Onureg (azacitidine) is a prescription brand-name medication. It’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in certain adults.

Here are some fast facts about Onureg:

  • Active ingredient: azacitidine
  • Drug class: nucleoside metabolic blocker
  • Drug form: oral tablet

In many cases, your doctor will recommend Onureg as a long-term treatment option. However, if you develop severe side effects from this medication, or if your AML gets worse, your doctor may recommend stopping Onureg and trying a different treatment option.

As with other drugs, Onureg can cause side effects. Read on to learn about potential common, mild, and serious side effects. For a general overview of Onureg, including details about its uses, see this article.

Onureg can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who took Onureg in clinical trials:

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Mild side effects can occur with Onureg. This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Onureg’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects that have been reported with Onureg include:

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking Onureg and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Onureg may cause serious side effects. Although serious side effects are not common, they can occur.

The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Onureg’s prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects while taking Onureg, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported and their symptoms include:

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.
† An allergic reaction is possible after taking Onureg. However, it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in clinical trials.

Onureg may cause several side effects. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the drug’s side effects.

What are Onureg’s long-term side effects?

It’s possible to develop long-term side effects from taking Onureg. However, most of the side effects reported in clinical trials of Onureg were short term. In some cases, side effects may occur while you’re taking Onureg. However, they will typically ease after you stop treatment.

It’s possible to have joint pain or pain in your arms and legs from taking Onureg. These side effects may be long term and may continue even after you stop treatment with this medication.

If you have concerns about Onureg causing long-term side effects, talk with your doctor before starting treatment. They can help determine if Onureg may be a safe treatment option for you.

Does Onureg cause hair loss?

No, hair loss was not a side effect in clinical trials of Onureg. However, other medications that may be used to treat AML, such as chemotherapy, can cause hair loss to occur.

If you experience hair loss while you’re taking Onureg, talk with your doctor. They can help determine what may be causing your hair loss to occur. In some cases, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter medication to decrease hair loss, such as Rogaine (minoxidil).

Learn more about some of the side effects that Onureg may cause. To find out how often side effects occurred in clinical trials, see the prescribing information for Onureg.

Nausea

Onureg may cause nausea. In fact, nausea was the most common side effect in clinical trials of Onureg.

What you can do

To help prevent nausea, your doctor may recommend taking a nausea medication when you first start treatment with Onureg. Examples of these medications may include Zofran (ondansetron) and Emend (aprepitant). You will likely take a nausea medication for your first two treatment cycles of Onureg. (Each treatment cycle is 28 days.) Then, after your first two cycles, your doctor may recommend stopping the nausea medication if you haven’t had any nausea. However, if you have had nausea, your doctor will likely recommend that you continue taking it.

If you are still nauseous even after taking nausea medication, tell your doctor. They may be able to recommend different treatment options to help prevent nausea from occurring. If you have nausea that is severe, your doctor may recommend pausing your treatment. Then they may have you restart Onureg at a lower dose.

In some severe cases, your doctor may recommend decreasing the length of time that you take Onureg. Or they may recommend that you stop taking Onureg and try a different medication for your acute myeloid leukemia.

Joint pain

Joint pain is a possible side effect of Onureg. In clinical trials, joint pain was one of the most common side effects.

What you can do

If you experience joint pain during treatment with Onureg, tell your doctor. In some cases, they may be able to recommend over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen), to treat your pain.

Dizziness

Dizziness is a possible side effect of Onureg. It was a common side effect in clinical trials. If you are dizzy, you may feel lightheaded or as though you are about to faint.

What you can do

If you have dizziness during treatment with Onureg, tell your doctor. They may be able to recommend medications to decrease your dizziness.

Pneumonia

It’s possible to develop pneumonia during treatment with Onureg. Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs, caused by bacteria or a virus, which causes swelling to occur. Pneumonia was a common side effect in clinical trials of Onureg.

Symptoms of pneumonia may include:

What you can do

If you have symptoms of pneumonia, contact your doctor right away. In some cases, they may recommend that you take an antibiotic or steroid medication to help treat the pneumonia. Your doctor can determine the best treatment options for the pneumonia.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, Onureg can cause an allergic reaction in some people. However, it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in clinical trials.

Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:

  • skin rash
  • itching
  • flushing
  • swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
  • swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe

What you can do

For mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. They may recommend ways to ease your symptoms and determine whether you should keep taking Onureg. However, if your symptoms are serious and you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Onureg. This drug may not be the right treatment option for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. The conditions and factors to consider include:

Low blood cell levels. Tell your doctor if you have low blood cell levels before starting treatment with Onureg. Taking Onureg may cause low levels of white blood cells or platelets. If you already have low blood cell levels, Onureg may make your levels even worse. Your doctor will be able to recommend if it’s safe for you to take Onureg.

Liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have any liver problems. Onureg hasn’t been clinically trialed in people with severe liver problems. So it’s not known if the drug is safe for people with severe liver problems. Your doctor may recommend monitoring your liver function more often through blood tests during your treatment. In some cases, they may recommend a different treatment option for you.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Onureg or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Onureg. Ask your doctor what other medications may be better options for you.

Kidney problems. If you have kidney problems, tell your doctor before taking Onureg. This medication hasn’t been clinically trialed in people with severe kidney problems. So it’s not known if the drug may be safe for people with severe kidney problems. Your doctor may recommend monitoring your kidneys more often. In some cases, they may recommend a different treatment option for you.

Alcohol and Onureg

There are no known interactions between Onureg and alcohol. However, drinking alcohol may make some side effects from Onureg worse. For example, both alcohol and Onureg may cause nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

Talk with your doctor to find out whether it may be safe for you to drink alcohol during treatment with Onureg.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding while taking Onureg

Onureg is not safe to take during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

This medication may cause harm to a developing fetus if taken during pregnancy. There have been no clinical trials done on pregnant women to determine what the risk of taking Onureg during pregnancy may be.

However, animal studies showed congenital anomalies (commonly known as “birth defects”) and pregnancy loss. It’s important to note that animal studies do not always indicate what may happen in humans.

Due to this risk, females* who can become pregnant will take a pregnancy test before their first dose of Onureg. Your doctor will also recommend you use birth control during treatment with Onureg and for at least 6 months after your last dose.

In addition, males* with partners who can become pregnant should continue using birth control during treatment with Onureg and for at least 3 months after stopping treatment.

It’s not known if Onureg passes into breast milk or what effects the drug may have on a child who is breastfed. Due to the possible risk of side effects in a child who is breastfed, you should not breastfeed during treatment or for at least one week after your last dose of Onureg.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or are planning either, talk with your doctor before starting treatment with Onureg.

* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the terms “male” and “female” in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.

You may experience side effects from treatment with Onureg. Although these side effects are typically mild, serious side effects are also possible. If you have additional questions or concerns about side effects that may occur during treatment with Onureg, talk with your doctor.

If you’d like to learn more about Onureg, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer any questions you have about side effects of taking the drug.

Besides talking with your doctor, you can do some research on your own. These articles might help:

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.