Actemra ACTPen

Actemra stays in your system for a very long time, up to 3.5 months or 107 days. This is calculated by using the half-life of Actemra (also called the t1/2), which is the time it takes for 50% of a medicine to leave the body. The t1/2 for Actemra is 21.5 days. Experts have determined that it takes 4 to 5 half-lives for a medicine to be completely eliminated by the body, which works out to be 86 to 107 days (2.9 to 3.5 months) for Actemra.

Actemra infusion may be used to treat several different conditions that have inflammation as a common characteristic, such as: Rheumatoid Arthritis Giant Cell Arteritis Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Cytokine Release Syndrome COVID-19 in hospitalized adults who are receiving corticosteroids plus supplemental oxygen, on non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Yes, Actemra (tocilizumab) can cause a small amount of weight gain; in one trial, the amount of weight gained ranged from 0kg to 2kg over 24 to 72 weeks. Experts are unsure why Actemra causes people to gain weight, but this same study reported that the leptin–adiponectin ratio and levels of adiponectin, leptin, and resistin increased significantly after 24 weeks of tocilizumab treatment. Increased levels of pro-inflammatory adipokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and leptin, and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory adipokines, such as adiponectin, in obesity produce a chronic state of low-grade inflammation which promotes the development of insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer.

If you’re prescribed antibiotics, speak to your rheumatology team or doctor right away and cancel your Actemra infusion or stop using your prefilled ACTPen autoinjector until you have finished the antibiotics and your infection has cleared up. People treated with Actemra are more likely to develop serious infections than people not prescribed Actemra, and these infections are more likely to result in hospitalization, and in some cases, death. You are at an even higher risk if you are also taking other immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids.

Acetmra is not a TNF inhibitor it is an interleukin inhibitor. Actemra works by binding to interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptors. Interleukin 6 is considered one of the most important cytokines – these are signaling molecules that aid cell to cell communication during an immune response and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection, or trauma. IL-6 is also produced by synovial and endothelial cells within a joint. By binding to IL-6 receptors, Actemra decreases inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. TNF inhibitors block the activity of a different, but equally as important, cytokine, called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). IL-6 and TNF-alpha are the main factors responsible for the induction of inflammatory proteins such as C-reactive protein and the inflammatory state. Interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, and also interleukin-1 are known as proinflammatory cytokines and are elevated in most, if not all inflammatory states.

Before receiving Actemra, let your health care provider know if you have any of the following: An infection or symptoms of an infection, such as a fever, sweating or chills, shortness of breath, a rash or sores, fatigue, muscle aches, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, a cough, or pain when urinating Diabetes, HIV, hepatitis B, or a weak immune system Tuberculosis (TB) Have lived in or recently traveled to certain parts of the U.S (such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest) where there is a higher risk of certain fungal infections such as histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, or blastomycosis Diverticulitis, ulcers, or tears (perforations) of your stomach or intestines Liver problems or symptoms that may suggest liver problems, such as yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice), appetite loss, abdominal swelling and pain on the right side of your stomach area, light-colored stools, or dark "tea-colored" urine Cancer of any type Multiple sclerosis or any other condition that affects your nervous system. Also, let your doctor know if: You have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine Recent laboratory tests detected low neutrophils, low platelets, or your liver function results were high You plan to have surgery or a medical procedure You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding You take any other medications, including prescription, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Continue reading

Actemra does not directly target the SARS-COV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19), rather it reduces inflammation by blocking the interleukin-6 receptor, which is on interleukin-6, one of the main proinflammatory cytokines (these are cell-to-cell signaling proteins that stimulate an immune response). In some cases of COVID-19 infection, the immune system can become hyperactive, which may result in worsening disease. Continue reading

Most people take Actemra for up to 1 year to treat Giant cell arteritis (GCA), although the exact length of time you will take it for depends on how well you tolerate any side effects of Actemra, if it works for you, and how long it continues to work for. Actemra will work within 3 to 6 months, if it is going to work at all, although some people may experience some symptom relief as early as 2 weeks after starting treatment. Actemra is given by subcutaneous injection once every 1 to 2 weeks.

