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INDICATIONS

Gamifant (emapalumab-lzsg) is an interferon gamma (IFNγ)-neutralizing antibody indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric (newborn and older) patients with:

  • Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with refractory, recurrent, or progressive disease or intolerance with conventional HLH therapy.
  • HLH/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in known or suspected Still’s disease, including systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA), with an inadequate response or intolerance to glucocorticoids, or with recurrent MAS.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Infections

Gamifant may increase the risk of fatal and serious infections with pathogens including mycobacteria, herpes zoster virus... and histoplasma capsulatum. Do not administer Gamifant in patients with these infections until appropriate treatment has been initiated.

INDICATIONS

Gamifant (emapalumab-lzsg) is an interferon gamma (IFNγ)-neutralizing antibody indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric (newborn and older) patients with:

  • Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with refractory, recurrent, or progressive disease or intolerance with conventional HLH therapy.
  • HLH/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in known or suspected Still’s disease, including systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA), with an inadequate response or intolerance to glucocorticoids, or with recurrent MAS.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Infections

Gamifant may increase the risk of fatal and serious infections with pathogens including mycobacteria, herpes zoster virus, and histoplasma capsulatum. Do not administer Gamifant in patients with these infections until appropriate treatment has been initiated.

In patients with primary HLH receiving Gamifant in clinical trials, serious infections such as sepsis, pneumonia, bacteremia, disseminated histoplasmosis, necrotizing fasciitis, viral infections, and perforated appendicitis were observed in 32% of patients.

In patients with HLH/MAS in Still’s disease receiving Gamifant in clinical trials, serious infections such as pneumonia, cytomegalovirus infection, cytomegalovirus infection reactivation, and sepsis were observed in 13% of patients.

Evaluate patients for tuberculosis risk factors and test for latent infection prior to initiating Gamifant. Administer tuberculosis prophylaxis to patients at risk for tuberculosis or known to have a positive purified protein derivative (PPD) test result.

Consider prophylaxis for herpes zoster, Pneumocystis jirovecii, and fungal infection while receiving Gamifant. Employ surveillance testing during treatment with Gamifant.

Closely monitor patients receiving Gamifant for signs or symptoms of infection, promptly initiate a complete diagnostic workup appropriate for an immunocompromised patient, and initiate appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

Increased Risk of Infection With Use of Live Vaccines

Do not administer live or live attenuated vaccines to patients receiving Gamifant and for at least 4 weeks after the last dose of Gamifant. The safety of immunization with live vaccines during or following Gamifant therapy has not been studied.

Infusion-Related Reactions

Infusion-related reactions in patients with primary HLH, including drug eruption, pyrexia, rash, erythema, and hyperhidrosis, were reported with Gamifant treatment in 27% of patients. In one-third of these patients, the infusion-related reaction occurred during the first infusion.

Infusion-related reactions in patients with HLH/MAS in Still’s disease, including pyrexia, headache, paresthesia, bone pain, pruritic rash, and peripheral coldness, were reported with Gamifant treatment in 13% of patients. Infusion-related reactions were reported as mild in 8% of patients and as moderate in 5% of patients.

Monitor patients for infusion-related reactions, which can be severe. Interrupt the infusion for infusion reactions and institute appropriate medical management before continuing infusion at a slower rate.

Adverse Reactions

Primary HLH

Serious adverse reactions were reported in 53% of patients. The most common serious adverse reactions (≥3%) included infections, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and multiple organ dysfunction. Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 2 (6%) of patients and included septic shock and gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

The most common adverse reactions were (≥10%) for Gamifant included infection (56%), hypertension (41%), infusion-related reactions (27%), pyrexia (24%), hypokalemia (15%), constipation (15%), rash (12%), abdominal pain (12%), CMV infection (12%), diarrhea (12%), lymphocytosis (12%), cough (12%), irritability (12%), tachycardia (12%), and tachypnea (12%).

HLH/MAS

Serious adverse reactions were reported in 12 patients (31%), with the most common serious adverse reaction being pneumonia (5%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in two patients (5%) and included multiple organ dysfunction and circulatory shock.

The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) for Gamifant included viral infection (44%), rash (21%), anemia (18%), leukopenia (15%), thrombosis (15%), bacterial infections (13%), headache (13%), hyperglycemia (13%), infusion-related reactions (13%), abdominal pain (10%), hypertension (10%), pyrexia (10%), and thrombocytopenia (10%).

References

  1. Jordan MB, Allen CE, Weitzman S, Filipovich AH, McClain KL. How I treat hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Blood. 2011;118(15):4041-4052. doi:10.1182/blood-2011-03-278127
  2. Sepulveda FE, de Saint Basile G. Hemophagocytic syndrome: primary forms and predisposing conditions. Curr Opin Immunol. 2017;49:20-26. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2017.08.004
  3. Prencipe G, Caiello I, Pascarella A, et al. Neutralization of IFN-γ reverts clinical and laboratory features in a mouse model of macrophage activation syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018;141(4):1439-1449. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.07.021
  4. Marsh RA, Haddad E. How I treat primary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Br J Haematol. 2018;182(2):185-199. doi: 10.1111/bjh.15274
  5. Price B, Lines J, Lewis D, Holland N. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a fulminant syndrome associated with multiorgan failure and high mortality that frequently masquerades as sepsis and shock. S Afr Med J. 2014;104(6):401-406. doi:10.7196/samj.7810
  6. Halyabar O, Chang MH, Schoettler ML, et al. Calm in the midst of cytokine storm: a collaborative approach to the diagnosis and treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and macrophage activation syndrome. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2019;17(1):7. doi:10.1186/s12969-019-0309-6
  7. Gamifant (emapalumab-lszg) prescribing information. Stockholm, Sweden: Sobi, Inc. 2022.

PRIMARY HLH IS RAPIDLY PROGRESSIVE AND OFTEN FATAL1

Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, hyperinflammatory condition of immune dysregulation. It is characterized by IFNγ-activated macrophages that release an uncontrolled surge of proinflammatory cytokines. The resulting hyperinflammation quickly becomes life-threatening.2

Without timely diagnosis and effective treatment, the median survival for patients with primary HLH is under 2 months.1

Early identification is critical but challenging1

Heterogeneous presentation of nonspecific symptoms often delays diagnosis1,3-5

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  • Persistent high fever (>102°F [38.9°C], lasting ≥4 days)
  • Infection
  • Rash
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  • Hepatosplenomegaly
  • Liver function impairment (eg, elevated liver enzymes and triglycerides)
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  • Pulmonary dysfunction
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  • Hyperferritinemia
  • Coagulation defects
  • Severe cytopenia (affecting hemoglobin, platelets, and/or neutrophils)
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  • Seizures and central nervous system involvement

Many patients with primary HLH are admitted to the intensive care unit due to delays in diagnosis1

Collaboration between various specialists can help shorten the time it takes to identify this rare condition.6 These include:

  • Emergency room physicians
  • Immunologists
  • Pathologists
  • Clinical pharmacologists
  • Rheumatologists
  • Neurologists
  • Hematologists
  • Oncologists
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