Prescribing Information: Information for the User
Soliris 300 mg Concentrate for Solution for Infusion
eculizumab
Read this entire prescribing information carefully before starting to use this medicine, as it contains important information for you.
What is Soliris
The active ingredient of Soliris is eculizumab and it belongs to a group of medications called monoclonal antibodies. Eculizumab binds to a specific protein in the body that causes inflammation and inhibits it, so that the body's systems cannot attack and destroy vulnerable blood cells, kidneys, muscles, or eye nerves and spinal cord.
What is Soliris used for
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Soliris is used in the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with a specific type of blood disorder called paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). In patients with PNH, red blood cells can be destroyed, leading to a reduction in the number of red blood cells (anemia), fatigue, functional difficulty, pain, dark urine, breathing difficulty, and blood clots. Eculizumab can block the body's inflammatory response and its ability to attack and destroy vulnerable PNH blood cells.
Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS)
Soliris is also used for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with a certain type of kidney and circulatory disorder called atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). In patients with aHUS, kidneys and blood cells, including platelets, can be damaged, leading to low blood counts (thrombocytopenia and anemia), decreased or lost kidney function, blood clots, fatigue, and functional difficulty. Eculizumab can block the body's inflammatory response and its ability to attack and destroy vulnerable blood cells and kidneys.
Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG)
Soliris is also used to treat adult and pediatric patients 6 years of age or older with a certain type of muscle disorder called generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). In patients with gMG, the immune system can attack and damage muscles, leading to significant muscle weakness, mobility deterioration, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, risk of aspiration, and notable impairment of daily activities. Soliris can block the body's inflammatory response and its ability to attack and destroy its own muscles to improve muscle contraction, thus reducing disease symptoms and the impact of the disease on daily activities. Soliris is specifically indicated for patients who remain symptomatic despite receiving existing treatments for gMG.
Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)
Soliris is also used to treat adult patients with a certain type of disorder that predominantly affects eye nerves and spinal cord called neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). In patients with NMOSD, the immune system attacks and damages eye nerves and spinal cord, leading to blindness in one eye or both, leg or arm weakness or paralysis, painful spasms or loss of sensation, and notable impairment of daily activities. Soliris can block the body's inflammatory response and its ability to attack and destroy its own eye nerves and spinal cord, thus reducing disease symptoms and the impact of the disease on daily activities.
No use Soliris
Warnings and precautions
Meningococcal infection alert and other infections byNeisseria
Treatment with Soliris may reduce your natural resistance to infections, particularly those caused by certain organisms that cause meningococcal infection (severe brain lining infection and sepsis) and other infections byNeisseria, including disseminated gonorrhea.
Consult your doctor before using Soliris to ensure that you are vaccinated againstNeisseria meningitidis, one of the microorganisms that causes meningococcal infection, at least 2 weeksbefore starting treatment or that you receive antibiotic treatment to reduce the risk of infection until 2 weeks after vaccination. Make sure you are up to date on your meningococcal vaccinations. Also, note that vaccination does not always prevent this type of infection. According to national recommendations, your doctor may consider it necessary to apply additional measures to prevent infection.
If you are at risk of developing gonorrhea, ask your doctor or pharmacist for information before starting to use this medication.
Meningococcal infection symptoms
Given the importance of rapid identification and treatment of certain infections in patients receiving Soliris, you will be given a card with a list of specific symptoms of infections to carry with you at all times. This is called the “Patient Safety Card”.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you must immediately inform your doctor:
Treatment of meningococcal infection during travel
If you plan to travel to a remote area where you will not be able to contact your doctor or receive medical treatment for some time, your doctor may take the necessary preventive measures, such as prescribing an antibiotic againstNeisseria meningitidisfor you to carry with you. If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, you must take the prescribed antibiotic. Remember that you must see your doctor as soon as possible, even if you feel better after taking the antibiotic.
Infections
Before using Soliris, inform your doctor if you have any infections.
Allergic reactions
Soliris contains a protein, and proteins can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Children and adolescents
Patients under 18 years old must be vaccinated againstHaemophilus influenzaeand pneumococcal infections.
