Repatha SureClick

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
• The warnings and instructions in this document are intended for the person taking the medicine. If you are a parent or carer responsible for giving the medicine to someone else, such as a child, you will need to apply the information accordingly.

What is in this leaflet

1. What Repatha is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Repatha
3. How to use Repatha
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Repatha
6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Repatha is and how it works

Repatha is a medicine that lowers levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, a type of fat, in the blood.

Repatha contains the active substance evolocumab, a monoclonal antibody (a type of specialised protein designed to attach to a target substance in the body). Evolocumab is designed to attach to a substance called PCSK9 that affects the liver’s ability to take in cholesterol. By attaching to, and mopping up PCSK9, the medicine increases the amount of cholesterol entering the liver and so lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.

What Repatha is used for

Repatha is used in addition to your cholesterol lowering diet if you are:

• an adult with a high cholesterol level in your blood (primary hypercholesterolaemia [heterozygous familial and non-familial] or mixed dyslipidaemia). It is given:
  • together with a statin or other cholesterol lowering medication, if the maximum dose of a statin does not lower levels of cholesterol sufficiently.
  • alone or together with other cholesterol lowering medications when statins do not work well or cannot be used.
• a child aged 10 years and older with a high cholesterol level in your blood because of a condition that runs in your family (heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia or HeFH). It is given alone or together with other cholesterol lowering treatments.
• an adult or a child aged 10 years and older with a high cholesterol level in your blood because of a condition that runs in your family (homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia or HoFH). It is given together with other cholesterol lowering treatments.
• an adult with a high cholesterol level in your blood and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (a history of heart attack, stroke or blood vessel problems). It is given:
  • together with a statin or other cholesterol lowering medication, if the maximum dose of a statin does not lower levels of cholesterol sufficiently.
  • alone or together with other cholesterol lowering medications when statins do not work well or cannot be used.

Repatha is used in patients who cannot control their cholesterol levels with a cholesterol lowering diet alone. You should stay on your cholesterol lowering diet while taking this medicine. Repatha can help prevent heart attack, stroke, and certain heart procedures to restore blood flow to the heart due to a build-up of fatty deposits in your arteries (also known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease).

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using Repatha if you have liver disease.

The needle cover of the glass pre-filled syringe is made from dry natural rubber (a derivative of latex), which may cause severe allergic reactions.

In order to improve the traceability of this medicine, your doctor or pharmacist should record the name and the lot number of the product you have been given in your patient file. You may also wish to make a note of these details in case you are asked for this information in the future.

Children and adolescents

The use of Repatha has been studied in children 10 years of age and older being treated for heterozygous or homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.

The use of Repatha has not been studied in children under 10 years of age.

Other medicines and Repatha

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Repatha has not been tested in pregnant women. It is not known if Repatha will harm your unborn baby.

It is not known whether Repatha is found in breast milk.

It is important to tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to do so. Your doctor will then help you decide whether to stop breast-feeding, or whether to stop taking Repatha, considering the benefit of breast-feeding to the baby and the benefit of Repatha to the mother.

Driving and using machines

Repatha has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines.

Repatha contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

If you use more Repatha than you should

Contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

If you forget to take Repatha

Take Repatha as soon as you can after the missed dose. Then, contact your doctor who will tell you when you should schedule your next dose, and follow the new schedule exactly as your doctor has told you.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly (see details below). By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store

What Repatha contains

• The active substance is evolocumab. Each pre-filled syringe contains 140 mg of evolocumab in 1 mL of solution.
• The other ingredients are proline, glacial acetic acid, polysorbate 80, sodium hydroxide, water for injections.

What Repatha looks like and contents of the pack

Repatha is a solution which is clear to opalescent, colourless to yellowish, and practically free from particles.

Each pack contains one single use pre-filled syringe.

Marketing Authorisation Holder

Manufacturer

Manufacturer

For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorisation Holder:

Important

Before you use a single use Repatha pre-filled syringe, read this important information:

• Do not freeze or use the Repatha pre-filled syringe if it has been frozen.
• Do not use the Repatha pre-filled syringe if the packaging is open or damaged.
• Do not use the Repatha pre-filled syringe if it has been dropped onto a hard surface. Part of the syringe may be broken even if you cannot see the break. Use a new Repatha pre-filled syringe.
• Do not remove the grey needle cap from the Repatha pre-filled syringe until you are ready to inject.

