The prescribed dosage for Yervoy (ipilimumab) may vary depending on your specific diagnosis, medical history, and other factors. Your doctor will work with you to determine the right dosage for your condition.

Yervoy is a prescription drug used in adults to treat certain kinds of the following cancers:

Yervoy is also used to treat some types of melanoma and colorectal cancer in certain children.

Yervoy comes as a liquid solution in a vial. It’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into a vein given over time).

The active ingredient in Yervoy is ipilimumab. An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.

Yervoy belongs to a group of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. Yervoy is a kind of immunotherapy treatment, which means it helps your immune system fight cancer.

This article describes the dosages of Yervoy, as well as its strengths and details about its usage.

Note: This article covers Yervoy’s usual dosing schedules, which the drug’s manufacturer provides. Your doctor will prescribe the Yervoy dosage that’s right for you.

The following information covers the usual dosages of Yervoy for the conditions it’s used to treat.

What is Yervoy’s form?

Yervoy comes as a liquid solution in a vial. You’ll receive it as an IV infusion.

What strengths does Yervoy come in?

Yervoy comes in one strength of 5 milligrams (mg) per 1 milliliter (mL) of solution and is available in two sizes:

  • 50 mg per 10-mL vial
  • 200 mg per 40-mL vial

What are the usual dosages of Yervoy?

The dosage of Yervoy you’re prescribed depends on your weight in kilograms (kg) and the condition the drug is being used to treat.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Dosage for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

The NSCLC dosing of Yervoy is based on your body weight and certain other factors. It’s used along with other medications to treat certain kinds of NSCLC. The dosage of Yervoy is 1 mg per kg (mg/kg) of body weight. This is given once every 6 weeks for up to 2 years based on how you respond to treatment.

Yervoy is used along with Opdivo (nivolumab) as a first-line treatment in certain people with NSCLC that is metastatic. (This means the NSCLC has spread from the lungs to other areas of the body.)

It’s also prescribed as a first-line treatment in certain people whose NSCLC has spread or returned after another treatment. But in these cases, it’s used with both Opdivo and two cycles of chemotherapy.

Dosage for melanoma

The dosing for melanoma depends on the kind of melanoma and your body weight. It may be used alone or in combination with another treatment.

  • The dosing of Yervoy for melanoma that can’t be removed with surgery or is metastatic (has spread to other areas of the body) is 3 mg/kg. It’s given every 3 weeks for up to four doses, either alone or with Opdivo. When given with Opdivo, treatment is continued with Opdivo alone for as long as it’s safe and effective.
  • Yervoy can also be used to prevent cancer from returning following surgery to remove the melanoma and cancerous lymph nodes. For this use, the dosing schedule is 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks for up to four doses. Then the dosing schedule is 3 mg/kg once every 12 weeks for up to four doses.

Dosage for colorectal cancer

Yervoy is used to treat colorectal cancer that has certain traits. It’s used along with another type of medication when your colorectal cancer:

  • has certain gene mutations (changes)
  • is metastatic

The dosing of Yervoy for colorectal cancer is 1 mg/kg. This is given once every 3 weeks with Opdivo for up to four doses. After this, Opdivo is given alone for as long as it’s safe and effective, up to 2 years.

Dosage for kidney cancer

Yervoy is used to treat kidney cancer that:

  • is advanced (has spread to nearby parts of your body) and
  • has a moderate or low risk of getting better

The dosing is 1 mg/kg once every 3 weeks. It’s used along with another drug called Opdivo.

Yervoy is given for up to a maximum of four doses for this use. After this, Opdivo is used alone for as long as it’s working and safe for you.

Dosage for liver cancer

Yervoy is used in combination with Opdivo to treat a certain kind of liver cancer. The dosing of Yervoy for this use is 3 mg/kg once every 3 weeks for up to four doses. After this, treatment is continued with Opdivo alone for as long as it’s safe and effective for you.

Note: This combination of Yervoy and Opdivo is given after treatment with another medication called Nexavar (sorafenib).

Dosage for pleural mesothelioma

Yervoy is used to treat pleural mesothelioma (a kind of lung cancer that affects the outer lining of the lungs and chest) that can’t be removed with surgery. This type of cancer is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.

