United States

C1-Inhibitors Therapy

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare inherited disease that can cause considerable swelling in specific parts of the body, including the abdomen, face, and throat. People living with HAE have either low levels of a blood protein called C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH). When the body’s need for C1-INH overwhelms its ability to keep up with demand, a sudden attack can occur.

There are three main types of HAE:
  • Type I: Levels of C1-INH are low in type I HAE. About 85% of people with HAE have type I, making it the most common type. It is equally likely to occur in men and women.
  • Type II: In type II HAE, the C1-INH levels are normal, but the existing C1-INH does not function properly. About 15% of people with HAE have type II, making it the second most common type of HAE. It is also equally likely to occur in men and women.
  • Type III: In type III HAE, C1-INH lab tests are normal, but the person has symptoms of HAE. This type of HAE is an extremely rare type, and is not entirely understood. Type III HAE occurs more often in women.

For more information please see these CSL Behring websites:

www.AllaboutHAE.com
www.berinert.com

Important Safety Information for Berinert

Berinert®, C1 Esterase Inhibitor (Human), is for the treatment of ongoing, acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) affecting the abdomen, face or throat in adults and adolescents. The safety and efficacy of Berinert in preventing HAE attacks have not been established.

Do not use Berinert if you have experienced life-threatening allergic reactions or severe hypersensitivity to the product. Immediately report to your physician or an emergency department any signs or symptoms of allergic reactions to Berinert, including hives, chest tightness, wheezing, turning blue, fast heartbeat, and shock. Also report signs and symptoms of thrombosis that occur after infusing: including swelling and pain in the limbs or abdomen, chest pain, shortness of breath, loss of sensation or motor power, or altered consciousness or speech.

Berinert can be self-administered if you have been trained and advised to do so by your healthcare provider. Seek immediate medical attention if an HAE attack has progressed to a point where you will be unable to prepare or administer Berinert.

Call your doctor right away if swelling is not controlled after use of Berinert.

If you self-administer to treat a laryngeal attack, immediately seek medical attention afterward. If you self-administer for an abdominal attack, inform your physician so that other possible causes can be ruled out.

Because Berinert is made from human blood, the risk that it may transmit infectious agents, including viruses and, theoretically, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) agent, cannot be completely eliminated.

In clinical studies, the most serious adverse reaction reported in subjects who received Berinert was an increased severity of pain associated with HAE. In the placebo-controlled clinical trial, the most common adverse reaction reported more often among subjects who received Berinert than those receiving placebo was dysgeusia (a bad taste in mouth).

Berinert has not been evaluated in pregnant women or nursing mothers; inform your doctor if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. The safety and effectiveness of Berinert have not been established in children under 12 or adults over 65 years of age.

Please see full prescribing information for Berinert, including the patient product information.

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.

MTL07-12-0002 10/2012
© 2013 CSL Behring