Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Atazanavir Krka 150 mg hard capsules EFG
Atazanavir Krka 200 mg hard capsules EFG
Atazanavir Krka 300 mg hard capsules EFG
atazanavir
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the pack and other information
Atazanavir Krka is an antiviral medicine (or antiretroviral).It belongs to a group of medicines called protease inhibitors. These medicines control HIV infection by blocking a protein that HIV needs to multiply. It works by reducing the amount of HIV in your body and this, in turn, strengthens your immune system. This reduces the risk of developing diseases associated with HIV infection.
Atazanavir Krka capsules can be used by adults and children from 6 years of age and older. Your doctor has prescribed Atazanavir Krka because you are infected with HIV that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is usually used in combination with other anti-HIV medicines. Your doctor will decide which combination of these medicines is best for you with Atazanavir Krka.
Do not take Atazanavir Krka
Do not take sildenafil with Atazanavir Krka when sildenafil is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. Sildenafil is also used to treat erectile dysfunction. Inform your doctor if you are using sildenafil to treat erectile dysfunction.
Tell your doctor immediately if you are in any of these situations.
Warnings and precautions
Atazanavir Krka is not a cure for HIV infection.You may continue to develop infections or other diseases associated with HIV infection.
Some people will need special monitoring before or during treatment with Atazanavir Krka. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking Atazanavir Krka and make sure you tell your doctor:
Atazanavir Krka may affect the way your kidneys work.
There have been reports of kidney stones in patients treated with atazanavir. If you experience signs or symptoms of kidney stones (side pain, blood in the urine, pain when urinating), please inform your doctor immediately.
In some patients with advanced HIV infection (AIDS) and a history of opportunistic infections, signs and symptoms of inflammation of previous infections may appear soon after starting anti-HIV treatment. It is believed that these symptoms are due to an improvement in the body's immune response, allowing it to fight infections that were present without apparent symptoms. If you notice any symptoms of infection, please inform your doctor immediately. In addition to opportunistic infections, autoimmune disorders (a condition that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy body tissue) may also appear after you start taking medicines to treat your HIV infection. Autoimmune disorders may appear many months after starting treatment. If you notice any symptoms of infection or other symptoms such as muscle weakness, weakness starting in the hands and feet and moving up towards the trunk of the body, palpitations, tremors, or hyperactivity, please inform your doctor immediately to receive the necessary treatment.
Some patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy may develop a bone disease called osteonecrosis (death of bone tissue caused by loss of blood supply to the bone). Among the many risk factors for developing this disease are the duration of combination antiretroviral therapy, the use of corticosteroids, alcohol consumption, severe immunodepression, and high body mass index. The symptoms of osteonecrosis are stiffness in the joints, pain, and discomfort (especially in the hip, knee, and shoulder) and difficulty moving. If you notice any of these symptoms, please inform your doctor.
Hyperbilirubinemia (increased bilirubin levels in the blood) has occurred in patients receiving atazanavir. The signs may be a slightly yellowish tint to the skin or eyes. If you notice any of these symptoms, please inform your doctor.
Severe skin rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, has been observed in patients treated with atazanavir. Inform your doctor immediately if you develop a rash.
If you notice a change in the way your heart beats (changes in heart rhythm), please inform your doctor. Children taking Atazanavir Krka may need to have their heart monitored. Your doctor will decide this.
Children
Do not give this medicine to childrenunder 3 months of age and weighing less than 5 kg.
The use of Atazanavir Krka has not been studied in children under 3 months of age and weighing less than 5 kg due to the risk of serious complications.
Other medicines and Atazanavir Krka
Do not take Atazanavir Krka with certain medicines.These are listed under the heading Do not take Atazanavir Krka, at the beginning of Section 2.
There are other medicines that should not be taken with Atazanavir Krka. Inform your doctor if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines. It is especially important that you mention the use of the following:
Some medicines may interact with ritonavir, a medicine that is given with Atazanavir Krka. It is important that you inform your doctor if you are using fluticasone or budesonide (administered by nasal or inhalation route, for the treatment of allergic symptoms or asthma).
Taking Atazanavir Krka with food and drinks
It is important that you take Atazanavir Krka with food (a meal or snack) as this helps the absorption of the medicine.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
Atazanavir Krka, the active substance of atazanavir, is excreted in breast milk. Patients must not breastfeed while taking Atazanavir Krka.
