6 mg solution for injection in a pre-filled syringe
pegfilgrastim<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Lonquex is<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lonquex contains the active substance pegfilgrastim.\u00a0Lipegfilgrastim is a long-acting modified\u00a0protein\u00a0produced by biotechnology in the bacterium\u00a0Escherichia coli.\u00a0It belongs to a group of\u00a0proteins\u00a0called\u00a0cytokines\u00a0and is similar to a natural\u00a0protein\u00a0(granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-\u00a0CSF\u00a0] that is formed in your own body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Lonquex is used for<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your doctor has prescribed Lonquex to shorten the duration of neutropenia (low white blood cell count ) and the occurrence of febrile neutropenia (low white blood cell count and fever). These conditions can be caused by the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy (drugs that destroy fast-growing cells).<\/p>\n\n\n\n How Lonquex works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lipegfilgrastim stimulates\u00a0bone marrow\u00a0(where new\u00a0blood cells\u00a0are formed) to form more\u00a0white blood cells.\u00a0The white\u00a0blood cells\u00a0are important because they help the body fight\u00a0infection.\u00a0These\u00a0blood cells\u00a0are very sensitive to\u00a0chemotherapy, and such treatment can lead to a\u00a0decrease in the\u00a0number of\u00a0white blood cells.\u00a0If the number of\u00a0white blood cells\u00a0drops to a low level, there may not be enough left to fight bacteria, and then you may be more susceptible to\u00a0infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse BEFORE you use Lonquex<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your doctor will take regular blood tests to check different blood components and their levels.\u00a0Your doctor will also regularly check your urine, like other drugs like this (eg other granulocyte colony-stimulating factors such as filgrastim, lenograstim, or pegfilgrastim) may damage the very small filters in the kidneys (glomerulonephritis; see section 4, “Possible side effects” “).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inflammation\u00a0of the aorta (the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body) has in rare cases been reported with other drugs similar to this (eg filgrastim, lenograstim, or pegfilgrastim in the group G\u2011\u00a0CSF\u00a0\u2011drugs).\u00a0Symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, malaise, back pain, and increased inflammatory markers.\u00a0Tell your doctor if you experience these symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This medicine should not be given to children or adolescents under 18 years of age as there is only limited experience in children to demonstrate that the medicine is safe and effective in this age group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You usually inject your dose of Lonquex approximately 24 hours after your last chemotherapy dose at the end of each chemotherapy cycle (cycle of treatment).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lonquex has not been studied in pregnant women.\u00a0It is important that you tell your doctor if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, as your doctor may decide not to use this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is unknown whether the active substance in this medicine passes into breast milk.\u00a0You should therefore stop breastfeeding during treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lonquex has no or negligible effect on the ability to drive and use machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This medicine contains 30 mg of sorbitol per pre-filled\u00a0syringe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This medicine contains less than 1 mmol\u00a0sodium\u00a0(23 mg) per pre-filled\u00a0syringe, ie essentially ‘sodium-free’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The recommended dose is<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The recommended\u00a0dose\u00a0is one pre-filled\u00a0syringe\u00a0(6 mg pegfilgrastim)\u00a0once per cycle of chemotherapy.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When to use Lonquex<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This medicine should be given approximately 24 hours after the last dose of chemotherapy at the end of each chemotherapy cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How are the\u00a0injections\u00a0given?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This medicine is given as an\u00a0injection\u00a0using a pre-filled\u00a0syringe.\u00a0An injection\u00a0is given into the\u00a0tissue\u00a0located just under the skin (\u00a0subcutaneous\u00a0injection\u00a0).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your doctor may suggest that you learn how to inject yourself with this medicine. Your doctor or nurse will show you how to do this. Do not try to inject Lonquex yourself until you have received these instructions. Information required to use the pre-filled syringe can be found under the heading “Instructions on how to inject yourself”. Appropriate treatment of your disease requires close and constant cooperation with your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Information on how to inject yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This section contains information on how to give yourself an\u00a0injection\u00a0of Lonquex under the skin.\u00a0You mustn’t try to give yourself an\u00a0injection\u00a0unless you have received special training from a doctor or nurse.\u00a0If you are not sure how to\u00a0inject\u00a0one or if you have any questions, ask your doctor or nurse for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How to use Lonquex<\/strong> Equipment you need<\/strong> What to do before injecting yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat you need to know before using Lonquex<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do not use Lonquex:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Warnings and cautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Children and young people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other medicines and Lonquex<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pregnancy and breastfeeding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Driving and using machines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lonquex contains sorbitol and sodium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to use Lonquex<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You must give yourself an\u00a0injection\u00a0into the\u00a0tissue\u00a0under the skin.\u00a0It is called a\u00a0subcutaneous\u00a0injection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To give yourself a subcutaneous injection you need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n