What is the most important information I should know about dupilumab?
Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.
What is dupilumab?
Dupilumab reduces the effects of substances in the body that can cause inflammation.
Dupilumab is used to treat moderate-to-severe eczema in adults.
Dupilumab is usually given after topical medicines (for use on the skin) have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.
Dupilumab may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using dupilumab?
You should not use dupilumab if you are allergic to it.
To make sure dupilumab is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- asthma;
- eye problems; or
- a parasite infection (such as roundworms or tapeworms).
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether dupilumab passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Dupilumab is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
How should I use dupilumab?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Dupilumab is injected under the skin. You may be shown how to use injections at home. Do not give yourself this medicine if you do not understand how to use the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.
Dupilumab is usually given once every other week. Your first dose may be given in 2 injections. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Your care provider will show you the best places on your body to inject dupilumab. Use a different place each time you give an injection. Do not inject into the same place two times in a row.
Store prefilled syringes in their original carton in the refrigerator. Protect from light and do not allow the medicine to freeze.
Take a syringe out of the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature for 45 minutes before injecting your dose. Leave the needle cap on the syringe until you are ready to inject your dose.
Do not shake the prefilled syringe. Prepare your dose only when you are ready to give an injection. Do not use if the medicine has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.
Each single-use prefilled syringe of dupilumab is for one use only. Throw away after one use, even if there is still some medicine left in it after injecting your dose.
You may store a prefilled syringe for up to 14 days at cool room temperature. Do not put a syringe back in the refrigerator if you have not used the syringe within 14 days.
Use a disposable needle and syringe only once. Follow any state or local laws about throwing away used needles and syringes. Use a puncture-proof "sharps" disposal container (ask your pharmacist where to get one and how to throw it away). Keep this container out of the reach of children and pets.
If you also use asthma medication, do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember, or within 7 days after it was scheduled. If you are more than 7 days late, skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while using dupilumab?
Follow your doctor's instructions about using any topical skin medications while you are using dupilumab.
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using dupilumab. The vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from disease. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), polio, rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), zoster (shingles), and nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.
What are the possible side effects of dupilumab?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- new or worsening eye pain or discomfort;
- vision changes;
- feeling like something is in your eye; or
- watery eyes (your eyes may be more sensitive to light).
Common side effects may include:
- pain, swelling, burning, or irritation where an injection was given;
- eye redness or itching;
- puffy eyelids; or
- cold sores or fever blisters on your lips or in your mouth.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect dupilumab?
Other drugs may interact with dupilumab, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about dupilumab.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.01. Revision date: 5/1/2017.
