What is Radicut/Radicava? | Information & FAQ| TheSocialMedwork

Last updated: 15 March 2022

What is Radicut/Radicava? How much does Radicut/Radicava cost? What type of drug is Radicut/Radicava? What does Radicut/Radicava do for ALS? How long do you take Radicut/Radicava? Is Radicut (edaravone)/ Radicava (edaravone) available in the UK? Does Radicut/Radicava need to be refrigerated?

Article reviewed by Dr. Jan de Witt

What is Radicut/Radicava?

Radicut (edaravone) and Radicava (edaravone) is a medication for the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as motor neurone disease (MND) and acute ischaemic stroke.

Radicut contains the same active ingredient as Radicava – edaravone – but they are marketed under different brand names.¹

How much does Radicut/Radicava cost?

We at TheSocialMedwork source Radicut (edaravone) for our customers as well as two generic medicines Edaravone (Daiichi Sankyo) and Edaravone (Meiji Seika):

Radicut (edaravone)

Edaravone (Daiichi Sankyo)

Edaravone (Meiji Seika)

What type of drug is Radicut/Radicava?

Edaravone is a radical scavenger used to treat patients with ALS and acute ischaemic stroke. ¹

What does Radicut/Radicava do for ALS?

Radicut (edaravone) protects neurons from oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals that may cause cellular damage. This mechanism is expected to be effective both in patients with acute cerebral infarction and in those with ALS. Free radicals such as hydroxyl radical (-OH) play a major causative role in the development of cerebral vascular disorder resulting from ischaemia. During ischaemia or ischaemic reperfusion, the production of free radicals increases which leads to cell membrane injury and ultimately to cerebral dysfunction.

Although the etiology of development and disease progress of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are unknown, a possible involvement of oxidative stress caused by free radicals is suggested . The mechanism by which edaravone exerts its therapeutic effect in patients with ALS is unknown. It is, however, expected to suppress the disease progression by exerting its inhibitory effects against the development of oxidative damage to nerve cells. ²³

How long do you take Radicut/Radicava?

The standard dosage for adult patients affected by disorders associated with ischaemic stroke is 30 mg of edaravone. The medicine is diluted with an appropriate volume of physiological saline, and then given as an intravenous injection (drip) over 30 minutes twice a day in the morning and the evening. Administration of this medicine should be initiated within 24 hours after the onset of the disease, and the duration of administration should be within 14 days.

The standard dosage for adult patients with ALS is:

60 mg of edaravone administered intravenously over 60 minutes once a day.
First cycle: daily dosing for 14 days followed by a 14-day drug-free period.
Subsequent treatment cycles: daily dosing for 10 days out of 14-day periods, followed by 14-day drug-free periods.

Radicut, distributed by MT Pharma Japan, is supplied in two formats:

Single-dose infusion bags containing 30 mg / 100 mL clear, colorless, sterile solution. The infusion bags are ready for use. No dilution is required. Two infusion bags are needed for one infusion.
Single-dose vials containing 30 mg / 20 mL clear, colorless, sterile solution. Before the infusion, it should be diluted with an appropriate volume of physiological saline. Two vials are needed for one infusion.

Radicava, distributed by MT Pharma America, Inc, is supplied in single-dose polypropylene bags containing 30 mg/100 mL clear, colourless, sterile solution for intravenous infusion (no dilution needed). Each 60 mg dose should be administered as two consecutive 30 mg intravenous infusion bags over a total of 60 minutes (infusion rate approximately 1 mg per minute).

Complete information about Radicut (edaravone) dosage and administration can be found for Radicut and for Radicavain our references section. ²³

Is Radicut (edaravone)/ Radicava (edaravone) available in the UK?

Radicut (edaravone) was approved by:

PMDA (JAP) as Radicut: ³
in June 2001 for acute ischemic stroke

in June 2015 for the treatment of ALS
FDA (USA) on May 5, 2017, as Radicava for the treatment of ALS.⁴
Health Canada on October 2, 2018, as Radicava for the treatment of ALS.⁵

If you are looking to access Radicut (edaravone) in the UK, we might be able to support you. Go to the bottom of the page to contact us.