BiCNU vs. its authorized generic and generics

BiCNU is given by a doctor or nurse and billed by the clinic, not a pharmacy. Your care team and your insurance decide which product you get, so ask them what you’d pay.

How to pay the least

Given by your care team

Billed by the clinic

BiCNU is given by a doctor or nurse, not picked up at a pharmacy.

Ask your care team or your plan what you’d pay before your visit.

Compare every option

Brand nameBiCNU

Authorized genericcarmustine

Regular genericcarmustine

What you’d pay

Not soldNo longer sold

Cash priceAsk the pharmacyOften less than BiCNU

Cash priceAsk the pharmacyUsually the lowest

Same as BiCNU?

–

Same medicine

Same active ingredientFillers and dyes can differ

Brand nameNot sold

BiCNU itself isn’t sold as a prescription anymore. Its generic versions, if any, are in the other tabs.

See the authorized generic →

Authorized genericThe NDC to ask for

The same medicine as BiCNU, without the brand name. Give the pharmacy its NDC to get it.

carmustine

Sold by

Avet Pharmaceuticals

Given by your care team

This is given by IV at a cancer clinic or hospital, not picked up at a pharmacy.

NDC (for your care team)

100 mgkit
- 23155-649-4111-digit: 23155-0649-413 mL vial + 30 mL single-dose vial
100 mgkit
- 23155-790-4111-digit: 23155-0790-413 mL vial + 30 mL single-dose vial

Source: FDA, updated October 30, 2026

What to ask your care team

“Which version of BiCNU do you use: the brand, the authorized generic or a regular generic? What would I pay for each?”

Brand and authorized generic labels

Official labels and ingredient lists from DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).

BiCNU itself isn’t sold anymore, so there’s no current brand label to compare. Here’s the authorized generic’s label.

Authorized generic package label from Avet Pharmaceuticals — Authorized genericAvet Pharmaceuticals

See the ingredients

Active: carmustine 100 mg/30 mL

Inactive:

Alcohol

Regular genericWho makes it

6 companies sell an FDA-rated generic of BiCNU. It’s given by your care team, who choose which one to use.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

Package NDC
Carton * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1 62332-659-02

Inactive ingredients: alcohol
FDA label
Amneal Pharmaceuticals

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

Package NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1 70121-1482-2

Inactive ingredients: alcohol
FDA label
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

Package NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1 43598-628-57

Inactive ingredients: alcohol
FDA label
Meitheal Pharmaceuticals

Product page on meithealpharma.com

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

Package NDC
Carton * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1 71288-126-90

Inactive ingredients: alcohol
FDA label
Novadoz Pharmaceuticals

Made by MSN Laboratories

Product page on novadozpharma.com

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

Package NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1 72205-198-01

Inactive ingredients: alcohol
FDA label
Zydus Lifesciences

Made by Navinta

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

Package NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1 70710-1525-9

Inactive ingredients: alcohol

Package	NDC
Carton * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1	62332-659-02

Package	NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1	70121-1482-2

Package	NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1	43598-628-57

Package	NDC
Carton * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1	71288-126-90

Package	NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1	72205-198-01

Package	NDC
Carton * 3 ml in 1 vial * 30 ml in 1 vial of 1	70710-1525-9

Who sells it: FDA and Medicaid records, updated weekly. Each maker’s page, card and program is from its own site.

What it’s used for

What the FDA label says

Carmustine for Injection, USP is a nitrosourea indicated as palliative therapy as a single agent or in established combination therapy with other approved chemotherapeutic agents in the following:

Brain tumors glioblastoma, brainstem glioma, medulloblastoma, astrocytoma, ependymoma, and metastatic brain tumors
Multiple myeloma-in combination with prednisone
Relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma in combination with other approved drugs
Relapsed or refractory Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in combination with other approved drugs

Source: the FDA label for Carmustine (Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.), April 9, 2026. Full label on DailyMed

Good to know

It may look different from BiCNU (color, shape, or markings). That’s normal for an authorized generic.
If your prescription says “dispense as written,” the pharmacy needs your prescriber’s OK to give you the authorized generic.
Coverage depends on your plan. Your care team or insurer can tell you what you’d pay.
Don’t stop or change a medicine without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.

Prices change: confirm with the pharmacy before you fill. drugalt.com/drug/bicnu/