Oprelvekin

Oprelvekin is a prescription medication for people who have received certain types of chemotherapy and is used to stimulate the bone marrow to produce platelets to prevent the number of platelets circulating in the blood from dropping dangerously low. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

If you take too much oprelvekin, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If oprelvekin is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

It is important that you do not take any more or less of the amount of oprelvekin that your doctor prescribed. Too much oprelvekin might put you at risk for irregular heartbeats and water retention (including fluid around the heart and lungs).

The kit containing the bottle of powdered oprelvekin and the pre-filled syringe should be kept in a refrigerator. Do not freeze. 

The oprelvekin powder must be protected from light.

Every time you give yourself a dose of oprelvekin, you must use a new bottle of oprelvekin powder and a new pre-filled syringe of Sterile Water for Injection, USP. There is an expiration date printed on the bottle of the oprelvekin powder and on the pre-filled syringe. Do not use the oprelvekin or the pre-filled syringe if it is past the expiration date (month and year).

After you mix the oprelvekin with the Sterile Water for Injection, USP, you must use it as soon as possible. Do not let more than three (3) hours go by between the time you mix the oprelvekin and the water, and the time that you use it. The oprelvekin and Sterile Water for Injection, USP mixture can be stored in the oprelvekin bottle for up to three (3) hours either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Remember to keep the bottle out of the light. Do not store the oprelvekin and Sterile Water for Injection, USP mixture in a syringe.

After you give yourself an injection of oprelvekin, discard the oprelvekin bottle and syringe with the needle attached into the “Sharps Container”.

Do not dispose of the Sharps Containers in household trash. Do not recycle.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Feeling tired or weak.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Loose stools (diarrhea).
• Mouth irritation or mouth sores.
• Not able to sleep.
• Runny nose.
• Cough.
• Throat irritation.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

• IL-11
• Interleukin-11
• Recombinant Human Interleukin-11
• Recombinant Interleukin-11
• rhIL-11

Thrombocytopenia: Prevention of severe thrombocytopenia and to reduce the need for platelet transfusions following myelosuppressive chemotherapy for nonmyeloid malignancy in adults who are at high risk for thrombocytopenia

Hypersensitivity to oprelvekin or any component of the formulation

There are no dosage adjustments provided in the manufacturer’s labeling.

Store intact vials (and prefilled diluent syringe) refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F); do not freeze. Protect from light. Store reconstituted solution in the vial at either 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) or room temperature of ≤25°C (77°F); use within 3 hours of reconstitution. Do not freeze or shake reconstituted solution.

There are no known significant interactions.