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Carimune NF (Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)) - Summary

 
 



WARNINGS

Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human) (IGIV) products have been reported to be associated with renal dysfunction, acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis, and death (30,31,32,33,34,35). Patients predisposed to acute renal failure include patients with:

  1. any degree of pre-existing renal insufficiency
  2. diabetes mellitus
  3. age greater than 65
  4. volume depletion
  5. sepsis
  6. paraproteinemia
  7. patients receiving known nephrotoxic drugs

In such patients, IGIV products should be administered at the minimum concentration available and the minimum rate of infusion practicable. While these reports of renal dysfunction and acute renal failure have been associated with the use of many of the licensed IGIV products, those containing sucrose as a stabilizer accounted for a disproportionate share of the total number. See PRECAUTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION sections for important information intended to reduce the risk of acute renal failure.

Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), Carimune™ NF, is made from human plasma. Products made from human plasma may contain infectious agents, such as viruses, that can cause disease. The risk that such products will transmit an infectious agent has been reduced by screening plasma donors for prior exposure to certain viruses, by testing for the presence of certain current virus infections, and through the application of viral elimination/reduction steps such as alcohol fractionation in the presence of filter aids, nanofiltration and pH4/pepsin treatment (4,5,6; see Table 1). Despite these measures, such products may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents, e.g., viruses, and theoretically, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) agent. There is also the possibility that unknown infectious agents may be present in such products. ALL infections thought by a physician possibly to have been transmitted by this product should be reported by the physician or other healthcare provider to ZLB Bioplasma Inc., Tel. no: 866 244 29 52. The physician should discuss the risks and benefits of this product with the patient.

Patients with agamma- or extreme hypogammaglobulinemia who have never before received immunoglobulin substitution treatment or whose time from last treatment is greater than 8 weeks, may be at risk of developing inflammatory reactions on rapid infusion (greater than 1 mL per minute) of Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), Carimune™ NF. These reactions are manifested by a rise in temperature, chills, nausea, and vomiting. The patient's vital signs should be monitored continuously. The patient should be carefully observed throughout the infusion, since these reactions on rare occasions may lead to shock. Epinephrine should be available for treatment of an acute anaphylactic reaction.

 

CARIMUNE NF SUMMARY

Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human) (IGIV), Carimune™ NF Nanofiltered, is a sterile, highly purified polyvalent antibody product containing in concentrated form all the IgG antibodies which regularly occur in the donor population (1). This immunoglobulin preparation is produced by cold alcohol fractionation from the plasma of US donors. Part of the fractionation may be performed by another US-licensed manufacturer. Carimune™ NF is made suitable for intravenous use by treatment at acid pH in the presence of trace amounts of pepsin (2,3). The manufacturing process by which Carimune™ NF is prepared from plasma consists of fractionation and purification steps that comprise filtrations in the presence of filter aids. Four of these steps were validated for virus elimination of both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. To complement the existing virus elimination / inactivation mechanism in the Carimune™ NF manufacturing process, nanofiltration (removing viruses via size-exclusion) was introduced as an additional virus removal step into the manufacturing process (4,5). Nanofiltration is performed prior to the viral inactivation step (pH 4 in presence of pepsin) in order to reduce the potential viral load before inactivation is performed. Treatment with pepsin at pH4 rapidly inactivates enveloped viruses (6).

Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), Carimune™ NF, is indicated for the maintenance treatment of patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PID), e.g., common variable immunodeficiency, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, severe combined immunodeficiency (15,17,18,19). Carimune™ NF is preferable to intramuscular Immune Globulin (Human) preparations in treating patients who require an immediate and large increase in the intravascular immunoglobulin level (13), in patients with limited muscle mass, and in patients with bleeding tendencies for whom intramuscular injections are contraindicated. The infusions must be repeated at regular intervals. Please see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION section.

Acute

A controlled study was performed in children in which Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), Carimune™, was compared with steroids for the treatment of acute (defined as less than 6 months duration) ITP. In this study sequential platelet levels of 30,000, 100,000, and 150,000/µL were all achieved faster with Carimune™ than with steroids and without any of the side effects associated with steroids (14,20). However, it should be noted that many cases of acute ITP in childhood resolve spontaneously within weeks to months. Carimune™ has been used with good results in the treatment of acute ITP in adult patients (21,22,23). In a study involving 10 adults with ITP of less than 16 weeks duration, Carimune™ therapy raised the platelet count to the normal range after a 5 day course. This effect lasted a mean of over 173 days, ranging from 30 to 372 days (24).

Chronic

Children and adults with chronic (defined as greater than 6 months duration) ITP have also shown an increase (sometimes temporary) in platelet counts upon administration of Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), Carimune™, (20,24,25,26,27,28). Therefore, in situations that require a rapid rise in platelet count, for example prior to surgery or to control excessive bleeding, use of Carimune™ should be considered. In children with chronic ITP, Carimune™ therapy resulted in a mean rise in platelet count of 312,000/µL with a duration of increase ranging from 2 to 6 months (25,28). Carimune™ therapy may be considered as a means to defer or avoid splenectomy (27,28,29). In adults, Carimune™ therapy has been shown to be effective in maintaining the platelet count in an acceptable range with or without periodic booster therapy. The mean rise in platelet count was 93,000/µL and the average duration of the increase was 20-24 days (24,25). However, it should be noted that not all patients will respond. Even in those patients who do respond, this treatment should not be considered to be curative.


