Privigen Side Effects

Please note - some side effects for Privigen may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Privigen Side Effects - for the Professional

Privigen

The most serious adverse reaction observed in clinical study subjects receiving Privigen for PI was hypersensitivity in one subject. The most common adverse reactions observed in >10% of clinical study subjects with PI were headache, pain, nausea, fatigue, and chills.

The most serious adverse reactions observed in clinical study subjects receiving Privigen for chronic ITP were aseptic meningitis syndrome in one subject and hemolysis in two subjects. Six other subjects in the ITP study experienced hemolysis as documented from clinical laboratory data. The most common adverse reactions observed in >10% of clinical study subjects with chronic ITP were headache, pyrexia/hyperthermia, and anemia.

Clinical Trials Experience

Because different clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed cannot be directly compared to rates in other clinical studies and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

Treatment of Primary Humoral Immunodeficiency

In a prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter clinical study, 80 subjects with PI (with a diagnosis of XLA or CVID) received Privigen intravenously every 3 or 4 weeks for up to 12 months. All subjects had been on regular IGIV replacement therapy for at least 6 months prior to participating in the study. Subjects ranged in age from 3 to 69; 57.5% were male and 42.5% were female.

The safety analysis included all 80 subjects, 16 on the 3-week schedule and 64 on the 4-week schedule. The median doses of Privigen administered intravenously ranged from 200 to 888 mg/kg every 3 weeks (median dose 428.3 mg/kg) or 4 weeks (median dose 440.6 mg/kg). A total of 1038 infusions of Privigen were administered, 272 in the 3-week schedule and 766 in the 4-week schedule. Of the 1038 infusions, 435 were administered to females and 603 to males.

Routine premedication was not allowed. However, subjects who experienced two consecutive infusion-related adverse events (AEs) that were likely to be prevented by premedication were permitted to receive antipyretics, antihistamines, NSAIDs, or antiemetic agents. During the study, 8 (10%) subjects received premedication prior to 51 (4.9%) of the 1038 infusions administered.

Temporally associated AEs are those occurring during or within 72 hours after the end of an infusion, irrespective of causality. In this study, the upper bound of the 1-sided 97.5% confidence interval for the proportion of Privigen infusions temporally associated with one or more AEs was 23.8% (actual proportion: 20.8%). This is below the target of 40% for this safety endpoint. The total number of temporally associated AEs was 397 (a rate of 0.38 AEs per infusion), reflecting that some subjects experienced more than one AE during the observation period.

Table 2 lists the temporally associated AEs that occurred in more than 5% of subjects during a Privigen infusion or within 72 hours after the end of an infusion, irrespective of causality.

Table 2: Adverse Events Occurring in >5% of Subjects With PI During a Privigen Infusion or Within 72 Hours After the End of an infusion, Irrespective of Causality

Adverse Event	Subjects (%) [n=80]	Infusions (%) [n=1038]
*Excluding infections.
Headache	35 (43.8)	82 (7.9)
Pain	20 (25.0)	44 (4.2)
Fatigue	13 (16.3)	27 (2.6)
Nausea	10 (12.5)	19 (1.8)
Chills	9 (11.3)	15 (1.4)
Vomiting	7 (8.8)	13 (1.3)
Pyrexia	6 (7.5)	10 (1.0)
Cough	5 (6.3)	5 (0.5)
Diarrhea	5 (6.3)	5 (0.5)
Stomach discomfort	5 (6.3)	5 (0.5)

Of the 397 temporally associated AEs reported for the 80 subjects with PI, the investigators judged 192 to be related to the infusion of Privigen (including 5 serious, severe AEs described below). Of the 187 non-serious AEs related to the infusion of Privigen, 91 were mild, 81 were moderate, 14 were severe, and 1 was of unknown severity. The most common temporally associated AEs judged by the investigators to be "at least possibly" related to the infusion were headache (29% of subjects), pain (14% of subjects), nausea (11% of subjects), fatigue (11% of subjects), and chills (11% of subjects).

Sixteen subjects (20%) experienced 41 serious AEs. Five of these were related severe AEs (hypersensitivity, chills, fatigue, dizziness, and increased body temperature) that occurred in one subject and resulted in the subject's withdrawal from the study. Two other subjects withdrew from the study due to AEs related to Privigen treatment (chills and headache in one subject; vomiting in the other).