The dosing is 1 mg/kg once every 6 weeks. Yervoy is used together with Opdivo for pleural mesothelioma. These medications may be used for up to 2 years, as long as it’s safely and effectively treating your cancer.

Dosage for esophageal cancer

Yervoy is used to treat a type of called esophageal squamous cell carcinoma that is either advanced or metastatic and can’t be removed by surgery.

The dosing for this type of cancer is 1 mg/kg once every 6 weeks. In this case, Yervoy is used together with Opdivo. These medications may be used for up to 2 years, as long as it’s safely and effectively treating your cancer.

What’s the dosage of Yervoy for children?

Yervoy is used to treat certain kinds of cancer in children ages 12 years and older. These cancers include:

  • Melanoma that is metastatic or cannot be removed with surgery. The dosage for melanoma in children is the same as that used in adults. (See “Dosage for melanoma” for details.)
  • Colorectal cancer that has certain traits. The dosage for colorectal cancer in children is the same as it is for adults. (See “Dosage for colorectal cancer” for details.)

Is Yervoy used long term?

Yervoy may be used as a long-term treatment for some kinds of cancer. How long your Yervoy treatment lasts depends on the type of cancer it’s being used to treat and other factors.

  • For adjuvant treatment of melanoma, you may receive treatment for up to 60 weeks, as long as it’s safe and effective for you. Adjuvant treatment is used to reduce the risk of cancer coming back after another type of treatment, such as surgery.
  • For lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma, and esophageal cancer, Yervoy may be used for up to 2 years, as long as it’s safe and effective for you.

Yervoy is not used long term for all types of cancer. You may receive up to a maximum of four doses of Yervoy to treat the following:

  • colorectal cancer
  • liver cancer
  • kidney cancer
  • melanoma that’s metastatic or that can’t be removed with surgery

Dosage adjustments

Dosage adjustments of Yervoy are usually not needed. But the rate at which you receive your IV infusion may need to be adjusted in certain cases.

For example, if you have serious side effects while receiving your Yervoy infusion, your doctor may pause or slow your treatment until your symptoms decrease. They may also stop your treatment completely if you have a severe reaction.

Your doctor can provide more information about any adjustments you may need.

Yervoy is given as an IV infusion. This is done by a healthcare professional in a doctor’s office or a clinic.

The IV infusion administration time (how long it takes to receive your infusion) is usually 30 minutes. However, your dosage and administration time may depend on whether you experience side effects from the infusion treatment.

Your doctor or the healthcare professional administering your dose will monitor you carefully during your infusion and after treatment.

The dosage of Yervoy you’re prescribed may depend on several factors. These include:

  • the type and severity of the condition Yervoy is being used to treat
  • your body weight

Yervoy is given at a doctor’s office or clinic by a healthcare professional. They’ll usually schedule your appointments. If you miss your regularly scheduled dose, call your doctor’s office. They’ll help you reschedule your appointment so you can receive your missed dose.

You could also consider using a reminder tool, such as setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app on your phone.

Q:

Will my Yervoy dosage change if I develop hepatitis during treatment?

Anonymous

A:

No. In most cases, you won’t need a dosage adjustment. But depending on the severity of your reaction, you may need treatment adjustments. In studies of Yervoy, the drug has caused hepatitis in some people. This is because, in some cases, the immune system may attack healthy cells in the liver and cause inflammation. If the inflammation is serious, it can cause hepatitis.

You have an increased risk of hepatitis or other immune system-related reactions if you’re taking other medications that have the same side effect. An example is Opdivo (nivolumab).

Your doctor will monitor how your liver is working before and during your Yervoy treatment. If you develop symptoms of liver damage, call your doctor’s office right away.

Symptoms of liver damage can include:

If you develop hepatitis, your doctor will likely stop your Yervoy treatment and treat your liver condition. They may then have you restart Yervoy if your symptoms go away. But if you’ve had a severe reaction, they’ll have you stop Yervoy treatment permanently.

Your doctor can provide more information about immune system-related reactions that are possible with Yervoy treatment.

The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Disclaimer: Healthline 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.