Package Insert: Information for the User
Pelgraz 6 mg injectable solution in pre-filled syringe
pegfilgrastim
Read the entire package insert carefully before starting to use the medication, as it contains important information for you.
Pelgraz contains the active ingredient pegfilgrastim. Pegfilgrastim is a protein produced by biotechnology in the bacteriumE. coli. Pegfilgrastim belongs to a group of proteins called cytokines, and is very similar to a natural protein (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) produced by our body.
Pelgraz is used to reduce the duration of neutropenia (low white blood cell count) and the incidence of febrile neutropenia (low white blood cell count and fever) that may be caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy (medicines that destroy rapidly dividing cells). White blood cells are important cells that contribute to fighting infections. These cells are sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy, which can cause their number to decrease. If the white blood cell count drops too low, there may not be enough to fight off bacteria, which implies a higher risk of contracting an infection.
Your doctor has prescribed Pelgraz to stimulate your bone marrow (the part of the bone where blood cells are produced) to produce more white blood cells that will help you fight off infections.
Warnings and precautions
Inform your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before using Pelgraz if:
These may be symptoms of a condition called "Capillary Leak Syndrome" that may cause blood to leak from a small blood vessel into other parts of your body. See section 4.
Your doctor will perform regular blood and urine tests since Pelgraz may damage the small filters within your kidneys (glomerulonephritis).
Severe skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome) have been reported with the use of Pelgraz. Stop using Pelgraz and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the symptoms described in section 4.
You should consult with your doctor about the risk of developing blood cancer. If you develop or may develop blood cancer, do not use Pelgraz, except if your doctor advises you to.
Loss of response to pegfilgrastim
If you experience a loss of response or if you are unable to maintain a response to treatment with pegfilgrastim, your doctor will investigate the causes, including whether you have developed antibodies that may neutralize the activity of pegfilgrastim.
Children and adolescents
The safety and efficacy of Pelgraz have not yet been established in children and adolescents. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication.
Other medications and Pelgraz
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have used recently, or may need to use any other medication.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication. Pelgraz has not been used in pregnant women. It is essential to inform your doctor if:
If you become pregnant during treatment with Pelgraz, please inform your doctor.
Unless your doctor advises you otherwise, you should stop breastfeeding if you use Pelgraz.
Driving and operating machines
Pelgraz has no or negligible influence on your ability to drive and operate machines.
Pelgraz contains sorbitol (E420) and sodium
This medication contains 30 mg of sorbitol in the pre-filled syringe, equivalent to 50 mg/ml.
This medication contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per 6 mg dose; this is essentially "sodium-free".
Pelgraz is indicated in patients aged 18 years or older.
Follow exactly the administration instructions of Pelgraz indicated by your doctor. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist if you have doubts. The usual dose is a subcutaneous injection of 6 mg (under the skin), with a preloaded injector, which must be administered at the end of each chemotherapy cycle from 24 hours after your last chemotherapy dose.
Do not shake Pelgraz strongly as it may affect its activity.
Pelgraz Self-Administration
Your doctor may consider it more convenient for you to administer Pelgraz yourself. Your doctor or nurse will teach you how to do it. Do not attempt to do it unless you have received special training from your doctor or nurse.
The instructions on how to administer Pelgraz yourself are below, but the correct treatment of your disease requires the close and constant cooperation of your doctor.
If you are unsure about how to administer the injection yourself or have any doubts, ask your doctor or nurse for help.
How do I administer the Pelgraz injection myself?
You will have to administer the injection into the tissue under the skin. This is what is called a subcutaneous injection.
Equipment you need
To administer a subcutaneous injection yourself, you will need:
What should I do before administering a subcutaneous injection of Pelgraz?
How do I prepare my Pelgraz injection?
Before injecting Pelgraz, you should do the following:
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If you have any problems, ask your doctor or nurse for help and information.
If you use more Pelgraz than you should
If you use more Pelgraz than you should, contact your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
If you forget to use Pelgraz
If you are self-administering and have forgotten to administer your dose of Pelgraz, contact your doctor to decide when you should inject the next dose.
If you stop using Pelgraz
Your doctor will tell you when to stop using Pelgraz. It is quite normal to have a series of treatment cycles with Pelgraz.
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.
Inform your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following side effects:
These may be symptoms of a rare disease (which can affect up to 1 in 100 people) called "capillary leak syndrome" and which can cause blood to leak from a small blood vessel into other parts of your body and require urgent medical attention.
Very common side effects(can affect more than 1 in 10 patients):
Common side effects(can affect up to 1 in 10 patients):
Uncommon side effects(can affect up to 1 in 100 patients):
Rare side effects (can affect 1 in 1,000 people):
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.
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 on the syringe label after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Store in refrigerator (between 2°C and 8°C).
Pelgraz can be at room temperature (not above 25°C ± 2°C) for a single period of up to 15 days. If Pelgraz is left at room temperature for more than 15 days, it must be discarded. For all doubts about storage, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
Do not freeze. Accidental exposure to freezing temperature for a single period of less than 24 hours does not negatively affect the stability of Pelgraz.
Store the preloaded syringe in the box to protect it from light.
Do not use this medication if you observe that the solution is not completely transparent or contains particles.
Medicines should not be thrown away through drains or in the trash. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the containers and medications that you no longer need. In this way, you will help protect the environment.
Appearance of the product and contents of the pack
Pelgraz is a clear, colourless injectable solution in a pre-filled syringe with a needle for injection. Each pre-filled syringe contains 0.6 ml of solution.
Pelgraz is available in a pack containing 1 pre-filled syringe, in an individual carton and an alcohol swab.
Marketing authorisation holder and responsible person for manufacturing
Marketing authorisation holder
Accord Healthcare S.L.U.
World Trade Center, Moll de Barcelona, s/n,
Edifici Est 6th floor,
08039 Barcelona,
Spain
Responsible person for manufacturing
Accord Healthcare Polska Sp.z o.o.,
ul. Lutomierska 50,95-200 Pabianice, Poland
Accord Healthcare B.V.,
Winthontlaan 200,
3526 KV Utrecht,
Netherlands
You can request more information about this medicine by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorisation holder.
AT / BE / BG / CY / CZ / DE / DK / EE / FI / FR / HR / HU / IS / LT / LV / LX/ MT / NL / NO /PT / PL / RO / SE / SI / SK / ES
Accord Healthcare S.L.U. Tel: +34 93 301 00 64
IT
Accord Healthcare Italia
Tel: +39 02 94323700
EL
Win Medica Pharmaceutical S.A.
Tel: +30 210 7488 821
Revision date of this leaflet:06/2023
The detailed information about this medicine is available on the website of the European Medicines Agency http://www.ema.europa.eu/.
This information is intended solely for doctors or healthcare professionals:
Pelgraz does not contain any preservative. Due to the possible risk of microbial contamination, the pre-filled syringes of Pelgraz are for single use only.
Do not freeze. Accidental exposure to freezing temperatures for up to 24 hours does not affect the stability of Pelgraz. If exposure has been for more than 24 hours or has been frozen more than once, DO NOT use Pelgraz.
To improve the traceability of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors, the name of the medicine (Pelgraz) and the batch number of the pre-filled syringe administered should be clearly recorded in the patient's file.
Elimination
The elimination of unused medicine and all materials that have been in contact with it will be carried out in accordance with local regulations.
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