ARCHIFAR 1G POWDER FOR INJECTABLE SOLUTION AND FOR INFUSION

Introduction

Leaflet: information for the user

Archifar 500 mg Powder for solution for injection and infusion EFG

Archifar 1 g Powder for solution for injection and infusion EFG

Meropenem

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine, because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet, as you may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.

• This medicine has been prescribed for you only, and you should not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Contents of the pack

1. What is Archifar and what is it used for
2. What you need to know before you use Archifar
3. How to use Archifar
4. Possible side effects

5 Storage of Archifar

1. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What is Archifar and what is it used for

Archifar belongs to a group of medicines called carbapenem antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria that can cause serious infections.

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and will not work for viral infections such as the common cold or flu.

It is important that you follow the instructions regarding dose, administration interval, and treatment duration as indicated by your doctor.

Do not store or reuse this medicine. If you have any leftover antibiotic after completing treatment, return it to the pharmacy for proper disposal. Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste.

Archifar is used to treat the following infections in adults and children from 3 months of age:

• Infection affecting the lungs (pneumonia)
• Bronchial and lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis
• Complicated urinary tract infections
• Complicated infections in the abdomen
• Infections that you can acquire during and after childbirth
• Complicated skin and soft tissue infections
• Bacterial infection of the brain (meningitis)

Archifar may be used to treat patients with low white blood cell counts (neutropenia) who have fever that is suspected to be due to a bacterial infection.

Archifar can be used to treat bacterial infection of the blood that may be associated with one of the aforementioned infections.

2. What you need to know before you use Archifar

Do not use Archifar:

• if you are allergic to meropenem or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• if you are allergic to other antibiotics such as penicillins, cephalosporins, or carbapenems, as you may also be allergic to meropenem.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or nurse before starting Archifar if:

• you have health problems, such as liver or kidney problems.
• you have had severe diarrhea after taking other antibiotics.

You may develop a positive response to a test (Coombs test) that indicates the presence of antibodies that can destroy red blood cells. Your doctor will discuss this with you.

If you are in any of these situations or have doubts, consult your doctor or nurse before using Archifar.

Using Archifar with other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently used, or might use any other medicines.

This is because Archifar can affect how some medicines work, and some of these may have an effect on Archifar.

In particular, tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Probenecid (used to treat gout).
• Valproic acid/sodium valproate/valpromide (used to treat epilepsy). Archifar should not be used, as it can decrease the effect of sodium valproate.
• Oral anticoagulant agent (used to treat or prevent blood clots).

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using this medicine. It is preferable to avoid using meropenem during pregnancy.

Your doctor will decide whether you should use Archifar.

It is very important that you inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, before receiving treatment with meropenem. A small amount of this medicine may pass into breast milk. Therefore, your doctor will decide whether you should use Archifar during breastfeeding.

Driving and using machines

No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed.

Archifar has been associated with headache and tingling or numbness of the skin (paresthesia). Either of these side effects could affect your ability to drive or use machines.

Archifar may cause involuntary muscle movements, which can cause the body to shake rapidly and uncontrollably (convulsions). This is usually accompanied by a loss of consciousness. Do not drive or use machines if you experience this side effect.

Archifar contains sodium

Archifar 500 mg contains approximately 45 mg of sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) per vial. This is equivalent to 2.25% of the maximum recommended daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.

Archifar 1 g contains approximately 90 mg of sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) per vial. This is equivalent to 4.5% of the maximum recommended daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.

3. How to use Archifar

Follow exactly the administration instructions for this medicine as indicated by your doctor. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Use in adults

• The dose depends on the type of infection you have, the area of the body where it is located, and its severity. Your doctor will decide what dose you need.
• The normal dose in adults is between 500 mg (milligrams) and 2 g (grams). You will usually be given a dose every 8 hours. However, if your kidneys do not work well, you may receive the dose less frequently.

Use in children and adolescents

• The dose for children over 3 months and up to 12 years is decided using the child's age and weight. The normal dose is between 10 mg and 40 mg of Archifar per kilogram (kg) of the child's weight. You will usually be given a dose every 8 hours. Children who weigh over 50 kg will be given an adult dose.

