Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Human normal immunoglobulin may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
FOR What Hizentra is Hizentra belongs to the class of medicines called human normal immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins are also known as antibodies and are blood proteins that help your body to fight infections. How Hizentra works Hizentra contains immunoglobulins that have been prepared from the blood of healthy people. Immunoglobulins are produced by human body's immune system. They help your body to fight infections caused by bacteria and viruses and maintain the balance in your immune system (referred to as immunomodulation). The medicine works in exactly the same way as the immunoglobulins naturally present in your blood. What Hizentra is used for Replacement therapy Hizentra is used to raise abnormally low immunoglobulin levels in your blood to normal levels (replacement therapy). The medicine is used in adults and children (0 -18 years) in the following situations: 1. Treatment of patients who are born with a reduced ability or inability to produce immunoglobulins (primary immunodeficiencies). This includes conditions such as:
E HIZENTRA Do NOT infuse Hizentra: b if you are allergic to human immunoglobulins, polysorbate 80 or L-proline. t Tell your doctor or healthcare professional prior to treatment if you have experienced an intolerance against one of these components earlier. b if you suffer from hyperprolinaemia (a genetic disorder causing high levels of the amino acid proline in the blood). b into a blood vessel. Warnings and precautions t Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional before using Hizentra. You may be allergic (hypersensitive) to immunoglobulins without knowing it. However, true allergic reactions are rare. They may occur even if you received human immunoglobulins previously and tolerated them well. It may happen particularly if you do not have enough of the immunoglobulin type A (IgA) in your blood (IgA deficiency). t Tell your doctor or healthcare professional prior to treatment if you have an immunoglobulin type A (IgA) deficiency. Hizentra contains residual amounts of IgA which might cause an allergic reaction. In these rare cases allergic reactions such as a sudden fall in blood pressure or shock may occur (see also section 4 "Possible side effects"). t If you notice such signs during the infusion of Hizentra, stop the infusion and contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital immediately. t Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel disease or blood clots, have thick blood, or have been immobile for some time. These things may increase your risk of having a blood clot after using Hizentra. Also tell your doctor what drugs you are using, as some drugs, such as those that contain the hormone oestrogen (for example, birth control pills), may increase your risk of developing a blood clot. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience signs and symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, pain and swelling of a limb, weakness or numbness on one side of the body after receiving Hizentra. t Contact your doctor if you experience the following signs and symptoms: severe headache, neck stiffness, drowsiness, fever, photophobia, nausea, and vomiting after receiving Hizentra. Your doctor will decide if further tests are necessary and whether Hizentra should be continued. Your healthcare professional will avoid potential complications by ensuring: b that you are not sensitive to human normal immunoglobulin. The medicine must be infused slowly at first. The recommended infusion rate given under section 3 "How to use Hizentra" must be closely followed. b that you are carefully monitored for any symptoms throughout the infusion period, especially if:
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In these cases, it is recommended that you are monitored during the first infusion and for an hour afterwards. If the points above do not apply for you it is recommended that you are observed for at least 20 minutes after administration. Other medicines and Hizentra t Tell your doctor or healthcare professional if you are using, have recently used or might use any other medicines. t You must not mix other medicines with Hizentra. t Tell your vaccinating doctor prior to a vaccination about your treatment with Hizentra. Hizentra may impair the effect of some live virus vaccines such as measles, rubella, mumps and chicken pox. Therefore, after receiving this medicine you may have to wait up to 3 months before receiving your live-attenuated vaccine. In the case of measles vaccinations the impairment may persist for up to 1 year. Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
t Tell your doctor or healthcare professional if you are
pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Your doctor will decide whether you can receive Hizentra during your pregnancy or while you are breast-feeding.
