Ibritumomab Tiuxetan (Systemic)

Brand Names : Zevalin, IDEC-2B8 (ibritumomab tiuxetan), IDEC-Y2B8 (yttrium-90–ibritumomab tiuxetan), IDEC-In2B8 (indium-111–ibritumomab tiuxetan), IDEC-129

Before Using This Medicine

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 ibritumomab tiuxetan, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual reaction to ibritumomab tiuxetan, rituximab, yttrium chloride, indium chloride or to mouse proteins.

Pregnancy - Ibritumomab tiuxetan is not recommended during pregnancy. It has been shown to cause birth defects. However, this medicine may be needed in serious diseases or other situations that threaten the mother's life. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Women who are able to bear children should use some kind of birth control during treatment with ibritumomab tiuxetan and for up to 12 months after treatment has ended.

Before receiving this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant.

Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving ibritumomab tiuxetan.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether ibritumomab tiuxetan passes into the breast milk. However, because of the possibility of serious effects, breast-feeding is not recommended while you are receiving this medicine.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of ibritumomab tiuxetan in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - 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 ibritumomab tiuxetan, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners such as warfarin [Coumadin]) or
• Medicines that prevent platelets from sticking together (clopidogrel [e.g., Plavix], ticlopidine [e.g., Ticlid]) - Use with ibritumomab tiuxetan may increase the risk of bleeding.

• If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medicines - Ibritumomab tiuxetan may increase the effects of these medicines on the blood.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of ibritumomab tiuxetan. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, or sensitivity or a previous severe allergic reaction to ibritumomab tiuxetan, rituximab, yttrium chloride, indium chloride or to mouse proteins.