WARNING: THROMBOSIS, RENAL DYSFUNCTION, and ACUTE RENAL FAILURE
Thrombosis may occur with immune globulin (IG) products, including GAMMAGARD LIQUID. Risk factors may include advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history
of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling vascular catheters, hyperviscosity,
and cardiovascular risk factors. Thrombosis may occur in the absence of known risk factors.
Renal dysfunction, acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis, and death may occur in predisposed
patients with immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) products. Patients predisposed to renal dysfunction include those with any degree of pre-existing renal insufficiency,
diabetes mellitus, age greater than 65, volume depletion, sepsis, paraproteinemia, or patients receiving known nephrotoxic drugs.
Renal dysfunction and acute renal failure occur more commonly in patients receiving IGIV products containing sucrose.
GAMMAGARD LIQUID does not contain sucrose.
For patients at risk of thrombosis, administer GAMMAGARD LIQUID at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable.
Ensure adequate hydration in patients before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess
blood viscosity in patients at risk of hyperviscosity.
WARNING: RENAL DYSFUNCTION and ACUTE RENAL FAILURE
INDICATION & IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
including BOXED WARNINGS for Thrombosis, Renal Dysfunction and Acute Renal Failure
INDICATION
GAMMAGARD LIQUID is indicated as replacement therapy for primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI) in adult and pediactric patients ≥2 years.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WARNING: THROMBOSIS, RENAL DYSFUNCTION, and ACUTE RENAL FAILURE
Thrombosis may occur with immune globulin (IG) products, including GAMMAGARD LIQUID. Risk factors may include advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history
of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling vascular catheters, hyperviscosity,
and cardiovascular risk factors. Thrombosis may occur in the absence of known risk factors.
Renal dysfunction, acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis, and death may occur in predisposed
patients with immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) products. Patients predisposed to renal dysfunction include those with any degree of pre-existing renal insufficiency,
diabetes mellitus, age greater than 65, volume depletion, sepsis, paraproteinemia, or patients receiving known nephrotoxic drugs.
Renal dysfunction and acute renal failure occur more commonly in patients receiving IGIV products containing sucrose.
GAMMAGARD LIQUID does not contain sucrose.
For patients at risk of thrombosis, administer GAMMAGARD LIQUID at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable.
Ensure adequate hydration in patients before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess
blood viscosity in patients at risk of hyperviscosity.
Contraindications
History of anaphylactic or severe systemic hypersensitivity reactions to human IG
IgA-deficient patients with antibodies to IgA and a history of hypersensitivity to human IG. Anaphylaxis
has been reported with intravenous (IV) use of GAMMAGARD LIQUID.
Warnings and Precautions
Hypersensitivity:
Severe hypersensitivity reactions may occur, even in patients who have tolerated previous treatment with human IG.
If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue infusion immediately and institute appropriate treatment.
IgA-deficient patients with antibodies to IgA are at greater risk of developing potentially severe hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis.
Renal Dysfunction/Failure:
Acute renal dysfunction/failure, acute tubular necrosis, proximal tubular nephropathy, osmotic nephrosis,
and death may occur with IV use of IG products, especially those containing sucrose. Ensure patients are not volume depleted prior to infusion.
In patients at risk due to pre-existing renal insufficiency or predisposition to acute renal failure, assess renal function before
initiation and throughout treatment, and use the minimum infusion rate practicable for IV administration. If renal function deteriorates, consider discontinuation.
Hyperproteinemia, increased serum viscosity, and hyponatremia
may occur. It is critical to distinguish true hyponatremia from a pseudohyponatremia because certain treatments may lead
to volume depletion, a further increase in serum viscosity, and a predisposition to thromboembolic events.
Thrombosis:
May occur following treatment with IG products and in the absence of known risk factors. In patients at risk, administer at the minimum dose and infusion
rate practicable. Ensure adequate hydration before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess blood viscosity in patients
at risk for hyperviscosity.
Aseptic Meningitis Syndrome:
Has been reported with use of IG and may occur more frequently in females. Conduct a thorough neurological exam on patients exhibiting signs and
symptoms, to rule out other causes of meningitis. Discontinuing IG treatment has resulted in remission within several days without sequelae.
Hemolysis:
GAMMAGARD LIQUID contains blood group antibodies, which may cause a positive direct antiglobulin reaction and hemolysis.
Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hemolysis and delayed hemolytic anemia and, if present, perform appropriate confirmatory lab testing.
Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury:
Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur with IV administered IG. Monitor patients for pulmonary adverse reactions. If suspected,
perform appropriate tests for presence of anti-neutrophil and anti-HLA antibodies in both product and patient serum.
May be managed using oxygen therapy with adequate ventilatory support.
Transmittable Infectious Agents:
Because GAMMAGARD LIQUID is made from human plasma, it may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents (e.g., viruses, other pathogens).
No confirmed cases of viral transmission or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) have been associated with GAMMAGARD LIQUID.
Interference with Lab Tests:
False positive serological test results and certain assay readings, with the potential for misleading interpretation,
may occur as the result of passively transferred antibodies.
Adverse Reactions
IV administration for PI:
The serious adverse reaction seen during IV clinical studies was aseptic meningitis. The most common adverse reactions observd in ≥5% of subjects were
headache, fatigue, pyrexia, nausea, chills, rigors, pain in extremity, diarrhea, migraine, dizziness, vomiting, cough, urticaria, asthma,
pharyngolaryngeal pain, rash, arthralgia, myalgia, oedema peripheral, pruritus, and cardiac murmur.