It is not recommendedthat HIV-infected women breastfeed their babies because HIV infection can be transmitted to the baby through breast milk.
If you are breastfeeding or think you might breastfeed, you must consultyour doctor as soon as possible.
Driving and using machines
If you feel dizzy or drowsy, do not drive or use machines, and contact your doctor immediately.
Atazanavir Krka contains lactose
This medicine contains lactose. If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to some sugars, consult them before taking this medicine.
Follow exactly the instructions for administration of this medicine given by your doctor. In case of doubt, consult your doctor again. This way, you can be sure that the treatment is totally effective and reduces the risk of the virus developing resistance to the treatment.
The recommended dose of Atazanavir Krka capsules for adults is 300 mg together with 100 mg of ritonavir once a day and with food,in combination with other anti-HIV medicines. Your doctor may adjust the dose of Atazanavir Krka according to your anti-HIV treatment.
For children (from 6 to less than 18 years of age), your doctor will decide the correct dose based on the weight of your child.The dose of Atazanavir Krka capsules for children is calculated by body weight and taken once a day with food and 100 mg of ritonavir as shown below:
Body Weight (kg) | Dose of Atazanavir Krka once a day (mg) | Dose of ritonavir* once a day (mg) |
15 to less than 35 | 200 | 100 |
at least 35 | 300 | 100 |
*Ritonavir capsules, tablets, or oral solution may be used.
This medicine is available in other formulations for children from at least 3 months of age and at least 5 kg in weight (see Summary of Product Characteristics for alternative forms). It is recommended to switch from other formulations to capsules as soon as patients are able to swallow the capsules properly.
Take Atazanavir Krka capsules with food(a meal or snack). Swallow the capsules whole.
Do not open the capsules.
If you take more Atazanavir Krka than you should
If you or your child take too much Atazanavir Krka, the skin and/or eyes may turn yellow (jaundice) and irregular heartbeats (prolonged QTc) may occur.
If you or your child have accidentally taken more Atazanavir Krka capsules than your doctor recommended, contact your doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital for consultation.
If you forget to take Atazanavir Krka
If you have missed a dose, take it as soon as possible with some food and then take the next scheduled dose at the usual time. If it is almost time for the next dose, do not take the missed dose. Wait and take the next dose at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for missed doses.
If you stop taking Atazanavir Krka
Do not stop taking Atazanavir Krka without consulting your doctor.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them. During the treatment of HIV infection, it is not always easy to identify the adverse effects caused by Atazanavir Krka, by any other medicine you are taking, or by the HIV infection itself. Inform your doctor of any change you notice in your state of health.
During HIV treatment, there may be an increase in weight and glucose and lipid levels in the blood. This may be partly related to the recovery of health and lifestyle, and in the case of blood lipids, sometimes with HIV medications themselves. Your doctor will monitor these changes.
Inform your doctor immediately if you develop any of the following serious adverse effects:
Other adverse effects reported in patients treated with atazanavir are the following:
Frequent (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
Reporting of Adverse Effects
If you experience any adverse effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect not listed in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the national reporting system included in Appendix V. By reporting adverse effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiration date stated on the packaging after EXP. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Store below 30°C.
Keep the container tightly closed to protect it from moisture.
Shelf life after opening: 2 months, stored below 25°C.
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.
Composition of Atazanavir Krka
Atazanavir Krka 150 mg hard capsules EFG
Each hard capsule contains 150 mg of atazanavir (as sulfate).
Atazanavir Krka 200 mg hard capsules EFG
Each hard capsule contains 200 mg of atazanavir (as sulfate).
Atazanavir Krka 300 mg hard capsules EFG
Each hard capsule contains 300 mg of atazanavir (as sulfate).
Capsule content: lactose monohydrate, crospovidone (type A), magnesium stearate. See section 2 "Atazanavir Krka contains lactose monohydrate".
Atazanavir Krka 150 mg hard capsule:
Body:titanium dioxide (E171) and gelatin.
Cap:titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), gelatin, and ink (gum lac, black iron oxide (E172), potassium hydroxide).
Atazanavir Krka 200 mg hard capsule:
Body: titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), and gelatin.
Cap:titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), gelatin, and ink (gum lac, black iron oxide (E172), potassium hydroxide).
Atazanavir Krka 300 mg hard capsule:
Body:titanium dioxide (E171) and gelatin.
