Daunoxome Injection 2mg/Ml Concentrate For Solution For Infusion
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DaunoXome
Injection 2mg/ml concentrate for solution for infusion
Daunorubicin
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine.
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
If you have any further questions, ask your doctor.
This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor. See section 4.
In this leaflet:
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What DaunoXome is and what it is used for | |
|
2 |
Before you use DaunoXome |
|
3 |
How DaunoXome is used |
|
4 |
Possible side effects |
|
5 |
How to store DaunoXome |
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6 |
Further information |
J. What DaunoXome is and what it is used for
What DaunoXome is
DaunoXome is an anti-cancer medicine (a cytotoxic agent) which reduces tumour cell growth. The active substance of DaunoXome is daunorubicin. DaunoXome is a special formulation of daunorubicin (in liposome form), which is used to treat a type of cancer known as Kaposi's sarcoma. Kaposi's sarcoma is a form of cancer that mainly affects the skin, but which can also affect the lungs and intestines.
What DaunoXome is used for
DaunoXome is used for the treatment of a severe form of Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with AIDS.
Before you use DaunoXome
DaunoXome is not to be used:
■ if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to daunorubicin or any of the other ingredients of DaunoXome, or any other medicines belonging to the same group (these are called anthracyclines or anthracenediones).
■ if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
W If any of these applies to you, you must not be given DaunoXome.
If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Take special care with DaunoXome
This medicine can cause heart problems (cardiac failure) because of its effects on heart muscle. Rarely, these heart problems can be fatal. Heart problems can develop suddenly and may occur weeks or months after the end of treatment. Damage to the heart may be irreversible. As a precaution, your doctor will carry out tests to monitor your heart's performance, before and during the treatment.
Make sure your doctor knows
about any heart problems you have had
Tell your doctor if you have been treated before with any medicines in the same class as DaunoXome
(anthracyclines or anthracenediones). The risk of heart problems is higher in some situations:
■ if you have existing heart problems
■ if you are over 65 years old
■ if you have been given high doses of DaunoXome, or high total doses of other anthracycline/ anthracenedione medicines as well as DaunoXome
■ if you have been treated with other medicines that may damage the heart
■ if you have received radiation therapy to the chest.
DaunoXome can suppress bone marrow activity, which can cause fever; infections, including infection in the blood (sepsis); bleeding problems and reduced red blood cells (anaemia). Your doctor will carry out regular blood monitoring. The risk of bone marrow problems with DaunoXome is higher if you already have a weakened immune system.
Daunoxome may also cause tissue damage such as redness, swelling or pain at the site of infusion if the product leaks from the vein. This damage usually resolves within 6 months.
**• Tell your doctor if you notice a stinging pain, redness or leakage of fluid in the area of the infusion site.
Tell your doctor before treatment with DaunoXome if you have received, are receiving or are due to receive radiation therapy.
If you have impaired kidney or liver function, your doctor may reduce your dose of DaunoXome.
DaunoXome is not usually recommended for children or older people. Its safety and efficacy has not yet been studied in these two groups.
Other medicines and DaunoXome
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, or have recently taken any. This includes medicines and herbal products you bought without a prescription.
Daunorubicin can cause inflammation of the lining of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract which may affect the absorption of other medicines taken orally (by mouth).
Other medicines that affect the heart or bone marrow
Your doctor will be especially careful if DaunoXome is given at the same time as any medicine which reduces the function of the heart or of the bone marrow, and with medicines that suppress the immune system. This includes medicines in the same class as DaunoXome (anthracyclines or anthracenediones).
Other anti-cancer medicines
If you are being treated with other cytotoxics (anti-cancer medicines) at the same time as DaunoXome, you are likely to be at an increased risk of gastrointestinal side effects.
Anti-viral medicines for HIV
There is a possibility that DaunoXome may interact with two groups of anti-HIV medicines, protease inhibitors (PIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).
Antiplatelet medicines to prevent blood clots
You should tell your doctor if you are taking an antiplatelet medicine to prevent blood clots. Some examples of antiplatelet medicines are aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), clopidogrel, dipyridamole, eptifibatide; there are other antiplatelet medicines also available, so you should check with your doctor if you are not sure.
Medicines that affect the liver
Some medicines may have an effect on how your liver works and may, therefore, have an effect on DaunoXome. Please tell your doctor about all other medicines that you are taking or that you have taken recently.
Vaccinations
Tell your doctor or nurse that you are taking DaunoXome if you are due to receive any vaccination, as some vaccines cannot be given to patients being treated with DaunoXome.
Tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any of these.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
DaunoXome can cause serious birth defects if it is used during pregnancy. Therefore, DaunoXome must not be used during pregnancy, unless your doctor considers it to be vital.
In this case, your doctor should discuss the possible risks for your unborn child with you. If you become pregnant during treatment, you should seek genetic advice.
DaunoXome should not be used in mothers who are breast-feeding.
Treatment with DaunoXome may affect your fertility (female and male). You should speak to your doctor about the possible effects on fertility before your treatment starts.
Men who are treated with daunorubicin should have counselling about sperm cryopreservation before the start of treatment. It is recommended that men who are treated with daunorubicin should not father a child during treatment or for 6 months afterwards.
