


Ask a doctor about a prescription for LUTATHERA 370 MBq/mL SOLUTION FOR INFUSION
Package Leaflet: Information for the Patient
Lutathera 370 MBq/ml Solution for Infusion
lutetium (177Lu) oxodotreotide
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the Package Leaflet
What is Lutathera
Lutathera contains lutetium (177Lu) oxodotreotide. This medicine is a radiopharmaceutical for treatment only.
What is Lutathera used for
Lutathera is used to treat adults with certain tumors (gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors) that cannot be completely removed from the body by surgery, have spread through the body (metastatic) or have stopped responding to current treatment.
How Lutathera works
The tumor must have somatostatin receptors on the surface of its cells for the medicine to be effective. Lutathera binds to these receptors and emits radiation directly into the tumor cells, causing their death.
The use of Lutathera involves exposure to a certain amount of radiation. Your doctor and nuclear medicine doctor have considered that the clinical benefit you will get from the procedure with the radiopharmaceutical outweighs the risk of radiation.
Do not use Lutathera
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor before starting treatment with Lutathera as it may cause:
Tell your doctor or other healthcare professional before or during treatment with Lutathera:
Tell your doctor or other healthcare professional immediately if after starting treatment with Lutathera you experience any of the following:
Unless your doctor has considered that the clinical benefit of treatment outweighs the possible risks, you will not be given this medicine:
Before administration of Lutathera you should
Children and adolescents
The safety and efficacy of this medicine in children and adolescents under 18 years have not yet been established. Talk to your doctor or nuclear medicine doctor if you are under 18 years old.
Other medicines and Lutathera
Tell your doctor or nuclear medicine doctor if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including those obtained without a prescription, as they may interfere with your treatment. This includes in particular somatostatin analogs or glucocorticoids (also known as corticoids). If you are taking somatostatin analogs, you may be asked to stop treatment for a short period.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if your medicine is one of those mentioned above.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or nuclear medicine doctor before using this medicine.
Lutathera is contraindicated in pregnant women as ionizing radiation is hazardous to the fetus. Breastfeeding should be interrupted during treatment with this medicine. If treatment with Lutathera is necessary during breastfeeding, the mother will not continue to breastfeed the child.
You must inform your doctor and/or nuclear medicine doctor before administration of Lutathera if there is any possibility that you may be pregnant, if you have a delayed period or if you are breastfeeding.
In case of doubt, it is important that you consult your nuclear medicine doctor or other healthcare professional who will be supervising the procedure.
Female patients must use an effective contraceptive method during treatment with Lutathera and for 7 months after completion of treatment.
Male patients must use an effective contraceptive method during treatment with Lutathera and for 4 months after completion of treatment.
If you are a woman who could become pregnant, your doctor or other healthcare professional will check if you are pregnant and perform a pregnancy test if necessary before starting treatment with Lutathera.
If you become pregnant or think you are pregnant after starting treatment with Lutathera, inform your doctor and/or nuclear medicine doctor immediately.
The radiation from the medicine could reduce your fertility. If you want to have children after treatment, it is recommended that you have genetic counseling. Before treatment, you may be offered the opportunity to cryopreserve sperm or eggs.
Driving and using machines
It is considered unlikely that Lutathera will affect your ability to drive and use machines. However, you should take into account your general condition and possible side effects of treatment before driving or using machines.
Lutathera contains sodium
This medicine contains up to 81.1 mg of sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) in each vial. This is equivalent to 4% of the maximum recommended daily intake of sodium for an adult.
There are strict rules about the use, handling, and disposal of radiopharmaceuticals. Lutathera will only be used in special controlled areas. This medicine will only be handled and administered by trained and qualified personnel to use it safely. These people will take special care in the safe use of this medicine and will inform you of their actions.
How much Lutathera is administered to you
The recommended dose is 7,400 MBq (Megabecquerel, unit used to express radioactivity) in a single infusion, which is administered approximately once every 8 weeks for a total of 4 times.
Administration of Lutathera and procedure
Lutathera is administered directly into a vein.
Due to the radiation emitted by this medicine, during the administration procedure, you will need to be isolated from other patients who are not receiving the same treatment. The doctor or other healthcare professional will inform you when you can leave the controlled area of the hospital.
In addition to Lutathera, you will be administered an amino acid infusion to protect your kidneys. This may cause nausea and vomiting, and therefore, before starting treatment, you will also receive an injection with an antiemetic to help reduce these symptoms.
Duration of the administration procedure
Your nuclear medicine doctor or other healthcare professional will inform you of the usual duration of the procedure.