No clinical studies have been performed with Hizentra in pregnant women. However, medicines that contain immunoglobulins have been used in pregnant or breast-feeding women for years, and no harmful effects on the course of pregnancy or on the baby have been observed. If you are breast-feeding and receive Hizentra, the immunoglobulins of the medicine can also be found in the breast milk. Therefore, your baby may be protected from certain infections. Driving and using machines Patients may experience effects, such as dizziness or nausea, during treatment with Hizentra that might affect the ability to drive and use machines. If this happens, you should not drive or use machines until these effects have disappeared. Hizentra contains proline You must not take it if you suffer from hyperprolinaemia (see also section 2 "What you need to know before you use Hizentra"). Please tell your doctor prior to treatment. Other important information about Hizentra Blood tests After receiving Hizentra, the results of certain blood tests (serological tests) may be impaired for a certain time. t Tell your doctor about your treatment with Hizentra prior to any blood test. Information on what Hizentra is made of Hizentra is made from human blood plasma (this is the liquid part of the blood). When medicines are made from human blood or plasma, certain measures are put in place to prevent infections being passed on to patients. These include:
t It is strongly recommended that every time you receive a
dose of Hizentra the name and batch number of the product are recorded in order to maintain a record of the batches used (see section 3 "How to use Hizentra").
Hizentra contains sodium This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per vial/ syringe, that is to say essentially 'sodium-free'.
HIZENTRA Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor if you are not sure. Dosage Your doctor will calculate the correct dose for you taking into account your weight and response to treatment. The dose or dosing interval should not be changed without consulting your doctor. If you think you should receive Hizentra more or less frequently, please speak to your doctor. If you think you have missed a dose, speak to your doctor as soon as possible. Replacement therapy Your doctor will determine whether you need a loading dose (for adults and children) of at least 1 to 2.5 ml/kg of body weight divided over several days. Following this, maintenance doses may be given at repeated intervals, from daily to once every two weeks, to reach a cumulative monthly dose of about 2 to 4 ml/kg of body weight. Your healthcare professional may adjust the dose based on your response to the treatment. Immunomodulatory therapy Your doctor will initiate therapy with Hizentra 1 week after your last intravenous immunoglobulin infusion by administrating under the skin (subcutaneously) with a weekly dose of 1.0 to 2.0 ml/kg of body weight. Your doctor will determine your weekly Hizentra dose. The weekly maintenance doses may be divided into smaller doses and administered as often as required during the week. For dosing every two weeks, your doctor will double the weekly Hizentra dose. Your healthcare professional may adjust the dose based on your response to the treatment. Method and route of administration In case of home treatment, this will be initiated by a healthcare professional experienced in the treatment of immunodeficiency/ CIDP with SCIg and in the guidance of patients for home treatment. You will be instructed and trained in:
Manual push infusion: The recommended initial infusion rate is up to 0.5 ml/min/site (30 ml/hour/site). If well-tolerated, you may increase the infusion rate up to 2.0 ml/min/site (120 ml/hour/site) for subsequent infusions. Thereafter, the infusion rate can be increased further as per your tolerability. Instructions for use Follow the steps below and use aseptic technique to administer Hizentra. 1 Clean surface Thoroughly clean a table or other flat surface using an antiseptic wipe. 2 Assemble supplies Place Hizentra and other supplies and equipment needed for the infusion on a clean, flat surface. 3 Thoroughly wash and dry hands 4 Check the vials Visually inspect Hizentra for particles in the solution or discoloration as well as the expiry date before administering Hizentra. Do not use solutions that are cloudy or contain particles. Do not use solutions that have been frozen. Administer solution which is at room or body temperature. Once a vial has been opened, use the solution immediately. 