A Milestone Moment: FDA Approves Addyi® for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Postmenopausal Women
December 17, 2025
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Brand Name :
Tecentriq
(United States) [Available]Synonyms :
Atezolizumab
Class :
Antineoplastics and PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors
Brand Name :
Tecentriq
(United States) [Available]Synonyms :
Atezolizumab
Class :
Antineoplastics and PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors
Dosage Forms & Strengths
Injectable solution
1200 mg per 20 ml
840 mg per 14 ml
Monotherapy:
840
mg
Intravenous (IV)
e
2
weeks
or 1200 mg given IV every three weeks, or 1680 mg given IV every four weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
For Monotherapy dosing:
840
mg
Intravenous (IV)
2
weeks
or 1200 mg given IV every three weeks, or 1680 mg given IV every four weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
Note:
the first infusion administered for over 60 minutes if well-tolerated, and subsequent infusions administered for over 30 minutes
Combination with platinum-based chemotherapy:
1200 mg given IV every three weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
Before chemotherapy, atezolizumab is administered, and bevacizumab is provided on the same day
After completion of 4-6 cycles of chemotherapy, the bevacizumab can be discontinued,
the dosage recommended for atezolizumab is:
840 mg given IV every two weeks or 1200 mg given IV every three weeks, or 1680 mg given IV every four weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
Note:
the first infusion administered for over 60 minutes if well-tolerated, and subsequent infusions administered for over 30 minutes
840
mg
Intravenous (IV)
was given on days 1 and 15, followed by protein-bound paclitaxel and 100 mg per m2 IV on Days 1, 8, and 15 for each 28-day course cycle
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
Note:
the first infusion administered for over 60 minutes if well-tolerated, and subsequent infusions administered for around 30 minutes
1200
mg
Intravenous (IV)
3
weeks
with carboplatin and etoposide combination
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
After completion of 4 cycles of carboplatin and etoposide combination, the recommended dosage of atezolizumab is:
840 mg given IV every two weeks or 1200 mg given IV every three weeks, or 1680 mg given IV every four weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
Note:
the first infusion is administered for over 60 minutes if well-tolerated, and subsequent infusions administered for around 30 minutes
1200
mg
Intravenous (IV)
over 1 hr
and followed by 15 mg per kg of bevacizumab on the same day for every three weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
if bevacizumab is discontinued for toxicity, the dosage recommended for atezolizumab is:
840 mg given IV every two weeks or 1200 mg given IV every three weeks, or 1680 mg given IV every four weeks
Continue the course until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurs
Note:
the first infusion administered for over 60 minutes if well-tolerated, and subsequent infusions administered for around 30 minutes
may increase the risk or severity of adverse effects when combined
may increase the risk or severity of adverse effects when combined
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk of developing an infection from the vaccine
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk of developing an infection from the vaccine
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk or severity of adverse effects
when both drugs are combined, there may be an increased risk of developing an infection from the vaccine
When atezolizumab is used together with capsaicin, this leads to enhanced risk or seriousness of methemoglobinemia
Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is found on various immune and tumor-infiltrating cells, where it binds to PD-1 and B7.1 receptors to suppress cytotoxic T-cell activity. This interaction impairs T-cell movement, growth, and the release of cytotoxic agents, thereby reducing the immune system’s ability to destroy tumor cells.
Atezolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, blocks PD-L1 from engaging with PD-1 and B7.1. By doing so, it restores T-cell function and enhances the immune response against cancer. Clinical trials have demonstrated its early and broad antitumor activity across multiple cancer types.
