Does cyclophosphamide expire?
The printed date covers the sealed pack. Once cyclophosphamide is opened, mixed or diluted, its label sets a second and usually much shorter limit — quoted below, per product.
Shortest limit on any cyclophosphamide label: 14 days
“Store preparations under refrigeration in glass containers and used within 14 days.”
That applies to the product it is printed on, not to every form of cyclophosphamide — check which one you have against the list below.
What the labels say
“Store preparations under refrigeration in glass containers and used within 14 days.”
On the label for CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE · DailyMed
“Such preparations should be stored under refrigeration in glass containers and used within 14 days.”
On the label for Cyclophosphamide · DailyMed
“Store preparations under refrigeration in glass containers and use within 14 days.”
On the label for Cyclophosphamide · DailyMed
“Discard unused portion after 28 days.”
On the label for CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE · DailyMed
How the label says to keep cyclophosphamide
Storage is the other half of the question: the stability behind any date assumes these conditions, and a medicine kept outside them ages faster than the calendar says.
- “Store vials at or below 25°C (77°F).”
- “During transport or storage of cyclophosphamide vials, temperature influences can lead to melting of the active ingredient, cyclophosphamide [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.”
- “of Cyclophosphamide Solutions Diluent Storage Room Temperature Refrigerated Reconstituted Solution (Without Further Dilution) 0.”
- “9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP up to 24 hrs Up to 6 days Sterile Water for Injection, USP Do not store; use immediately Diluted Solutions 1 0.”
- “time is the total time cyclophosphamide is in solution including the time it is reconstituted in 0.”
- “Store preparations under refrigeration in glass containers and used within 14 days.”
- “16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING Cyclophosphamide Injection is a 200 mg/mL sterile clear colorless solution ready-to-dilute solution containing cyclophosphamide, USP.”
- “Store the vials refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F).”
Frequently asked questions
Does cyclophosphamide expire?
Two different clocks apply and only one of them is the printed date. The date on a sealed pack is the manufacturer's guarantee for the unopened product. Once it is opened, mixed or diluted, the label imposes its own limit — as tight as 14 days on some cyclophosphamide products, and that is the number quoted on this page.
Can I still use cyclophosphamide after the date on the box?
This page cannot tell you that, and nor can any page. The FDA's own shelf-life programme found 88% of tested lots stayed within specification at least a year past expiry — and concluded in the same breath that lot-to-lot variation means this can only be confirmed by testing each lot. What you can check at home is the in-use limit above and whether the product has been stored as the label requires. Ask a pharmacist about a specific pack; they will also dispose of what you no longer need.
Why do different cyclophosphamide products have different limits?
Because they are different formulations. A suspension that gets mixed with water, a pen that gets carried at room temperature, and a sealed tablet do not behave alike, so each manufacturer's label sets its own limit and each is shown here with the product it belongs to. We never merge them into one number for the molecule.
More on cyclophosphamide
Quoted from FDA labels for reference, not medical advice, and not a suggestion to use anything past its limit. If you are unsure whether a pack is still good, a pharmacist can tell you and can dispose of it safely.