Women of childbearing potential have to use effective contraception during treatment with daunorubicin and for 6 months after treatment. For women who want to become pregnant after treatment with daunorubicin, genetic counselling is also recommended.
Driving and using machines
Do not drive a car, or use any tools or machines immediately after treatment with DaunoXome, because the side effects of this medicine could stop you doing this safely. In particular, the medicine can cause dizziness, nausea or sickness (see also section 4, Possible side effects).
How DaunoXome is used
DaunoXome is always given to you by a doctor or nurse. It is given as an infusion into a vein (a drip). DaunoXome must not be given by any other method.
Before use, DaunoXome will first be diluted with a solution of glucose (5%), and it will then be administered as an infusion into a vein (intravenously). Normally, DaunoXome should be used straight after it has been diluted. However, your doctor or pharmacist may decide to store the diluted DaunoXome for a maximum of 24 hours before use, depending on the solution.
The infusion will usually take 30 to 60 minutes.
Dosage for adults
The dose of DaunoXome is calculated on the basis of your body surface area (which is related to your height and weight). The starting dose is 40 milligrams per m2, given every two weeks.
During your treatment, your doctor may also decide to raise or lower the amount you are given. Normally, he or she will treat you with DaunoXome for as long as it has a positive effect.
If you are given too much DaunoXome
As your infusion is administered by a doctor or nurse, it is very unusual to be given too much of this medicine.
Tell your doctor at once if you suspect that you have been given too much DaunoXome. In the event of an overdose, the side effects listed in section 4 may appear more pronounced.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, DaunoXome can
cause side effects, although not
everybody gets them.
Tell your doctor at once if you
notice any of these side effects, or any others not listed in this leaflet.
Very common side effects
(may affect more than 1 in 10 people
treated):
■ damage to the bone marrow. Signs include frequent infections and bleeding, reduced levels of red blood cells (anaemia)
■ infusion reactions. Signs include back pain, flushing, a tight feeling in the chest and shortness of breath. These reactions generally occur within the first 10 minutes of the infusion and subside when the infusion is slowed or stopped
■ allergic reactions. These may include rash or wheezing
■ headaches
■ tiredness
■ difficulty breathing
■ chills, fever
■ nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy ache
■ hair loss
■ inflammation of the mucous membranes (such as the lining of the mouth, throat, nose, rectum and vagina).
Common side effects
(may affect up to 1 in 10 people treated)
■ dehydration
■ depression
■ dizziness
■ decreased ability of the left chamber of the heart to pump blood
■ redness of the skin, pain and swelling around the infusion site, caused by leakage from a vein into surrounding tissue.
Uncommon side effects
(may affect up to 1 in every 100 people treated)
■ an infection in the blood (sepsis) which can cause fever or chills, rapid heartbeat or rapid breathing; and/or septic shock (a life-threatening form of sepsis) which also causes low blood pressure.
■ disease of the heart muscle and heart failure. Your doctor may order some special heart function tests, both before and during your treatment.
Rare side effects
(may affect up to 1 in every 1,000 people treated)
■ anaphylactic reactions (life-threatening type of allergic reaction). Signs include flushing, itching, wheezing, and swelling of the mouth, tongue or throat that can prevent breathing.
■ heart attack; abnormal rhythm of the heart (atrial fibrillation)
■ hand-foot syndrome, which is also known as Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysaesthesia (PPE). Signs are swelling, redness, pain, and tingling of the hands and feet, which may lead to peeling of the skin.
Side effects of unknown frequency
(frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
■ shock, which may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, faint or collapse
■ transient/temporary increases in the blood levels of some liver enzymes and bilirubin in laboratory tests
■ hepatitis, or inflammation (swelling) of the liver which can cause different symptoms including jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin) and lead to hepatic (liver) failure. Your doctor will be able to tell you if you are suffering from these conditions
■ red discolouration of the urine
■ amenorrhoea, which is the absence of a menstrual period in females of child-bearing potential
■ azoospermia, which is a reduction in the sperm count in males.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at:
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
DaunoXome
Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
Do not use DaunoXome after the expiry date which is stated on the label {Expiry Date}. The product must be used within 24 hours after dilution with 5% glucose.
Store at 2°C to 8°C (in a refrigerator). Do not freeze. Keep the vial in the outer carton. Vials are for single use only.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Further information
What DaunoXome contains
The active substance is daunorubicin (as citrate salt) equivalent to 2 mg/mL (total 50 mg) daunorubicin base, encapsulated in liposomes.
The other ingredients in the liposome are
distearoylphosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, citric acid (E330).
The other ingredients in the buffer are sucrose, glycine (E640), calcium chloride (E509), water for injection.
What DaunoXome looks like and contents of the pack
DaunoXome is a red, clear or slightly cloudy solution in a 50 ml glass vial containing 25 ml of concentrate.
Each vial contains daunorubicin hydrochloride, corresponding to 50 mg of daunorubicin.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Galen Limited
Seagoe Industrial Estate
Craigavon
BT63 5UA
UK
Manufacturer
Almac Pharma Services Limited Almac House
20 Seagoe Industrial Estate
Craigavon
BT63 5QD
UK
DaunoXome is registered under the number PL 27827/0007.
This leaflet was last updated in April 2014
GALEN
PX2159/1
27/03/14