Akynzeo
netupitant, palonosetron
netupitant/palonosetron
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What Akynzeo is and what it is used for
What you need to know before you take Akynzeo
How to take Akynzeo
Possible side effects
How to store Akynzeo
Contents of the pack and other information
Akynzeo contains two medicines (‘active substances’) called:
netupitant
palonosetron.
Akynzeo is used to help prevent adults with cancer feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
while having cancer treatment called ‘chemotherapy’.
Chemotherapy medicines can cause the body to release substances called serotonin and substance P. This stimulates the vomiting centre in the brain, making you feel or be sick. The medicines in Akynzeo attach to the receptors in the nervous system through which serotonin and substance P work: netupitant (an NK1 receptor antagonist) blocks the receptors for substance P, and palonosetron (a 5- HT3 receptor antagonist) blocks certain receptors for serotonin. By blocking the actions of substance P and serotonin in this way, the medicines help prevent the stimulation of the vomiting centre and the resulting sickness.
you are allergic to netupitant or palonosetron, or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). If you are not sure, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking this medicine.
you are pregnant.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking Akynzeo if:
you have liver problems
you have a blockage in your gut, or you have had constipation in the past
you or one of your close relatives has ever had a heart problem called ‘QT interval prolongation’
you have any other heart problems
you have been told you have an imbalance of minerals in your blood such as potassium and magnesium that has not been corrected.
If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking Akynzeo.
Akynzeo should not be taken by children and adolescents under 18 years.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
In particular tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking any of the following medicines:
medicines for depression or anxiety called SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) - such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, citalopram or escitalopram
medicines for depression or anxiety called SNRIs (serotonin noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors)
- such as venlafaxine or duloxetine.
Also tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking any of the following medicines as your doctor may need to change the dose of these other medicines:
medicines that might cause abnormal heartbeat such as amiodarone, nicardipine, quinidine, moxifloxacin, haloperidol, chlorpromazine, quetiapine, thioridazine or domperidone
medicines with a narrow therapeutic range that are primarily metabolised by CYP3A4, such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus, alfentanil, diergotamine, ergotamine, fentanyl, or quinidine
some chemotherapy medicines - such as docetaxel or etoposide
erythromycin - to treat bacterial infections
midazolam - a sedative used to treat anxiety
dexamethasone - can be used to treat feeling and being sick
ketoconazole - to treat Cushing's syndrome
rifampicin - to treat tuberculosis (TB) and other infections.
If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking Akynzeo.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
Do not take Akynzeo if you are pregnant or if you are a woman of childbearing potential not using contraception.
Do not breast-feed if you are taking Akynzeo. This is because it is not known whether the medicine passes into breast milk.
You may feel dizzy or tired after taking Akynzeo. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
This medicine contains 7 mg of sorbitol (E420) in each hard capsule.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium per (23 mg) per hard capsule, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
It may contain traces of lecithin - which comes from soya. If you are allergic to peanut or soya, do not use this medicinal product.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure.
The recommended dose is one capsule (each capsule contains 300 mg of netupitant and 0.5 mg of palonosetron).
Take the capsule about 1 hour before you start your chemotherapy cycle.
You can take Akynzeo with or without food.
Akynzeo is taken before the chemotherapy to prevent sickness and feelings of sickness from developing. Do not take Akynzeo in the days after you have chemotherapy - unless you are about to have another chemotherapy cycle.
The usual dose is 1 capsule. If you think you may have taken more than you should, tell your doctor straight away. The symptoms of overdose may include headache, dizziness, constipation, anxiety, palpitations, euphoric mood and pain in the legs.
If you think you have forgotten to take your dose, tell your doctor straight away.
Akynzeo is taken to help prevent you feeling and being sick when you are having chemotherapy. If you do not want to take Akynzeo, discuss this with your doctor. If you decide not to take Akynzeo (or another similar medicine), your chemotherapy is likely to make you feel sick and be sick.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Stop taking Akynzeo and tell your doctor straight away if you notice the following serious side effect - you may need urgent medical treatment:
severe allergic reaction signs include hives, skin rash, itching, difficulty breathing or swallowing, swollen mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat and sometimes a drop in blood pressure.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you notice any of the following side effects:
headache
constipation
feeling tired.
hair loss
lack of energy (feeling weak)
decreased appetite
high blood pressure
raised, itchy rash on the skin (hives)
problems with the muscles in your heart (cardiomyopathy)
spinning sensation (vertigo), feeling dizzy or trouble sleeping (insomnia)
stomach problems including stomach discomfort, feeling bloated, nausea, pain, indigestion, hiccups, wind or diarrhoea
high levels of certain enzymes, including blood alkaline phosphatase and liver transaminases (shown in blood tests)
high levels of creatinine - which measures kidney function (shown in blood tests)
ECG (electrocardiogram) problems (called ‘QT and PR interval prolongation’, ‘conduction disorder’, ‘tachycardia’ and ‘atrioventricular block first degree’)
low levels of ‘neutrophils’ - a kind of white blood cell which fight infections (shown in blood tests)
high level of white blood cells (shown in blood tests).