How to use Archifar

• Archifar will be administered to you as an injection or infusion into a large vein.
• Archifar will usually be administered by your doctor or nurse.
• However, some patients, parents, or caregivers are trained to administer Archifar at home. The instructions for this are found in this leaflet (in the section called "Instructions for administering Archifar to yourself or another person at home"). Follow exactly the administration instructions for Archifar as indicated by your doctor. Consult your doctor if you have doubts.
• Your injection should not be mixed with or added to solutions that contain other medicines.
• The injection may take approximately 5 minutes or between 15 and 30 minutes. Your doctor will tell you how Archifar is administered.
• Injections should usually be administered at the same time every day.

If you use more Archifar than you should

If you accidentally use more than the prescribed dose, contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital immediately.

If you forget to use Archifar

If you forget an injection, you should receive it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next injection, do not receive the missed one.

Do not use a double dose (two injections at the same time) to make up for missed doses.

If you stop using Archifar

Do not stop using Archifar until your doctor tells you to.

If you have any other questions about the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or nurse.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Severe allergic reactions

If you have a severe allergic reaction, stop using Archifar and go to a doctor immediately. You may need urgent medical treatment. The symptoms can include:

• Severe rash, itching, or hives on the skin.
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or other parts of the body.
• Shortness of breath, wheezing, or difficulty breathing.

Damage to red blood cells(unknown frequency)

The symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath when you do not expect it.
• Red or brown urine.

If you notice any of the above, go to a doctor immediately.

Other possible side effects:

Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• Abdominal pain (stomach pain).
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Headache.
• Skin rash, itching.
• Pain and inflammation.
• Increased platelet count in the blood (found in a blood test).
• Changes in blood tests, including tests that show how your liver is working.

Uncommon(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Changes in your blood. These include a decrease in platelet count (which can make you bruise more easily), an increase in some white blood cells, a decrease in other white blood cells, and an increase in the amount of a substance called "bilirubin". Your doctor may perform blood tests periodically.
• Changes in blood tests, including tests that show how your kidneys are working.
• Tingling sensation (numbness).
• Mouth or vaginal infections caused by a fungus (thrush).
• Inflammation of the intestine with diarrhea.
• Pain in the veins where Archifar is injected.
• Other changes in your blood. The symptoms include frequent infections, fever, and sore throat. Your doctor may perform blood tests periodically.
• Sudden onset of a severe skin rash or blistering or peeling of the skin. This may be associated with high fever and joint pain.

Rare(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)

• Seizures (convulsions).

Frequency not known(cannot be estimated from the available data)

• Severe hypersensitivity reactions with fever, skin rash, and changes in blood tests that control liver function (increase in liver enzyme values) and increase in a type of white blood cell (eosinophilia) and enlarged lymph nodes. These may be symptoms of a multi-organ sensitivity disorder known as DRESS syndrome.

Reporting of side effects

If you experience any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse, even if it is possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly through the Spanish Medicines Monitoring System for Human Use: https//www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. Storage of Archifar

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label, after EXP. The expiry date is the last day of the month stated.

Injection

After reconstitution: The reconstituted solutions for injection should be used immediately. The time between the start of reconstitution and the end of the injection should not exceed:

• 3 hours when stored at a temperature up to 25°C;
• 12 hours when stored in a refrigerator (2-8°C).

Infusion

After reconstitution: The reconstituted solutions for infusion should be used immediately. The time between the start of reconstitution and the end of the infusion should not exceed:

• 3 hours when stored at a temperature up to 25°C when the medicine is dissolved in sodium chloride;
• 24 hours when stored in a refrigerator (2-8°C) when the medicine is dissolved in sodium chloride;
• when the medicine is dissolved in dextrose, the solution should be used immediately.

From a microbiological point of view, unless the method of opening/reconstitution/dilution eliminates the risk of microbiological contamination, the product should be used immediately.

If not used immediately, the storage times and conditions are the responsibility of the user.

Do not freeze the reconstituted solution.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and any unused medicine. This will help protect the environment.

