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carbetocin (Lonactene / Duratocin / Pabal)

✓ Approved

Ferring · OXTR · Small Molecule

What is carbetocin?

carbetocin is a small molecule developed by Ferring. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intravenous (iv).

Drug Profile

Brand NamesLonactene, Duratocin, Pabal
CompanyFerring
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetOXTR
RouteInjectable (Others), Intravenous (IV)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Ferring

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

carbetocin acts on 1 molecular target:

OXTRoxytocin receptor (OTR, OT-R)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

carbetocin is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal conditionsPostpartum haemorrhage✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2026-10-16

Uncorking Quantitative and Qualitative Seminal Traits in French-Alpine Bucks via Carbetocin Stimulation to Enhance Goat Production in Semi-Arid Environments.

Vargas-García Denia L DL, Navarrete-Molina Cayetano C, Meza-Herrera César A CA, Santiago-Miramontes Ángeles De Á et al.

Optimizing semen collection is critical for maximizing genetic advancement and reproductive efficiency in livestock. While exogenous hormones can enhance ejaculate quantity and quality, short windows of biological activity often limit their efficacy. This study was conducted in northern-arid Mexico (25° N, 103 W) to evaluate the comparative effects of oxytocin (OXYT) and carbetocin (CARB) administration on semen quality in French-Alpine bucks. Males (n = 12) were allocated into three groups and received intravenous treatments 10 min prior to artificial vagina collection: (1) OXYT (10 UI oxytocin buck-1), (2) CARB (0.2 mg 100 kg-1 LW-1), and (3) CONT (1 mL saline buck-1). The same bucks received all three treatments separately. CARB outperformed both groups (p ≤ 0.05), improving all evaluated parameters (p ≤ 0.05): ejaculated volume (i.e., increased by 103%), sperm concentration, mass and progressive motility, total sperm count, viability, normal morphology, plasma membrane functionality, acrosome integrity, and chromatin dispersion. Crucially, CARB doubled (p ≤ 0.05) the available projected or theoretical number of doses for intravaginal artificial insemination (POTNDIAI), followed by the OXYT and CONT groups, with 11.14 POTNDIAI each. Therefore, CARB emerges as a highly effective, accessible pharmacological strategy for semen collection protocols, substantially enhancing sperm yield and structural quality in breeding bucks. Ultimately, by bridging advanced reproductive physiology with practical smallholder farming, this methodological optimization provides a viable strategy to enhance reproductive efficiency and long-term sustainability in small ruminant production systems within arid environments.

PMID 42883126
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PubMedAnnals of African medicine2026-10-12

Oxytocin versus Carbetocin: Preventing Postpartum Hemorrhage in Elective C-section.

Singh Megha M, Alam Sauda S, Rao Sumesh T ST, Megha T T

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly following cesarean delivery (CD). Uterotonics are routinely administered to prevent uterine atony and reduce PPH risk. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intramuscular carbetocin versus intravenous oxytocin in preventing PPH during elective CD under spinal anesthesia. This comparative observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in India. Sixty pregnant women undergoing elective CD under spinal anesthesia were divided into two groups: Group C received intramuscular carbetocin 100 μg, and Group O received intravenous oxytocin infusion 20 IU. Primary outcome was changes in hemodynamic parameters, including heart rate, blood pressure (BP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP); secondary outcomes included uterine tone scores, need for additional uterotonics, and requirement for vasoactive agents. Hemodynamic parameters, including MAP and diastolic BP remained more stable in the carbetocin group. Carbetocin demonstrated better uterine tone at 2, 5, and 10 min postdelivery (P < 0.001). The need for additional uterotonics was significantly lower in the carbetocin group (10% vs. 40%, P = 0.007), and only 3.3% required vasoactive agents compared to 53.3% in the oxytocin group (P < 0.001). Carbetocin was associated with improved uterine tone, reduced need for additional uterotonics, and better cardiovascular stability compared to oxytocin. These findings suggest that intramuscular carbetocin may be a more effective and safer alternative to intravenous oxytocin for PPH prevention in elective CD.

PMID 42860922
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PubMedCureus2026-10-02

Graded Epidural Anaesthesia for Caesarean Section in the Presence of an Untreated Spetzler-Martin Grade V Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation With Radiological Progression Over Six Years: A Case Report.

Nongbet Dasara D, Syiemiong Newstar N, Rawat Neha N, Devi Thongam S TS et al.

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare during pregnancy, when the haemodynamic and hormonal changes of gestation may increase the risk of rupture. Lesions that are large, located in eloquent regions, and drained by deep venous channels represent a surgically high-risk subtype, carry substantial surgical morbidity, and are frequently managed conservatively when unruptured. We describe a 33-year-old G3P1L1A1 parturient at 36 weeks and six days of gestation with an untreated right parieto-temporo-occipital AVM, who declined intervention across three encounters and underwent an elective lower-segment Caesarean section (LSCS) with bilateral tubal ligation. The anaesthetic approach chosen was a graded epidural technique: fractionated bupivacaine boluses with real-time haemodynamic monitoring between increments. This allowed the rate of sympathectomy to be controlled, avoiding the abrupt sympathectomy associated with a subarachnoid block. Carbetocin was used as the uterotonic agent. Levetiracetam was continued perioperatively. A healthy male infant was delivered, and the mother was discharged neurologically intact on day seven, with no AVM rupture, seizure, or new deficit.

