Prospect: Patient Information
Hepcludex 2 mg Powder for Injectable Solution
bulevirtida
This medicine is subject to additional monitoring, which will expedite the detection of new information about its safety. You may contribute by reporting any adverse effects you 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.
What is Hepcludex
Hepcludex contains the active ingredient bulevirtida, which is an antiviral medication.
What is Hepcludex used for
Hepcludex is used to treat long-term (chronic) infection by the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in adults with compensated liver disease (when the liver still functions properly). Infection with the hepatitis delta virus causes liver inflammation.
How Hepcludex works
The HDV uses a specific protein from liver cells to enter these cells. Bulevirtida, the active ingredient in this medication, blocks the protein and thereby prevents the HDV from entering liver cells. This reduces the spread of HDV in the liver and reduces inflammation.
Do not take Hepcludex:
Consult your doctor if you have any doubts before taking this medication.
Warnings and precautions
Do not interrupt treatment with Hepcludex unless your doctor recommends it. Interrupting treatment may reactivate the infection and worsen your condition.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to use Hepcludex:
Children and adolescents
Children and adolescents under 18 years of age should not be treated with Hepcludex.
Other medications and Hepcludex
Inform your doctor if you are using, have used recently, or may have to use any other medication.
Some medications may increase the adverse effects of Hepcludex and should not be taken at the same time. This is why you should inform your doctor if you are taking any of these medications:
Some medications may increase or decrease the effects of Hepcludex when taken together. In some cases, you may need to undergo some tests or your doctor may need to modify the dose or perform regular check-ups:
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you think you may be pregnant, consult your doctor before using this medication. Do not use this medication unless your doctor specifically recommends it.
If you are a fertile woman, do not use this medication without using an effective contraceptive method.
Discuss with your doctor whether you can breastfeed during treatment with Hepcludex. It is unknown whether Hepcludex is excreted in breast milk. Therefore, you should decide to stop breastfeeding or stop treatment with Hepcludex.
Driving and operating machinery
Dizziness and fatigue are adverse effects that may affect your ability to drive and operate machinery. If you have any doubts, consult your doctor.
Hepcludex contains sodium
This medication contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per ml; it is essentially "sodium-free".
Follow exactly the administration instructions for this medication as indicated by your doctor. If in doubt, consult your doctor again.
Dosage
The recommended dose is 2 mg once a day by subcutaneous injection (just below the skin). Your doctor will tell you how long you should use the medication.
Your doctor and nurse will teach you how to prepare and inject Hepcludex. This leaflet contains a step-by-step guide for injection to help you inject the medication (see section 7).
If you use more Hepcludex than you should
The usual dose is 2 mg (1 vial) per day. If you think you may have received more than you should, tell your doctor immediately.
If you forget to use Hepcludex
If it has beenless than 4 hourssince you forgot the dose of Hepcludex, you should inject the missed dose as soon as possible and administer the next scheduled dose at the usual time.
If it has beenmore than 4 hourssince you forgot the dose of Hepcludex, do not administer the missed dose. You should administer the next dose the following day at the usual time. Do not administer a double dose to compensate for the missed doses. Inform your doctor if you have forgotten a dose of Hepcludex.
If you interrupt treatment with Hepcludex
If you no longer want to continue using Hepcludex, consult your doctor before stopping treatment. Stopping treatment may reactivate the infection and worsen your condition. Inform your doctor immediately about any changes in symptoms after stopping treatment.
If you have any other questions about using Hepcludex, ask your doctor or nurse.
Like all medications, this medication may produce adverse effects, although not all people will experience them.
If you experience any adverse effect or if you observe any not mentioned in this prospectus, consult your doctor.
The following adverse effect isvery frequent(may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
The following adverse effects arecommon(may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
The following adverse effects areinfrequent(may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
The symptoms of allergic reactions may include:
The symptoms of anaphylactic reaction are the same as those of an allergic reaction, but are more intense and require immediate medical assistance.
Blood tests may also indicate:
Reporting Adverse Effects
If you experience adverse effects, consult your doctor or nurse, even if they are possible adverse effects not listed in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through thenational reporting system included in Appendix V. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medication.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the box and vial after "CAD". The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Store in the refrigerator (between 2 °C and 8 °C). To protect them from light, keep the vials in the outer packaging.
