Purixan is a prescription medicine. The sections below reproduce one FDA label for it, named under "Label". Products in other forms, strengths or from other makers have their own labels, which can differ.
- Type
- Prescription only (Rx)
- Taken
- Oral
- Label
- Nova Laboratories, Ltd, revised July 20, 2026 · full label on DailyMed
- Generic
- No · details
What it is used for
PURIXAN is a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as part of a combination chemotherapy maintenance regimen.( 1.1 )
1.1 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia PURIXAN is indicated for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as part of a combination chemotherapy maintenance regimen.
Forms and strengths
Oral suspension: 2,000 mg/100 mL (20 mg/mL). ( 3 ) Oral Suspension: 2,000 mg/100 mL (20 mg/mL) pink to brown in color.
Who should not take it (contraindications)
None None.
Warnings and precautions
Myelosuppression : Monitor complete blood count (CBC) and adjust the dose of PURIXAN for excessive myelosuppression. Consider testing in patients with severe myelosuppression or repeated episodes of myelosuppression for thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) or nucleotide diphosphatase (NUDT15) deficiency. Patients with homozygous-TPMT or homozygous-NUDT15 deficiency may require a dose reduction. ( 2.2, 5.1 ) Hepatotoxicity : Monitor transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. Withhold PURIXAN at onset of hepatotoxicity. ( 5.2 ) Immunosuppression :Response to all vaccines may be diminished and there is a risk of infection with live virus vaccines. Consult immunization guidelines for immunocompromised pediatrics. ( 5.3 ) Treatment Related Malignancies : Aggressive and fatal cases of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma have occurred. ( 5.4 ) Macrophage Activation Syndrome : Monitor for and treat promptly; discontinue PURIXAN. ( 5.5 ) Embryo-Fetal Toxicity : Can cause fetal harm. Advise patients of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception. ( 5.6 , 8.1, 8.3 )
Side effects (adverse reactions)
The most common adverse reaction (> 20%) is myelosuppression including anemia, neutropenia, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia. Adverse reactions occurring in 5% to 20% of patients include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malaise and rash. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Rare Disease Therapeutics, Inc., at 1-844-472-7389 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Myelosuppression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Hepatotoxicity [ [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Immunosuppression [ [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Treatment Related Malignancies [ [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Macrophage Activation Syndrome [ [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ]
Drug interactions
Allopurinol : Reduce the dose of PURIXAN when co-administered with allopurinol. ( 2.4 , 7.1 ) Warfarin : PURIXAN may decrease the anticoagulant effect. Monitor INR and adjust warfarin dose as appropriate. ( 7.2 )
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children and older adults
Lactation : Advise not to breastfeed. ( 8.2 ) Infertility : Can impair fertility. ( 8.3 )
How it works
Mercaptopurine is a purine analog that undergoes intracellular transport and activation to form metabolites including thioguanine nucleotides (TGNs). Incorporation of TGNs into DNA or RNA results in cell-cycle arrest and cell death. TGNs and other mercaptopurine metabolites are also inhibitors of de novo purine synthesis and purine nucleotide interconversions. Mercaptopurine was cytotoxic to proliferating cancer cells in vitro and had antitumor activity in mouse tumor models. It is not known which of the biochemical effects of mercaptopurine and its metabolites are directly or predominantly responsible for cell death.
Is there a generic Purixan?
No. The FDA has not approved a generic version yet.
Source: Drugs@FDA (via openFDA), checked October 29, 2026. Marketing status is what companies report to the FDA; whether a pharmacy stocks a product, and what your insurance covers, can differ.
Dosage:
we do not reproduce dosing instructions. The right dose depends on the person and the condition and is set by the prescriber or pharmacist. Dosage section of the full label.
Purixan in the news
We have not covered this medicine yet. Latest news
Recalls
No recalls matched to this medicine in FDA enforcement reports from the last 3 years (or older ones still open). Search all recalls
Get alerts for Purixan
We will email you if the FDA reports a recall, if its shortage status changes, or when we publish news about it — at most one email a day. No account needed.
Source: FDA structured product labeling, retrieved through openFDA. Label text is shown as published by the FDA, without editing; long sections are shortened, marked […]. openFDA data are not validated for clinical use — always check the current label and ask a doctor or pharmacist about your own treatment. Set ID 9fd27952-7787-47d9-b6cf-7af2dc38217b.