degradation. When prepared as directed, carboplatin solutions 
are stable for 18 hours at room temperature (25°C). Since no 
bacteriostatic preservative is contained in the formulation, it 
is recommended that carboplatin solutions be discarded 8 
hours after dilution. 
8.4 Etoposide is commercially available as a solution in 5 ml vials 
containing 100 mg (20mg/ml). The drug must be further 
diluted in either D5W or NS to a final concentration of <1 
mg/ml before administration . Vials diluted as recommended 
to a concentration of 0,2 or 0.4 mg/ml are stable for 96 and 48 
hours, respectively, at room temperature (25°C1 under normal 
room fluorescent light in both glass and plastic containers. If 
solutions are prepared above 0.4mq/ml, precipitation mav 
occur. It is recommended that etoposide be administered over 
a 30 to 60 minute period to avoid possible hypotension. 
8.5 Vinblastine is commercially available in vials containing 10 
mg of a lyophilized powder and should be stored in the 
refrigerator (2°C to 8°C). Reconstitution with 10mL of either 
Bacteriostatic Sodium Chloride Injection, USP (preserved with 
benzyl alcohol) or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection results in a 
1 mg/mL soiution that is stable for 30 days when refrigerated. 
Additional stability studies indicate that a 0.15 mg/mL 
solution in normal saline stored PVC containers shows less 
than 10% decomposition at room temperature (25°C) over 8 
days. Finally, dilution to 0.02 mg/mL in 0.9% NaCI results in 
solution that shows little to no drug loss in 21 days at 4° and 
25°C in the dark. 
8.6 Recombinant Human Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G- 
CSF), manufactured by Amgen, Inc., is a protein of MW 18,000 
daltons produced in genetically engineered E. coli. The drug 
will be supplied as a clear sterile solution in 2 ml vials 
containing 300 jig/ml of solution (600 jig/vial). Intact vials 
should be stored in the refrigerator (2-8°C) and should not be 
frozen. G-CSF is stable at 2-8°C for at least one year. G-CSF 
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Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 16 
