Pegfilgrastim is the generic name of the brand-name medication, Neulasta. An injectable version of a biological medication, pegfilgrastim is based on a conjugate of a polyethylene glycol compound and human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a molecule that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more neutrophils (a certain type of white blood cell).
Some patients with neutropenia (a low level of neutrophils) due to a side effect of chemotherapy are treated with pegfilgrastim, which stays in the body longer than a similar medication, filgrastim (brand name, Neupogen).
As neutrophils normally help fight infections, raising the level of neutrophils in the blood of patients with neutropenia can help prevent infections and help the body overcome existing infections.
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