Cap: titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), black iron oxide (E172), gelatin, and ink (gum lac, titanium dioxide (E171), potassium hydroxide).
Appearance and Packaging of the Product
Atazanavir Krka 150 mg hard capsules EFG
Hard gelatin capsule (capsule), size 1. The body of the capsule is white or almost white, and the cap is brown-orange. The cap of the capsule is printed with a black mark A150. The content of the capsule is a white-yellowish to yellowish-white powder.
Atazanavir Krka 200 mg hard capsules EFG
Hard gelatin capsule (capsule), size 0. The body and cap of the capsule are brown-orange. The cap of the capsule is printed with a black mark A200. The content of the capsule is a white-yellowish to yellowish-white powder.
Atazanavir Krka 300 mg hard capsules EFG
Hard gelatin capsule (capsule), size 00. The body of the capsule is white or almost white, and the cap of the capsule is dark brown. The cap of the capsule is printed with a white mark A300. The content of the capsule is a white-yellowish to yellowish-white powder.
Atazanavir Krka 150 mg and 200 mg hard capsules are available in packs of 60 hard capsules per box.
Atazanavir Krka 300 mg hard capsules are available in packs of 30 hard capsules or 90 (3x30) hard capsules per box.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder
KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia
Manufacturer
KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia
TAD Pharma GmbH, Heinz-Lohmann-Straße 5, 27472 Cuxhaven, Germany
You can obtain further information on this medicine by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder.
België/Belgique/Belgien KRKA Belgium, SA. Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 487 50 73 62 | Lietuva UAB KRKA Lietuva Tel: + 370 5 236 27 40 |
Luxembourg/Luxemburg KRKA Belgium, SA. Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 487 50 73 62 (BE) | |
Ceská republika KRKA CR, s.r.o. Tel: + 420 (0) 221 115 150 | Magyarország KRKA Magyarország Kereskedelmi Kft. Tel.: + 36 (1) 355 8490 |
Danmark KRKA Sverige AB Tlf: + 46 (0)8 643 67 66 (SE) | Malta
Tel: + 356 21 445 885 |
Deutschland TAD Pharma GmbH Tel: + 49 (0) 4721 606-0 | Nederland KRKA Belgium, SA. Tel: + 32 (0) 487 50 73 62 (BE) |
Eesti KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto Eesti filiaal Tel: + 372 (0) 6 671 658 | Norge KRKA Sverige AB Tlf: + 46 (0)8 643 67 66 (SE) |
Ελλάδα KRKA ΕΛΛΑΣ ΕΠΕ Τηλ: + 30 2100101613 | Österreich KRKA Pharma GmbH, Wien Tel: + 43 (0)1 66 24 300 |
España KRKA Farmacéutica, S.L. Tel: + 34 911 61 03 80 | Polska KRKA-POLSKA Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 (0)22 573 7500 |
France KRKA France Eurl Tél: + 33 (0)1 57 40 82 25 | Portugal KRKA Farmacêutica, Sociedade Unipessoal Lda. Tel: + 351 (0)21 46 43 650 |
Hrvatska KRKA - FARMA d.o.o. Tel: + 385 1 6312 100 | România KRKA Romania S.R.L., Bucharest Tel: + 4 021 310 66 05 |
Ireland KRKA Pharma Dublin, Ltd. Tel: + 353 1 413 3710 | Slovenija KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto Tel: + 386 (0) 1 47 51 100 |
Ísland LYFIS ehf. Sími: + 354 534 3500 | Slovenská republika KRKA Slovensko, s.r.o. Tel: + 421 (0) 2 571 04 501 |
Italia KRKA Farmaceutici Milano S.r.l. Tel: + 39 02 3300 8841 | Suomi/Finland KRKA Finland Oy Puh/Tel: + 358 20 754 5330 |
Κύπρος KI.PA. (PHARMACAL) LIMITED Τηλ: + 357 24 651 882 | Sverige KRKA Sverige AB Tel: + 46 (0)8 643 67 66 (SE) |
Latvija KRKA Latvija SIA Tel: + 371 6 733 86 10 | KRKA Pharma Dublin, Ltd. Tel: + 353 1 413 3710 |
Date of Last Revision of this Leaflet:
Other Sources of Information
Detailed information on this medicine is available on the European Medicines Agency website: http://www.ema.europa.eu/.