6. Container Contents and Additional Information

Composition of Archifar

• The active ingredient is meropenem. Each vial contains meropenem trihydrate equivalent to 500 mg and 1 g of anhydrous meropenem, respectively.
• The other component is sodium carbonate.

Appearance of the Product and Container Contents

White to light yellow crystalline powder.

20 ml and 30 ml Type I transparent glass vial.

This medication is supplied in packages of 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100 vials.

Only some package sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorization Holder

Medochemie Iberia, S.A.

Rua José Maria Nicolau, nº6, 7ºB,

São Domingos de Benfica, 1500 662 Lisboa,

Portugal

Manufacturer

Medochemie Ltd (Factory C)

2 Michael Erakleous Street,

Agios Athanassios Industrial Area,

4101 Agios Athanassios, Limassol

Cyprus

You can request more information about this medication by contacting the local representative of the Marketing Authorization Holder:

Medochemie Iberia S.A., Branch in Spain

Avenida de las Águilas, nº 2 B; 5th floor, office 6,

28044 Madrid

SPAIN

Health Advice/Education

Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. They have no effect on infections caused by viruses.

Sometimes a bacterial infection does not respond to treatment with an antibiotic. One of the most common reasons for this is that the bacteria causing the infection are resistant to the antibiotic being taken. This means they can survive and even multiply, despite the antibiotic.

Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics for many reasons. Using antibiotics with caution can help reduce the opportunity for bacteria to become resistant to them.

When your doctor prescribes antibiotic treatment, it is to treat only your current illness. Paying attention to the following tips will help prevent the appearance of resistant bacteria that could stop the antibiotic from working.

Date of the last revision of this package insert: October 2021

Detailed and updated information about this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es

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This information is intended only for healthcare professionals:

Instructions for administering Archifar to yourself or another person at home:

Some patients, parents, and caregivers are trained to administer Archifar at home.

Warning – You should only administer this medication to yourself or another person at home after a doctor or nurse has trained you.

Injection

To use meropenem for intravenous bolus injection, it should be reconstituted with sterile water for injection to a final concentration of 50 mg/ml.

Infusion

The vials for intravenous infusion of meropenem can be reconstituted directly with sodium chloride 9 mg/ml (0.9%) or dextrose 50 mg/ml (5%) solutions to a final concentration of 1 to 20 mg/ml.

How to prepare this medication

Note that:If the amount of Archifar prescribed for you is more than 1 g, you will need to use more than one Archifar vial. You can then withdraw the liquid from the vials into a syringe.

1. Pierce the center of the gray rubber stopper with the syringe needle and inject the recommended amount of Water for Injection into the Archifar vial(s).
2. Remove the needle from the vial and shake it well for about 5 seconds, or until all the powder has dissolved. Clean the gray rubber stopper again with a new cotton swab impregnated with alcohol and let it dry.
3. With the syringe plunger fully pushed into the syringe, pierce the gray rubber stopper again with the needle. You should then hold the syringe and vial and turn the vial upside down.
4. Keeping the needle tip in the liquid, pull the plunger and withdraw all the liquid from the vial into the syringe.
5. Remove the needle and syringe from the vial and discard the empty vial in an appropriate container.
7. Remove the air from the syringe by gently pushing the plunger until the air has come out.
8. If you are using Archifar at home, properly dispose of the needles and infusion lines you have used. If your doctor decides to interrupt your treatment, properly dispose of the unused Archifar.

Administration of the Injection

You can administer this medication through a peripheral intravenous catheter or through a central port or line.

Administration of Archifar through a Peripheral Intravenous Catheter

1. Remove the needle from the syringe and carefully discard it in your sharps container.
2. Clean the end of the catheter with a cotton swab impregnated with alcohol and let it dry. Open the catheter cap and connect the syringe.

Administration of Archifar through a Central Port or Line

1. Remove the cap from the port or line, clean the end of the line with a cotton swab impregnated with alcohol, and let it dry.
2. Connect the syringe and slowly press the plunger to administer the antibiotic constantly over about 5 minutes.

The disposal of unused medication and all materials that have come into contact with it will be carried out in accordance with local regulations.