Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (injection route)
Available brands
Mircera
About this medication
Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta injection is used to treat anemia in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who may or may not be on dialysis or in children with CKD who are on dialysis. This medicine is not used to treat anemia caused by cancer medicines. Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta injection causes the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. If the body does not produce enough red blood cells, severe anemia can occur. This often occurs in people with chronic kidney failure whose kidneys are not working properly. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta injection in children 3 months to 17 years of age when it is given through a needle placed into one of your child's veins or as a shot under the skin. Safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 3 months of age. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution or an adjustment in the dose in patients receiving this medicine. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
This medicine is usually given by your doctor. However, medicines given by injection are sometimes used at home. If you will be using this medicine at home, your doctor will teach you how the injections are to be given. Be sure you understand exactly how the medicine is to be injected. This medicine comes with a Medication Guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. This medicine may be given as a shot under your skin (usually in the upper arms, thighs, or stomach) or into a vein. If your doctor tells you to inject it a certain way, follow your doctor's instructions. If you are giving this medicine at home: People with kidney problems need to be on a special diet. Also, people with high blood pressure (which may be caused by kidney disease or by Mircera® treatment) may need to be on a special diet or take medicine to keep their blood pressure under control. After their anemia has been corrected, some people feel so much better that they want to eat more than before. To keep your kidney disease or your high blood pressure from getting worse,it is very important that you follow your special diet and you take your medicines regularly, even if you are feeling better. In addition to Mircera®, your body needs iron and vitamins to make red blood cells. Your doctor may direct you to take iron or vitamin supplements. Be sure to follow your doctor's orders carefully. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. If you store this medicine at home, keep it in the original package until you are ready to use it. Protect it from direct light. You may store it at room temperature for up to 30 days. Throw away any unused medicine after 30 days. Throw away used needles and syringes in a hard, closed container where the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
footer.disclaimer