Belimumab (intravenous route, subcutaneous route)
Available brands
Benlysta
About this medication
Belimumab injection is used to treat active, autoantibody-positive, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and active lupus nephritis in patients who are also receiving other lupus treatments. It is a monoclonal antibody that changes the immune system to help control lupus symptoms. 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 belimumab injection to treatsystemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis, givenas a needle placed into one of the veinsin children younger than 5 years of age and to treatlupus nephritis in childrenandsystemic lupus erythematosus in children younger than 5 years of age, givenas a shot under the skin. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of belimumab injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients may require caution when receiving this medicine. 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
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a medical facility. It is given through an IV catheter that is placed into one of your veins or as a shot under your skin, usually in the stomach or thighs. You or your caregiver may be trained to prepare and inject this medicine at home. Be sure that you understand how to use the medicine. If this medicine isgiven through a veinin your arm, it must be injected by your doctor slowly and your IV will need to stay in place for 1 hour. If you use this medicine at home, 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 tender, red, bruised, or hard. This medicine comes with a Medication Guide and patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. This medicine is available in three forms: a vial (glass container), a prefilled syringe, or an autoinjector. Theprefilled syringeandautoinjectorare the dosage forms you can use at home. Check the liquid in the prefilled syringe or autoinjector. It should be colorless or slightly yellow. Do not use the medicine if the liquid is cloudy, discolored, or has particles in it. Do not shake. Allow the medicine to warm to room temperature for 30 minutes before you use it. Do not warm it in any other way. Do not remove the needle cap from the prefilled syringe or the ring cap from the autoinjector until you are ready to use it. You might not use all of the medicine in each prefilled syringe or autoinjector. Use each prefilled syringe and autoinjector only one time. Do not save an open syringe or autoinjector. You may also receive other medicines to help prevent allergic reactions from the injection. 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. 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. Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. Store this medicine in its original container until you are ready to use it. Keep it refrigerated until 30 minutes before use. Do not use and do not place this medicine back in the refrigerator if it has been left out for more than 12 hours. 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.