-483-8279 or FDA at…
Who shouldn’t take Bendeka
BENDEKA is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions) to bendamustine, polyethylene glycol 400, propylene glycol, or monothioglycerol. [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] BENDEKA is contraindicated in patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to bendamustine, polyethylene glycol 400, propylene glycol, or monothioglycerol. Reactions to bendamustine hydrochloride have included anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions ( 4 , 5.4 )
Bendeka drug interactions
Consider alternative therapies that are not CYP1A2 inducers or inhibitors during treatment with BENDEKA. ( 7.1 ) 7.1 Effect of Other Drugs on BENDEKA CYP1A2 Inhibitors The coadministration of BENDEKA with CYP1A2 inhibitors may increase bendamustine plasma concentrations and may result in increased incidence of adverse reactions with BENDEKA [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Consider alternative therapies that are not CYP1A2 inhibitors during treatment with BENDEKA. CYP1A2 Inducers The coadministration of BENDEKA with CYP1A2 inducers may decrease bendamustine plasma concentrations and may result in decreased efficacy of BENDEKA [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Consider alternative therapies that are not CYP1A2 inducers during treatment with BENDEKA.
Every bendamustine product we track (4)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 3 | 62/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
How long bendamustine keeps
The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some bendamustine labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 2 hours.
Does bendamustine expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsBendamustine and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for bendamustine: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadNo information is available on the use of bendamustine during breastfeeding. Most sources consider breastfeeding to be contraindicated during maternal antineoplastic drug therapy, especially alkylating agents such as bendamustine. Based on the half-life of the drug and its metabolites, the drug should be eliminated from the milk by 24 to 48 hours after the last dose. The manufacturer recommends that breastfeeding be discontinued during bendamustine therapy and for at least 1 week after the last dose.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised July 19, 2021. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about bendamustine
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 8,247 reports naming bendamustine, and the FDA flagged 96% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- pyrexia578 reports
- covid-19406 reports
- febrile neutropenia382 reports
- neutropenia374 reports
- malignant neoplasm progression366 reports
- pneumonia351 reports
- neutrophil count decreased341 reports
- platelet count decreased341 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean bendamustine caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Bendeka?
BENDEKA (bendamustine hydrochloride) injection is an alkylating agent.
What kind of drug is bendamustine?
The FDA classifies bendamustine as an alkylating drug. Alkylating chemotherapy drugs attach chemical groups to a cell's DNA, forming cross-links that lock the two DNA strands together. This damage stops the cell from copying its DNA and dividing, which triggers it to die; because they are not limited to one phase of the cell cycle, they can act on cells whether or not they are actively dividing. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take bendamustine with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run bendamustine against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is bendamustine sold under?
We track 4 bendamustine-containing products in the U.S.: Bendeka, Vivimusta, Bendamustine Hydrochloride and Treanda. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does bendamustine come in?
Across the brands we track, bendamustine is currently marketed as injectable and powder, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic bendamustine?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic bendamustine product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Bendamustine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/bendamustine
- MLA
- “Bendamustine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/bendamustine.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for bendamustine on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.