The reconstituted solution must be used immediately. However, if this is not possible, it can be stored for a maximum of 2 hours at a temperature of up to 25 °C.
Used medications or needles should not be thrown down the drain or in the trash. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of used containers and needles.
Composition of Hepcludex
The active ingredient is bulevirtida 2 mg. Each vial contains bulevirtida acetate equivalent to 2 mg of bulevirtida.
The other components are anhydrous sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogenocarbonate, mannitol, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide.
Appearance of the product and contents of the package
Bulevirtida is a powder for injectable solution and is presented in the form of a white or off-white powder.
Each box contains 30 individual doses.
Holder of the marketing authorization
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
Carrigtohill
County Cork, T45 DP77
Ireland
Responsible for manufacturing
LYOCONTRACT GmbH
Pulverwiese 1
38871 Ilsenburg
Germany
or
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
IDA Business and Technology Park
Carrigtohill
Co. Cork
Ireland
You can request more information about this medicine by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
België/Belgique/Belgien Gilead Sciences Belgium SRL-BV Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 24 01 35 50 | Lietuva Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: +48 (0) 22 262 8702 |
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888 | Luxembourg/Luxemburg Gilead Sciences Belgium SRL-BV Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 24 01 35 50 |
Ceská republika Gilead Sciences s.r.o. Tel: + 420 (0) 910 871 986 | Magyarország Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel.: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888 |
Danmark Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tlf: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849 | Malta Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888 |
Deutschland Gilead Sciences GmbH Tel: + 49 (0) 89 899890-0 | Nederland Gilead Sciences Netherlands B.V. Tel: + 31 (0) 20 718 36 98 |
Eesti Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: +48 (0) 22 262 8702 | Norge Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tlf: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849 |
Ελλάδα Gilead Sciences Ελλάς Μ.ΕΠΕ. Τηλ: + 30 (0) 210 8930 100 | Österreich Gilead Sciences GesmbH Tel: + 43 (0) 1 260 830 |
España Gilead Sciences, S.L. Tel: + 34 (0) 91 378 98 30 | Polska Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 (0) 22 262 8702 |
France Gilead Sciences Tél: + 33 (0) 1 46 09 41 00 | Portugal Gilead Sciences, Lda. Tel: + 351 (0) 21 7928790 |
Hrvatska Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888 | România Gilead Sciences (GSR) S.R.L. Tel: +40 31 631 18 00 |
Ireland Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 214 825 999 | Slovenija Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888 |
Ísland Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Sími: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849 | Slovenská republika Gilead Sciences Slovakia s.r.o. Tel: + 421 (0) 232 121 210 |
Italia Gilead Sciences S.r.l. Tel: + 39 02 439201 | Suomi/Finland Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Puh/Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849 |
Κύπρος Gilead Sciences Ελλάς Μ.ΕΠΕ. Τηλ: + 30 (0) 210 8930 100 | Sverige Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849 |
Latvija Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 (0) 22 262 8702 | United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 44 (0) 8000 113 700 |
Date of the last review of this leaflet: <{MM/AAAA}>.
This medicine has been authorized under a conditional approval. This type of approval means that more information is expected to be obtained about this medicine.
The European Medicines Agency will review the new information about this medicine at least once a year and this leaflet will be updated as necessary.
7. Step-by-step guide for injection
Before using Hepcludex, you should read the sections 1-6 of this leaflet first.
Before starting treatment with this medicine at home, your doctor or nurse will teach you how to prepare and inject Hepcludex. In this guide, it is indicated how you should inject the medicine yourself. Consult your doctor or nurse if anything is unclear, if you have any questions or if you need more information or help. Take the time necessary to prepare and inject Hepcludex carefully.