Subcutaneous administration for PI:
The most common adverse reactions observd in ≥5% of subjects were
infusion site (local) event (rash, erythema, edema, hemorrhage, and irritation), headache, fatigue, heart rate increased, pyrexia, abdominal pain upper,
nausea, vomiting, asthma, blood pressure systolic increased, diarrhea, ear pain, aphthous stomatitis, migraine, oropharyngeal pain, and pain in extremity.
Drug Interactions
Passive transfer of antibodies may transiently interfere with immune responses to live attenuated virus vaccines
(e.g., measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella).
Please click for Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning regarding Thrombosis, Renal Dysfunction and Acute Renal Failure.
GAMMAGARD LIQUID is indicated as replacement therapy for primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI) in adult and pediatric patients ≥2 years.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
WARNING: THROMBOSIS, RENAL DYSFUNCTION, and ACUTE RENAL FAILURE
Thrombosis may occur with immune globulin (IG) products, including GAMMAGARD LIQUID. Risk factors may include advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history
of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling vascular catheters, hyperviscosity,
and cardiovascular risk factors. Thrombosis may occur in the absence of known risk factors.
Renal dysfunction, acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis, and death may occur in predisposed
patients with immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) products. Patients predisposed to renal dysfunction include those with any degree of pre-existing renal insufficiency,
diabetes mellitus, age greater than 65, volume depletion, sepsis, paraproteinemia, or patients receiving known nephrotoxic drugs.
Renal dysfunction and acute renal failure occur more commonly in patients receiving IGIV products containing sucrose.
GAMMAGARD LIQUID does not contain sucrose.
For patients at risk of thrombosis, administer GAMMAGARD LIQUID at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable.
Ensure adequate hydration in patients before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess
blood viscosity in patients at risk of hyperviscosity.
Contraindications
History of anaphylactic or severe systemic hypersensitivity reactions to human IG
IgA-deficient patients with antibodies to IgA and a history of hypersensitivity to human IG. Anaphylaxis
has been reported with intravenous (IV) use of GAMMAGARD LIQUID.
Warnings and Precautions
Hypersensitivity:
Severe hypersensitivity reactions may occur, even in patients who have tolerated previous treatment with human IG.
If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue infusion immediately and institute appropriate treatment.
IgA-deficient patients with antibodies to IgA are at greater risk of developing potentially severe hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis.
Renal Dysfunction/Failure:
Acute renal dysfunction/failure, acute tubular necrosis, proximal tubular nephropathy, osmotic nephrosis,
and death may occur with IV use of IG products, especially those containing sucrose. Ensure patients are not volume depleted prior to infusion.
In patients at risk due to pre-existing renal insufficiency or predisposition to acute renal failure, assess renal function before
initiation and throughout treatment, and use the minimum infusion rate practicable for IV administration. If renal function deteriorates, consider discontinuation.
Hyperproteinemia, increased serum viscosity, and hyponatremia
may occur. It is critical to distinguish true hyponatremia from a pseudohyponatremia because certain treatments may lead
to volume depletion, a further increase in serum viscosity, and a predisposition to thromboembolic events.
Thrombosis:
May occur following treatment with IG products and in the absence of known risk factors. In patients at risk, administer at the minimum dose and infusion
rate practicable. Ensure adequate hydration before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess blood viscosity in patients
at risk for hyperviscosity.
Aseptic Meningitis Syndrome:
Has been reported with use of IG and may occur more frequently in females. Conduct a thorough neurological exam on patients exhibiting signs and
symptoms, to rule out other causes of meningitis. Discontinuing IG treatment has resulted in remission within several days without sequelae.
Hemolysis:
GAMMAGARD LIQUID contains blood group antibodies, which may cause a positive direct antiglobulin reaction and hemolysis.
Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hemolysis and delayed hemolytic anemia and, if present, perform appropriate confirmatory lab testing.
Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury:
Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur with IV administered IG. Monitor patients for pulmonary adverse reactions. If suspected,
perform appropriate tests for presence of anti-neutrophil and anti-HLA antibodies in both product and patient serum.
May be managed using oxygen therapy with adequate ventilatory support.
Transmittable Infectious Agents:
Because GAMMAGARD LIQUID is made from human plasma, it may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents (e.g., viruses, other pathogens).
No confirmed cases of viral transmission or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) have been associated with GAMMAGARD LIQUID.
Interference with Lab Tests:
False positive serological test results and certain assay readings, with the potential for misleading interpretation,
may occur as the result of passively transferred antibodies.
Adverse Reactions
IV administration for PI:
The serious adverse reaction seen during IV clinical studies was aseptic meningitis. The most common adverse reactions observed in ≥5% of subjects were
headache, fatigue, pyrexia, nausea, chills, rigors, pain in extremity, diarrhea, migraine, dizziness, vomiting, cough, urticaria, asthma,
pharyngolaryngeal pain, rash, arthralgia, myalgia, oedema peripheral, pruritus, and cardiac murmur.
Subcutaneous administration for PI:
The most common adverse reactions observed in ≥5% of subjects were
infusion site (local) event (rash, erythema, edema, hemorrhage, and irritation), headache, fatigue, heart rate increased, pyrexia, abdominal pain upper,
nausea, vomiting, asthma, blood pressure systolic increased, diarrhea, ear pain, aphthous stomatitis, migraine, oropharyngeal pain, and pain in extremity.
Drug Interactions
Passive transfer of antibodies may transiently interfere with immune responses to live attenuated virus vaccines
(e.g., measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella).
Please click for Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning regarding Thrombosis, Renal Dysfunction and Acute Renal Failure.
For US Healthcare Professionals Only
The information on this website has been specifically created for US healthcare professionals (HCPs).