Halfan (Halofantrine) - Drug Information, Research, Clinical Trials, News

Rx drug information, pharmaceutical research, clinical trials, news, and more

Drugs by Name

Drugs by Condition

Drugs by Category

Alerts

Halfan Rx

Summary Description Indications and Dosage Warnings and Precautions Side Effects and Adverse Reactions Drug Interactions, Overdosage and Contraindications Clinical Pharmacology Other Rx Information Active Ingredients Adverse Event Reports

Halfan News

News in Media Published Studies Curr't Clinical Trials

-- advertisement --

WARNING

HALFAN HAS BEEN SHOWN TO PROLONG QTc INTERVAL AT THE RECOMMENDED THERAPEUTIC DOSE. THERE HAVE BEEN RARE REPORTS OF SERIOUS VENTRICULAR DYSRHYTHMIAS SOMETIMES ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH, WHICH MAY BE SUDDEN. HALFAN IS THEREFORE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH DRUGS OR CLINICAL CONDITIONS KNOWN TO PROLONG QTc INTERVAL, OR IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED MEFLOQUINE, OR IN PATIENTS WITH KNOWN OR SUSPECTED VENTRICULAR DYSRHYTHMIAS, A-V CONDUCTION DISORDERS OR UNEXPLAINED SYNCOPAL ATTACKS. HALFAN SHOULD BE PRESCRIBED ONLY BY PHYSICIANS WHO HAVE SPECIAL COMPETENCE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF MALARIA, AND WHO ARE EXPERIENCED IN THE USE OF ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS. PHYSICIANS SHOULD THOROUGHLY FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE COMPLETE CONTENTS OF THIS LEAFLET BEFORE PRESCRIBING HALFAN.

HALFAN SUMMARY

HALFAN
(halofantrine hydrochloride)
Tablets

HALFAN (halofantrine hydrochloride) is an antimalarial drug available as tablets containing 250 mg of halofantrine hydrochloride (equivalent to 233 mg of the free base) for oral administration. The chemical name of halofantrine hydrochloride is 1,3-dichloro-α-[2-(dibutylamino) ethyl]-6-(trifluoromethyl)-9-phenanthrene-methanol hydrochloride. The drug, a white to off-white crystalline compound, is practically insoluble in water.

HALFAN tablets are indicated for the treatment of adults who can tolerate oral medication and who have mild to moderate malaria (equal to or less than 100,000 parasites/mm³) caused by Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax.

NOTE: Patients with acute P. vivax malaria treated with HALFAN are at risk of relapse because halofantrine does not eliminate the exoerythrocytic (hepatic phase) parasites. To avoid relapse after initial treatment of the acute P. vivax infection with HALFAN, patients should subsequently be treated with an 8-aminoquinoline to eradicate the exoerythrocytic parasites.

NOTE: THE EFFICACY OF HALFAN IN THE PROPHYLAXIS OF MALARIA HAS NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.