Injection sites | Abdomen | Upper thigh | |
To reduce reactions at the injection site, you can change the injection site of bulevirtida regularly. Do not injectbulevirtida in the following areas: knee, groin, lower or inner buttocks, directly into a blood vessel, around the navel, in scar tissue, hematomas, moles, a surgical scar, tattoos, or burns, or where a reaction has occurred at the injection site. | |||
1A Storage | 1B Mixing doses | 1C Wash your hands | 1D Clean the vial |
The bulevirtida vials should be stored in the original packaging in the refrigerator (between 2 and 8 °C) to protect bulevirtida from light. | Bulevirtida reconstituted should be used immediately. The following instructions are for dissolving a single dose. | Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water and dry them with a clean towel. Once your hands are clean, do not touch anything except the medicine, the auxiliary material, and the area around the injection site. | Wipe the top of the vial with a new cotton swab soaked in alcohol and let it air dry. If you touch the rubber stopper after cleaning it, clean it again with another cotton swab soaked in alcohol. |
2A Extract sterile water | 2B Inject sterile water into the powder | 2C Mix bulevirtida gently | |
Take the syringe. Place the longest needle in it. Important!Make sure the capped needle is securely fitted, pressing it gently while turning it clockwise. Remove the plastic cap. Open the sterile water for injectable preparations. Insert the needle into the vial and invert the vial of water gently. Make sure the tip of the needle is always below the surface of the water to prevent air bubbles from entering the syringe. Pull the plunger slowly until you have 1.0 cc/ml of sterile water in the syringe. Carefully remove the needle and syringe from the vial. | Gently tap the bulevirtida vial to loosen the powder. Insert the needle with sterile water into the bulevirtida vial at an angle. Inject the sterile water slowly, allowing it to fall down the side of the vial into the bulevirtida powder. | Gently tap the bulevirtida vial with the tips of your fingers for 10 seconds to start dissolving the powder. Then, gently rotate the bulevirtida vial between your hands to mix it completely. Make sure there is no bulevirtida powder stuck to the sides of the vial. Important! Do not shake the vial of bulevirtida. If you shake it, foam will form and the medicine will take much longer to dissolve. |
2D Inspect bulevirtida | 2E Bulevirtida ready for injection |
When the powder starts to dissolve, leave it and it will dissolve completely. After tapping, it may take up to 3 minutes to dissolve. | When it is fully mixed, the bulevirtida solution should be transparent. Important!Bulevirtida fully dissolved should be transparent and without foam. If the bulevirtida solution has foam or is yellowish, leave it to dissolve for a longer time. If you see bubbles, gently tap the vial until they disappear. If you observe particles in the bulevirtida solution once dissolved (completely), do not use that vial. Consult your doctor or pharmacist who supplied it to you. |
3A Insert the needle into the vial | 3B Extract bulevirtida | 3C Finish the preparation | 3D Change and dispose of the needle |
Take the syringe. Insert the needle into the bulevirtida vial. | Invert the vial gently. Make sure the tip of the needle is always below the surface of the bulevirtida solution to prevent air bubbles from entering the syringe. Pull the plunger slowly to introduce 1.0 cc/ml of bulevirtida. | Gently tap or shake the syringe and push/pull the plunger to remove any additional air and bubbles. To ensure you finish with 1.0 cc/ml of bulevirtida in the syringe, you may need to pull the plunger past the 1.0 cc/ml mark. Carefully remove the needle and syringe from the vial. | Remove the longest needle from the syringe and dispose of it properly so that no one can be harmed. Important!Do not put the plastic cap back on the needle. |
3E Insert the needle for injection | 3F Choose the injection site | 3G Prepare the injection site | 3H Inject bulevirtida |
Place the shorter needle in the syringe. Important!Make sure the capped needle is securely fitted, pressing it gently while turning it clockwise. Remove the plastic cap. | Choose a different site from the one you used for your last injection. Clean the injection site with a new cotton swab soaked in alcohol. Start in the center, apply pressure, and clean with a circular motion outward. Important!Leave the area to air dry. Prepare the bulevirtida vial. Clean the top of the bulevirtida vial with a new cotton swab soaked in alcohol. Leave it to air dry. | Take a pinch of skin around the injection site. | Perforate the skin at a 45-degree angle. The needle should be inserted most of the way. Pull the plunger slowly all the way to inject bulevirtida. Remove the needle from the skin. Remove the needle from the syringe and dispose of both properly so that no one can be harmed (see 3D). |
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