Seventy-seven of the 80 subjects enrolled in this study had a negative direct antiglobulin test (DAT) at baseline. Of these 77 subjects, 36 (46.8%) developed a positive DAT at some time during the study. However, no subjects showed evidence of hemolytic anemia.

During this study, no subjects tested positive for infection due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), or B19 virus (B19V).

Treatment of Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

In a prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter clinical study, 57 subjects with chronic ITP and a platelet count of 20 x 109/L or less received a total of 2 g/kg dose of Privigen administered as 1 g/kg intravenous infusions daily for 2 consecutive days. Subjects ranged in age from 15 to 69; 59.6% were female and 40.4% were male.

Concomitant medications affecting platelets or other treatments for chronic ITP were not allowed. Thirty-two (56.1%) subjects received premedication with acetaminophen and/or an antihistamine.

Table 3 lists the temporally associated AEs that occurred in more than 5% of subjects with chronic ITP during a Privigen infusion or within 72 hours after the end of a treatment cycle (two consecutive infusions) with Privigen, irrespective of causality.

Table 3: Adverse Events Occurring in >5% Subjects With Chronic ITP During a Privigen Infusion or Within 72 hours After the End of a Treatment Cycle*, Irrespective of Causality

Adverse Event	Subjects (%) [n=57]	Infusions (%) [n=114]
* Two consecutive daily infusions.
Headache	37 (64.9)	41 (36.0)
Pyrexia/hyperthermia	21 (36.8)	22 (19.3)
Nausea	6 (10.5)	6 (5.3)
Epistaxis	6 (10.5)	6 (5.3)
Vomiting	6 (10.5)	6 (5.3)
Blood unconjugated bilirubin increased	6 (10.5)	6 (5.3)
Blood conjugated bilirubin increased	5 (8.8)	5 (4.4)
Blood total bilirubin increased	4 (7.0)	4 (3.5)
Hematocrit decreased	3 (5.3)	3 (2.6)

Of the 183 temporally associated AEs reported for the 57 subjects with chronic ITP, the investigators judged 150 to be related to the infusion of Privigen (including the one serious AE described below). Of the 149 non-serious AEs related to the infusion of Privigen, 103 were mild, 37 were moderate, and 9 were severe. The most common temporally associated AEs judged by the investigators to be "at least possibly" related to the infusion were headache (65% of subjects) and pyrexia/hyperthermia (35% of subjects).

Three subjects experienced three serious AEs, one of which (aseptic meningitis) was related to the infusion of Privigen.

One subject withdrew from the study due to gingival bleeding, which was not related to Privigen.

Eight subjects, all of whom had a positive DAT, experienced transient drug-related hemolytic reactions, which were associated with elevated bilirubin, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, and a decrease in hemoglobin level within two days after the infusion of Privigen. Two of the eight subjects were clinically anemic but did not require clinical intervention.

Four other subjects with active bleeding were reported to have developed anemia without evidence of hemolysis.

In this study, there was a decrease in hemoglobin after the first Privigen infusion (median decrease of 1.2 g/dL by Day 8) followed by a return to near baseline by Day 29.

Fifty-six of the 57 subjects in this study had a negative DAT at baseline. Of these 56 subjects, 12 (21.4%) developed a positive DAT during the 29-day study period.

Postmarketing Experience

Because postmarketing reporting of adverse events is voluntary and from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to product exposure. Evaluation and interpretation of these postmarketing reactions is confounded by underlying diagnosis, concomitant medications, pre-existing conditions, and inherent limitations of passive surveillance.

Privigen Postmarketing Experience

Adverse reactions reported during worldwide postmarketing use of Privigen do not differ from what has been observed in clinical studies with Privigen and from what is known for IGIV products.

General

The following mild to moderate reactions may occur with the administration of IGIV products: headache, diarrhea, tachycardia, fever, fatigue, dizziness, malaise, chills, flushing, skin reactions, wheezing or chest tightness, nausea, vomiting, rigors, back pain, chest pain, myalgia, arthralgia, and changes in blood pressure. Immediate hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions are also a possibility.