Adverse drug reactions:
Frequency defined
>10%
Rash
pruritus
Nausea
constipation
diarrhea
abdominal pain
vomiting
Urinary tract infection
Immune related colitis
Decreased appetite
Back/neck pain
Arthralgia
Fatigue
pyrexia
peripheral edema
Dyspnea
cough
<10%
Dyspnea
Pneumonia
Hematuria
Confusional state
Increased creatinine
Hyponatremia
hyperglycemia
Hypoalbuminemia
Immune related pneumonitis
immune related hepatitis
Sepsis
Acute kidney injury
liver enzyme increase
increased ALT
increased AST
Anemia
lymphopenia
increased alkaline phosphatase
Dehydration
intestinal obstruction
Venous thromboembolism
Frequency not defined
Immune-related thyroid disorders
Infusion related reactions
Immune related endocrinopathies
Ocular inflammatory toxicity
None currently assigned by the FDA.
Contraindications
None
Cautions
Pneumonitis: Higher risk in patients with prior thoracic radiation; monitor respiratory symptoms.
Hepatitis: Immune-mediated; monitor liver function; fatal cases reported.
Colitis/Diarrhea: Monitor for GI symptoms suggestive of immune-mediated colitis.
Infusion Reactions: Severe or life-threatening reactions may occur; monitor during and after infusion.
Infections: Risk of severe infections including sepsis and encephalitis; monitor for signs of infection.
Hematologic/Immune Effects: Rare but serious conditions like hemolytic anemia, HLH, sarcoidosis, and transplant rejection may occur.
Ocular Toxicity: Includes uveitis and possible vision loss; evaluate for Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome if eye symptoms co-occur with other immune effects.
Drug Substitution Warning: Do not substitute paclitaxel protein-bound with standard paclitaxel outside clinical trials in TNBC treatment.
Pregnancy warnings:
Breastfeeding warnings:
Pregnancy Categories:
Atezolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody (IgG1 isotype) that specifically targets programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), a transmembrane protein expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. PD-L1 binds to PD-1 and B7.1 (CD80) receptors on T cells, leading to the suppression of T-cell activation, proliferation, and cytotoxic function—allowing cancer cells to evade immune detection.
By blocking PD-L1 from binding to both PD-1 and B7.1, atezolizumab restores T-cell activity, enabling the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. It does not bind PD-1 directly, offering selective inhibition of the immune checkpoint pathway.
It is indicated in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), urothelial carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma, among others
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption
Atezolizumab shows systemic accumulation over 2–3 cycles of repeated dosing.
Distribution
Volume of distribution (Vd) is approximately 6.9 liters, indicating limited distribution outside the vascular space.
Metabolism
As a monoclonal antibody, atezolizumab is expected to be degraded into small peptides and amino acids via non-specific catabolism, not metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes.
Elimination/Excretion
Terminal half-life: ~27 days
Clearance: ~0.2 L/days
Pharmacodynamics
Atezolizumab is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1). By blocking PD-L1’s interaction with PD-1 and B7.1 receptors, it restores T-cell activity and enhances the immune response against tumor cells. This reactivation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes leads to tumor cell recognition and destruction. Atezolizumab does not deplete T cells (due to lack of ADCC or CDC activity), preserving immune cell populations while enabling anti-tumor immunity. The response is typically dose-dependent, with immune-related adverse events correlating to increased immune activation.
Administer as an infusion only; never as an IV bolus or push.
Use an IV line with or without a sterile, low-protein-binding, nonpyrogenic in-line filter (0.2–0.22 micron).
First infusion over 60 minutes; if tolerated, subsequent infusions can be given over 30 minutes.
Generic name: Atezolizumab
Pronunciation: ah-tez-oh-LIZ-ue-mab
Atezolizumab is an immunotherapy drug responsible for helping the immune system fight cancer. The structure of atezolizumab is a protein that blocks (PDL1 or programmed death-ligand).
It helps increase the life expectancy of cancerous patients.
It is used to treat urinary tract cancer/urothelial carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, liver cancer, and skin melanoma.
Side effects may arise due to atezolizumab, including intestinal problems like diarrhea, abdominal pain, dysentery, etc.
The liver problems that may occur are yellowing of skin/eyes, nausea, vomiting, and dark urine.
Other side effects may include hair loss, polyurea, loss of appetite, blurred vision, and anemia.
You should not take the medication if you are pregnant, lactating, or planning to conceive.
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