5 Preparation of Hizentra for infusion Clean the vial stopper – Remove the protective cap from the vial to expose the central portion of the rubber stopper. Clean the stopper with an alcohol wipe or antiseptic preparation and allow it to dry. Transfer Hizentra to syringe for infusion – Attach a transfer device or needle to a sterile syringe, using aseptic technique. If using a transfer device (vented spike), follow the instructions provided by the device manufacturer. If using a needle, pull back on the plunger to draw air into the syringe that is comparable to the amount of Hizentra to be withdrawn. Then, insert the needle into the centre of the vial stopper and, to avoid foaming, inject air into headspace of the vial (not into the liquid). Finally, withdraw the desired volume of Hizentra. When using multiple vials to achieve the desired dose, repeat this step. 6 Prepare the tubing Attach the administration tubing or needle set to the syringe. Prime the tubing to eliminate all remaining air. 7 Prepare infusion site(s) Select the infusion site(s) – The number and location of infusion sites depends on the volume of the total dose. Each infusion site should be at least 5 cm apart. You may use an unlimited number of sites simultaneously. Clean the infusion site(s) using an antiseptic skin preparation. Allow each site to dry before proceeding. 8 Insert the needle Grasp the skin between two fingers and insert the needle into the subcutaneous tissue. Secure the needle to the skin – If necessary, use gauze and tape or transparent dressing to hold the needle in place. 9 Infuse Hizentra Start infusion. If using an infusion pump, follow the manufacturer's instructions. 10 Record the infusion Record the following data in your treatment diary:
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. b In isolated cases, you may be allergic (hypersensitive) to immunoglobulins and allergic reactions such as a sudden fall in blood pressure or shock may occur (e.g. you may feel lightheaded, dizzy, faint on standing, cold in the hands and feet, sense an abnormal heart beat or chest pain, or have blurred vision). b In isolated cases, you may experience pain and/or swelling of an arm or leg with warmth over the affected area, discoloration of an arm or leg, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort that worsens on deep breathing, unexplained rapid pulse, numbness or weakness on one side of the body, sudden confusion, or trouble speaking or understanding could be signs of a blood clot. b In isolated cases, you may get a bad headache with nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, fever, and sensitivity to light, which could be signs of AMS (aseptic meningitis syndrome), which is a temporary reversible non-infectious inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and the spinal cord.
t If you notice such signs during the infusion of Hizentra, stop the infusion and go to the nearest hospital immediately.
Please see also section 2 of this leaflet about the risk of allergic reactions, blood clots and AMS. Side effects observed in controlled clinical studies are presented in order of decreasing frequency. Side effects observed in postmarketing are of unknown frequency:
Infusion rate(s) Your doctor will determine the appropriate infusion technique and the infusion rate for you taking into account your individual dose, dosing frequency and product tolerability.
The following side effects are very common (affects more than 1 patient in 10):
Device-assisted infusion: The recommended initial infusion rate is up to 20 ml/hour/site. If well-tolerated, you may gradually increase the infusion rate to 35 ml/hour/site for the subsequent two infusions. Thereafter, the infusion rate can be increased further as per your tolerability.
The following side effects are common (affects 1 to 10 patients in 100):
Material Number | Component Description: REG-9534-03 LFT Hizentra 20% UK Artwork Author: Martina Schweyer Specification Number: n/a Additional comments: TD-4965-01_LFT_270x600mm_35x68mm Colours: Black
Technical Colours (indication only – not to be printed):
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• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Diarrhoea Abdominal pain Feeling sick (nausea) Vomiting Itching (pruritus) Hives (urticaria) Pain related to the musculature and bones (musculoskeletal pain) Joint pain (arthralgia) Fever Tiredness (fatigue), including generally feeling unwell (malaise) Chest pain Flu-like symptoms Pain
The following side effects are uncommon (affects 1 to 10 patients in 1,000):
such as these may occur even when you have previously received human immunoglobulins and tolerated them well. Please also refer to section 2 "What you need to know before you use Hizentra" for additional details on circumstances which increase the risk of side effect. Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the UK Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
HIZENTRA
What Hizentra contains
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Hizentra 200 mg/ml solution for subcutaneous injection comes as injection containing 200mg/ml. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Hizentra 200 mg/ml solution for subcutaneous injection is human normal immunoglobulin.
Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Cuvitru 200 mg/ml solution for subcutaneous injection, Hizentra 200 mg/ml solution for subcutaneous injection in pre-filled syringe, Xembify 200 mg/mL solution for subcutaneous injection. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Hizentra 200 mg/ml solution for subcutaneous injection, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
Replacement therapy in adults, children and adolescents (0-18 years) in:
- Primary immunodeficiency syndromes with impaired antibody production (see section 4.4).
