Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) is prescribed to treat certain types of lymphomas. The drug comes as a solution. A healthcare professional injects it as a one-time dose by infusion into a vein.

Yescarta is used in adults to treat follicular lymphoma and the following large B-cell lymphomas:*

* B-cell lymphomas are a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).

For these uses, doctors prescribe Yescarta when:

  • your first treatment didn’t work or the cancer returned within 12 months after it, or
  • your cancer didn’t respond or it returned after you had received at least two types of systemic (whole body) cancer treatment

The active ingredient in Yescarta is axicabtagene ciloleucel. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) Yescarta is a biologic drug. It belongs to a group of drugs called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies.

This article describes the dosages of Yescarta, as well as its strength and how it’s given. To learn more about Yescarta, see this in-depth article.

This section describes the usual dosages of Yescarta. Keep reading to learn more.

What is Yescarta’s form?

Yescarta is available as a liquid solution. A trained healthcare professional gives Yescarta by intravenous (IV) infusion. This is an injection into your vein over a period of time.

What strength does Yescarta come in?

Yescarta comes as an infusion solution that contains about 68 milliliters (mL) of suspension.

The suspension is made using white blood cells from your own immune system. Each Yescarta infusion bag is made specifically for the person receiving the medication. To learn more, visit the drugmaker’s website.

What are the usual dosages of Yescarta?

The information below describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Dosage for large B-cell lymphoma

Yescarta’s dosage to treat large B-cell lymphoma is tailored for you. It’s made using your own immune cells and is also based on your body weight in kilograms (kg). For reference, 1 kg is about 2.2 pounds (lb). You’ll receive a one-time IV infusion of Yescarta.

After a blood draw, a lab will modify the number of T cells in your blood. They’ll do this to better treat the cancer and then send it back for infusion. In large B-cell lymphoma, the target T-cell range is 2 million to 200 million per kg of body weight.

To learn more about your dosage, talk with your doctor.

Dosage for follicular lymphoma

Yescarta’s dosage to treat follicular lymphoma is tailored for you. It’s made using your own immune cells and is also based on your body weight in kg. For reference, 1 kg is about 2.2 lb. You’ll receive a one-time IV infusion of Yescarta.

After a blood draw, a lab will modify the number of T cells in your blood. They’ll do this to better treat the cancer and then send it back for infusion. In follicular lymphoma, the target T-cell range is 2 million to 200 million per kg of body weight.

If you have questions about your dosage, talk with your doctor to learn more.

Is Yescarta used long term?

No, it’s not. You receive Yescarta as a one-time IV infusion.

If you have questions about Yescarta, talk with your doctor.

Yescarta is given as a one-time IV infusion over about 30 minutes. An IV infusion is an injection into your vein over a period of time.

You’ll receive your infusion by a trained healthcare professional in a healthcare facility with special certification. It must be certified as a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) facility. This means that the healthcare facility has certain medications to treat side effects from Yescarta. It also means that its healthcare professionals have been trained to manage side effects from Yescarta.

Starting 5 days before your Yescarta dose, you’ll receive doses of the chemotherapy medications cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. You’ll also receive additional doses of these two drugs 4 days and 3 days before your Yescarta dose. These chemotherapy infusions will help prepare your body for the Yescarta infusion.

About 1 hour before your dose of Yescarta, you’ll receive doses of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). These medications will help lower your risk of side effects from the Yescarta infusion.

After your Yescarta infusion, you’ll need to remain at the infusion facility for at least 7 days. This allows your doctor to monitor you for side effects.

For 4 weeks after receiving Yescarta, you’ll need to stay close to your treatment facility.

If you have questions about what to expect with your Yescarta infusion, talk with your doctor. Yescarta’s drugmaker also has a video and step-by-step instructions about the infusion process.

If you miss your appointment to receive Yescarta, call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to reschedule.

If you need help remembering your appointments, try setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app on your phone.

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about Yescarta’s dosage.

Is Yescarta’s dosage similar to the dosage of Kymriah?

Yes, it is. The forms and uses of each drug are similar as well. Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) and Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) both are biologic drugs. Also, both belong to the CAR T-cell therapies group of medications.

Both drugs treat types of large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma in adults. They have different active ingredients. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work in your body.)

Doses of Yescarta and Kymriah differ, but both are tailored to the person receiving the drug. These doses use the person’s own immune cells.

Your doctor will prescribe the drug and the dosage that’s right for you. To learn more about how these drugs compare, talk with your doctor.

How long does it take for Yescarta to start working?

Yescarta starts to work after you receive your infusion. But it may take several weeks for your symptoms to lessen. Your doctor will monitor you during treatment to check whether the drug is working for your condition.

If you have other questions about what to expect from your Yescarta treatment, talk with your doctor.

The sections above describe the usual dosages provided by Yescarta’s drugmaker. If your doctor recommends this drug, they’ll prescribe the dosage that’s right for you.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your dosage.

Here are some examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor:

  • If my dose of Yescarta doesn’t work, will I need a second dose?
  • Will Yescarta still work for me if I receive only a partial dose?
  • How does the dose of Yescarta compare with that of Rituxan (rituximab)?

To learn more about Yescarta, see this “All About Yescarta” article.

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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.