The following adverse reactions have been identified and reported during the post-approval use of IGIV products.12

• Renal: Acute renal dysfunction/failure, osmotic nephropathy
• Respiratory: Apnea, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), TRALI, cyanosis, hypoxemia, pulmonary edema, dyspnea, bronchospasm
• Cardiovascular: Cardiac arrest, thromboembolism, vascular collapse, hypotension
• Neurological: Coma, loss of consciousness, seizures, tremor, aseptic meningitis syndrome
• Integumentary: Stevens-Johnson syndrome, epidermolysis, erythema multiforme, bullous dermatitis
• Hematologic: Pancytopenia, leukopenia, hemolysis, positive direct antiglobulin (Coombs') test
• Musculoskeletal: Back pain
• Gastrointestinal: Hepatic dysfunction, abdominal pain
• General/Body as a Whole: Pyrexia, rigors

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Side Effects by Body System

General

In general, immune globulin intravenous human (IGIV) has been well tolerated. Mild infusion related symptoms of headache, myalgia, backache, fever, pruritus, hypotension/hypertension, tachycardia, chest tightness, chills, flushing, and nausea have been reported. Slowing or temporarily discontinuing the infusion has usually resulted in resolution of symptoms.

Renal

Renal side effects have included acute renal failure, acute tubular necrosis, proximal tubular nephropathy, and osmotic nephrosis, primarily in patients with baseline renal impairment. Some patients have required dialysis. Elevations in creatinine and BUN have been noted within 1 to 2 days following infusion. The incidence of adverse reactions may be greater in products containing sucrose as a stabilizer. Maltose containing products may cause mild diuresis. At least one case of reversible oliguria requiring only supportive care and renal failure requiring transplantation in a patient with baseline renal dysfunction has also been reported.

Twenty cases of IGIV related renal impairment have been reported.

Renal impairment, including renal failure, usually occurred in the first 5 days of therapy and more frequently in patients receiving high IGIV dosages for immune thrombocytopenia purpura.

Spontaneous reports to one manufacturer suggest that diabetic patients over the age of 70 years and patients with lupus nephritis receiving dosages greater than 400 mg/kg/day may be at increased risk of renal impairment. The mechanism has not been fully established, but may be related to renal tubular sucrose-induced osmotic injury or an immune mechanism.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects have included responses in the form of an inflammatory reaction (fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, hypotension) in 10% of patients with agammaglobulinemia or severe hypogammaglobulinemia who have not received IGIV within 8 weeks or who have never received IGIV. True anaphylaxis, rarely resulting in death, has been reported.

Anaphylaxis has occurred more frequently in patients with previous severe hypersensitivity reactions to IGIV, but has been reported in patients without a history of IGIV allergy. Patients previously sensitized to antibodies, such as IgA, may be at increased risk for immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Epinephrine, oxygen, IV antihistamines, and IV corticosteroids should be immediately available as such reactions can occur seconds to hours after the initiation of the infusion.

Nervous system

Limited data suggest that a history of migraine headaches may be associated with an increased risk of aseptic meningitis syndrome.

Nervous system side effects have been reported rarely. Mild, post infusion headache has been reported in 2% of patients with Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) who received dosages equal to or greater than 0.4 g/kg/day. An Aseptic Meningitis Syndrome (AMS), primarily associated with dosages greater than 2 g/kg, has occasionally been reported. Discontinuation of IGIV has resulted in AMS resolution without sequelae. Rarely, seizures have been reported.

Metabolic

Metabolic side effects have been reported rarely. Hyponatremia has been reported in products containing 10% maltose.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have been reported rarely. These have included reports of mild hemolysis due to transfer of blood group antibodies, and thrombotic complications. At least 6 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with acute hemoglinemia or hemoglobinuria following immune globulin intravenous administration have been reported.

A recent report of two women who received high dose IVIg and subsequently developed thromboembolic complications suggests that high-dose IVIg increases blood viscosity that may last for several weeks, which may increase susceptibility to thromboembolism in predisposed patients.

Out of the 6 patients who developed DIC, 1 child recovered without sequelae and 5 adults all died. The attending or consulting physicians assessed that acute hemolysis or DIC caused or contributed to each death.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included rare reports of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular thrombosis.

Local

IGIV products with a more acidic pH have been reported to cause greater vein irritation.

Local side effects have included injection site reactions. These have included erythema, pain, infection, venous thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, and eczema.

Immunologic

Immunologic side effects have been reported rarely. All U.S. immune globulin products undergo viral inactivation and/or removal. However, no method has been totally effective in removing all risk and the potential exists for the presence of unknown infectious agents.

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