back pain, joint pain
feeling hot, reddening of the face or other areas of the skin (feeling flushed)
itchy skin rash
feeling drowsy
sleep problems
ring in the ear
vomiting
low blood pressure
chest pain (not related to the heart)
numbness, blurred vision
sudden nervous breakdown, change in mood
infection and inflammation in the bladder (cystitis)
haemorrhoids
conjunctivitis (a type of eye inflammation)
low level of potassium (shown in blood tests)
modifications (or disturbances) in heart rhythm
heart valve disorder (mitral valve incompetence)
coating of the tongue, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, belching, abnormal taste after medicine intake
decreased blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardial ischemia)
high levels of creatine phosphokinase/ creatine phosphokinase MB - which indicates sudden decreased blood flow to the heart muscle (shown in blood tests)
high levels of troponin - which indicates heart muscle dysfunction (shown in blood tests)
high levels of the pigment bilirubin - which indicates liver dysfunction (shown in blood tests)
high levels of myoglobin – which indicates muscle injury (shown in blood tests)
high levels of blood urea – which indicates kidney dysfunction (shown in blood tests)
high level of ‘lymphocytes’– type of white blood cell which help the body fight disease (shown in blood tests)
low level of white blood cells (shown in blood tests)
ECG (electrocardiogram) problems (called ‘ST segment depression’, ‘ST-T segment abnormal’ ‘bundle branch block right/left’, and ‘atrioventricular block second degree’)
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister after
‘EXP’. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
The active substances are palonosetron and netupitant. Each hard capsule contains three tablets (300 mg of netupitant), and one soft capsule (palonosetron hydrochloride equivalent to
0.5 milligrams of palonosetron).
The other ingredients are microcrystalline cellulose (E460), sucrose lauric acid esters, povidone K-30, croscarmellose sodium, colloidal hydrated silica, sodium stearyl fumarate, magnesium stearate, glycerol monocaprylocaproate (type I), glycerol, polyglyceryl oleate, purified water, butylhydroxyanisole (E320), gelatin, sorbitol (E420), 1,4 sorbitan, titanium dioxide (E171), shellac glaze (partially esterified), yellow, red and black iron oxide (E172), propylene glycol (E1520).
This medicine contains sucrose, sorbitol (E420), sodium and may contain soya - see section 2 for more information.
The hard capsules are opaque with a white body and a caramel cap with ‘HE1’ printed on the body. Pack size containing 1 capsule in an aluminium blister or 4 x 1 hard capsules in aluminium perforated unit dose blisters. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Helsinn Birex Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Damastown
Mulhuddart Dublin 15 Ireland
For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorisation Holder:
Vifor Pharma
Tél/Tel: +32(0)32 182070
PharmaSwiss
Tel: +370 5 279 07 62
Angelini Pharma Bulgaria EOOD Teл.: +359 2 975 13 95
Vifor Pharma
Tél/Tel: +32(0)32 182070
Angelini Pharma Česká republika s.r.o.
Tel: (+420) 546 123 111
Angelini Pharma Magyarország Kft Tel.: + 36 1 336 1614
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum A/S Tlf: + 45 32 96 68 69
Helsinn Birex Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Tel.: + 353 1 822 5404
Esteve Pharmaceuticals GmbH Tel: + 49 30 338427-0
Vifor Pharma
Tel: +31(0)88 8484300
PharmaSwiss
Tel: +372 6827 400
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AS Tlf: +47 66 82 34 00
Galenica A.E.
Τηλ: +30 210 52 81 700
Angelini Pharma Österreich GmbH Tel: +43-5-9-606-0
Vifor Pharma España, S.L. Tel: +34 902 121 111
Angelini Pharma Polska Sp. z o.o. Tel: +48 22 70 28 200
Vifor France
Tél: +33 (0)1 41 06 58 90
Vifor Pharma Portugal, S.A. Tel: +351 21 470 85 00
PharmaSwiss
Tel: +385 1 6311 833
Angelini Pharmaceuticals Romania Srl Tel: +40 21 331 67 67
Chugai Pharma France Tel: +33 1 79 36 36 18
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum A/S Tlf: + 45 32 96 68 69
PharmaSwiss
Tel: +386 1 2364 700
Angelini Pharma Slovenská republika s.r.o. Tel: +421 2 5920 7320
Italfarmaco
Tel: + 39 02 64431
Oy Swedish Orphan Biovitrum Ab Puh./Tel: +358 201 558 840
Galenica A.E.
Τηλ: +30 210 52 81 700
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) Tel: +46 8 697 20 00
PharmaSwiss
Chugai Pharma France
Tel: +371 6750 2185 Tel: +33 1 79 36 36 18