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.
Treatment monitoring
For patients switched to pegunigalsidase alfa 2 mg/kg body weight once every 4 weeks, regular monitoring (e.g.: after 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months) should be performed. Monitoring should include at least the evaluation of lyso-Gb3, renal (eGFR, proteinuria), cardiac (LVMi, NT-proBNP, troponin or ECG), and biochemical parameters. A change in any individual parameter should be interpreted in the context of the patient's overall clinical status, and clinically relevant deterioration should prompt re-evaluation of the treatment regimen.
Infusion related reactions
Infusion-related reactions (IRRs), defined as any related adverse events with onset after start of infusion and up to 2 hours after end of infusion have been reported (see section 4.8). The most commonly observed symptoms of IRRs were hypersensitivity, itching, nausea, dizziness, chills and muscular pain.
The management of IRRs must be based on the severity of the reaction, and include slowing the infusion rate and treatment with medicinal products such as antihistamines, antipyretics and/or corticosteroids, for mild to moderate reactions. Pre-treatment with antihistamines and/or corticosteroids may prevent subsequent reactions in those cases where symptomatic treatment was required, although IRRs occurred in some patients after receiving pre-treatment (see section 4.2).
Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in patients in clinical studies (see section 4.8). As with any intravenous protein product, allergic-type hypersensitivity reactions may manifest and can include localised angioedema (including swelling of the face, mouth, and throat), bronchospasm, hypotension, generalised urticaria, dysphagia, rash, dyspnoea, flushing, chest discomfort, pruritus, nausea, chills and nasal congestion. If a severe allergic or anaphylactic-type reactions occur, immediate discontinuation of pegunigalsidase alfa is recommended and current medical standards for emergency treatment are to be followed.
In patients who have experienced severe hypersensitivity reactions during pegunigalsidase alfa infusion, caution should be exercised upon re-challenge and appropriate medical support should be readily available. Moreover, for patients who experienced severe hypersensitivity reactions with ERT infusion including pegunigalsidase alfa, appropriate medical support should be readily available.
Immunogenicity
In clinical studies, treatment-induced anti-drug antibodies (ADA) development has been observed (see section 4.8).
The presence of ADAs to pegunigalsidase alfa may be associated with a higher risk of infusion-related reactions, and severe IRRs are more likely to occur in ADA positive patients. Patients who develop infusion or immune reactions with pegunigalsidase alfa treatment should be monitored.
Additionally, patients who are ADA positive to other enzyme replacement therapies, who have experienced hypersensitivity reactions to pegunigalsidase alfa and patients who are switching to pegunigalsidase alfa should be monitored.
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
Depositions of immune complexes can potentially occur during treatment with ERTs, as a manifestation of immunological response to the product. A single case of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis was reported during the clinical development of pegunigalsidase alfa, due to immune depositions in the kidney (see section 4.8). This event led to a temporary decline in renal function, which improved upon discontinuation of the medicinal product.
Patients with renal impairment
The presence of extensive renal damage (eGFR < 60 ml/min) may limit the renal response to enzyme replacement therapy, possibly due to underlying irreversible pathological changes. In such cases, the loss of renal function remains within the expected range of the natural progression of disease. Regular evaluation of changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) during pegunigalsidase alfa treatment is recommended.
Excipients of known effect
This medicinal product contains 46 mg sodium per 10 mL vial, equivalent to 2% of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake of 2 g sodium for an adult.
This medicinal product contains 11.5 mg sodium per 2.5 mL vial, equivalent to 1% of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake of 2 g sodium for an adult.