Prospect: information for the patient
Vocabria 600 mg prolonged-release injectable suspension
cabotegravir
This medicine is subject to additional monitoring, which will expedite the detection of new information about its safety. You can contribute by reporting any adverse effects you may experience. The final part of section 4 includes information on how to report these adverse effects.
Read this prospect carefully before starting to use this medicine, as it contains important information for you.
Vocabria injectable contains cabotegravir as the active ingredient. Cabotegravir belongs to a group of antiretroviral medications called integrase inhibitors (INI).
Vocabria injectable is used to treat HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection in adults and adolescents (at least 12 years of age and weighing at least 35 kg), who also receive another injectable antiretroviral medication called rilpivirine and whose HIV-1 infection is under control.
Vocabria injections do not cure HIV infection; they maintain the level of virus in the body at a low level. This helps to maintain the number of CD4+ cells in the blood. CD4+ cells are a type of white blood cell that are important for helping the body to fight off infections.
The Vocabria injection is always administeredin combination with another injection of another antiretroviral medication calledrilpivirine injectable. Consult the prospectus for rilpivirine for more information about that medication.
Do not receive Vocabria injectable
Warnings and precautions
Severe skin reaction
Severe skin reactions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported very rarely in association with Vocabria. If you notice any of the symptoms related to these severe skin reactions, do not receive the next injection of Vocabria and seek medical attention immediately.
Severe allergic reaction
Vocabria contains cabotegravir, which is an integrase inhibitor. Integrase inhibitors, including cabotegravir, can cause a severe allergic reaction known ashypersensitivity reaction. You need to know the important signs and symptoms to which you should pay attention while receiving Vocabria.
Liver problems including hepatitis B and/or C
Inform your doctor if you have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B and/or C. Your doctor will evaluate the severity of your liver disease before deciding if you can take Vocabria.
Be aware of the important symptoms
Some people taking HIV medications develop other conditions, which can be serious.
You need to know the important signs and symptoms to which you should pay attention while being treated with Vocabria.These include:
If you have symptoms of infection or liver damage:
Regular visits are important
It is essential thatyou attend your scheduled appointmentsto receive the Vocabria injection, to control your HIV infection, and prevent your condition from worsening. Inform your doctor if you are thinking of interrupting treatment. If you delay receiving your Vocabria injection, or if you stop receiving Vocabria, you will need to take other medications to treat HIV infection and reduce the risk of developing viral resistance.
Vocabria injectable is a long-acting medication.If you interrupt treatment, low levels of cabotegravir (the active ingredient in Vocabria) may remain in your body for up to 12 months or more after the last injection.These low levels of cabotegravir will not protect you against the virus, and the virus may become resistant. You should start a different HIV treatment within a month after the last Vocabria injection, if you receive monthly injections, and within two months after the last Vocabria injection, if you receive injections every two months.
Children and adolescents
This medication should not be used in children under 12 years or adolescents with a weight less than 35 kg, as it has not been studied in these patients.
Other medications and Vocabria injectable
Inform your doctor if you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medication, including over-the-counter medications.
Vocabria should not be administeredwith other medications (see‘Do not receive Vocabria injectable’ earlier in section 2).
Some medications may affect how Vocabria worksor increase the likelihood of you experiencingside effects. Vocabria may also affect how other medications work.
Inform your doctorif you are taking:
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or think you may be pregnant or plan to become pregnant:
Pregnancy
Breastfeeding
It is not recommendedthat women with HIV breastfeed as the infection can be transmitted to the baby through breast milk.
The safety of Vocabria injectable in breastfeeding women has not been established.However, it is possible that cabotegravir may pass into breast milk during the 12 months following the last Vocabria injection.
If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed,you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.
Driving and operating machinery
Vocabria may cause dizzinessand other side effects that may make you less alert.
You will be administered Vocabriain the form of an injection, once a month or once every 2 months, along with another injectable medication called rilpivirina.Your doctor will inform you about the dosing schedule.
A nurse or doctor will administer Vocabria to you through an injection in the muscle of your buttock (intramuscular injection, or IM).
When you start treatmentwith Vocabria,you and your doctor may decideto start treatment with Vocabria tablets or opt directly for Vocabria injections. If you decide to start treatment with the tablets, your doctor will tell you:
This first monthof Vocabria and rilpivirina tabletsis called theoral induction period.It will allow your doctor to evaluate if it is appropriate to switch to injections.
