Description
Immune globulin-klhw injection contains antibodies that make your immune system stronger. It is used for patients who have primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI), including congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, and other severe combined immune system problems.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
- Solution
Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of immune globulin-klhw injection in children younger than 2 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of immune globulin-klhw injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Adenovirus Vaccine Type 4, Live
- Adenovirus Vaccine Type 7, Live
- Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin Vaccine, Live
- Bumetanide
- Cholera Vaccine, Live
- Dengue Tetravalent Vaccine, Live
- Ebola Zaire Vaccine, Live
- Ethacrynic Acid
- Etozolin
- Furosemide
- Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
- Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
- Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
- Piretanide
- Poliovirus Vaccine, Live
- Ravulizumab-cwvz
- Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
- Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
- Smallpox Monkeypox Vaccine
- Torsemide
- Typhoid Vaccine, Live
- Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
- Yellow Fever Vaccine
- Zoster Vaccine, Live
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Allergy to Polysorbate 80 or
- IgA (immunoglobulin A) deficiency with antibodies against IgA—Should not be used in patients with this condition.
- Bleeding problems, history of or
- Kidney problems—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Blood clotting problems or
- Diabetes or
- Heart or blood vessel disease or
- Hyperviscosity (thick blood) or
- Paraproteinemia (paraproteins in the blood) or
- Sepsis (serious infection in the body)—Use with caution. May cause side effects to become worse.
Proper Use
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. It is given under your skin, usually in the stomach, upper arm, upper leg or hip area, or thigh. An infusion pump is used to inject the medicine. You or your caregiver may be trained to prepare and inject this medicine at home. Be sure that you understand how to use the medicine.
If you use this medicine at home, you will be shown the body areas where this shot or infusion can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems from the injections. Do not inject into skin areas that are bony, red, or swelling, or areas that have scars, an infection, or blood vessels.
The infusion sites should be at least 2 inches apart. Do not use more than 6 infusion sites at the same time. Use this medicine within 2 hours.
This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet and patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
Allow the medicine to warm to room temperature for 60 minutes before you use it. Do not warm it in any other way (eg, microwave).
Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions for preparing the infusion.
To use:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
- Check the liquid in the vial. It should be clear to slightly opalescent, and colorless or pale yellow. Do not use it if it is cloudy or discolored. Do not use it if it has been frozen.
- Remove the cap from the needle. Pull the plunger back. Inject air into the vial. Turn the vial upside down.
- Pinch the skin between two fingers. Insert the needle at a 90 degree angle.
- Before starting the infusion, make sure no blood is flowing into the infusion tube. If blood is present, remove and throw away the used needle and tube.
- Remove the peel-off label from the vial. Place this label in your treatment diary or log book. Write down the amount of medicine you used, the date, and the time of your treatment.
- When all of the medicine has been infused, turn off the pump.
- Clean and store the infusion pump.
You might not use all of the medicine in each vial or infusion. Use each vial or infusion only one time. Do not save an open vial.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For injectable dosage form (solution):
- For primary humoral immunodeficiency:
- Patients who are not taking any immune globulin medicines:
- Adults and children 2 years of age and older—Dose is based on your body weight and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) level in your blood, and must be determined by your doctor. At first, the loading dose is usually 150 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) of body weight for 5 consecutive days. Then, a maintenance dose of 150 mg/kg of body weight per week starting at Day 8. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- Patients who are switching from immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) treatment:
- Adults and children 2 years of age and older—Dose is based on your Immunoglobulin G (IgG) level in your blood and must be determined by your doctor. You may start using this medicine 1 week after your last immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) treatment. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- Patients who are switching from immune globulin subcutaneous (IGSC) treatment:
- Adults and children 2 years of age and older—Dose is based on your Immunoglobulin G (IgG) level in your blood and must be determined by your doctor. Your weekly dose of this medicine (grams) is the same as the weekly dose your previous immune globulin subcutaneous (IGSC) treatment (grams). Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- Patients who are not taking any immune globulin medicines:
- For primary humoral immunodeficiency:
Missed Dose
This medicine needs to be given on a fixed schedule. If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.
Storage
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.
Do not use this medicine if it has been frozen. You may also keep it at room temperature for up to 6 months. Throw away any unused liquid.
Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container where the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
Precautions
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
This medicine may cause a serious type of allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hives, chest pain, dizziness or lightheadedness, trouble breathing or swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after using this medicine. Certain people, including those with IgA (an immunoglobulin) deficiency and antibodies against IgA and a history of hypersensitivity to human immunoglobulin products should not use this medicine.
This medicine may increase your risk of developing blood clots. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have swelling and pain in your arms, legs, or stomach, chest pain, shortness of breath, loss of sensation, confusion, or problems with muscle control or speech.
Check with your doctor right away if you start to have a stiff neck, drowsiness, fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, painful eye movements, or eye sensitivity to light. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called aseptic meningitis syndrome (AMS).
Check with your doctor right away if you start having red or dark brown urine, lower back or side pain, sudden weight gain, swollen face, arms, or legs, decreased urine output, or any problems with urination after you receive this medicine. These may be symptoms of a serious kidney problem.
This medicine may cause bleeding (hemolysis) or hemolytic anemia. Tell your doctor right away if you have stomach or back pain, dark urine, decreased urination, difficulty with breathing, an increased heart rate, tiredness, or yellow eyes or skin after you receive the medicine.
Check with your doctor right away if you start having chest pain, difficult, fast, or noisy breathing, blue lips and fingernails, fever, pale skin, increased sweating, coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum, or swelling of the legs and ankles after receiving this medicine. These may be symptoms of a serious lung problem.
This medicine is made from donated human blood. Some human blood products have transmitted certain viruses (eg, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) to people who have received them, although the risk is low. Human donors and donated blood are both tested for viruses to keep the transmission risk low. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.
Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.
While you are being treated with immune globulin injection, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence not known
- Blurred vision
- chest tightness
- confusion
- cough
- difficulty swallowing
- dizziness
- dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
- fever
- headache
- hives, itching, skin rash
- nausea
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- stiff neck or back
- sweating
- trouble breathing
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- vomiting
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
- Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the infusion site
- cough
- diarrhea
Incidence not known
- Burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
- difficulty in moving
- joint pain
- muscle pain or stiffness
- skin lesions
- tremor
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
DRG-20466811
