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cytosar-u

Pharmaranks rates Cytosar-U 2.7/5 for recall safety — an independent score from its FDA recall history and its manufacturer's record. Cytosar-U (Cytarabine) is a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor used to treat Leukemia, Lymphoma, Meningeal Neoplasms.

Cytarabine · by Teva

Generic of Depocyt

54/100Limited · 1 source

Based on 1 source · Recall-safety score from FDA recall history — this product's own recalls and its manufacturer's record. Not an efficacy or quality rating. methodology →

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated October 7, 2026·How we rate
Verified againstopenFDANIH DailyMedRxClass

Key facts

Active ingredient
Cytarabine
Form
Injectable
Strength
Cytarabine 100MG/VIAL · Cytarabine 1GM/VIAL · Cytarabine 2GM/VIAL · Cytarabine 500MG/VIAL
Type
Prescription (Rx)
Brand or generic
Generic
Manufacturer
Teva
FDA application
ANDA075206
Availability
Discontinued (per FDA)

Drug class

How this class works, per Gemcitabine — LiverTox, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH).

May treat (source: NIH RxClass)

Dosage forms

Injectable

The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.

Ways to save

Ask for the generic

Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →

Request a 90-day supply

Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.

Use copay cards

Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.

Compare alternatives

A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →

Frequently asked questions

What does Cytosar-U treat?
Cytosar-U (Cytarabine) may be used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, meningeal neoplasms, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
How does Cytosar-U work?
Cytosar-U is a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor. Nucleoside metabolic inhibitors are fake DNA building blocks that fast-dividing cancer cells mistake for the real thing. Once inside, they get incorporated into the cell's DNA and also block enzymes such as ribonucleotide reductase, which together halt DNA copying and cause the cancer cell to die.
How is Cytosar-U rated?
pharmaranks gives Cytosar-U a composite score of 2.7 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.
Is there a coupon or discount for Cytosar-U?
pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Cytosar-U. To pay less, Cytosar-U is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
Who makes Cytosar-U?
Cytosar-U is marketed by Teva. You can see Teva's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
Is Cytosar-U a brand-name or generic drug?
Cytosar-U is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Cytarabine. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
Is Cytosar-U available over the counter?
No. Cytosar-U is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
What forms does Cytosar-U come in?
Cytosar-U is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
What class of drug is Cytosar-U?
Cytosar-U is classified as nucleoside metabolic inhibitor, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
Is Cytosar-U FDA-registered?
Cytosar-U is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA075206. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
Has Cytosar-U been recalled by the FDA?
Cytosar-U has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.
Is Cytosar-U safe?
There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Cytosar-U a recall-safety score of 54/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.

Information is sourced from public FDA regulatory data. Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.

What people report to the FDA about CYTARABINE

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 63,442 reports naming CYTARABINE — the active ingredient in Cytosar-U, and the FDA flagged 98% 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:

  • febrile neutropenia8,118 reports
  • pyrexia4,419 reports
  • neutropenia3,880 reports
  • thrombocytopenia3,113 reports
  • sepsis3,102 reports
  • pneumonia2,487 reports
  • myelosuppression2,399 reports
  • pancytopenia2,278 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean CYTARABINE 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.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved September 25, 2026.

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cytosar-u

54/100