- Secondary immunodeficiencies (SID) in patients who suffer from severe or recurrent infections, ineffective antimicrobial treatment and either proven specific antibody failure (PSAF)* or serum IgG level of < 4 g/l.
*PSAF = failure to mount at least a 2-fold rise in IgG antibody titre to pneumococcal polysaccharide and polypeptide antigen vaccines.
Immunomodulatory therapy in adults, children and adolescents (0-18 years):
- Hizentra is indicated for the treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) as maintenance therapy after stabilisation with IVIg.
The dose and dose regimen are dependent on the indication.
Therapy should be initiated and monitored under the supervision of a healthcare professional experienced in the treatment of immunodeficiency/CIDP with SCIg.
Posology
Adults and children (0-18 years)
Replacement therapy
The medicinal product should be administered via the subcutaneous route.
In replacement therapy, the dose may need to be individualised for each patient dependent on the clinical response and serum IgG trough levels. The following dose regimens are given as a guideline.
The dose regimen should achieve a trough IgG level (measured before the next infusion) of at least 6 g/l or within the normal reference range for the population age. A loading dose of at least 0.2 to 0.5 g/kg (1.0 to 2.5 ml/kg) body weight may be required. This may need to be divided over several days.
After steady state IgG levels have been attained, maintenance doses are administered at repeated intervals to reach a cumulative monthly dose of the order of 0.4 to 0.8 g/kg (2.0 to 4.0 ml/kg) body weight. Each single dose may need to be injected at different anatomical sites.
Trough levels should be measured and assessed in conjunction with the patient's clinical response. Depending on the clinical response (e.g. infection rate), adjustment of the dose and/or the dose interval may be considered in order to aim for higher trough levels.
Immunomodulatory therapy in CIDP
The therapy with Hizentra is initiated 1 week after the last IVIg infusion. The recommended subcutaneous dose is 0.2 to 0.4 g/kg body weight per week administered in 1 or 2 sessions over 1 or 2 consecutive days.
The initial subcutaneous dose may be a 1:1 conversion from the previous IVIg dose (calculated as weekly dose). Example: a 1g/kg IVIg dose given every 3 weeks would convert into a 0.33g/kg weekly Hizentra dose.
The weekly dose can be divided into smaller doses and administered by desired number of times per week. For dosing every two weeks, double the weekly Hizentra dose.
The dose may need to be adapted to achieve the desired clinical response. Patient`s individual clinical response should be the primary consideration in dose adjustment. In case of clinical deterioration, the dose may be increased to the recommended maximum of 0.4g/kg weekly dose.
Hizentra maintenance therapy in CIDP has not been studied for periods longer than 18 months. Individualise the duration of any treatment beyond 18 months based upon the patient's response and demonstrated need for continued therapy.
Efficacy of Hizentra has been demonstrated over placebo after switching from intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg). Direct comparative data for Hizentra versus IVIg are not available. Please refer also to section 5.1.
Paediatric population
The posology in children and adolescents is not different to that of adults as the posology for each indication is given by body weight and adjusted to the clinical outcome in replacement therapy indications.
Hizentra was evaluated in 68 paediatric subjects with PID aged 2 to <12 years and in 57 adolescents aged 12 to <18 years. No paediatric-specific dose requirements were necessary to achieve the desired serum IgG levels.
Hizentra has not been evaluated in clinical studies in paediatric patients with CIDP who are under the age of 18.
Elderly
As the dose is given by body weight and adjusted to the clinical outcome of the above-mentioned conditions, the dose in the elderly is not considered to be different from that in subjects 18 to 65 years of age.
In clinical studies Hizentra was evaluated in 13 subjects with PID >65 years of age and no specific dose adjustments were necessary to achieve the desired serum IgG levels.
In clinical studies Hizentra was evaluated in 61 subjects with CIDP >65 years of age and no specific dose adjustments were necessary to achieve the desired clinical outcome.
