Administering and Dosing
How Campath® (alemtuzumab) is administered and for how long
Campath is given intravenously (IV)—that is, injected directly into a vein. While you are getting Campath, you and your caregiver can talk, read, or listen to music. You will probably receive Campath at your doctor's office or a hospital clinic, and each treatment will take about 2 hours. However, your first few treatments may take longer because of your body's need to adjust gradually to Campath.
About 30 minutes before you get Campath, you will be given other medications (such as acetaminophen or diphenhydramine, given orally, not IV) to help reduce side effects. Ask your caregiver to go with you for the treatments, as the premedication could make you sleepy.
On the first day, you will get a low dose (3 mg) of Campath. If you are able to tolerate the medication and your side effects are not serious, you will get a slightly higher dose (10 mg) the next day. This "dose escalation" will continue until you reach the recommended dose (30 mg). Most patients are able to reach this dose in 3 to 7 days. After that, you will get 30 mg of Campath every other day, 3 days a week, for up to 12 weeks, as your doctor will decide.
Sample Treatment Schedule
During your treatment, you may also receive anti-infective medications, such as Bactrim® (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxale) and Famvir® (famciclovir) or a similar drug, which you will be asked to continue taking at home after your therapy has been completed.
Campath is indicated as a single agent for the treatment of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).
WARNING: CYTOPENIAS, INFUSION REACTIONS, and INFECTIONS
Cytopenias: Serious, including fatal, pancytopenia/marrow hypoplasia, autoimmune idiopathic thrombocytopenia, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia can occur in patients receiving Campath. Single doses of Campath greater than 30 mg or cumulative doses greater than 90 mg per week increase the incidence of pancytopenia [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.1)].
Infusion Reactions: Campath administration can result in serious, including fatal, infusion reactions. Carefully monitor patients during infusions and withhold Campath for Grade 3 or 4 infusion reactions. Gradually escalate Campath to the recommended dose at the initiation of therapy and after interruption of therapy for 7 or more days [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION (2) and WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.2)].
Infections: Serious, including fatal, bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoan infections can occur in patients receiving Campath. Administer prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) and herpes virus infections [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION (2.2) and WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.3)].
The most commonly reported adverse reactions are infusion reactions fever, chills, hypotension, urticaria, nausea, rash, tachycardia, dyspnea), cytopenias (neutropenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia), and infections (CMV viremia, CMV infection, other infections). In clinical trials, the frequency of infusion reactions was highest in the first week of treatment. Other commonly reported adverse reactions include vomiting, abdominal pain, insomnia and anxiety. The most commonly reported serious adverse reactions are cytopenias, infusion reactions, and immunosuppression/infections. See "Warnings and Precautions," and "Adverse Reactions" sections of full Prescribing Information.
Please see Full Prescribing Information (PDF).