Step 1: Prepare

A Remove the Repatha pre-filled syringe carton from the refrigerator and wait 30 minutes.

Wait at least 30 minutes for the pre-filled syringe in the carton to naturally reach room temperature before injecting.

Check that the name Repatha appears on the carton label.

• Do not try to warm the Repatha pre-filled syringe by using a heat source such as hot water or microwave.
• Do not leave the Repatha pre-filled syringe exposed to direct sunlight.
• Do not shake the Repatha pre-filled syringe.

B Gather all materials needed for your injection.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

On a clean, well-lit, flat work surface, place:

• One Repatha pre-filled syringe in its tray.
• Alcohol wipes.
• Cotton ball or gauze pad.
• Plaster.
• Sharps disposal container.
• Do not use if expiry date on the Repatha pre-filled syringe carton has passed.

C Choose your injection site.

You can use:

• Thigh.
• Belly, except for the 2 inches (5 centimetres) around the belly button.
• Outer area of upper arm (only if someone else is giving you the injections).
• Do not choose an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard. Avoid injecting into areas with scars or stretch marks.

Choose a different site each time you give yourself an injection. If you need to use the same injection site, just make sure it is not the same spot on that site you used last time.

D Clean your injection site.

Clean your injection site with an alcohol wipe. Let your skin dry before injecting.

• Do not touch this area of skin again before injecting.

E Remove the pre-filled syringe from the tray.

To remove:

• Peel the paper off of the tray.
• Place the tray on your hand.
• Turn the tray over and gently press the middle of the tray’s back to release the syringe into your palm.
• If the pre-filled syringe does not release from the tray, gently press on the back of tray.
• Do not pick up or pull the pre-filled syringe by the plunger rod or grey needle cap. This could damage the syringe.
• Do not remove the grey needle cap from the pre-filled syringe until you are ready to inject.

Always hold the pre-filled syringe by the syringe barrel.

F Inspect medicine and syringe.

Always hold the pre-filled syringe by the syringe barrel.

Check that:

• The name Repatha appears on the pre-filled syringe label.
• The medicine in the pre-filled syringe is clear and colourless to slightly yellow.
• Do not use the pre-filled syringe if any part of the pre-filled syringe appears cracked or broken.
• Do not use the pre-filled syringe if the grey needle cap is missing or not securely attached.
• Do not use the pre-filled syringe if the medicine is discoloured or contains large lumps, flakes or coloured particles.
• Do not use the pre-filled syringe if the expiration date on the pre-filled syringe has passed.

Step 2: Get ready

A Carefully pull the grey needle cap straight out and away from your body. Do not leave the grey needle cap off for more than 5 minutes. This can dry out the medicine.

1.

It is normal to see a drop of medicine at the end of the needle.

2.

Immediately place the cap in the sharps disposal container.

• Do not twist or bend the grey needle cap. This can damage the needle.
• Do not put the grey needle cap back onto the pre-filled syringe.

B Remove the air bubble / gap.

You may notice an air bubble/gap in the Repatha pre-filled syringe.

If you notice an air bubble/gap:

• Hold the pre-filled syringe with the needle facing up.
• Gently tap the syringe barrel with your fingers until the air bubble/gap rises to the top of the syringe.
• Slowly and gently push the plunger rod up to get the air out of the pre-filled syringe. Be very careful not to push out any medicine.
• Do not tap the syringe needle.

C PINCH your injection site to create a firm surface.

Pinch skin firmly between your thumb and fingers, creating an area about 2 inches (5 centimetres) wide.

It is important to keep the skin pinched while injecting.

Step 3: Inject

A Hold the PINCH. Insert the needle into the skin using a 45 to 90 degree angle.

• Do not place your finger on the plunger rod while inserting the needle.

B Using slow and constant pressure, PUSH the plunger rod all the way down until the syringe is empty.

C When done, RELEASE your thumb, and gently lift the syringe off skin.

• Do not put the grey needle cap back onto the used syringe.

Step 4: Finish

A Immediately place the used syringe in a sharps disposal container.

Talk with your healthcare provider about proper disposal. There may be local guidelines for disposal.

• Do not reuse the used syringe.
• Do not use any medicine that is left in the used syringe.
• Do not recycle the syringe or the sharps disposal container or throw it into household rubbish.

Keep the used syringe and sharps container out of the sight and reach of children.

B Examine the injection site.

If there is blood, press a cotton ball or gauze pad on your injection site. Apply a plaster if needed.

• Do not rub the injection site.