Rilonacept (subcutaneous route)
Available brands
Arcalyst
About this medication
Rilonacept injection is used to treat cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS), including familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS) and Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS). Rilonacept can help lessen the signs and symptoms of CAPS, including rash, joint pain, fever, and tiredness. It is also used to treat recurrent pericarditis (RP) and reduce the risk of recurrence. Rilonacept injection is also used to maintain control of symptoms of deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (DIRA). 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 have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of rilonacept to treatCAPSorRPin children younger than 12 years of age and to maintain control of symptoms ofDIRAin children weighing less than 10 kilograms (kg). Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of rilonacept in the elderly. 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. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. 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 given as a shot under your skin. Rilonacept may sometimes be given at home to patients who do not need to be in the hospital. If you are using this medicine at home, your doctor will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. Be sure that you understand exactly how the medicine is prepared and injected. This medicine comes with a patient instructions. Read and follow the instructions in the insert carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Use a new needle and syringe each time you inject your medicine. You will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems from the injections. Do not inject into skin areas that are bruised, red, tender, or hard. This powder medicine must be mixed with the liquid provided in your dose kit. Mix the medicine only when you are ready to use it. Do not use if it is cloudy or has specks floating in it. 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. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. 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. Once the powder medicine has been mixed with the liquid, this mixture may be stored at room temperature, away from direct light. You must use this mixture within 3 hours. Throw away any leftover mixture. Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.