See all Carimune NF indications & dosage >>

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Published Studies Related to Carimune NF (Immune Globulin Intravenous)

Evaluation of intravenous anthrax immune globulin for treatment of inhalation anthrax. [2013]
Bacillus anthracis toxins can be neutralized by antibodies against protective antigen (PA), a component of anthrax toxins. Anthrivig (human anthrax immunoglobulin), also known as AIGIV, derived from plasma of humans immunized with BioThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed), is under development for the treatment of toxemia following exposure to anthrax spores.

Treatment of neonatal sepsis with intravenous immune globulin. [2011.09.29]
BACKGROUND: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of death and complications despite antibiotic treatment. Effective adjunctive treatments are needed. Newborn infants are relatively deficient in endogenous immunoglobulin. Meta-analyses of trials of intravenous immune globulin for suspected or proven neonatal sepsis suggest a reduced rate of death from any cause, but the trials have been small and have varied in quality... CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with intravenous immune globulin had no effect on the outcomes of suspected or proven neonatal sepsis.

Standard-dose intravenous anti-D immunoglobulin versus intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of newly diagnosed childhood primary immune thrombocytopenia. [2011.05]
CONCLUSIONS: A single bolus dose of 50 mug/kg of IV anti-D is a safe and effective first-line treatment in newly diagnosed ITP in childhood and mucosal bleeding is a poor prognostic factor for treatment with IVIG.

Misleading hepatitis B test results due to intravenous immunoglobulin administration: implications for a clinical trial of rituximab in immune thrombocytopenia. [2010.12]
BACKGROUND: Rituximab may cause reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) even in patients with remote HBV infection. Thus, the presence of hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc) was an exclusion criterion for a randomized trial of rituximab for patients with immune thrombocytopenia. A high seroprevalence of anti-HBc observed among patients screened for the trial prompted this substudy to investigate for an association between anti-HBc seropositivity and exposure to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)... CONCLUSIONS: Passive transfer of anti-HBc from certain IVIG products may lead to misinterpretation of hepatitis test results with implications for treatment and clinical trial eligibility. To avoid misleading test results, anti-HBc should be measured before or 3 months after IVIG administration; alternatively an IVIG product known to be free of anti-HBc should be used. (c) 2010 American Association of Blood Banks.

Safety and tolerability of immune globulin intravenous in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. [2010.09]
BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a common inflammatory neuropathy that can be progressive, stepwise progressive, or relapsing and remitting. OBJECTIVES: To further evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of immune globulin intravenous, 10% caprylate-chromatography purified immune globulin intravenous in CIDP... CONCLUSION: Data support a favorable safety and tolerability profile for administration of immune globulin intravenous, 10% caprylate-chromatography purified as CIDP maintenance therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00220740.

more studies >>

Clinical Trials Related to Carimune NF (Immune Globulin Intravenous)

A Study to Find How Safe and Effective GAMMAPLEX® is in Subjects With Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) [Completed]
To determine if GAMMAPLEX raises the platelet count of subjects with chronic ITP to a threshold of 50 x 109/L, similar to that of published response >60%. Also to assess the safety of GAMMAPLEX and determine if platelet counts are maintained at 50 x 109/L in subjects with chronic ITP for.

Trial of the Efficacy of Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Treating Women With Unexplained Secondary Recurrent Miscarriage [Completed]

The investigators want to test whether infusions of intravenous immunoglobulin - a blood

product known to modify immune responses - in early pregnancy will increase the chance of a

subsequent live birth in women with three or more miscarriages after a birth and a total of at least four miscarriages. This will be done in a trial where 82 patients will be randomly allocated to infusions with intravenous immunoglobulin or placebo during pregnancy.

Investigating the Role of Early Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment for Children With Encephalitis [Not yet recruiting]
This is a phase III multi-centre randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial to assess the role of intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of children with encephalitis. The primary objective is to find out whether early use of IVIG treatment improves neurological outcomes of children with encephalitis. 308 children with encephalitis, aged 6 weeks to 16 years will be recruited in 30 hospitals in the United Kingdom. Participants will be randomised to receive two doses of IVIG or matching placebo in addition to other standard treatments, within the first five days of hospital admission. Each participant will be followed up for 12 months. During this period, information on clinical, radiological and laboratory investigations will be collected. Neurological outcomes will be assessed by the use of questionnaires at 6 and 12 months, and a neuropsychological assessment at 12 months.

A Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study of Intravenous Immunoglobulin for HIV-Associated Myelopathy [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine whether Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is an effective treatment for HIV associated myelopathy.

Intravenous Immunoglobulins in Complex-regional Pain Syndrome [Not yet recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine whether intravenous immunoglobulins are effective in the treatment of complex-regional pain syndrome.

more trials >>

Reports of Suspected Carimune NF (Immune Globulin Intravenous) Side Effects

Nuchal Rigidity (2)Pyrexia (2)Hyperhidrosis (2)Death (2)Migraine (2)Condition Aggravated (2)Rash (2)Flushing (2)Meningitis Aseptic (2)Pain (1)more >>


Page last updated: 2014-11-30

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