Older adults
No special precautions are required for the treatment of patients aged 65 years and older.
Other medications and Soliris
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have used recently, or may need to use any other medication.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.
Women of childbearing age
Women of childbearing age should consider using effective contraceptive methods during treatment and for up to 5 months after treatment.
Pregnancy/breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.
Driving and operating machinery
The influence of Soliris on the ability to drive and operate machinery is negligible or insignificant.
Soliris contains sodium
Once diluted with 9 mg/ml (0.9%) sodium chloride solution for injection, this medication contains 0.88 g of sodium (main component of table salt/for cooking) in 240 ml at the maximum dose. This is equivalent to 44% of the maximum daily sodium intake recommended for an adult. You should be aware of this if you are following a low-sodium diet.
Once diluted with 4.5 mg/ml (0.45%) sodium chloride solution for injection, this medication contains 0.67 g of sodium (main component of table salt/for cooking) in 240 ml at the maximum dose. This is equivalent to 33.5% of the maximum daily sodium intake recommended for an adult. You should be aware of this if you are following a low-sodium diet.
At least 2 weeks before starting treatment with Soliris, your doctor will administer a vaccine against meningococcal infection if you have not been vaccinated previously or if the vaccine administered to you has expired. If your child is under the required age for vaccination or if you have not been vaccinated at least 2 weeks before starting treatment with Soliris, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection until 2 weeks after vaccination.
Your doctor will administer a vaccine to your child under 18 years old againstHaemophilus influenzaeand pneumococcal infections in accordance with local vaccination recommendations for each age range.
Instructions for proper use
Your doctor or another healthcare professional will administer the treatment, which will consist of infusing a Soliris vial solution prepared in a drip bag, directly into a vein. It is recommended that the first phase of treatment, or initial phase, last 4 weeks, after which the maintenance phase will begin:
If you use this medication to treat HPN
For adults:
During the first 4 weeks, your doctor will administer an intravenous infusion of Soliris diluted every week. Each administration will consist of a dose of 600 mg (2 vials of 30 ml) and will last 25 to 45 minutes (35 minutes ± 10 minutes).
If you use this medication to treat SHUa, MGg refractory or TENMO:
For adults:
During the first 4 weeks, your doctor will administer an intravenous infusion of Soliris diluted every week. Each administration will consist of a dose of up to 900 mg (3 vials of 30 ml) and will last 25 to 45 minutes (35 minutes ± 10 minutes).
Children and adolescents with HPN, SHUa or MGg refractory and those with a weight of 40 kg or more will be treated with the adult dose.
Children and adolescents with HPN, SHUa or MGg refractory and those patients with a weight of less than 40 kg require a lower dose based on their weight. Your doctor will calculate it.
In the case of children and adolescents with HPN or SHUa under 18 years:
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Patients undergoing plasma exchange may receive additional doses of Soliris.
After each infusion, you must remain under observation for 1 hour and follow your doctor's instructions to the letter.
If you have received more Soliris than you should
If you suspect that you have been accidentally administered a dose of Soliris greater than the prescribed dose, consult your doctor.
If you forget to attend an appointment to receive Soliris
If you forget to attend an appointment, consult your doctor immediately and read the section “If you interrupt treatment with Soliris”.
If you interrupt treatment with Soliris in HPN
If you interrupt or discontinue treatment with Soliris, it is possible that HPN symptoms will reappear more intensely just after interrupting treatment. If you interrupt treatment with Soliris, your doctor will discuss possible side effects and explain the risks. In addition, they will closely monitor you for at least 8 weeks.
The risks of interrupting treatment with Soliris include an increase in the destruction of your red blood cells, which may produce the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor.
If you interrupt treatment with Soliris in SHUa
If you interrupt or discontinue treatment with Soliris, it is possible that SHUa symptoms will reappear. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects and explain the risks. In addition, they will closely monitor you.
The risks of interrupting treatment with Soliris include an increase in the inflammatory processes of your platelets, which may produce the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor.