Method of administration
For subcutaneous use only.
Home treatment
Subcutaneous infusion for home treatment must be initiated and monitored by a healthcare professional experienced in the guidance of patients for home treatment. The healthcare professional must select the appropriate way of infusion (device-assisted or manual push infusion), based on patient`s individual medical situation and preferences. Infusion devices appropriate for subcutaneous administration of immunoglobulins can be used.
The patient or a caregiver must be instructed and trained in the use of infusion devices, the keeping of treatment diary, recognition of and measures to be taken in case of severe adverse reactions.
Hizentra may be infused into sites such as abdomen, thigh, upper arm, and lateral hip.
More than one infusion device can be used simultaneously. The amount of product infused into a particular site may vary. In infants and children, infusion site may be changed every 5-15 ml. In adults, doses may be given up to 50 ml/site. There is no limit to the number of infusion sites. Infusion sites should be at least 5 cm apart.
Infusion rate
Hizentra can be infused using:
• an infusion device, or
• by manual push with a syringe.
The recommended initial infusion rate depends on the individual patient's needs.
Device-assisted infusion
The initial infusion rate should not exceed 20 ml/hour/site.
If well-tolerated (see also section 4.4), the infusion rate can then gradually be increased to 35 ml/hour/site for the subsequent two infusions. Thereafter, if the patient tolerates the initial infusions at the full dose per site and maximum rate, an increase in the infusion rate of successive infusions may be considered at the discretion of the patient and based on the healthcare professionals' judgement.
Manual push infusion
The recommended initial infusion rate should not exceed 0.5 ml/min/site (30 ml/hour/site).
If well-tolerated (see also section 4.4), the infusion rate can be increased up to 2.0 ml/min/site (120 ml/hour/site), Thereafter, if the patient tolerates the initial infusions at the full dose per site and maximum rate, an increase in the infusion rate of successive infusions may be considered at the discretion of the patient and based on the healthcare professional's judgement.
A 24 or larger (i.e. lower gauge number) needle gauge may be required to allow patients to infuse at higher flow rates. Using smaller needles (i.e. higher gauge number) may make it more difficult to manually push Hizentra. Only one infusion site per syringe can be infused. If administration with an additional Hizentra syringe is required, a new sterile injection needle should be used and the infusion site changed.
If a Hizentra pre-filled syringe is used for the administration by manual push, use of 5 ml, 10 ml or 20 ml pre-filled syringe presentation is recommended.
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 (see section 4.4).
Patients with hyperprolinaemia type I or II.
Hizentra must not be given intravascularly.
Traceability
In order to improve the traceability of biological medicinal products, the name and the batch number of the administered product should be clearly recorded.
Hizentra is for subcutaneous use only. If Hizentra is accidentally administered into a blood vessel, patients could develop shock.
The recommended infusion rate given under section 4.2 should be adhered to. Patients should be closely monitored and carefully observed for any adverse events throughout the infusion period.
Certain adverse reactions may occur more frequently in patients who receive human normal immunoglobulin for the first time or, in rare cases, when the human normal immunoglobulin product is switched or when treatment has been stopped for more than eight weeks.
Potential complications can often be avoided by ensuring that patients:
- are not sensitive to human normal immunoglobulin, by initially injecting the product slowly (see section 4.2);
- are carefully monitored for any symptoms throughout the infusion period. In particular, patients naive to human normal immunoglobulin, patients switched from an alternative product or when there has been a long interval since the previous infusion should be monitored during the first infusion and for the first hour after the first infusion, in order to detect potential adverse reactions. All other patients should be observed for at least 20 minutes after administration.
Suspicion of allergic or anaphylactic type reactions requires immediate discontinuation of the injection. In case of shock, standard medical treatment should be administered.
Hypersensitivity
True allergic reactions are rare. They can particularly occur in patients with anti-IgA antibodies who should be treated with particular caution. Patients with anti-IgA antibodies, in whom treatment with subcutaneous IgG products remains the only option, should be treated to Hizentra only under close medical supervision.
