PLERIXAFOR

What is this medication? Plerixafor is a prescription medication used to move blood-forming stem cells from the bone marrow into the peripheral bloodstream. This process is known as stem cell mobilization. It is specifically indicated for adult patients with certain types of cancers, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma, who are preparing to undergo an autologous stem cell transplant. By increasing the number of stem cells available in the blood, the medication makes it easier for healthcare providers to collect enough cells for the procedure.

The medication is typically administered as an injection under the skin after the patient has received several days of treatment with another drug called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. This combination approach helps ensure that a sufficient quantity of stem cells can be harvested using a process called apheresis. Once the cells are collected and processed, they are later returned to the patient's body to help rebuild healthy bone marrow and blood cell levels following high-dose chemotherapy treatments.