WARNING: SERIOUS INFECTIONS and MALIGNANCY WARNING: SERIOUS INFECTIONS and MALIGNANCY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning • Increased risk of serious infections leading to hospitalization or death, including tuberculosis (TB), bacterial sepsis, invasive fungal infections (such as histoplasmosis) and infections due to other opportunistic pathogens. ( 5.1 ) • Discontinue INFLECTRA if a patient develops a serious infection. • Perform test for latent TB; if positive, start treatment for TB prior to starting INFLECTRA. Monitor all patients for active TB during treatment, even if initial latent TB test is negative. ( 5.1 ) • Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, including infliximab products. ( 5.2 ) • Postmarketing cases of fatal hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) have been reported in patients treated with TNF blockers, including infliximab products. Almost all had received azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine concomitantly with a TNF blocker at or prior to diagnosis. The majority of cases were reported in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, most of whom were adolescent or young adult males. ( 5.2 ) SERIOUS INFECTIONS Patients treated with infliximab products are at increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) , Adverse Reactions (6.1) ]. Most patients who developed these infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids. INFLECTRA should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis. Reported infections include: • Active tuberculosis, including reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Patients with tuberculosis have frequently presented with disseminated or extrapulmonary disease. Patients should be tested for latent tuberculosis before INFLECTRA use and during therapy. Treatment for latent infection should be initiated prior to INFLECTRA use. • Invasive fungal infections, including histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and pneumocystosis. Patients with histoplasmosis or other invasive fungal infections may present with disseminated, rather than localized, disease. Antigen and antibody testing for histoplasmosis may be negative in some patients with active infection. Empiric anti-fungal therapy should be considered in patients at risk for invasive fungal infections who develop severe systemic illness. • Bacterial, viral and other infections due to opportunistic pathogens, including Legionella and Listeria. The risks and benefits of treatment with INFLECTRA should be carefully considered prior to initiating therapy in patients with chronic or recurrent infection. Patients should be closely monitored for the development of signs and symptoms of infection during and after treatment with INFLECTRA, including the possible ...
Adult Dosing
General dosing
Prior to treatment, ensure appropriate personnel and medication are available to treat reactions (e.g., hypersensitivity) that occur during infusion and shortly after infusion INFLECTRA is administered by intravenous infusion for at least 2 hours with an in-line filter Crohn's Disease • 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. Some adult patients who initially respond to treatment may benefit from increasing the dose to 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks if they later lose their response. Pediatric Crohn's Disease (≥ 6 years old) • 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. Ulcerative Colitis • 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis (≥ 6 years old) • 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. Rheumatoid Arthritis • In conjunction with methotrexate, 3 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. Some patients may benefit from increasing the dose up to 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks or treating as often as every 4 weeks. Ankylosing Spondylitis • 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 6 weeks. Psoriatic Arthritis and Plaque Psoriasis • 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. 2.1
General dosing
Dosage in Adult Crohn's Disease The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA is 5 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks thereafter for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active CD or fistulizing CD. For adult patients who respond and then lose their response, consideration may be given to treatment with 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks. Patients who do not respond by Week 14 are unlikely to respond with continued dosing and consideration should be given to discontinue INFLECTRA in these patients. 2.2
General dosing
Dosage in Adult Ulcerative Colitis The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA is 5 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks thereafter for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active UC. 2.4
Pediatric Dosing
General dosing
Dosage in Pediatric Crohn's Disease The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA for pediatric patients 6 years and older with moderately to severely active CD is 5 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks. 2.3
General dosing
Dosage in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA for pediatric patients 6 years and older with moderately to severely active UC is 5 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks. 2.5 Dosage in Rheumatoid Arthritis The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA is 3 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 3 mg/kg every 8 weeks thereafter for the treatment of moderately to severely active RA. INFLECTRA should be given in combination with methotrexate. For patients who have an incomplete response, consideration may be given to adjusting the dosage up to 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks or treating as often as every 4 weeks bearing in mind that risk of serious infections is increased at higher doses per infusion or more frequent dosing . 2.6 Dosage in Ankylosing Spondylitis The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA is 5 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 5 mg/kg every 6 weeks thereafter for the treatment of active AS.
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