What is crizanlizumab?
Crizanlizumab (also called Adakveo®) is a medicine given to help decrease the number of pain episodes known as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC).
How is crizanlizumab given?
- Crizanlizumab is given at the hospital as a 30-minute infusion into a vein.
- Your first 2 doses will be 2 weeks apart from each other. Then, you will receive an infusion every 4 weeks.
- If you miss an infusion appointment, call your care team as soon as you can to reschedule.
Possible side effects of crizanlizumab
- Nausea or vomiting
- Joint pain
- Back pain
- Diarrhea
- Itching
These are the most common side effects, but there may be more. Report all side effects to your medical team.
- Rarely, severe reactions may happen within 24 hours of receiving a crizanlizumab infusion. The medical team will monitor you for any infusion reaction symptoms.
- Call the doctor or seek medical help if you have any of these side effects:
- Short of breath or wheezing
- Hives
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue
- Fever, chills or shivering
- Excessive sweating
In case of a severe side effect or reaction, call the doctor, nurse or pharmacist at 901-595-3300. If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free 1-866-2STJUDE (1-866-278-5833).
Special instructions for crizanlizumab
Before receiving crizanlizumab, tell your care team about all your medical conditions including:
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if crizanlizumab may cause harm during pregnancy.
- If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You and medical team should decide the best way to feed your baby during crizanlizumab treatment.
This document is not intended to take the place of the care and attention of your personal physician or other professional medical services. Our aim is to promote active participation in your care and treatment by providing information and education. Questions about individual health concerns or specific treatment options should be discussed with your physician.
St. Jude complies with health care-related federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
ATTENTION: If you speak another language, assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-866-278-5833 (TTY: 1-901-595-1040).
ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-866-278-5833 (TTY: 1-901-595-1040).
تنبيه: إذا كنت تتحدث باللغة العربية فيمكنك الاستعانة بخدمات المساعدة اللغوية المتوفرة لك مجانا. .يرجى الاتصال بالرقم. 5833-278-866-1 (الهاتف النصي: 1040-595-901-1).