The prescribed dosage for Loqtorzi (toripalimab-tpzi) may vary depending on a person’s individual treatment plan. Other factors, including your specific diagnosis and medical history, may affect your dosage of Loqtorzi.
Loqtorzi is a prescription drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat nasopharyngeal cancer (a type of head and neck cancer). This medication can be prescribed alone or with other medications to manage your cancer. Your doctor will prescribe the best treatment plan for you.
The drug comes as a solution for intravenous (IV) infusion (injection into a vein). You usually receive it every 2 or 3 weeks.
Loqtorzi is a biologic and belongs to a drug class called programmed death receptor-1 blocking antibody. Loqtorzi is not available in a biosimilar version.
This article describes the dosages of Loqtorzi, as well as its strength and how to receive it.
The Loqtorzi dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:
- your body weight
- the type of condition you’re receiving Loqtorzi to treat
Loqtorzi form
Loqtorzi comes as a solution that’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. A healthcare professional gives these injections.
Loqtorzi strength
Loqtorzi comes in one strength: 240 milligrams (mg) in 6 milliliters (mL) of solution.
Doctors may prescribe Loqtorzi to treat a type of cancer of the head and neck called nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This drug may be prescribed alone or with other drugs to treat NPC. If your doctor prescribed this medication with other drugs, you’ll likely receive it along with cisplatin and gemcitabine. In this case, your dosage of Loqtorzi will be 240 mg every 3 weeks.
If you receive Loqtorzi alone to treat your NPC, your dose will be based on your body weight in kilograms (kg). (For reference, 1 kg is about 2.2 pounds [lb]). In this case, your dose will be 3 mg per kg. You’ll receive this dose once every 2 weeks. So if you weigh 75 kg (about 165 lb), your dosage will be 225 mg every 2 weeks.
For more information about your specific dosage, talk with your doctor.
Loqtorzi is available as a solution that you’ll get through an IV infusion. This means you’ll get a dose of the medication through a vein in your arm. Your doctor or another healthcare professional will give you the IV infusion of Loqtorzi.
First, they’ll prepare the solution for infusion. They’ll do this by diluting the drug. This involves mixing your Loqtorzi dose with 0.9% sodium chloride, which makes it easier for your body to receive the infusion.
You’ll likely go to your doctor’s office, infusion center, or a hospital to receive your infusion. Your first infusion will be given over 60 minutes. After that, your infusion may take only 30 minutes.
If you have questions about how you’ll receive Loqtorzi, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
How long do you receive Loqtorzi?
Loqtorzi is meant to be a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Loqtorzi is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely receive it long term.
Before you start Loqtorzi, your doctor will discuss your treatment plan with you.
If you miss your appointment for a Loqtorzi infusion, call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to reschedule. They’ll adjust your dosing schedule as needed.
If you need help remembering your appointments, try setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app on your phone.
Is the dosage of Loqtorzi similar to the dosage of Xeloda?
No, the forms and how often you take or receive each drug differ. Loqtorzi is an IV infusion that you’ll need to get once every 2 to 3 weeks in a healthcare setting. Xeloda is an oral tablet that you’ll take twice daily.
The dose in mg for each drug differs because they have different active ingredients.
Xeloda is not currently approved to treat NPC. But it may be an
To learn more about how these drugs compare, talk with your doctor.
How long does it take for Loqtorzi to start working?
Loqtorzi starts to work after your first dose. But because of how the drug works, you likely won’t feel the drug working in your body. So the drug may be starting to treat your cancer as soon as the first dose, but you may not notice a reduction in your symptoms. Your doctor will monitor you during treatment to check whether the drug is working for your condition.
Talk with your doctor if you have questions about what to expect with Loqtorzi treatment.
The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Loqtorzi for you, they’ll prescribe the dosage that’s right for you.
Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Loqtorzi. These additional articles might be helpful:
- More about Loqtorzi: For information about other aspects of Loqtorzi, refer to this article.
- Details about nasopharyngeal cancer: For details about nasopharyngeal cancer, see our cancer hub.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today 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.