Actemra stays in your system for a very long time, up to 3.5 months or 107 days. This is calculated by using the half-life of Actemra (also called the t1/2), which is the time it takes for 50% of a medicine to leave the body. The t1/2 for Actemra is 21.5 days. Experts have determined that it takes 4 to 5 half-lives for a medicine to be completely eliminated by the body, which works out to be 86 to 107 days (2.9 to 3.5 months) for Actemra.

Actemra infusion may be used to treat several different conditions that have inflammation as a common characteristic, such as: Rheumatoid Arthritis Giant Cell Arteritis Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Cytokine Release Syndrome COVID-19 in hospitalized adults who are receiving corticosteroids plus supplemental oxygen, on non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

If you’re prescribed antibiotics, speak to your rheumatology team or doctor right away and cancel your Actemra infusion or stop using your prefilled ACTPen autoinjector until you have finished the antibiotics and your infection has cleared up. People treated with Actemra are more likely to develop serious infections than people not prescribed Actemra, and these infections are more likely to result in hospitalization, and in some cases, death. You are at an even higher risk if you are also taking other immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids.

Yes, Actemra (tocilizumab) can cause a small amount of weight gain; in one trial, the amount of weight gained ranged from 0kg to 2kg over 24 to 72 weeks. Experts are unsure why Actemra causes people to gain weight, but this same study reported that the leptin–adiponectin ratio and levels of adiponectin, leptin, and resistin increased significantly after 24 weeks of tocilizumab treatment. Increased levels of pro-inflammatory adipokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and leptin, and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory adipokines, such as adiponectin, in obesity produce a chronic state of low-grade inflammation which promotes the development of insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer.

Acetmra is not a TNF inhibitor it is an interleukin inhibitor. Actemra works by binding to interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptors. Interleukin 6 is considered one of the most important cytokines – these are signaling molecules that aid cell to cell communication during an immune response and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection, or trauma. IL-6 is also produced by synovial and endothelial cells within a joint. By binding to IL-6 receptors, Actemra decreases inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. TNF inhibitors block the activity of a different, but equally as important, cytokine, called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). IL-6 and TNF-alpha are the main factors responsible for the induction of inflammatory proteins such as C-reactive protein and the inflammatory state. Interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, and also interleukin-1 are known as proinflammatory cytokines and are elevated in most, if not all inflammatory states.

Before receiving Actemra, let your health care provider know if you have any of the following: An infection or symptoms of an infection, such as a fever, sweating or chills, shortness of breath, a rash or sores, fatigue, muscle aches, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, a cough, or pain when urinating Diabetes, HIV, hepatitis B, or a weak immune system Tuberculosis (TB) Have lived in or recently traveled to certain parts of the U.S (such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest) where there is a higher risk of certain fungal infections such as histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, or blastomycosis Diverticulitis, ulcers, or tears (perforations) of your stomach or intestines Liver problems or symptoms that may suggest liver problems, such as yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice), appetite loss, abdominal swelling and pain on the right side of your stomach area, light-colored stools, or dark "tea-colored" urine Cancer of any type Multiple sclerosis or any other condition that affects your nervous system. Also, let your doctor know if: You have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine Recent laboratory tests detected low neutrophils, low platelets, or your liver function results were high You plan to have surgery or a medical procedure You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding You take any other medications, including prescription, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Continue reading

Actemra does not directly target the SARS-COV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19), rather it reduces inflammation by blocking the interleukin-6 receptor, which is on interleukin-6, one of the main proinflammatory cytokines (these are cell-to-cell signaling proteins that stimulate an immune response). In some cases of COVID-19 infection, the immune system can become hyperactive, which may result in worsening disease. Continue reading