CARIMUNE NANOFILTERED- human immunoglobulin g injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution
CSL Behring AG
CSL Behring
Lyophilized Preparation
RX only
WARNING: THROMBOSIS, RENAL DYSFUNCTION, or ACUTE RENAL FAILURE
- Thrombosis may occur with immune globulin products1-8 , including Carimune NF. Risk factors may include: advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling central vascular catheters, hyperviscosity, and cardiovascular risk factors. Thrombosis may occur in the absence of known risk factors (see PRECAUTIONS: Thrombosis and Information for Patients).
- Renal dysfunction, acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis, and death may occur in predisposed patients with immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) products9–14 , including Carimune NF. Patients predisposed to renal dysfunction include those with any degree of pre-existing renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, age greater than 65, volume depletion, sepsis, paraproteinemia, or patients receiving known nephrotoxic drugs. Renal dysfunction and acute renal failure occur more commonly in patients receiving IGIV products containing sucrose. Carimune NF contains sucrose.
- For patients at risk of thrombosis, renal dysfunction or acute renal failure, administer Carimune NF at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable. Ensure adequate hydration in patients before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess blood viscosity in patients at risk for hyperviscosity (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, and PRECAUTIONS: Thrombosis).
DESCRIPTION
Carimune® NF, Nanofiltered, Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), is a sterile, highly purified polyvalent antibody product containing in concentrated form all the IgG antibodies which regularly occur in the donor population.15 This immunoglobulin preparation is produced by cold alcohol fractionation from the plasma of US donors. Part of the fractionation may be performed by another US-licensed manufacturer. Carimune® NF is made suitable for intravenous use by treatment at acid pH in the presence of trace amounts of pepsin.16,17 The manufacturing process by which Carimune® NF is prepared from plasma consists of fractionation and purification steps that comprise filtrations in the presence of filter aids. Four of these steps were validated for virus elimination of both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. Additionally, the manufacturing process was investigated for its capacity to decrease the infectivity of an experimental agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), considered as a model for the vCJD and CJD agents.18 To complement the existing virus elimination / inactivation mechanism in the Carimune® NF manufacturing process, nanofiltration (removing viruses via size-exclusion) was introduced as an additional virus removal step into the manufacturing process.19,20 Nanofiltration is performed prior to the viral inactivation step (pH 4 in presence of pepsin) in order to reduce the potential viral load before inactivation is performed. Treatment with pepsin at pH 4 rapidly inactivates enveloped viruses.21