If you interrupt treatment with Soliris for MGg refractory
If you interrupt or discontinue treatment with Soliris, it is possible that MGg symptoms will reappear. Talk to your doctor before interrupting treatment with Soliris. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects and risks. In addition, they will closely monitor you.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
If you interrupt treatment with Soliris for TENMO
If you interrupt or discontinue treatment with Soliris, it is possible that TENMO will worsen and a relapse will occur. Talk to your doctor before interrupting treatment with Soliris. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects and risks. In addition, they will closely monitor you.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects and explain the risks and benefits of Soliris before starting treatment. The most severe side effect was meningococcal sepsis.
If you experience any of the symptoms of meningococcal infection (see section 2 Meningococcal infection alert and other Neisseria infections), inform your doctor immediately.
If you are unsure about the side effects listed below, ask your doctor to explain them to you.
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 patients):
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):
Uncommon(may affect up to 1 in 100 patients):
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients):
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the national notification system included in theAppendix V.By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information about the safety of this medicine.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the box and on the vial label after “CAD.” The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Store in the refrigerator (between 2°C and 8°C).
Do not freeze.
Soliris vials can be stored in the original container outside the refrigeratorfor a singleperiod of up to 3 days.
At the end of this period, the product can be returned to the refrigerator.
Store in the original packaging to protect it from light.
After dilution, the medication must be used within 24 hours.
Medications should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the containers and medications that you no longer need. This will help protect the environment.
Composition of Soliris
Appearance of the product and contents of the packaging
Soliris is presented in the form of a concentrate for perfusion solution (30 ml in a vial – packaging size 1).
Soliris is a transparent and colorless solution.
Holder of the marketing authorization
Alexion Europe SAS
103-105 rue Anatole France
92300 Levallois-Perret
France
Responsible for manufacturing
Almac Pharma Services
22 Seagoe Industrial Estate
Craigavon BT63 5QD
United Kingdom
Alexion Pharma International
Operations Limited
College Business and Technology Park
Blanchardstown Road North
Dublin 15
D15 R925
Ireland
You can request more information about this medication by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
Spain
Alexion Pharma Spain, S.L.
Tel: +34 93 272 30 05
Last review date of this leaflet:
Other sources of information
The detailed information about this medication is available on the website of the European Medicines Agency:http://www.ema.europa.eu/, and on the website of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS)(http://www.aemps.gob.es/). There are also links to other websites about rare diseases and orphan drugs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Instructions for use for healthcare professionals
Handling of Soliris
This information is intended solely for doctors or healthcare professionals.
1- How is Soliris administered?
Each vial of Soliris contains 300 mg of active ingredient in 30 ml of product solution.
2- Before administering the medication
The reconstitution and dilution must be performed in accordance with good practices, especially in terms of asepsis.
Soliris must be prepared using an aseptic technique for subsequent administration by a qualified healthcare professional.
Agitate the perfusion bag with the diluted Soliris solution gently to ensure that the medication and solvent are well mixed.
Allow the diluted solution to reach room temperature (between 18°C-25°C) before administering it, leaving it at room temperature.
The diluted solution should not be heated in a microwave oven or any other heat source other than room temperature.
Discard the remaining medication in the vial, as it does not contain preservatives.
The diluted Soliris solution can be stored at 2°C-8°C for a maximum of 24 hours before administering it.
3- Administration
The patient will remain under observation for one hour after perfusion. If an adverse effect occurs during Soliris administration, the perfusion should be interrupted or the rate reduced, as deemed necessary by the doctor. If the rate is reduced, the total duration of perfusion cannot exceed two hours in adults and four hours in pediatric patients under 18 years of age.
4- Special storage and handling conditions
Store in the refrigerator (between 2°C and 8°C). Do not freeze. Store in the original packaging to protect it from light.
Soliris vials can be stored in the original packaging outside the refrigeratorfor a single period of up to 3 days. At the end of this period, the product can be returned to the refrigerator.
Do not use Soliris after the expiration date indicated on the packaging after “CAD”. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Have questions about this medication or your symptoms? Connect with a licensed doctor for guidance and personalized care.