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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information I should know about ENBREL?
ENBREL is a medicine that affects your immune system. ENBREL can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. Serious infections have happened in patients taking ENBREL. These infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some patients have died from these infections. Your doctor should test you for TB before you take ENBREL and monitor you closely for TB while on ENBREL.
Before starting ENBREL, tell your doctor if you:
- Think you have, are being treated for, have signs of, or are prone to infection. You should not start taking ENBREL if you have any kind of infection.
- Have any open cuts or sores
- Have diabetes or an immune system problem
- Have TB or have been in close contact with someone who has had TB
- Were born in, lived in, or traveled to countries where there is more risk for getting TB. Ask your doctor if you are not sure.
- Live or have lived in certain parts of the country (such as, the Ohio
and Mississippi River valleys, or the Southwest) where there is a greater
risk for certain kinds of fungal infections, such as histoplasmosis. These
infections may develop or become more severe if you take ENBREL. If you don't
know if histoplasmosis or other fungal infections are common in the areas where
you live or have lived, ask your doctor.
- Have or have had hepatitis B
- Have heart failure
- Develop symptoms such as persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness while taking ENBREL
- Use the medicine Kineret® (anakinra)
- Have or develop a serious nervous disorder, seizures, any numbness or tingling, or a disease that affects your nervous system such as multiple sclerosis
- Are scheduled to have surgery
- Are scheduled for any vaccines. All vaccines should be brought up-to-date before
starting ENBREL. Patients taking ENBREL should not receive live vaccines.
- Are allergic to rubber or latex
- Are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
After starting ENBREL, call your doctor right away if you have any sign of infection, including a fever, cough, flu-like symptoms, or have any open sores on your body. ENBREL can make you more likely to get infections or make any infection you have worse.
Possible side effects of ENBREL
Serious side effects include: serious infections including TB; nervous
system problems, such as multiple sclerosis, seizures, or inflammation of
the nerves of the eyes; rare reports of serious blood problems (some fatal);
heart failure, including new heart failure or worsening of heart failure you
already have; allergic reactions; immune reactions, including a lupus-like
syndrome and lymphoma (a type of cancer). People with rheumatoid arthritis
and psoriasis may have a higher chance for getting lymphoma.
Common side effects include: Injection site reaction, upper
respiratory infections (including sinus infection), and headaches.
In a medical study of patients with JIA, infection, headache, abdominal
pain, vomiting, and nausea occurred more frequently than in adults. The kinds
of infections reported were generally mild and similar to those usually seen
in children. Other serious adverse reactions were reported, including serious
infection and depression/personality disorder.
If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your
doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the
FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.
INDICATIONS
Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, keeping joint damage from getting worse, and improving physical function in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. ENBREL can be taken with methotrexate or used alone.
- In medical studies, ENBREL was shown to be effective in about 2 out of 3 adults with RA who used it, and has been shown to begin working in as few as 2 weeks, with most patients receiving benefit within 3 months. In an RA medical study, 55% of patients had no progression of joint damage.
Moderate to Severe Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children ages 2 years and older.
- In a medical study, ENBREL was shown to be effective in about 3 out of 4 children with JIA who used it. For these JIA patients, ENBREL has been shown to begin working in approximately 2 to 4 weeks.
Psoriatic Arthritis
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, keeping joint damage from getting worse, and improving physical function in patients with psoriatic arthritis. ENBREL can be used in combination with methotrexate in patients who do not respond adequately to methotrexate alone.
- In a medical study, ENBREL was shown to be effective in about 50% of psoriatic arthritis patients who used it. Clinical responses were apparent at the time of the first visit (4 weeks) and were maintained through 6 months of therapy.
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis.
- In a medical study, ENBREL was shown to be effective in about 3 out of 5 adults with AS who used it. Clinical responses were seen at 2 weeks in 46% of patients, with 59% of patients receiving benefit within 8 weeks.
Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis
ENBREL is indicated for the treatment of adult patients (18 years or older) with chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.
- In medical studies, nearly half of patients saw a significant improvement in their plaque psoriasis within 3 months of using ENBREL. Overall, 3 out of 4 patients saw improvement. ENBREL can work fast; many patients saw improvement within 2 months. ENBREL has been shown to be effective through 12 months of therapy.
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