Many people have questions about new medications. The CIMZIA FAQ will help you learn
more about this medicine and how it may help you.
What is CIMZIA?
CIMZIA is an injectable biologic medicine that is FDA-approved
for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis
(RA). It is available by prescription only.
What is a biologic medicine?
A biologic is a drug that copies the effects of substances naturally made by your
body's immune system. These kinds of drugs may lessen inflammation by blocking substances
that cause or worsen the inflammation.
Can CIMZIA work quickly to relieve my RA symptoms?
Yes. In clinical trials vs. placebo, CIMZIA provided noticeable
RA symptom relief for the majority of patients within 24 weeks and as early as 1
to 2 weeks for some patients.
Can CIMZIA provide lasting relief from my RA symptoms?
Yes. In clinical trials vs. placebo, CIMZIA provided noticeable
RA symptom relief for most patients within 24 weeks. Some found relief as early
as 1 to 2 weeks. A majority of patients experienced noticeable improvement in RA
signs and symptoms, which lasted through 1 year and prevented further joint damage.
Your results may vary.
Is CIMZIA proven to slow disease progression?
Yes. In clinical trials vs. placebo, CIMZIA was shown to prevent
progression of further joint damage as shown by their x-rays at both 6 months and
1 year.
What is different about CIMZIA?
CIMZIA is the first—and only—PEGylated biologic treatment for RA. PEGylated medicines
are made using a process called PEGylation, which has been shown to help the medicine
stay in the body. Depending on what your doctor recommends, CIMZIA can be taken
as one 200 mg shot every 2 weeks or two 200 mg shots every 4 weeks after the initial
3 doses.
Click here to learn more
about how CIMZIA is dosed.
How do I take CIMZIA?
CIMZIA is injected under the skin with a prefilled syringe designed in partnership
with OXO Good Grips® —a company dedicated to providing consumer products
to make everyday living easier. Your healthcare provider will show you how your
injection is given.
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Does CIMZIA offer flexible dosing?
Yes. CIMZIA offers flexible dosing. After your initial doses, CIMZIA
may be administered every two or four weeks, based on what your doctor decides is
best for you.
How is CIMZIA dosed?
The recommended dose of CIMZIA for adults with RA is 400 mg (given as 2 shots that
are 200 mg each) initially and at Week 2 and Week 4. After the first 3 doses, CIMZIA
can be taken as one 200 mg shot every 2 weeks or two 200 mg shots every 4 weeks.
Click here to learn more about
how CIMZIA is dosed.
How should I store CIMZIA, and what should I do with the used needles and syringes?
Keep CIMZIA in the refrigerator at a temperature between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit
(2 and 8 degrees Celsius). Be sure to let CIMZIA come to room temperature before
injecting it.
Do not freeze CIMZIA. Protect CIMZIA from light and
store it in the carton.
Check with your doctor for instructions on the right way to throw away your used
needles and used prefilled syringes. There may be special state or local laws about
throwing away used needles and syringes. Also, ask your doctor or pharmacist about
how to get a puncture-proof container (a "sharps" container) that will meet the
requirements of your particular state or town.
When the container is about two-thirds full, tape the lid closed. Dispose of the
container as instructed by your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Do not throw the container
in the trash or recycle. Alcohol swabs may be placed in the trash, unless you are
instructed otherwise.
Always keep CIMZIA, injection supplies, puncture-proof container, and all other
medicines out of the reach of children.
Can I get help paying for CIMZIA?
Yes. Taking prescription medications can be hard enough without
having to worry about affording them--that is why the CIMZIA Co-Pay Savings Card
program can help patients who qualify to get up to 12 months of CIMZIA with no out-of-pocket
costs. To find out more about the CIMZIA Co-Pay Savings Card program or request
a CIMZIA Co-Pay Savings Card, visit
http://cimzia.com/savings/
or call 1-866-952-7968.
Is there a patient support program for CIMZIA?
Yes. CIMplicity
®* is a support program designed
for CIMZIA patients. CIMplicity offers services and information to help you understand
as much as you can about rheumatoid arthritis and your treatment. Healthcare professionals
are available to answer any questions you have about CIMZIA. To learn more or to
get support right away, call 1-866-4-CIMZIA (1-866-424-6942) or visit
http://cimzia.com/savings/
Who makes CIMZIA?
CIMZIA is made by UCB, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company with an 80-year history
of worldwide innovation. UCB is passionate about enabling families with chronic
diseases, such as RA, to enjoy normal, everyday lives.
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Why did UCB partner with OXO Good Grips?
CIMZIA comes in a prefilled syringe uniquely designed for comfort and control in
partnership with OXO Good Grips® and with input from RA patients.
What are the possible side effects of CIMZIA?
Serious infections have happened in patients taking CIMZIA, including tuberculosis
(TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout
the body. Some patients have died from these infections.
CIMZIA can cause serious side effects including:
Certain types of Cancer
- There have been cases of unusual cancers in children and teenage patients using TNF-blocking agents.
CIMZIA is not approved for use in pediatric patients.
- For people taking TNF-blocker medicines, including CIMZIA, the chances for getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase.
- People with RA, especially more serious RA, may have a higher chance for getting a kind of cancer called lymphoma.
Heart failure, including new heart failure or worsening of heart failure, has been reported in people taking CIMZIA. Symptoms include shortness of breath, swelling of your ankles or feet, or sudden weight gain
Nervous system problems may occur, such as multiple sclerosis, seizures, or inflammation of the nerves of the eyes. Symptoms include dizziness, numbness or tingling, problems with your vision, and weakness in your arms or legs.
Allergic Reactions. Signs of an allergic reaction include a skin rash, swollen face, or trouble breathing.
Hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients who carry the virus in their blood. In some cases, patients have died as a result of hepatitis B virus being reactivated. Your doctor should monitor you carefully before and during treatment with CIMZIA to see if you carry the hepatitis B virus in your blood. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- feel unwell
- poor appetite
- tiredness (fatigue)
- fever, skin rash, joint pain
Blood Problems. Your body may not make enough of the blood cells
that help fight infections or help stop bleeding. Symptoms include a fever that
doesn't go away, bruising or bleeding very easily, or looking very pale.
Immune reactions including a lupus-like syndrome. Symptoms include
shortness of breath, joint pain, or a rash on the cheeks or arms that worsens with
sun exposure.
Call your doctor right away if you develop any of the above side effects or
symptoms.
The most common side effects of CIMZIA are: upper respiratory infections
(flu, cold), rash, and urinary tract infections (bladder infections).
Other side effects have happened in some people including new psoriasis or worsening of psoriasis
you already have and injection-site reactions. Tell your doctor about any side effect
that bothers you or does not go away. These are not all of the side effects with
CIMZIA. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side
effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see the
Medication Guide for CIMZIA and discuss it with your doctor.
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