Rarely, human normal immunoglobulin can induce a fall in blood pressure with anaphylactic reaction, even in patients who had tolerated previous treatment with human normal immunoglobulin.
Thromboembolism
Arterial and venous thromboembolic events including myocardial infarction, stroke, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism have been associated with the use of immunoglobulins.
Caution should be exercised in patients with pre-existing risk factors for thrombotic events (such as advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and a history of vascular disease or thrombotic episodes, patients with acquired or inherited thrombophilic disorders, patients with prolonged periods of immobilization, severely hypovolemic patients, patients with diseases which increase blood viscosity).
Patients should be informed about first symptoms of thromboembolic events including shortness of breath, pain and swelling of a limb, focal neurological deficits and chest pain and should be advised to contact their physician immediately upon onset of symptoms.
Patients should be sufficiently hydrated before use of immunoglobulins.
Aseptic Meningitis Syndrome (AMS)
AMS has been reported with use of IVIg or SCIg. The syndrome usually begins within several hours to 2 days following immune globulin treatment. AMS is characterised by the following signs and symptoms: severe headache, neck stiffness, drowsiness, fever, photophobia, nausea, and vomiting.
Patients exhibiting signs and symptoms of AMS should receive a thorough neurological examination, including CSF studies, to rule out other causes of meningitis. Discontinuation of immunoglobulin treatment may result in remission of AMS within several days without sequelae.
Information on safety with respect to transmissible agents
Standard measures to prevent infections resulting from the use of medicinal products prepared from human blood or plasma include selection of donors, screening of individual donations and plasma pools for specific markers of infection and the inclusion of effective manufacturing steps for the inactivation/removal of viruses.
Despite this, when medicinal products prepared from human blood or plasma are administered, the possibility of transmitting infective agents cannot be totally excluded. This also applies to unknown or emerging viruses and other pathogens.
The measures taken are considered effective for enveloped viruses such as HIV, HBV and HCV and for the non-enveloped viruses HAV and parvovirus B19.
There is reassuring clinical experience regarding the lack of hepatitis A or parvovirus B19 transmission with immunoglobulins and it is also assumed that the antibody content makes an important contribution to the viral safety.
Interference with serological testing
After infusion of immunoglobulin the transitory rise of the various passively transferred antibodies in the patient's blood may result in misleading positive results in serological testing.
Passive transmission of antibodies to erythrocyte antigens, e.g. A, B, D may interfere with some serological tests for red cell allo-antibodies (Coombs' test).
Sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per vial/syringe, that is to say essentially 'sodium-free'.
Paediatric population
The same warnings and precautions apply to the paediatric population.
Elderly
The same warnings and precautions apply to the elderly.
Live attenuated virus vaccines
Immunoglobulin administration may impair for a period of at least 6 weeks and up to 3 months the efficacy of live attenuated virus vaccines such as measles, rubella, mumps and varicella. After administration of this medicinal product, an interval of 3 months should elapse before vaccination with live attenuated virus vaccines. In the case of measles, this impairment may persist for up to 1 year. Therefore, patients receiving measles vaccine should have their antibody status checked.
Paediatric population
The same interactions may occur in the paediatric population.
Elderly
The same interactions may occur in the elderly.
Pregnancy
Data from prospective clinical trials on the use of human normal immunoglobulin in pregnant women is limited. Therefore, Hizentra should only be given with caution to pregnant women. Clinical experience with immunoglobulins suggests that no harmful effects on the course of pregnancy, or on the foetus or the neonate are to be expected.
Continued treatment of the pregnant woman ensures a passive immunity for the neonate.
Breast-feeding
Data from prospective clinical trials on the use of human normal immunoglobulin in breast-feeding women is limited. Therefore, Hizentra should only be given with caution to breast-feeding mothers.
Clinical experience with immunoglobulins suggests however that no harmful effects on the neonate are to be expected. Immunoglobulins are excreted into the milk and may contribute to the transfer of protective antibodies to the neonate.