PMID 42825236
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PubMedPakistan journal of medical sciences2026-10-01

Carbetocin versus oxytocin during elective cesarean delivery: A randomized double-blind trial.

Tureli Baran B, Kurt Nurettin N, Karaman Erbil E, Yuzkat Nureddin N

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity following cesarean delivery. This study aimed to compare the effects of carbetocin and oxytocin on intraoperative blood loss during elective cesarean delivery, with secondary evaluation of uterine tone, additional uterotonic requirements, and intraoperative hemodynamic parameters. This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted at Van Yuzuncu Yil University Dursun Odabaş Medical Center between 2023 and 2024 and included 100 patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either oxytocin (Group O; 0.6 IU intravenous bolus followed by a 15 IU/h infusion) or carbetocin (Group C; 100 μg administered intravenously over 30-60 seconds). Patients with major obstetric complications, placental invasion disorders, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, significant cardiovascular or respiratory disease, or hepatic or renal dysfunction were excluded. Intraoperative blood loss, uterine tone, additional uterotonic requirements, and hemodynamic parameters were compared. Baseline demographic characteristics were comparable between groups (p>0.05). Intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the carbetocin group than in the oxytocin group (p<0.001). The need for additional uterotonic agents was significantly lower in the carbetocin group both within the first 5 minutes (2% vs. 12%) and throughout surgery (10% vs. 26%) (p<0.05 for both). Uterine tone was significantly higher in the carbetocin group at 5 minutes (p=0.016), whereas higher scores were observed in the oxytocin group at 10 minutes (p=0.034). No clinically significant differences were observed in intraoperative hemodynamic parameters. Although carbetocin and oxytocin demonstrated comparable intraoperative hemodynamic profiles, carbetocin was associated with reduced intraoperative blood loss, improved early uterine tone, and a lower requirement for additional uterotonic agents. Its single-dose administration and favorable safety profile make it a practical and effective uterotonic option for elective cesarean delivery.

PMID 42819600
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PubMedClinical and translational science2026-09-28

The Effect of Carbetocin on Cardiac Repolarization: A Randomized, Placebo- and Positive-Controlled QT/QTc Study in Healthy Adults.

Jonker Daniël M DM, Barletta Katie K, Bagci Ekaterine E, Raymond Kyle K et al.

Carbetocin is an oxytocin receptor agonist used for postpartum hemorrhage prevention. While oxytocin is known to transiently prolong the QT/QTc interval, robust QTc data for carbetocin are limited. Carbetocin is known to elevate HR, which can impact QTc analyses; thus, a dose that did not overly elevate HR was important to select. This randomized, placebo- and positive-controlled trial evaluated the effect of a single intravenous infusion of a supratherapeutic dose (650 μg) of carbetocin over 45 min on cardiac repolarization in healthy adults (N = 42). Continuous cardiodynamic ECGs were recorded from 45 min before through 24 h after dosing. The primary endpoint was placebo-corrected change from baseline in QT interval (ΔΔQTc) using the most appropriate heart rate (HR) correction method. The primary analysis was based on exposure-response modeling of the relationship between carbetocin plasma concentrations and ΔΔQTc, to identify an effect ≥ 10 msec at the high clinical exposure. During intravenous infusion of carbetocin, the mean HR change from baseline reached a maximum of 16.7 bpm. Multiple correction methods for HR were assessed, and the placebo-corrected, optimized, individualized heart rate-corrected QT interval (oQTcI) was found to be adequate. The estimated mean placebo-corrected oQTcI change from baseline was 4.5 msec (90% CI: 3.4, 5.6) at the high clinical exposure level of 12.4 ng/mL following a single intravenous infusion of 867 μg/h carbetocin. Exposure-response models for carbetocin established no predicted QTc prolongations of clinical or regulatory concern (≥ 10 msec) at the high clinical exposure level. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Registration: NCT05924321.

PMID 42802704
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PubMedAnimal reproduction science2026-09-07

Administering carbetocin before electroejaculation in bulls improves semen quality and increases the number of insemination doses.

Orihuela Juan Carlos JC, Pinczak Andrea A, Ungerfeld Rodolfo R

It was recently reported that administering carbetocin before electroejaculation in rams improves quantitative and qualitative characteristics of fresh semen; therefore, the hypothesis was that its use in bulls improves collection conditions in the field. The aim of the study was to determine whether administering carbetocin 15 min before electroejaculation improves semen yield in bulls, and whether these effects are associated with post-thaw sperm quality and sperm cryoresistance. Semen was collected from 29 Braford bulls in a two-period crossover study. Semen was collected from each bull after administering carbetocin (0.2 mg/100 kg body weight, IV) 15 min before electroejaculation, or without carbetocin (control treatment). The treatments were rotated so that all bulls received both. Carbetocin administered 15 min before electroejaculation slightly enhanced semen mass motility (P = 0.05) and moderately increased the number of calculated insemination doses (P = 0.05) compared to control bulls. In addition, it tended to increase the total number of sperm in the ejaculate, the total number of motile sperm, the number of sperm with functional membranes, and the number of sperm without bent tails in fresh semen, as well as the number of effective insemination doses in thawed semen (P = 0.09, P = 0.07, P = 0.06, P = 0.09, and P = 0.08, respectively). Carbetocin administration before electroejaculation in bulls marginally improved fresh semen quality and quantity, including motility and the number of fresh semen insemination doses. This may support routine use in artificial insemination programs by making the collection process more efficient.

PMID 42705159
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