Ravulizumab-cwvz Injection
Receiving ravulizumab-cwvz injection may increase the risk that you will develop a meningococcal infection (an infection that may affect the covering of the brain and spinal cord and/or may spread through the bloodstream) during your treatment or for some time afterward. Meningococcal infections may cause death in a short period of time. You will need to receive a meningococcal vaccine at least 2 weeks before you begin your treatment with ravulizumab-cwvz injection to decrease the risk that you will develop this type of infection. If you have received this vaccine in the past, you may need to receive a booster dose before you begin your treatment. If your doctor feels that you need to begin treatment with ravulizumab-cwvz injection right away, you will receive your meningococcal vaccine as soon as possible and take an antibiotic for 2 weeks.
Even if you receive the meningococcal vaccine, there is still a risk that you may develop meningococcal disease during or after your treatment with ravulizumab-cwvz injection. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical help: headache that comes along with nausea or vomiting, fever, a stiff neck, or a stiff back; fever; rash and fever; confusion; muscle aches and other flu-like symptoms; or if your eyes are sensitive to light.
Tell your doctor if you have fever or other signs of infection before you begin your treatment with ravulizumab-cwvz injection. Your doctor will not give you ravulizumab-cwvz injection if you already have a meningococcal infection.
Your doctor will give you a patient safety card with information about the risk of developing meningococcal disease during or for a period of time after your treatment. Carry this card with you at all times during your treatment and for 8 months after your treatment. Show the card to all healthcare providers who treat you so that they will know about your risk.
A program called Ultomiris REMS has been set up to decrease the risks of receiving ravulizumab-cwvz injection. You can only receive ravulizumab-cwvz injection from a doctor who has enrolled in this program, has talked to you about the risks of meningococcal disease, has given you a patient safety card, and has made sure that you received a meningococcal vaccine.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with ravulizumab-cwvz and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
It’s not just health insurance premiums, but also deductibles, that keep on rising. In 2018, the average deductible was $3,000 for a gold-tier family plan, $8,000 for a silver-tier family plan and $12,000 for a bronze-tier family plan, according to USC Annenberg’s Center for Health Journalism.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving ravulizumab-cwvz injection.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Ravulizumab-cwvz injection is used in adults and children 1 month of age and older to treat paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH: a type of anemia in which too many red blood cells are broken down in the body, so there are not enough healthy cells to bring oxygen to all parts of the body). Ravulizumab-cwvz injection is also used in adults and children 1 month of age and older to treat atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS; an inherited condition in which small blood clots form in the body and may cause damage to the blood vessels, blood cells, kidneys, and other parts of the body). Ravulizumab-cwvz injection is also used in adults to treat a certain form of myasthenia gravis (MG; a disorder of the nervous system that causes muscle weakness). Ravulizumab-cwvz is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It works by blocking the activity of the part of the immune system that may damage blood cells in people with PNH and that causes clots to form in people with aHUS. It works by disrupting communication between nerves and muscles in people with MG.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Ravulizumab-cwvz injection comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected intravenously (into a vein) over about 2–4 hours by a doctor or nurse in a medical office. Ravulizumab-cwvz injection also comes in an on-body delivery system (on-body injector with a prefilled cartridge) to be injected subcutaneously (just under the skin).
If ravulizumab-cwvz injection is given intravenously to treat adults with PNH, aHUS, or MG, it is usually given every 8 weeks starting 2 weeks after your first dose. If ravulizumab-cwvz injection is given intravenously to treat children with PNH or aHUS, it is usually given every 4 or 8 weeks, depending on their body weight, starting 2 weeks after the first dose.
If ravulizumab-cwvz injection (in an on-body delivery system) is used to treat adults with PNI or aHUS, it is usually given subcutaneously once a week. For a full dose, you will need to use 2 separate on-body delivery systems and inject the contents of each delivery system subcutaneously over about 10 minutes. The 2 injections can be given at the same time or you may inject them one right after the other. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use ravulizumab-cwvz injection for subcutanous injection exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of this medication or use it more often or for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor.
Your doctor may decide to allow you or a caregiver to perform the subcutaneous injections using the on-body delivery system at home. Your healthcare provider will show you how to prepare and perform the injections at home. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s instructions for use information for the patient. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about how to inject the medication.
Ravulizumab-cwvz injection comes in single-use on-body delivery systems (on-body injector with prefilled cartridge). Remove 2 on-body delivery systems from the refrigerator and allow them to warm to room temperature for at least 45 minutes away from direct sunlight before you inject the medication. Do not try to warm the medication by heating it in a microwave, placing it in hot water, or through any other method. Dispose of used on-body delivery systems in a puncture-resistant container. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to dispose of the puncture-resistant container.
Check the cartridge to be sure that the expiration date printed on the cartridge has not passed. Look closely at the liquid in the cartridge. The liquid should be clear and colorless to slightly yellow and should not be cloudy or discolored or contain large particles. Do not shake or drop the on-body injector or cartridge or allow the injector to get wet. Call your pharmacist if there are any problems with the package or the cartridge and do not inject the medication.
You can apply the on-body injector anywhere on the front of your thighs (upper leg), upper arm, or abdomen (stomach) except your navel and the area 2 inches (5 centimeters) around it. Choose a different spot each time you apply the on-body injector. Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, hard, or not intact, or where you have scars, stretch marks, tatoos, excessive hair, or moles.
Ravulizumab-cwvz injection may cause serious allergic reactions. Your doctor will watch you carefully while you are receiving ravulizumab-cwvz injection and for 1 hour after you receive the medication. Your doctor may slow or stop your infusion or tell you to remove the on-body delivery system if you have an allergic reaction. If you experience any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor immediately: chest pain; difficulty breathing; shortness of breath; swelling of your face, tongue, or throat; bad taste in the mouth; lower back pain; pain with the infusion; drowsiness; or feeling faint.
