Palonosetron: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Palonosetron is a serotonin-3 receptor antagonist sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Serotonin-3 Receptor Antagonist
- Available as
- Injectable · Solution
- Sold as
- 3 products — Palonosetron Hydrochloride, Aloxi and Posfrea
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
How palonosetron is dosed
From the FDA label for Palonosetron Hydrochloride (application ANDA206416). Other palonosetron products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting ( 2.1 ) Age Dose Note different dosing units in pediatrics Infusion Time Adults 0.25 mg as a single dose Infuse over 30 second s beginning approximately 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy Pediatrics (1 month to less than 17 years) 20 micrograms per kilogram (maximum 1.5 mg) as a single dose Infuse over 15 minutes beginning approximately 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ( 2.1 ) • The recommended adult dosage is 0.075 mg as a single intravenous dose administered over 10 seconds immediately before the induction of anesthesia. 2.1 Recommended Dosage Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting The recommended dosage of palonosetron hydrochloride injection for prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with HEC and MEC in adults and associated with emetogenic chemotherapy, including HEC in pediatric patients 1 month to less than 17 years of age is shown in Table 1. Table 1: Recommended Dosage of Palonosetron Hydrochloride Injection for the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Associated with Chemotherapy in Adults and Pediatric Patients 1 Month to Less than 17 Years Age Dose Note different dosing units in pediatrics Infusion Time Adults 0.25 mg as a single dose Infuse over 30 seconds beginning approximately 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy Pediatrics (1 month to less…
Palonosetron side effects
Serious or otherwise clinically significant adverse reactions reported in other sections of labeling: • Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Serotonin Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Most common adverse reactions in • chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in adults (≥ 5%) are: headache and constipation. ( 6.1 ) • postoperative nausea and vomiting (≥ 2%) are: QT prolongation, bradycardia, headache, and constipation. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Mylan at 1-877-446-3679 (1-877-4-INFO-RX) 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. Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting Adults In double-blind randomized clinical trials for the prevention of nausea and vomiting induced by MEC or HEC, 1374 adult patients received a single dose of palonosetron hydrochloride injection, ondansetron (Studies 1 and 3) or dolasetron (Study 2) administered 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy [see Clinical Studies (14.1) ] . Adverse reactions were similar in frequency and severity in all 3 treatment groups. Common adverse reactions reported…
Who shouldn’t take palonosetron
Palonosetron hydrochloride is contraindicated in patients known to have hypersensitivity to palonosetron [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Hypersensitivity to palonosetron or any of its components ( 4 )
Palonosetron drug interactions
Serotonergic Drugs : Monitor for serotonin syndrome; if symptoms occur, discontinue palonosetron hydrochloride and initiate supportive treatment. ( 7.1 ) 7.1 Serotonergic Drugs Serotonin syndrome (including altered mental status, autonomic instability, and neuromuscular symptoms) has been described following the concomitant use of 5-HT 3 receptor antagonists and other serotonergic drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Monitor for the emergence of serotonin syndrome. If symptoms occur, discontinue palonosetron hydrochloride and initiate supportive treatment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] .
Every palonosetron product we track (3)
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 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
Combination products containing palonosetron
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
How long palonosetron keeps
No palonosetron label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does palonosetron expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about palonosetron
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 2,249 reports naming palonosetron, 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:
- nausea224 reports
- neutrophil count decreased163 reports
- anaemia158 reports
- pyrexia144 reports
- vomiting137 reports
- platelet count decreased136 reports
- diarrhoea133 reports
- white blood cell count decreased133 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean palonosetron 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 palonosetron?
Palonosetron hydrochloride injection contains palonosetron as palonosetron hydrochloride, an antiemetic and antinauseant agent. It is a serotonin-3 (5-HT 3 ) receptor antagonist with a strong binding affinity for this receptor.
What kind of drug is palonosetron?
The FDA classifies palonosetron as a serotonin-3 receptor antagonist. 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 palonosetron 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 palonosetron 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 palonosetron sold under?
We track 3 palonosetron-containing products in the U.S.: Palonosetron Hydrochloride, Aloxi and Posfrea. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does palonosetron come in?
Across the brands we track, palonosetron is currently marketed as injectable and solution, 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 palonosetron?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic palonosetron 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). Palonosetron: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/palonosetron
- MLA
- “Palonosetron: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/palonosetron.
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 palonosetron on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.