Traceability
In order to improve the traceability of biological medicinal products, the name and the batch number of the administered product should be clearly recorded.
Infusion‑related reactions (IRRs)
Symptoms of IRR may include pyrexia, chills, headache, tachycardia, nausea, abdominal pain, throat irritation, erythema, and anaphylactic reaction (see section 4.8).
Patients should premedicate with a corticosteroid and an antihistamine to reduce the frequency and severity of IRRs (see section 4.2). The addition of an antipyretic (e.g., paracetamol) may also be considered. Patients treated with ublituximab should be observed during infusions. Patients should be monitored for at least one hour after the completion of the first two infusions. Subsequent infusions do not require monitoring post‑infusion unless IRR and/or hypersensitivity has been observed. Physicians should inform patients that IRRs can occur up to 24 hours after the infusion.
For guidance regarding posology for patients experiencing IRR symptoms, see section 4.2.
Infection
Administration must be delayed in patients with an active infection until the infection is resolved.
It is recommended to verify the patient's immune status before dosing since severely immunocompromised patients (e.g. significant neutropenia or lymphopenia) should not be treated (see sections 4.3 and 4.8).
Ublituximab has the potential for serious, sometimes life‑threatening or fatal, infections (see section 4.8).
Most of the serious infections that occurred in controlled clinical trials in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) resolved. There were 3 infection-related deaths that occurred, all in patients treated with ublituximab; the infections leading to death were post-measles encephalitis, pneumonia, and post-operative salpingitis following an ectopic pregnancy.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)
John Cunningham virus (JCV) infection resulting in PML has been observed very rarely in patients treated with anti‑CD20 antibodies and mostly associated with risk factors (e.g., patient population, lymphopenia, advanced age, polytherapy with immunosuppressants).
Physicians should be vigilant for the early signs and symptoms of PML, which can include any new onset, or worsening of neurological signs or symptoms, as these can be similar to MS disease.
If PML is suspected, dosing with ublituximab must be withheld. Evaluation including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan preferably with contrast (compared with pre-treatment MRI), confirmatory cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) testing for JCV Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and repeat neurological assessments, should be considered. If PML is confirmed, treatment must be discontinued permanently.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation
HBV reactivation, in some cases resulting in fulminant hepatitis, hepatic failure and death, has been observed in patients treated with anti‑CD20 antibodies.
HBV screening should be performed in all patients before initiation of treatment as per local guidelines. Patients with active HBV (i.e. an active infection confirmed by positive results for HBsAg and anti HB testing) should not be treated with ublituximab. Patients with positive serology (i.e. negative for HBsAg and positive for HB core antibody (HBcAb +) or who are carriers of HBV (positive for surface antigen, HBsAg+) should consult liver disease experts before starting the treatment and should be monitored and managed following local medical standards to prevent hepatitis B reactivation.
Vaccinations
The safety of immunisation with live or live‑attenuated vaccines, during or following therapy has not been studied and vaccination with live‑attenuated or live vaccines is not recommended during treatment and not until B‑cell repletion (see section 5.1).
All immunisations should be administered according to immunisation guidelines at least 4 weeks prior to treatment initiation for live or live‑attenuated vaccines and, whenever possible, at least 2 weeks prior to treatment initiation for inactivated vaccines.
Vaccination of infants born to mothers treated with ublituximab during pregnancy
In infants of mothers treated with ublituximab during pregnancy, live or live‑attenuated vaccines should not be administered before the recovery of B‑cell counts has been confirmed. Depletion of B cells in these infants may increase the risks associated with live or live‑attenuated vaccines. Measuring CD19‑positive B‑cell levels, in neonates and infants, prior to vaccination is recommended.
Inactivated vaccines may be administered as indicated prior to recovery from B‑cell depletion. However, assessment of vaccine immune responses, including consultation with a qualified specialist, should be considered to determine whether a protective immune response was mounted.
The safety and timing of vaccination should be discussed with the infant's physician (see section 4.6).
Sodium
This medicinal product contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say essentially 'sodium‑free'.