Package Leaflet: Information for the Patient
IMBRUVICA 140 mg hard capsules
ibrutinib
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the pack
What is IMBRUVICA
IMBRUVICA is a cancer medicine that contains the active substance ibrutinib, which belongs to a class of medicines called kinase inhibitors.
What IMBRUVICA is used for
It is used in adults to treat the following blood cancers:
How IMBRUVICA works
In MCL, CLL, and WM, IMBRUVICA works by blocking Bruton's tyrosine kinase, a protein in the body that helps cancer cells grow and survive. By blocking this protein, IMBRUVICA helps destroy and reduce the number of cancer cells. It may also slow down the worsening of the cancer.
Do not take IMBRUVICA
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before starting to take IMBRUVICA:
If any of the above apply to you (or if you are not sure), consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before taking this medicine.
When taking IMBRUVICA, inform your doctor immediately if you notice or someone notices in you: memory loss, confusion, difficulty walking, or vision loss – these may be due to a rare but serious brain infection (Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy or PML).
Inform your doctor immediately if you notice or someone observes in you: sudden numbness or weakness of the limbs (especially on one side of the body), sudden confusion, problems speaking or understanding others when they speak to you, loss of vision, difficulty walking, loss of balance, or lack of coordination, severe and sudden headache without a known cause. These may be signs and symptoms of a stroke.
Tests and checks before and during treatment
Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS): There have been cases of abnormal levels of chemicals in the blood caused by the rapid breakdown of cancer cells during treatment, and sometimes even without treatment. This can lead to changes in kidney function, abnormal heartbeat, or seizures. Your doctor or other healthcare professional may perform blood tests to check for TLS.
Lymphocytosis: Laboratory tests may show an increase in white blood cells (called "lymphocytes") in your blood during the first few weeks of treatment. This effect is expected and may last for several months. This does not necessarily mean that your blood cancer is getting worse. The doctor will check your blood tests before or during treatment, and in rare cases, may need to administer another medicine. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of the results of these tests.
Children and adolescents
IMBRUVICA should not be used in children or adolescents, as it has not been studied in these age groups.
Other medicines and IMBRUVICA
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines, including those obtained without a prescription, herbal medicines, and supplements. This is because IMBRUVICA may affect the way other medicines work. Additionally, other medicines may affect the way IMBRUVICA works.
IMBRUVICA may make you bleed more easily.This means you should tell your doctor if you are taking other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding. These include:
If any of the above apply to you (or if you are not sure), consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before taking IMBRUVICA.
Also, inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: The effects of IMBRUVICA or other medicines may be affected if you take IMBRUVICA together with any of the following medicines:
If any of the above apply to you (or if you are not sure), consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before taking IMBRUVICA.
If you are taking digoxin, a medicine used for heart problems, or methotrexate, a medicine used to treat other cancers and to reduce the activity of the immune system (e.g., for rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis), you should take it at least 6 hours before or after IMBRUVICA.
Using IMBRUVICA with food
Do not take IMBRUVICA with grapefruit or Seville oranges: this means you cannot eat them, drink their juice, or take a supplement that may contain them. This is because they can increase the amount of IMBRUVICA in your blood.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
You should not become pregnant while taking this medicine. You should not use IMBRUVICA during pregnancy. There is no information on the safety of IMBRUVICA in pregnant women.
Women of childbearing age must use a very effective method of contraception during treatment and for up to 3 months after receiving IMBRUVICA, to avoid becoming pregnant during treatment with IMBRUVICA. If you use hormonal contraceptives, such as pills or contraceptive devices, you should also use a barrier method of contraception (e.g., condoms).
Driving and using machines
You may feel tired or dizzy after taking IMBRUVICA, which may affect your ability to drive or use any tools or machines.
IMBRUVICA contains sodium
IMBRUVICA contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per dose; this is essentially “sodium-free”.
Follow exactly the instructions of administration of this medicine given by your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. If you are not sure, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse again.
How much to take
Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL)
The recommended dose of IMBRUVICA is four capsules (560 mg) once a day.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)/Waldenström's Macroglobulinaemia (WM)The recommended dose of IMBRUVICA is three capsules (420 mg) once a day.
Your doctor may need to adjust your dose.
How to take IMBRUVICA
If you take more IMBRUVICA than you should
If you take more IMBRUVICA than you should, consult your doctor or go to the hospital immediately.
Bring the capsules and this leaflet with you.
If you forget to take IMBRUVICA
If you stop taking IMBRUVICA
Do not stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The following side effects may occur with this medicine:
Stop taking IMBRUVICA and tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following side effects:
rash with blisters and itching, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat: you may be having an allergic reaction to the medicine.
Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following side effects:
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
high levels of “uric acid” in the blood (shown in blood tests), which can cause gout
Uncommon(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
Not known(frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, even if it is possible that they are not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly through the national reporting system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side 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 expiry date which is stated on the carton and on the label of the bottle after EXP. The expiry date is the last day of the month shown.
No special storage conditions are required.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. This will help protect the environment.
Composition of IMBRUVICA
Product Appearance and Container Content
IMBRUVICA is presented in hard, opaque white capsules marked with "ibr 140 mg" in black ink on one side.
The capsules are supplied in a plastic bottle with a child-resistant polypropylene closure. Each bottle contains 90 or 120 capsules. Each container contains one bottle.
Marketing Authorization Holder
Janssen-Cilag International NV
Turnhoutseweg 30
B-2340 Beerse
Belgium
Manufacturer
Janssen Pharmaceutica NV
Turnhoutseweg 30
B-2340 Beerse
Belgium
You can request more information about this medicinal product by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
Belgium/België/Belgien Janssen-Cilag NV Tel: +32 14 64 94 11 janssen@jacbe.jnj.com | Lithuania UAB "JOHNSON & JOHNSON" Tel: +370 5 278 68 88 lt@its.jnj.com |
Bulgaria "JOHNSON & JOHNSON" EAD Tel: +359 2 489 94 00 jjsafety@its.jnj.com | Luxembourg/Luxemburg Janssen-Cilag NV Tél/Tel: +32 14 64 94 11 janssen@jacbe.jnj.com |
Czech Republic Janssen-Cilag s.r.o. Tel: +420 227 012 227 | Hungary Janssen-Cilag Kft. Tel: +36 1 884 2858 |
Denmark Janssen-Cilag A/S Tlf: +45 4594 8282 jacdk@its.jnj.com | Malta AM MANGION LTD. Tel: +356 2397 6000 |
Germany Janssen-Cilag GmbH Tel: +49 2137 955 955 jancil@its.jnj.com | Netherlands Janssen-Cilag B.V. Tel: +31 76 711 1111 janssen@jacnl.jnj.com |
Estonia UAB "JOHNSON & JOHNSON" Estonian branch Tel: +372 617 7410 ee@its.jnj.com | Norway Janssen-Cilag AS Tlf: +47 24 12 65 00 jacno@its.jnj.com |
Greece Janssen-Cilag Φαρμακευτική Α.Ε. Tηλ: +30 210 80 90 000 | Austria Janssen-Cilag Pharma GmbH Tel: +43 1 610 300 |
Spain Janssen-Cilag, S.A. Tel: +34 91 722 81 00 contacto@its.jnj.com | Poland Janssen-Cilag Polska Sp. z o.o. Tel: +48 22 237 60 00 |
France Janssen-Cilag Tél: 0 800 25 50 75 / +33 1 55 00 40 03 medisource@its.jnj.com | Portugal Janssen-Cilag Farmacêutica, Lda. Tel: +351 214 368 600 |
Croatia Johnson & Johnson S.E. d.o.o. Tel: +385 1 6610 700 jjsafety@JNJCR.JNJ.com | Romania Johnson & Johnson România SRL Tel: +40 21 207 1800 |
Ireland Janssen Sciences Ireland UC Tel: +353 1 800 709 122 | Slovenia Johnson & Johnson d.o.o. Tel: +386 1 401 18 00 Janssen_safety_slo@its.jnj.com |
Iceland Janssen-Cilag AB c/o Vistor hf Sími: +354 535 7000 janssen@vistor.is | Slovakia Johnson & Johnson, s.r.o. Tel: +421 232 408 400 |
Italy Janssen-Cilag SpA Tel: 800 688 777 / +39 02 2510 1 janssenita@its.jnj.com | Finland Janssen-Cilag Oy Puh/Tel: +358 207 531 300 jacfi@its.jnj.com |
Cyprus Βαρνάβας Χατζηπαναγής Λτδ Τηλ: +357 22 207 700 | Sweden Janssen-Cilag AB Tel: +46 8 626 50 00 jacse@its.jnj.com |
Latvia UAB "JOHNSON & JOHNSON" Latvian branch Tel: +371 678 93561 lv@its.jnj.com | United Kingdom Janssen-Cilag Ltd. Tel: +44 1 494 567 444 |
Date of the Last Revision of this Leaflet:
Other Sources of Information
Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the European Medicines Agency website: http://www.ema.europa.eu.