Reslizumab

Reslizumab is a prescription medication used for add-on maintenance treatment of patients with severe asthma aged 18 years and older, and with an eosinophilic phenotype.

• Reslizumab is available under the following different brand names: Cinqair

Common side effects of Reslizumab include:

• mouth and throat pain

Serious side effects of Reslizumab include:

• hives
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• dizziness
• nauseated
• lightheadedness
• itching
• shortness of breath
• swelling of the face

Rare side effects of Reslizumab include:

• none

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors;
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur as a result of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult dosage

IV solution

• 100 mg/10 mL vial (10 mg/mL)

Asthma

Adult dosage

• Severe asthma: 3 mg/kg IV every 4 wk infused over 20 to 50 minutes

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, healthcare provider, or pharmacist first.

• Reslizumab has no noted severe interactions with any other drugs
• Reslizumab has no noted serious interactions with any other drugs
• Reslizumab has no noted moderate interactions with any other drugs
• Reslizumab has no noted minor interactions with any other drugs

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Known hypersensitivity to reslizumab or its excipients

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Reslizumab?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Reslizumab?”

Cautions

• Anaphylaxis reported observed during or within 20 minutes after completion of the IV infusion and reported as early as the second dose 
• Not for use to treat acute asthma symptoms or acute exacerbations
• No clinical studies have been conducted to assess the reduction of maintenance corticosteroid dosages following administration of reslizumab; do not discontinue systemic or inhaled corticosteroids abruptly upon initiation of reslizumab therapy
• Diverse malignancies were observed with reslizumab vs placebo in clinical trials (0.6% vs 0.3%)
• Treat patients with pre-existing helminth infections before initiating reslizumab; if patients become infected during reslizumab treatment and do not respond to antihelminth treatment, discontinue reslizumab until the infection resolves

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Data are insufficient regarding drug-associated risk during pregnancy
• Monoclonal antibodies are transported across the placenta in a linear fashion as pregnancy progresses; therefore, potential effects on a fetus are likely to be greater during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy
• Reslizumab has a long half-life; this should be taken into consideration
• Clinical considerations
  • Increased risk of preeclampsia in women with poorly or moderately controlled asthma
  • Prematurity, low birth weight, and small for gestational age observed in neonates whose mothers have poor or moderate asthma control
  • Asthma control should be closely monitored in pregnant women and treatment adjusted as necessary to maintain optimal control
• Lactation
  • Unknown if distributed in human breast milk; however, human IgG is known to be present in human milk
  • Consider the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding along with the mother’s clinical need for the drug, and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or from the underlying maternal condition