Monthly injection schedule
Medication | When | |
First injection | Second injection onwards, every month | |
Vocabria | Injection of 600 mg | Injection of 400 mgevery month |
Rilpivirina | Injection of 900 mg | Injection of 600 mgevery month |
Every 2 months injection schedule
Medication | When | |
First and second injection, with a 1-month gap | Third injection onwards, every 2 months | |
Vocabria | Injection of 600 mg | Injection of 600 mg every 2 months |
Rilpivirina | Injection of 900 mg | Injection of 900 mgevery 2 months |
If you miss a Vocabria injection
Contact your doctor immediatelyto schedule a new appointment
It is essentialto control HIV and prevent your condition from worsening,to attend the scheduled regular appointments to receive your injection. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking of interrupting treatment.
Talk to your doctorif you think you will not be able to receive your Vocabria injection at the usual frequency. Your doctor may recommend that you take Vocabria tabletsor another HIV treatmentinstead, until you can receive your Vocabria injection again.
If you are administered more Vocabria injectable than you should
This medication will be administered by a doctor or nurse, so it is unlikely that you will be administered too much. If you are concerned, consult the doctor or nurse.
Do not stop receiving Vocabria injections without consulting your doctor.
Continue receiving Vocabria injections for as long as your doctor recommends. Do not stop unless your doctor tells you to.If you interrupt treatment, your doctor should start another HIV treatment within 1 month of the last Vocabria injection if you are receiving monthly injections, and within 2 months of the last Vocabria injection if you receive injections every 2 months, to reduce the risk of viral resistance.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.
Do not receive the next Vocabria injection and seek immediate medical attentionif you notice any of the following symptoms:
Allergic reactions
Vocabria contains cabotegravir, which is an integrase inhibitor. Integrase inhibitors, including cabotegravir, can cause a severe allergic reaction known as hypersensitivity reaction.
If you experience any of the following symptoms:
Very common side effects
These may affectmore than 1 in 10people:
Common side effects
These may affectup to 1 in 10people:
Uncommon side effects
These may affectup to 1 in 100people:
Other side effects that may appear in blood tests
Other possible side effects
People receiving HIV treatment with Vocabria and rilpivirine may experience other side effects.
Pancreatitis
If you have severe abdominal pain (stomach), it may be due to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
Symptoms of infection and inflammation
People with advanced HIV infection (AIDS) have a weakened immune system and are more prone to developing severe infections (opportunistic infections). When starting treatment, the immune system strengthens, and the body begins to fight these infections.
Symptoms of infection and inflammation may occur:
Symptoms of autoimmune disorders may appear many months after starting treatment for HIV infection.
Symptoms may include:
If you experience any symptoms of infection:
Reporting side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or nurse, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through theSpanish System for Pharmacovigilance of Medicines for Human Use:www.notificaRAM.es.By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the label and the box after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
This medication does not require any special storage temperature.
Do not freeze.
Each vial of 3ml contains 600mg of cabotegravir.
The other components are:
Mannitol (E421)
Polysorbate 20(E432)
Macrogol(E1521)
Water forinjectable preparations
Appearance of the product and contents of the package
Cabotegravirprolonged-release injectable suspensionis presented in a topaz-colored glass vialwith a rubber stopper. The package also contains 1 syringe, 1 vial adapter, and 1 needle for injection.
Marketing Authorization Holder
ViiV Healthcare BV
Van Asch van Wijckstraat 55H
3811 LP Amersfoort
Netherlands
Manufacturer
GlaxoSmithKline Manufacturing SpA
Strada Provinciale Asolana, 90
San Polo di Torrile
Parma, 43056
Italy
You can request more information about this medication by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
België/Belgique/Belgien ViiV Healthcare srl/bv Tél/Tel:+ 32 (0)10 85 65 00 | Lietuva ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 37080000334 | ||
Luxembourg/Luxemburg ViiV Healthcare srl/bv Belgique/Belgien Tél/Tel:+ 32 (0)10 85 65 00 | |||
Ceská republika GlaxoSmithKline, s.r.o. Tel: + 420 222 001 111 | Magyarország ViiV Healthcare BV Tel.: + 3680088309 | ||
Danmark GlaxoSmithKline Pharma A/S Tlf: + 45 36 35 91 00 | Malta ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 35680065004 | ||
Nederland ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 31 (0) 33 2081199 | |||
Eesti ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 372 8002640 | Norge GlaxoSmithKline AS Tlf: + 47 22 70 20 00 | ||
Ελλ?δα GlaxoSmithKlineΜονοπρ?σωπηA.E.B.E. Τηλ: + 30 210 68 82 100 | Österreich GlaxoSmithKline Pharma GmbH Tel: + 43 (0)1 97075 0 | ||
Polska GSK Services Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 (0)22 576 9000 | |||
Hrvatska ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 385800787089 | România ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: +40800672524 | ||
Ireland GlaxoSmithKline (Ireland) Limited Tel: + 353 (0)1 4955000 | Slovenija ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 386 80688869 | ||
Ísland Vistor hf. Sími:+354 535 7000 | Slovenská republika ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 421 800500589 | ||
