Relitrexed® 500mg Injection (Pemetrexed) – Chemotherapy (Rx)

Quick answer: Relitrexed 500mg (pemetrexed) is a chemotherapy for non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining around the lungs. A nurse gives it as a short drip into a vein. MedHub supplies it on prescription and delivers to hospitals and homes across Pakistan.

For patients and families

What is Relitrexed 500mg?

Relitrexed 500mg is a vial of pemetrexed powder made by Reliance Life Sciences in India. The hospital pharmacy mixes the powder into a solution before your treatment. Pemetrexed is an antifolate: it blocks enzymes that cancer cells need to copy their DNA, so the cells cannot multiply.

What is it used for?

• Non-small cell lung cancer (non-squamous type): as first treatment together with cisplatin, as maintenance after first chemotherapy to keep the disease in check, or on its own after earlier chemotherapy.
• Malignant pleural mesothelioma: with cisplatin, when surgery is not possible.

Pemetrexed is not used for squamous lung cancer, because it works poorly there. Many patients receive it alongside Cispatin 50mg (cisplatin).

How is it given?

A nurse gives the drip into a vein over about ten minutes, normally once every three weeks, at a hospital or day-care centre. Your doctor decides the dose based on your height, weight, kidney function and blood counts.

Vitamins are an important part of this treatment. You start daily folic acid tablets about a week before the first dose and receive vitamin B12 injections at intervals, which lower the risk of serious side effects. Most people also take steroid tablets around each treatment to prevent a skin rash.

Common side effects

• Tiredness and loss of appetite
• Nausea, mouth sores and changes in bowel habits
• Skin rash or itching
• Lower blood counts, raising the risk of infection, anaemia or bruising

Call your oncology team straight away for a temperature of 38°C or above, shivering, breathlessness or a new cough, peeling or blistering skin, or passing much less urine than usual.

Storage

Keep the unopened vial in its box between 15°C and 30°C, and do not freeze it. It does not need a fridge, though a hot room or car can damage it. The hospital stores and prepares it before your drip.

How to order from MedHub

1. Send a photo of your prescription on WhatsApp.
2. Our pharmacist confirms the price and stock with you.
3. We pack the vial carefully and deliver it to your hospital or home.

Families in the UAE, UK and Saudi Arabia often arrange Relitrexed 500mg for a parent’s chemotherapy in Pakistan through us. If the calculated dose needs a top-up, ask about Relitrexed 100mg, and browse all our oncology medicines.

For healthcare professionals

• Composition: pemetrexed (as disodium) 500 mg per vial, powder for concentrate for solution for infusion
• Drug class: antifolate antineoplastic (multitargeted folate antagonist)
• Indications: unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma in chemotherapy-naive patients with cisplatin; first-line locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer other than predominantly squamous histology with cisplatin; maintenance monotherapy in non-squamous NSCLC without progression after platinum-based chemotherapy; second-line monotherapy in non-squamous NSCLC
• Mechanism: inhibits thymidylate synthase, dihydrofolate reductase and glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase, disrupting purine and pyrimidine synthesis
• Label dose: 500 mg/m² IV over 10 minutes on day 1 of each 21-day cycle; with cisplatin 75 mg/m² given about 30 minutes later in combination regimens
• Monitoring / key precautions: folic acid 350–1000 micrograms daily from 7 days before the first dose until 21 days after the last; vitamin B12 1000 micrograms IM before the first dose and every 3 cycles; dexamethasone 4 mg twice daily the day before, the day of and the day after dosing; check blood counts before each cycle (neutrophils at least 1,500/mm³, platelets at least 100,000/mm³); not recommended if creatinine clearance is below 45 ml/min; avoid NSAIDs around dosing in mild to moderate renal impairment; contraindicated in breastfeeding and with yellow fever vaccine
• Storage: 15–30°C; do not freeze
• Manufacturer: Reliance Life Sciences, India
• Pack: 1 vial

Frequently asked questions

What is Relitrexed 500mg used for?

It treats non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma. Doctors use it alone or with cisplatin, depending on the stage and earlier treatment.

What is the Relitrexed 500mg price in Pakistan?

Relitrexed 500mg costs Rs 32,000 to Rs 45,000 per vial. Prices can change with supply, so message us on WhatsApp for today’s price before you order.

Can I get Relitrexed 500mg in Lahore, Karachi or Peshawar?

Yes. MedHub delivers across Pakistan, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Multan and Faisalabad.

Do I need a prescription to buy Relitrexed 500mg?

Yes. Pemetrexed is a prescription-only chemotherapy. Send a clear photo of your oncologist’s prescription on WhatsApp, and our pharmacist checks it before confirming your order.

How is Relitrexed 500mg given?

A nurse gives it as a ten-minute drip into a vein, usually every three weeks. You take folic acid, vitamin B12 and steroid tablets around the treatment as your doctor directs.

Why do I need folic acid and vitamin B12 with Relitrexed 500mg?

These vitamins protect healthy cells from pemetrexed and lower the chance of severe blood, gut and skin side effects. Keep taking folic acid every day unless your doctor tells you to stop.

How is Relitrexed 500mg stored?

Store the vial at room temperature, between 15°C and 30°C, in its box. It does not need refrigeration, but you should never freeze it.

Can I order Relitrexed 500mg for my parents in Pakistan from abroad?

Yes. Many families in the UAE, UK and Saudi Arabia order through MedHub for parents in Pakistan. Share the prescription on WhatsApp, and our team guides you through payment and delivery to the hospital or home.

Last updated: 3 October 2026

This information is for general awareness only and is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.