The Lutathera infusion lasts 30 ± 10 minutes, but the complete administration procedure will take approximately 5 hours. During administration, your doctor will periodically check your condition.
Monitoring of treatment
Treatment with Lutathera may affect blood cells, liver, and kidneys (see section 4). Therefore, your doctor will ask you to undergo regular blood tests to check if it is safe for you to receive this treatment and to detect any side effects as soon as possible. If necessary, your heart's electrical activity will also be checked before discharge from the hospital (with a test called an electrocardiogram or ECG). Based on the results, the doctor may decide to postpone, modify, or suspend your treatment with this medicine if necessary.
After administration of Lutathera
You will be asked to drink enough water (e.g., 1 glass of water every hour) to allow you to urinate as often as possible on the day of infusion and the next day, and to try to defecate every day, in order to eliminate the medicine from your body.
As this is a radioactive medicine, you must follow the instructions described below to minimize radiation exposure to others unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Based on current knowledge and experience in this field and the properties of the medicine, it is estimated that the health risks to people living with you and the general public are low.
Contact with others living with you
You should limit close contact (less than 1 meter) with people living with you for 7 days after receiving Lutathera. You should sleep in a separate room from others for 7 days after receiving Lutathera.
Contact with children and/or pregnant women
After receiving Lutathera, it is strongly recommended that you limit close contact (less than 1 meter) with children and/or pregnant women to less than 15 minutes per day for 7 days. You should sleep in a separate room from children and/or pregnant women for 15 days after receiving Lutathera.
Use of toilets
It is strongly recommended that you defecate every day and, if necessary, use a laxative. Also, drink frequently and try to urinate as often as possible during the day of treatment and the next day. Follow the advice of your doctor or other healthcare professional regarding the amount of liquids you should drink.
Be particularly careful to avoid contamination during the 7 days after treatment (applies to all patients, regardless of whether they are men or women):
Shower and laundry
During the first 7 days, take the following special precautions:
People with reduced mobility
People who must stay in bed or have reduced mobility will preferably receive assistance from a caregiver. It is recommended that when assistance is provided in the bathroom, the caregiver wears disposable gloves for 7 days after administration. Any medical equipment that may be contaminated with your bodily fluids (e.g., catheters, colostomy bags, urinals, water bottles) should be emptied immediately into the toilet and cleaned afterwards. Caregivers who remove vomit, blood, urine, or feces must wear plastic gloves that should be discarded in a separate plastic waste bag (see "Waste disposal recommendations" below).
Waste disposal recommendations
All materials to be disposed of should be thrown away in a separate plastic waste bag that is used only for this purpose. Keep the separate plastic waste bags away from the rest of the trash and keep them out of the reach of children and animals.
A member of the hospital staff will tell you how and when you can dispose of these waste bags.
Hospitalization and emergency care
If for any reason you require emergency medical attention or unplanned hospitalization within 3 months after treatment, you must inform healthcare professionals about the nature, date, and dose of your radioactive treatment. To facilitate this information, always carry your discharge report with you.
Travel
For at least 3 months after treatment, when traveling, always carry your discharge report with you.
Other precautions
Your nuclear medicine doctor or other healthcare professional will inform you if it is necessary to take any special precautions after receiving this medicine. Consult your doctor or nuclear medicine doctor if you have any doubts.
If you have been administered more Lutathera than you should
An overdose is unlikely, as you will only receive a single dose of Lutathera controlled with precision by the nuclear medicine doctor or other healthcare professional supervising the procedure. However, in the case of an overdose, you will receive appropriate treatment.
If you have any further questions about the use of Lutathera, ask your nuclear medicine doctor or other healthcare professional supervising the procedure.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them.
The adverse effects of Lutathera are mainly related to radioactivity.
The most frequently observed adverse effect in patients treated with Lutathera is its effect on the bone marrow. This can lead to a decrease in the different types of blood cells, mainly red blood cells (cells responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the various organs), platelets (special cells that help blood clot), and other blood cells, such as white blood cells (which help fight infections). This occurs in many patients and is often temporary. However, in rare cases, the decrease in blood cells can be long-lasting and/or permanent.
As a consequence, a decrease in the different types of blood cells can put you at risk of bleeding, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and infection. If this happens, your doctor may decide to postpone, modify, or suspend treatment.