Italia ViiV Healthcare S.r.l Tel: + 39 (0)457741600 | Suomi/Finland GlaxoSmithKline Oy Puh/Tel: + 358 (0)10 30 30 30 | ||
Κ?προς ViiV Healthcare BV Τηλ:+ 35780070017 | Sverige GlaxoSmithKline AB Tel: + 46 (0)8 638 93 00 | ||
Latvija ViiV Healthcare BV Tel: + 37180205045 | |||
Last update date of this leaflet:
Other sources of informationn
The detailed information about this medication is available on the website of the European Medicines Agency:https://www.ema.europa.eu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This information is intended solely for healthcare professionals:
Instructions for useof Vocabria injectable 3ml:
General description A complete dose requires two injections:VOCABRIA and rilpivirina 3ml of cabotegravir and 3ml of rilpivirina. Cabotegravir and rilpivirina are suspensions that do not require additional dilution or reconstitution. The steps for preparing both medications are the same. Follow these instructions carefully to avoid leaks when preparing the injectable suspension. Cabotegravir and rilpivirina are only for intramuscular use. Both injections should be administered in each buttock. Nota:It is recommended to use the ventrogluteal area.The order of administration is not important. | ||
Information on conservation | ||
•This medication does not require special conservation conditions.
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Your package contains | ||
Take into account the patient's constitution and medical criteria to choose the appropriate needle length. | ||
You will also need | ||
Make sure you have the rilpivirina package before starting. | ||
Preparation | ||
1. Inspect the vial | ||
Nota:The cabotegravir vial is made of topaz-colored glass. Do not useif it has expired. | ||
2. Wait 15 minutes | ||
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3. Shake vigorously | ||
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4. Inspect the suspension | ||
Nota:The order of preparing the vials is not important. | ||
5. Remove the vial cap | ||
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6. Open the vial adapter | ||
Nota:Do notremove the vial adapter from its packaging until the next step.The vialadapterwill fall off when you turn the packaging over. | ||
7. Attach the vial adapter | ||
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8. Remove the packaging | ||
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9. Prepare the syringe | ||
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10. Attach the syringe | ||
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11. Press the plunger | ||
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12. Extract the dose slowly | ||
Nota:Keep the syringe pointing upwards to avoid dripping. | ||
13. Loosen the syringe | ||
Nota:Check that the cabotegravir suspension appears uniform and is a white to light pink color. | ||
14. Attach the needle | ||
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Injection | ||
15. Prepare the injection site | ||
The injections should be administered in the buttocks. Choose between the following areas for the injection: • Ventrogluteal (recommended) • Dorsogluteal (upper outer quadrant) Nota:Only for intramuscular gluteal use. | ||
16. Remove the needle cap | ||
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17. Dispose of the excess liquid | ||
Nota:Clean the injection site with an alcohol-soaked swab. Let the skin dry before continuing. | ||
18. Stretch the skin | ||
Use the Z injection technique to minimize medication dripping at the injection site.
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19. Insert the needle | ||
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20. Inject the dose | ||
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21. Examine the injection site | ||
Do notmassage the area. | ||
22. Cover the needle | ||
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After the injection | ||
23. Dispose of the syringe safely | ||
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Repeat for the second medication | ||
If you have not yet injected both medications, follow the preparation and injection steps for rilpivirina, which has its own instructions for use. | ||
Questions and answers | ||
1. How long can the medication remain in the syringe? Once the suspension has been loaded into the syringe, the injection should be used immediately from a microbiological standpoint. Chemical and physical stability has been demonstrated in use for 2 hours at 25°C. 2. Why is air injected into the vial? Injecting 1 ml of air into the vial facilitates the extraction of the dose with the syringe. Without air, some of the liquid may return to the vial unintentionally, leaving less than intended in the syringe. 3. Does the order in which I administer the medications matter? No, the order is not important. 4. If the package has been stored in the refrigerator, is it safe to quickly warm the vial to room temperature? It is best to let the vial reach room temperature naturally. However, you can use the warmth of your hands to speed up the warming process, but make sure the vial does not exceed 30°C. Do not use any other method of heating. 5.Why is the administration in the ventrogluteal area recommended? The administration in the ventrogluteal area, in the middle gluteal muscle, is recommended because it is farther away from the main nerves and blood vessels. It is also acceptable to administer in the dorsogluteal area, in the upper outer gluteal muscle, if preferred by the healthcare professional. The injection should not be administered in any other area. |
Have questions about this medication or your symptoms? Connect with a licensed doctor for guidance and personalized care.