Brexucabtagene Autoleucel Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 28, 2024.

Applies to brexucabtagene autoleucel: intravenous suspension.

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Intravenous route (suspension)

Warning: Cytokine Release Syndrome and Neurologic Toxicities. Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), including life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients receiving brexucabtagene autoleucel.

Do not administer brexucabtagene autoleucel to patients with active infection or inflammatory disorders.

Treat severe or life-threatening CRS with tocilizumab or tocilizumab and corticosteroids.Neurologic toxicities, including life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients receiving brexucabtagene autoleucel, including concurrently with CRS or after CRS resolution.

Monitor for neurologic toxicities after treatment with brexucabtagene autoleucel.

Provide supportive care and/or corticosteroids, as needed.Brexucabtagene autoleucel is only available through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the Yescarta(TM) and Tectartus(TM) REMS Program.

Serious side effects

Along with its needed effects, brexucabtagene autoleucel may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking brexucabtagene autoleucel:

More common side effects

• agitation
• anxiety
• back pain
• bloody urine
• blurred vision
• chest pain or tightness
• chills
• coma
• confusion as to time, place, or person
• cough
• decreased frequency in urinating
• diarrhea
• difficulty swallowing
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• drooling
• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• fever
• hallucinations
• headache
• heartburn
• hoarseness
• holding false beliefs that cannot be changed by fact
• increased thirst
• irritability
• loss of appetite
• lower back or side pain
• mood or mental changes
• muscle or bone pain
• muscle spasm or twitching
• nausea and vomiting
• problems with speech or speaking
• seizures
• stiff neck
• stomach pain
• sweating
• swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
• tenderness, pain, swelling, warmth, skin discoloration, and prominent superficial veins at the injection site
• trouble breathing
• unusual excitement, nervousness, or restlessness
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weight gain

Less common side effects

• blue lips and fingernails
• difficult, fast, noisy breathing
• pale skin
• unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination

Incidence not known

• dark urine
• hives, itching, skin rash
• light-colored stools
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• upper right stomach pain
• yellow eyes and skin

Other side effects

Some side effects of brexucabtagene autoleucel may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

• constipation
• trouble sleeping

Less common side effects

• darkening of the skin
• dry skin
• increased sweating
• loss or thinning of the hair

For healthcare professionals

Applies to brexucabtagene autoleucel: intravenous suspension.

General adverse events

The most common adverse reactions (20% or greater) are: pyrexia, CRS, hypotension, encephalopathy, fatigue, tachycardia, arrhythmia, infection (pathogen unspecified), chills, hypoxia, cough, tremor, musculoskeletal pain, headache, nausea, edema, motor dysfunction, constipation, diarrhea, decreased appetite, dyspnea, rash, insomnia, pleural effusion, and aphasia.^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Frequency not reported: Hypersensitivity, anaphylaxis^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Very common (10% or more): Cytokine release syndrome (all Grades: 91%; Grade 3: 18%), infection pathogen unspecified (43%), viral infection (18%), hypogammaglobulinemia (e.g., hypogammaglobulinemia, blood immunoglobulin G decreased) (16%), bacterial infection (13%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Fungal infections
• Frequency not reported: Immunogenicity^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Very common (10% or more): Musculoskeletal pain (e.g., arthralgia, back pain, bone pain, dysarthria, flank pain, groin pain, myalgia, neck pain, pain in extremity (37%), motor dysfunction (e.g., asthenia, intensive care acquired weakness, mobility decreased, muscle twitching, muscular weakness, myopathy) (17%)^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very common (10% or more): Hypophosphatemia (30%), anorexia (26%), hypocalcemia (21%), hypokalemia (10%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dehydration^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Very common (10% or more): Insomnia (21%), delirium (e.g., delirium, agitation, disorientation, hallucination, hypomania, irritability, nervousness, personality change) (38%), anxiety (16%)^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Very common (10% or more): Coagulopathy (e.g., coagulopathy, disseminated intravascular coagulation, international normalized ratio increased) (10%)^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Very common (10% or more): Aspartate aminotransferase increased (15%), alanine aminotransferase increased (15%)^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Frequency not reported: Secondary malignancies^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Hypoxia (40%), cough/upper airway cough syndrome (38%), dyspnea/dyspnea exertional (24%), pleural effusion (21%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Respiratory failure, pulmonary edema^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Pyrexia (94%), fatigue/lethargy/malaise (48%), chills 41%), edema (e.g., eyelid edema, face edema, generalized edema, localized edema, edema peripheral, periorbital edema, peripheral swelling, scrotal edema, swelling face) (35%), pain (e.g., allodynia, dysesthesia, ear pain, facial pain, non-cardiac chest pain) (17%)^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Very common (10% or more): Leukopenia (95%), neutropenia (95%), thrombocytopenia (63%), anemia (55%)^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Encephalopathy (e.g., encephalopathy, altered state of consciousness, amnesia, balance disorder, cognitive disorder, confusional state, disturbance in attention, dysgraphia, dyskinesia, memory impairment, mental status changes, neurotoxicity, somnolence) (51%), tremor (38%), headache/migraine (35%), aphasia/ communication disorder (20%), dizziness (e.g., dizziness, presyncope, syncope) (18%), neuropathy (e.g., hyperesthesia, neuropathy peripheral, paresthesia, paresthesia oral) (13%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Ataxia, seizure, intracranial pressure increased^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Very common (10% or more): Hypotension/orthostatic hypotension (57%), tachycardia/sinus tachycardia (45%), hypertension (18%), thrombosis (e.g., thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, embolism, pulmonary embolism) (17%), bradycardia/sinus bradycardia (10%), non-ventricular arrhythmias (e.g., fibrillation, atrial flutter, cardiac flutter, palpitations, supraventricular tachycardia) (10%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Hemorrhage^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Very common (10% or more): Rash (e.g., erythema, rash erythematous, rash maculopapular, rash pustular) (22%)^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Nausea (35%), constipation (29%), diarrhea (28%), abdominal pain (e.g., abdominal pain lower, abdominal pain upper, abdominal tenderness) (17%), oral pain (e.g., gingival pain, lip pain, oral mucosal erythema, oropharyngeal pain) (16%), vomiting (13%), dysphagia (10%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dry mouth^[Ref]

Further information

Brexucabtagene autoleucel side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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