Some adverse effects can be serious
If you experience any serious adverse effect, inform your doctor immediately:
Very common:can affect more than 1 in 10 people
Common:can affect up to 1 in 10 people
Uncommon:can affect up to 1 in 100 people
Frequency not known:cannot be estimated from the available data
Other possible adverse effects
Other adverse effects include those listed below. If these adverse effects become serious, inform your doctor or another healthcare professional.
Very common:can affect more than 1 in 10 people
Common:can affect up to 1 in 10 people
Uncommon:can affect up to 1 in 100 people
During treatment with Lutathera, you may also have adverse effects from abnormal blood test results that can provide your doctor with information about the functioning of certain parts of your body.
Common:can affect up to 1 in 10 people
Uncommon:can affect up to 1 in 100 people
During treatment with Lutathera, you may also undergo medical/surgical procedures
Common
Uncommon
Reporting of adverse effects
If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor or nuclear medicine doctor, even if it is a possible adverse effect that is 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 contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
You will not need to store this medicine. This medicine is stored under the responsibility of the specialist in suitable facilities. The storage of radiopharmaceuticals will be carried out in accordance with national regulations on radioactive materials.
The following information is intended only for the specialist:
Composition of Lutathera
Appearance and container contents of the product
Lutathera is a clear, colorless to slightly yellowish solution for infusion, supplied in a type I colorless glass vial, closed with a bromobutyl rubber stopper and sealed with an aluminum cap.
One vial contains a solution volume ranging from 20.5 to 25.0 ml, corresponding to an activity of 7,400 MBq at the date and time of infusion.
The vial is enclosed in a lead container for protection.
Marketing authorization holder
Advanced Accelerator Applications
8-10 Rue Henri Sainte-Claire Deville
92500 Rueil-Malmaison
France
Manufacturer
Advanced Accelerator Applications Ibérica, S.L.U.
Polígono Industrial la Cuesta – Sector 3
Parcelas 1 y 2 La Almunia de Doña Godina
50100 Zaragoza
Spain
Advanced Accelerator Applications (Italy) S.r.l
Via Ribes 5
10010
Colleretto Giacosa (TO)
Italy
For further information about this medicinal product, please contact the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
Belgium Novartis Pharma N.V. Tel: +32 2 246 16 11 | Lithuania SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 |
| Luxembourg Novartis Pharma N.V. Tel: +32 2 246 16 11 |
Czech Republic Novartis s.r.o. Tel: +420 225 775 111 | Hungary Novartis Hungária Kft. Tel: +36 1 457 65 00 |
Denmark SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 | Malta Novartis Pharma Services Inc. Tel: +356 2122 2872 |
| Netherlands Novartis Pharma B.V. Tel: +31 88 04 52 111 |
Estonia SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 | Norway SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 |
| Austria Novartis Pharma GmbH Tel: +43 1 86 6570 |
Spain Advanced Accelerator Applications Ibérica, S.L.U. Tel: +34 97 6600 126 | Poland Advanced Accelerator Applications Polska Sp. z o.o. Tel: +48 22 275 56 47 |
France Advanced Accelerator Applications Tel: +33 1 55 47 63 00 | Portugal Novartis Farma - Produtos Farmacêuticos, S.A. Tel: +351 21 000 8600 |
Croatia Novartis Hrvatska d.o.o. Tel: +385 1 6274 220 | Romania Novartis Pharma Services Romania SRL Tel: +40 21 31299 01 |
Ireland Novartis Ireland Limited Tel: +353 1 260 12 55 | Slovenia Novartis Pharma Services Inc. Tel: +386 1 300 75 50 |
Iceland SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 | Slovakia MGP, spol. s r.o. Tel: +421 254 654 841 |
Italy Novartis Farma S.p.A. Tel: +39 02 96 54 1 | Finland SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 |
Cyprus ΒΙΟΚΟΣΜΟΣ ΑΕΒΕ Greece Tel: +30 22920 63900 | Sweden SAM Nordic Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 |
Latvia SAM Nordic Sweden Tel: +46 8 720 58 22 | United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) Novartis Ireland Limited Tel: +44 1276 698370 |
Date of last revision of this prospectus
Other sources of information
Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the European Medicines Agency website: http://www.ema.europa.eu.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This information is intended for healthcare professionals only:
The complete summary of product characteristics of Lutathera is included as a separate document in the product packaging, with the aim of providing healthcare professionals with additional scientific and practical information on the administration and use of this radiopharmaceutical.
Please consult the summary of product characteristics.
Discuss dosage, side effects, interactions, contraindications, and prescription renewal for LUTATHERA 370 MBq/mL SOLUTION FOR INFUSION – subject to medical assessment and local rules.