[Half-life calculator · Exemestane]

When does exemestane peak and reach steady state?

Reviewed · Modeled estimates

Short answer: Exemestane has a half-life of about 24 hours (Aromasin (exemestane) label) and reaches steady state after about 5 days of regular dosing. Levels peak about 2 hours after a dose by mouth. On a daily schedule the model builds up to about 2× a single dose, with a peak-to-trough swing of about 1.88:1.

What do exemestane levels look like with daily dosing?

Estimated Exemestane level: 25 mg dailyModeled level over 10 days with a half-life of 24 hours. Steady state after about 5 days.0510152025day 0day 1day 2day 3day 4day 5day 6day 7day 8day 9day 10Est. amount in system (mg)≈ steady state (5 half-lives)25 mg daily

The Aromasin label dose is one 25 mg tablet once daily after a meal (postmenopausal breast cancer). Use in men on TRT is off-label. Source: Aromasin (exemestane) label. Bioavailability 42% as in the app. Dashed line: 5 half-lives. Change the amount or schedule in the calculator.

When does exemestane peak after a dose?

Levels peak about 2 hours after a dose by mouth.

How long does exemestane take to reach steady state?

With regular dosing at a fixed amount and interval, levels climb toward steady state by the same fraction every half-life, whatever the dose. At a half-life of about 24 hours:

Time from the first dose to each share of steady state, exemestane (half-life 24 hours).
Share of steady stateHalf-livesTime
50%124 hours
75%22 days
90%3.33.3 days
97% (Dose Track's steady-state rule)55 days

How much do exemestane levels swing between doses?

The longer the gap between doses compared with the half-life, the bigger the swing from peak to trough and the less the levels build up. These ratios do not depend on the amount.

Steady-state peak:trough and build-up by dosing interval, exemestane, in Dose Track's model.
IntervalPeak : troughBuild-up vs one dose
Daily1.88 : 12×
Every other day3.74 : 11.33×
Twice weekly10.6 : 11.1×
Weekly119 : 11.01×
Every 2 weeksover 1,000 : 11×

Build-up is the accumulation ratio 1 / (1 − e−k·τ), with k = ln 2 / half-life and τ the interval.

How long does exemestane stay in your system?

After the last dose, about half is gone every 24 hours. After 5 half-lives, about 5 days, roughly 97% has cleared in the model.

Where do these numbers come from?

The FDA Aromasin label gives a mean terminal half-life of about 24 hours. Mean time to peak was 1.2 hours in women with breast cancer and 2.9 hours in healthy women; Dose Track uses 2 hours.

The curve uses the half-life, time to peak, route and bioavailability built into the Dose Track app for exemestane, and the same one-compartment model with first-order absorption. These are modeled estimates from published half-lives, drawn with the same one-compartment model as the Dose Track app. Real levels vary from person to person, and only a lab test measures them. This is not medical advice and not a dosing recommendation; dosing decisions belong with you and your prescriber.

Vial sizes and syringe math are in the Exemestane guide.

Frequently asked questions

When does exemestane peak after a dose?+
Blood levels peak about 2 hours after a dose by mouth, according to Aromasin (exemestane) label. Individual timing varies with food, the amount and the person.
How long does exemestane take to reach steady state?+
About 5 days of regular dosing at the same amount and interval, which is 5 half-lives. With a half-life of about 24 hours, levels reach about 50% of steady state after 24 hours and about 90% after 3.3 days. Changing the dose or interval starts a new climb toward a new steady state.
How much does exemestane build up with daily dosing?+
At steady state on a daily schedule, the model's level is about 2 times what one dose gives, and it swings about 1.88:1 between the peak and the trough before the next dose. Longer gaps between doses mean less build-up and a bigger swing.
How long does exemestane stay in your system after the last dose?+
Roughly 5 half-lives, about 5 days, until about 97% has cleared in the model. Half is gone about 24 hours after levels start falling. Real clearance varies from person to person, and a drug can still have effects after levels are low.
Is this chart my actual exemestane level?+
No. It is a modeled estimate from a published half-life, using the same one-compartment model as the Dose Track app. Real levels vary with body weight, food, kidney and liver function and other factors, and only a lab test measures them. It is not medical advice.