Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Frequently Asked Questions | ZYTIGA® (abiraterone acetate)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ZYTIGA® (zye-tee-ga) is a prescription medicine that is used along with prednisone. ZYTIGA® is used to treat men with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Learn more about ZYTIGA®.

ZYTIGA® works by interrupting the androgen-making process at an important step. ZYTIGA® interrupts androgen production at 3 sources: the testes, the adrenal glands, AND the tumor itself.

 

ZYTIGA® is different from some medicines that only decrease androgen production in the testes and do not affect the adrenal glands or prostate tumor tissue.

 

Learn how ZYTIGA®works

 

ZYTIGA® may cause serious side effects including:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension), low blood potassium (hypokalemia), fluid retention (edema), and irregular heartbeats.

Please see additional side effects and Important Safety Information.

ZYTIGA® was approved by the FDA based on 3 clinical studies with more than 3,000 men with metastatic prostate cancer, prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, based on the following measures:

OVERALL SURVIVAL

How long men lived taking ZYTIGA® + prednisone vs placebo* + prednisone

DISEASE PROGRESSION

Length of time men lived without their disease getting worse† or dying while taking ZYTIGA® + prednisone vs placebo + prednisone

Not all measures are applicable to all clinical trials

*Placebo: An inactive substance or treatment that looks the same as, and is given the same way as, an active drug or treatment being tested. (National Cancer Institute: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute, 2015. Available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary. Accessed September 2019.

†As measured by imaging studies.

Oral, once-daily ZYTIGA® has an established safety profile. Learn more about side effects and Important Safety Information and discuss taking ZYTIGA® with your doctor.

ZYTIGA may cause serious side effects including:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension), low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia), fluid retention (edema), and irregular heartbeats can happen during treatment with ZYTIGA®
    Tell your healthcare provider if you get any of the following symptoms:
    • Dizziness
    • Confusion
    • Fast or irregular heartbeats
    • Muscle weakness
    • Feel faint or lightheaded
    • Pain in your legs
    • Headache
    • Swelling in your legs or feet
  • Adrenal problems may happen if you stop taking prednisone, get an infection, or are under stress
  • Severe liver problems. You may develop changes in liver function blood tests. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your liver before treatment with ZYTIGA® and during treatment with ZYTIGA®. Liver failure may occur, which can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice any of the following changes:
    • Yellowing of the skin or eyes
    • Darkening of the urine
    • Severe nausea or vomiting
  • Increased risk of bone fracture and death when ZYTIGA and prednisone or prednisolone, is used in combination with a type of radiation called radium Ra 223 dichloride. Tell your healthcare provider about any other treatments you are taking for prostate cancer
  • Severe low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Severe low blood sugar with ZYTIGA® can happen in people who have diabetes and take certain antidiabetic medicines. You and your healthcare provider should check your blood sugar levels regularly during treatment with ZYTIGA® and after you stop treatment. Your healthcare provider may also need to change the dose of your antidiabetic medicines. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include:
    • Headache
    • Drowsiness
    • Weakness
    • Dizziness
    • Confusion
    • Irritability
    • Hunger
    • Fast heartbeat
    • Sweating
    • Feeling jittery
  • The most common side effects of ZYTIGA® include:
    • Feeling very tired
    • Joint pain
    • High blood pressure
    • Nausea
    • Swelling in your legs or feet
    • Low blood potassium levels
    • Hot flushes
    • Diarrhea
    • Vomiting
    • Infected nose, sinuses, or throat (cold)
    • Cough
    • Headache
    • Low red blood cells (anemia)
    • High blood cholesterol and triglycerides
    • High blood sugar levels
    • Certain other abnormal blood tests

ZYTIGA may cause fertility problems in males, which may affect the ability to father children. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about fertility.

 

THESE ARE NOT ALL THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF ZYTIGA®.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, ASK YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR PHARMACIST.

 

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

 

Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

 

Please read the full Prescribing Information and Patient Information for ZYTIGA® and discuss any questions you have with your doctor.

Before taking ZYTIGA®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • Have heart problems
  • Have liver problems
  • Have a history of adrenal problems
  • Have a history of pituitary problems
  • Are receiving any other treatment for prostate cancer
  • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. ZYTIGA® can cause harm to your unborn baby and loss of pregnancy (miscarriage). Females who are or may become pregnant should not handle ZYTIGA® uncoated tablets or other ZYTIGA® tablets if broken, crushed, or damaged without protection, such as gloves
  • Have a partner who is pregnant or may become pregnant
    • Males who have female partners who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with ZYTIGA® and for 3 weeks after the last dose of ZYTIGA®
  • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ZYTIGA® passes into your breast milk

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take or treatments you receive including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. ZYTIGA® can interact with many other medicines.

Take ZYTIGA® plus prednisone exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to.

Learn more about taking ZYTIGA®

If you are taking ZYTIGA®:

  • Take ZYTIGA® and prednisone exactly as your healthcare provider tells you
  • Take your prescribed dose of ZYTIGA® 1 time a day. Your healthcare provider may change your dose if needed
  • Do not change or stop taking your prescribed dose of ZYTIGA® or prednisone without talking to your healthcare provider first

  • Take ZYTIGA® tablets as a single dose one time a day on an empty stomach. Do not eat food 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking ZYTIGA®

  • Do not take ZYTIGA® with food. Taking ZYTIGA® with food may cause more of the medicine to be absorbed by they body than is needed, and this may cause side effects
  • Swallow ZYTIGA® tablets whole. Do not crush or chew tablets
  • Take ZYTIGA® tablets with water
  • If you miss a dose of ZYTIGA® or prednisone, take your prescribed dose the following day. If you miss more than 1 dose, tell your healthcare provider right away
  • Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check for side effects

If you miss a dose of ZYTIGA® or prednisone, take your prescribed dose the following day. If you miss more than 1 dose, tell your healthcare provider right away.

Learn more about taking ZYTIGA®

    ZYTIGA® is not for use in women or children.

     

    It is not known if ZYTIGA® is safe and effective in females or children. Women who are pregnant or women who may be pregnant should not handle ZYTIGA® 250 mg uncoated tablets or other ZYTIGA® tablets if broken, crushed, or damaged without protection, eg, gloves.
    Keep ZYTIGA® and all medicines out of the reach of children.

    Paying for your treatment doesn’t have to be complicated. J&J withMe can identify cost support options that may help with managing your out-of-pocket costs for ZYTIGA®—whether you have commercial or private health insurance, government-funded healthcare coverage such as Medicare or Medicaid, or have no insurance coverage.

    Once you and your doctor have decided that ZYTIGA® is right for you

     

    Paying for ZYTIGA®

    At Johnson & Johnson, we don't want cost to get in the way of treatment you need. We can help you explore options to lower your out-of-pocket cost for ZYTIGA®. No matter what type of insurance you have—or even if you don't have insurance—J&J withMe can help explain your medicine insurance coverage and potential out-of-pocket costs and help find programs that may help you pay for ZYTIGA®.
    If you have commercial or private health insurance and need help paying for ZYTIGA®, the J&J withMe Savings Program may be able to help. For more information, visit Zytiga.JNJwithMeSavings.com or call a J&J withMe Care Connector at 877-227-3728.

    If you don’t have commercial or private health insurance, J&J withMe can provide information about other resources that may help with your out-of-pocket medicine costs. You may also find help from the programs and resources found on JNJwithMe.com.

    The support and resources provided by J&J withMe are not intended to provide medical advice, replace a treatment plan you receive from your doctor or nurse, or serve as a reason for you to start or stay on treatment.