Fertility
Clinical experience with immunoglobulins suggests that no harmful effects on fertility are to be expected.
Hizentra has minor influence on the ability to drive and use machines, e.g. dizziness (see section 4.8).
Patients who experience adverse reactions during treatment should wait for these to resolve before driving or operating machines.
Summary of safety profile
Adverse reactions such as chills, headache, fever, vomiting, allergic reactions, nausea, arthralgia, low blood pressure and moderate low back pain may occur occasionally.
Rarely human normal immunoglobulins may cause a sudden fall in blood pressure and in isolated cases, anaphylactic shock, even when the patient has shown no hypersensitivity to previous administration.
Local reactions at infusion sites: swelling, soreness, redness, induration, local heat, itching, bruising and rash.
For safety with respect to transmissible agents, see section 4.4.
Tabulated list of adverse reactions
Adverse Reactions (ARs) have been collected in Hizentra clinical trials from 7 phase III studies in patients with primary immunodeficiency (n = 231) 2 phase IV studies in patients with PID (n=74), 1 phase III study (n = 115), and 1 extension study (n = 82) in patients with CIDP (total N = 502 patients; 26,646 infusions).
The ADRs reported in these clinical studies are summarised and categorised according to the MedDRA System Organ Class (SOC and Preferred Term Level) and frequency below.
Frequency per patient or per infusion has been evaluated using the following criteria: Very common (≥1/10), Common (≥1/100 to <1/10), Uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), Rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), Very rare (<1/10,000).
For spontaneous post-marketing ADRs, the reporting frequency is categorised as Unknown.
Within each frequency grouping, the adverse reactions are presented in the order of decreasing frequency.
Frequency of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) associated with Hizentra obtained from clinical studies and post-marketing surveillance, reporting rate per patient or per infusion
System Organ Class (SOC, MedDRA)
ADRs
(MedDRA Preferred Term, PT)
ADR frequency category per patient
ADR frequency category per infusion
Immune system disorders
Hypersensitivity
Uncommon
Rare
Anaphylactic reactions
Unknown
Unknown
Nervous system disorders
Headache
Very common
Uncommon
Dizziness, Migraine
Common
Rare
Tremor (including Psychomotor hyperactivity)
Uncommon
Rare
Meningitis aseptic
Uncommon
Very rare
Burning sensation
Unknown
Unknown
Cardiac disorders
Tachycardia
Uncommon
Very rare
Vascular disorders
Hypertension
Common
Rare
Flushing
Uncommon
Rare
Embolic and thrombotic events
Unknown
Unknown
Gastrointestinal disorders
Diarrhoea, Abdominal pain
Common
Uncommon
Nausea, Vomiting
Common
Rare
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Rash
Very common
Uncommon
Pruritus, Urticaria
Common
Rare
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Musculoskeletal pain, Arthralgia
Common
Uncommon
Muscle spasm, Muscular weakness
Uncommon
Rare
General disorders and administration site conditions
Infusion site reactions
Very common
Very common
Fatigue (including Malaise), Pyrexia
Common
Uncommon
Chest pain, Influenza like illness, Pain
Common
Rare
Chills (including Hypothermia)
Uncommon
Rare
Infusion site ulcer
Unknown
Unknown
Investigations
Blood creatinine increased
Uncommon
Rare
Paediatric population
Clinical trials with Hizentra showed a similar overall safety profile in paediatric and adult patients with PID.
Hizentra was not evaluated in clinical studies in paediatric patients with CIDP who were under the age of 18.
Elderly
The same adverse reactions may occur in the elderly population.
Information available from clinical trials showed no difference in the safety profile of patients ≥65 years of age than of younger patients.
Post-marketing experience with Hizentra in patients ≥65 years of age shows an overall similar safety profile in this age group as in younger patients.
Please refer to section 4.4 for details on risk factors and monitoring recommendations.
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the UK Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store .
Consequences of an overdose are not known.
Ask anything about Hizentra 200 mg/ml solution for subcutaneous injection. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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