Zovirax® (acyclovir)

Acyclovir - Zovirax ®

Usual Diluents

Standard Dilutions   [Amount of drug] [Infusion volume] [Infusion rate]

Stability / Miscellaneous

Stability data:

Acyclovir Powder
Stability Refrigerated: 
Stability Room Temp:  The reconstituted solution should be used within 12 hours.

Once diluted for administration, each dose should be used within 24 hours.
Reconstituted Vial/Powder: powder

Notes:  Refrigeration of reconstituted solution may result in the formation of a precipitate which will redissolve at room temperature.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

Notes:  Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

Method of Preparation
Each 10 mL vial contains acyclovir sodium equivalent to 500 mg of acyclovir. Each 20 mL vial contains acyclovir sodium equivalent to 1000 mg of acyclovir. The contents of the vial should be dissolved in Sterile Water for Injection as follows:

Contents of Vial  -  Amount of Diluent
500 mg                10 mL
1000 mg              20 mL

The resulting solution contains 50 mg acyclovir per mL (pH approximately 11). Shake the vial well to assure complete dissolution before measuring and transferring each individual dose. The reconstituted solution should be used within 12 hours. Refrigeration of reconstituted solution may result in the formation of a precipitate which will redissolve at room temperature.

DO NOT USE BACTERIOSTATIC WATER FOR INJECTION CONTAINING BENZYL ALCOHOL OR PARABENS.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
CAUTION - RAPID OR BOLUS INTRAVENOUS INJECTION MUST BE AVOIDED (see package insert for WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS).
INTRAMUSCULAR OR SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION MUST BE AVOIDED (see package insert for WARNINGS).

ADMINISTRATION
The calculated dose should then be removed and added to any appropriate intravenous solution at a volume selected for administration during each 1 hour infusion. Infusion concentrations of approximately 7 mg/mL or lower are recommended. In clinical studies, the average 70 kg adult received between 60 and 150 mL of fluid per dose. Higher concentrations (e.g., 10 mg/mL) may produce phlebitis or inflammation at the injection site upon inadvertent extravasation. Standard, commercially available electrolyte and glucose solutions are suitable for intravenous administration; biologic or colloidal fluids (e.g., blood products, protein solutions, etc.) are not recommended.

Once diluted for administration, each dose should be used within 24 hours.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

Therapy should be initiated as early as possible following onset of signs and symptoms of herpes infections. A maximum dose equivalent to 20 mg/kg every 8 hours should not be exceeded for any patient.

DOSAGE
HERPES SIMPLEX INFECTIONS: MUCOSAL AND CUTANEOUS HERPES SIMPLEX (HSV-1 AND HSV-2) INFECTIONS IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS:

Adults and Adolescents (12 years of age and older): 5 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 7 days.

Pediatrics (Under 12 years of age): 10 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 7 days.

SEVERE INITIAL CLINICAL EPISODES OF HERPES GENITALIS:
Adults and Adolescents (12 years of age and older): 5 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 5 days.

Herpes Simplex Encephalitis:
Adults and Adolescents (12 years of age and older): 10 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 10 days.

Pediatrics (3 months to 12 years of age): 20 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over at least 1 hour, every 8 hours for 10 days.

Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus Infections (Birth to 3 months): 10 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 10 days. In neonatal herpes simplex infections, doses of 15 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg (infused at a constant rate over 1 hour every 8 hours) have been used; the safety and efficacy of these doses are not known.

VARICELLA ZOSTER INFECTIONS: ZOSTER IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS:

Adults and Adolescents (12 years of age and older): 10 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 7 days.

Pediatrics (Under 12 years of age): 20 mg/kg infused at a constant rate over 1 hour, every 8 hours for 7 days.

Obese Patients: Obese patients should be dosed at recommended adult dose using Ideal Body Weight.

Patients with Acute or Chronic Renal Impairment: Refer to DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION section for recommended doses, and adjust the dosing interval as indicated in the Table below.

Dosage Adjustments for Patients with Renal Impairment:

Hemodialysis
For patients who require dialysis, the mean plasma half-life of acyclovir during hemodialysis is approximately 5 hours. This results in a 60% decrease in plasma concentrations following a 6 hour dialysis period. Therefore, the patient’s dosing schedule should be adjusted so that an additional dose is administered after each dialysis.

Peritoneal Dialysis
No supplemental dose appears to be necessary after adjustment of the dosing interval.

HOW SUPPLIED
Acyclovir for Injection USP is available as:
10 mL sterile vials, each containing acyclovir sodium equivalent to
500 mg of acyclovir, carton of 10. (NDC 55390-612-10).

20 mL sterile vials, each containing acyclovir sodium equivalent to 1000 mg of acyclovir, carton of 10. (NDC 55390-613-20).

Store between 15° to 25° C (59° to 77° F).