This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration | Revised: March 2022 | |||
MEDICATION GUIDE INFLECTRA® (In-flec-tra) (infliximab-dyyb) for injection, for intravenous use | ||||
Read the Medication Guide that comes with INFLECTRA before you receive the first treatment, and before each time you get a treatment of INFLECTRA. This Medication Guide does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment. What is the most important information I should know about INFLECTRA? INFLECTRA may cause serious side effects, including: 1. Risk of infection INFLECTRA is a medicine that affects your immune system. INFLECTRA can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. Serious infections have happened in patients receiving INFLECTRA. These infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some patients have died from these infections.
2. Risk of Cancer
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What is INFLECTRA? INFLECTRA is a prescription medicine that is approved for patients with:
It is not known if INFLECTRA is safe and effective in children under 6 years of age. | ||||
Who should not receive INFLECTRA? You should not receive INFLECTRA if you have:
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What should I tell my doctor before starting treatment with INFLECTRA? Your doctor will assess your health before each treatment. Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
If you received INFLECTRA while you were pregnant, your baby may be at higher risk for getting an infection. If your baby receives a live vaccine within 6 months after birth, your baby may develop infections with serious complications that can lead to death. This includes live vaccines such as the BCG, rotavirus, or any other live vaccines. For other types of vaccines, talk with your doctor. | ||||
How should I receive INFLECTRA?
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What should I avoid while receiving INFLECTRA? Do not take INFLECTRA together with medicines such as KINERET (anakinra), ORENCIA (abatacept), ACTEMRA (tocilizumab), or other medicines called biologics that are used to treat the same conditions as INFLECTRA. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. These include any other medicines to treat Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines and show them to your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. | ||||
What are the possible side effects of INFLECTRA? INFLECTRA can cause serious side effects, including: See "What is the most important information I should know about INFLECTRA?". Serious Infections
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Heart Failure If you have a heart problem called congestive heart failure, your doctor should check you closely while you are receiving INFLECTRA. Your congestive heart failure may get worse while you are receiving INFLECTRA. Be sure to tell your doctor of any new or worse symptoms including: | ||||
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Treatment with INFLECTRA may need to be stopped if you get new or worse congestive heart failure. Other Heart Problems Some patients have experienced a heart attack (some of which led to death), low blood flow to the heart, or abnormal heart rhythm within 24 hours of beginning their infusion of infliximab products. Symptoms may include chest discomfort or pain, arm pain, stomach pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting, sweating, nausea, vomiting, fluttering or pounding in your chest, and/or a fast or a slow heartbeat. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. Liver Injury Some patients receiving infliximab products have developed serious liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have: | ||||
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Blood Problems In some patients receiving infliximab products, the body may not make enough of the blood cells that help fight infections or help stop bleeding. Tell your doctor if you: | ||||
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Nervous System Disorders Some patients receiving infliximab products have developed problems with their nervous system. Tell your doctor if you have: | ||||
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Some patients have experienced a stroke within approximately 24 hours of their infusion with infliximab products. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of a stroke which may include: numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination or a sudden, severe headache. Allergic Reactions Some patients have had allergic reactions to infliximab products. Some of these reactions were severe. These reactions can happen while you are getting your INFLECTRA treatment or shortly afterward. Your doctor may need to stop or pause your treatment with INFLECTRA and may give you medicines to treat the allergic reaction. Signs of an allergic reaction can include: | ||||
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Some patients treated with infliximab products have had delayed allergic reactions. The delayed reactions occurred within 3 to 12 days after receiving treatment with infliximab products. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of delayed allergic reaction to INFLECTRA: | ||||
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Lupus-like Syndrome Some patients have developed symptoms that are like the symptoms of Lupus. If you develop any of the following symptoms, your doctor may decide to stop your treatment with INFLECTRA. | ||||
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Psoriasis Some people receiving infliximab products had new psoriasis or worsening of psoriasis they already had. Tell your doctor if you develop red scaly patches or raised bumps on the skin that are filled with pus. Your doctor may decide to stop your treatment with INFLECTRA. The most common side effects of infliximab products include: | ||||
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Infusion reactions can happen up to 2 hours after your infusion of INFLECTRA. Symptoms of infusion reactions may include: | ||||
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Children with Crohn's disease showed some differences in side effects of treatment compared with adults with Crohn's disease. The side effects that happened more in children were: anemia (low red blood cells), leukopenia (low white blood cells), flushing (redness or blushing), viral infections, neutropenia (low neutrophils, the white blood cells that fight infection), bone fracture, bacterial infection and allergic reactions of the breathing tract. Among patients who received infliximab for ulcerative colitis in clinical studies, more children had infections as compared with adults. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. These are not all of the side effects with INFLECTRA. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. | ||||
General information about INFLECTRA Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about INFLECTRA that is written for health professionals. For more information go to www.pfizer.com or call 1-800-383-7504. | ||||
What are the ingredients in INFLECTRA? The active ingredient is infliximab-dyyb. The inactive ingredients in INFLECTRA include: dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate, monobasic sodium phosphate monohydrate, polysorbate 80, and sucrose. No preservatives are present. Not made with natural rubber latex. | ||||
Manufactured by: CELLTRION, Inc. 23, Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 22014, Republic of Korea U.S. License No. 1996 ©CELLTRION, Inc. Distributed by Pfizer Labs, Division of Pfizer Inc, New York, NY 10017 For more information go to www.pfizer.com or call 1-800-383-7504. | ![]() |
17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION
Advise the patient or their caregiver to read the FDA-Approved Patient Labeling (Medication Guide).
Patients or their caregivers should be advised of the potential benefits and risks of INFLECTRA. Healthcare providers should instruct their patients or their caregivers to read the Medication Guide before starting INFLECTRA therapy and to reread it each time they receive an infusion.
Infections
Inform patients that INFLECTRA increases the risk for developing serious infections. Instruct patients of the importance of contacting their healthcare provider if they develop any symptoms of an infection, including tuberculosis, invasive fungal infections, and reactivation of hepatitis B virus infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1, 5.3)].
Malignancies
Malignancies have been reported among children, adolescents and young adults who received treatment with TNF blockers. Patients should be counseled about the risk of lymphoma and other malignancies while receiving INFLECTRA [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Hepatotoxicity
Instruct patients to seek medical attention if they develop signs or symptoms of hepatotoxicity (e.g., jaundice) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].
Heart Failure
Instruct patients to seek medical attention and consult their prescriber if they develop signs or symptoms of heart failure [see Contraindications (4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.5)].
Hematologic Reactions
Instruct patients to seek immediate medical attention if they develop signs and symptoms suggestive of blood dyscrasias or infection (e.g., persistent fever) while on INFLECTRA [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)].
Hypersensitivity
Advise patients to seek immediate medical attention if they experience any symptoms of serious hypersensitivity reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)].
Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Reactions During and After Infusion
Advise patients to seek immediate medical attention if they develop any new or worsening symptoms of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular reactions which have been reported during and within 24 hours of initiation of INFLECTRA infusion [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)].
Neurologic Reactions
Advise patients to seek medical attention if they develop signs or symptoms of neurologic reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)].
Live Vaccines/Therapeutic Infectious Agents
Instruct INFLECTRA-treated patients to avoid receiving live vaccines or therapeutic infectious agents [see Warnings and Precautions (5.13)].