What is the most important information I should know about benralizumab?
Before you receive benralizumab, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions or allergies, all medicines you use, and if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
What is benralizumab?
Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that affects the actions of the body's immune system. Benralizumab works by reducing levels of eosinophils, a certain type of white blood cell that may contribute to the symptoms of asthma.
Benralizumab is used together with other medicines to help control severe asthma in adults and children who are at least 12 years old. Benralizumab is for people whose asthma is not well controlled with other medications.
Benralizumab may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving benralizumab?
You should not be treated with benralizumab if you are allergic to it.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- a parasite infection (such as roundworms or tapeworms); or
- if you use an oral or inhaled steroid medication.
Follow your doctor's instructions about receiving this medicine if you are pregnant. Not treating asthma during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It may not be safe to breast-feed a baby while you are using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risks.
Benralizumab should not be given to a child younger than 12 years old.
How is benralizumab given?
Before you start treatment with benralizumab, your doctor may perform tests to measure your eosinophil levels.
Benralizumab is injected under the skin. A healthcare provider will give you this injection, usually once every 4 weeks at first and then once every 8 weeks.
Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
If you've been using a steroid medication, do not stop using it unless your doctor tells you to.
Benralizumab is not a rescue medicine for asthma attacks. Use only fast-acting inhalation medicine for an attack. Seek medical attention if your fast-acting medicine does not work.
You may need frequent medical tests to help your doctor determine how long to treat you with benralizumab.
Asthma is often treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed and read all medication guides. Do not change your dose or dosing schedule without your doctor's advice. Your dose needs may change due to surgery, illness, stress, or a recent asthma attack. Tell your doctor if any of your medicines seem to stop working.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your benralizumab injection.
What happens if I overdose?
Since this medicine is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.
What should I avoid while receiving benralizumab?
Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.
What are the possible side effects of benralizumab?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, rash; difficult breathing, feeling light-headed; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- new or worsening asthma symptoms.
Common side effects may include:
- sore throat; or
- headache.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect benralizumab?
Other drugs may affect benralizumab, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about benralizumab.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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