Two medicines, side by side
Abiraterone vs alosetron
Abiraterone is labeled for prostate cancer; alosetron has no indication this site maps. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of abiraterone since 2011 and of alosetron since 2000. Pharmacies paid $0.774 per abiraterone acetate 250 mg tablet and $2.02 per alosetron HCl 0.5 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, abiraterone is a cytochrome p450 17a1 inhibitor and alosetron a serotonin-3 receptor antagonist.
Check it at the source: the abiraterone FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 28, 2025); the alosetron FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 23, 2026).
Highlights of the abiraterone record
Abiraterone (Zytiga) · label of March 28, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsZYTIGA is indicated in combination with prednisone for the treatment of patients with Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) Metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC) ZYTIGA is a CYP17 inhibitor indicated in combination with prednisone for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 28, 2011
- Generic labelers
- 23 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.774 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the alosetron record
Alosetron (Lotronex) · label of March 23, 2026
SERIOUS GASTROINTESTINAL ADVERSE REACTIONS Infrequent but serious gastrointestinal adverse reactions have been reported with the use of LOTRONEX. These events, including ischemic colitis and serious complications of constipation, have resulted in hospitalization, and rarely, blood transfusion, surgery, and death.
Used for
From the label: indicationsLOTRONEX is indicated only for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who have: chronic IBS symptoms (generally lasting 6 months or longer), had anatomic or biochemical abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract excluded, and not responded adequately to conventional therapy. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 9, 2000
- Generic labelers
- 6 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $2.02 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Abiraterone label of March 28, 2025, Alosetron label of March 23, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do abiraterone and alosetron differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, abiraterone is a cytochrome p450 17a1 inhibitor and alosetron a serotonin-3 receptor antagonist.
How each works, in its label's words: Abiraterone, “Abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA) is converted in vivo to abiraterone, an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, that inhibits 17 α-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase (CYP17).”; Alosetron, “Alosetron is a potent and selective 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist. 5-HT 3 receptors are ligand-gated cation channels that are extensively distributed on enteric neurons in the human gastrointestinal …”
Half-life, in each label's words: Abiraterone, “Elimination In patients with metastatic CRPC, the mean terminal half-life of abiraterone in plasma (mean ± SD) is 12 ± …”; Alosetron, “The terminal elimination half-life of alosetron is approximately 1.5 hours (plasma clearance is approximately 600 …”
Only the alosetron label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: abiraterone since 2018; alosetron since 2015 (Drugs@FDA).
| Abiraterone | Alosetron | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Prostate cancer | n/a |
| Pharmacologic class | Cytochrome P450 17A1 Inhibitor | Serotonin-3 Receptor Antagonist |
| How it works (label) | Abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA) is converted in vivo to abiraterone, an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, that inhibits 17 α-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase (CYP17). | Alosetron is a potent and selective 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist. 5-HT 3 receptors are ligand-gated cation channels that are extensively distributed on enteric neurons in the human gastrointestinal tract, as well as other peripheral and … |
| Half-life (label) | Elimination In patients with metastatic CRPC, the mean terminal half-life of abiraterone in plasma (mean ± SD) is 12 ± 5 hours. | The terminal elimination half-life of alosetron is approximately 1.5 hours (plasma clearance is approximately 600 mL/min). |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | April 28, 2011 | February 9, 2000 |
| First generic approved | October 31, 2018 | May 4, 2015 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 23 labelers | 6 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.774 per tablet (Abiraterone acetate 250 mg tablet) | $2.02 per tablet (Alosetron HCl 0.5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -27% | -15% |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 40,909 | 908 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to abiraterone
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions