Acute attacks
Sudden attacks of hereditary angioedema.
Clinical trials
Studies that evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical devices before they are approved for use by the general public.
Ecallantide (e-KAL-lan-tide)
A protein made in yeast cells; ecallantide is the active ingredient in KALBITOR (ecallantide).
HAE
Abbreviation for hereditary angioedema.
Hereditary Angioedema
A rare, hereditary disease of the immune system that causes attacks of sudden swelling in various parts of the body.
KALBITOR Access®
KALBITOR Access is a program that provides support services to hereditary angioedema patients, healthcare professionals and caregivers. KALBITOR Access services include health insurance coordination, financial assistance for qualified patients, and treatment location set up.
KALBITOR CareSM
KALBITOR Care is a program offered by Dyax Corp. that provides comprehensive support services for KALBITOR patients. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, KALBITOR Care offers a complete array of patient services and resources, along with the support of healthcare professionals.
KALBITOR Home Infusion ServicesSM
KALBITOR Home Infusion Services is a program in which an experienced infusion nurse will administer your subcutaneous KALBITOR treatment in the comfort of your own home. This professional service is available to HAE patients, 16 years of age or older, who use KALBITOR to treat their sudden HAE attacks on demand. KALBITOR Home Infusion Services is not appropriate for treating laryngeal attacks.
KALBITOR® (KAL-bit-or)
A prescription medicine used to treat sudden attacks of hereditary angioedema in patients 16 years of age and older. KALBITOR® is not a cure for HAE.
Laryngeal attack
An HAE attack that affects the larynx (throat); this can block or close the airway, leading to difficulty breathing and, potentially, death.
Larynx
The part of the throat that contains the vocal cords and is used for breathing, swallowing, and talking.
On-demand treatment
On-demand HAE treatment is used to treat sudden attacks of HAE as they occur, in order to relieve symptoms associated with the attack. On-demand treatment is not used to prevent attacks from occurring.
Plasma kallikrein (kal'i-kre'in)
A protein in the body that triggers the release of a substance that may lead to hereditary angioedema attack symptoms.
Subcutaneous
Under the skin.
Trigger
In hereditary angioedema, something that causes an attack.
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When will the next attack occur? How bad will it get?

This is how HAE impacts your patients. Help them manage their condition by better understanding it.

Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

HAE Attack Treatments

The current therapies available for the treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE) are classified as acute and prophylactic.8 Although many patients are prescribed prophylactic treatments, they may continue to experience HAE attacks.8 For this reason, those patients receiving prophylactic treatment may require an acute treatment option.18

HAWK Guidelines

In November 2011, the Hereditary Angioedema International Working Group (HAWK) published a set of guidelines for treating HAE.

Consensus was reached on the following selected HAE treatment guidelines:6

  • On-demand treatment for acute attacks should be the initial goal for all HAE patients.
  • Long-term prophylactic treatment (i.e., androgens and pdC1-INH) is appropriate for patients for whom on-demand acute therapy is inadequate to minimize suffering related to the disease.
  • Consensus was reached that 17-alpha-alkylated androgens are not recommended for long-term prophylaxis when the patient cannot tolerate them or if the effective dose exceeds the equivalent of 200 mg danazol/day.

HAWK Guidelines for treatment of acute attacks of HAE:6

  • All patients with HAE, even if still asymptomatic, should have access to at least one of the currently available approved agents for treating acute attacks on demand.
  • All attacks, irrespective of location, are eligible for treatment as soon as they are clearly recognized by the patient, ideally before visible or disabling symptoms develop.

Types of Acute HAE Attack Treatments

Three types of treatments are FDA-approved for acute HAE attacks:

  • A pasteurized form of plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) for treatment of acute abdominal, facial, or laryngeal attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and adolescent patients.3
  • Ecallantide, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor for treatment of acute HAE attacks in patients 16 years of age and older, regardless of attack location.12
  • Icatibant, a bradykinin reception antagonist, indicated to treat acute attacks of HAE in adults 18 years of age and older.9

Learn about KALBITOR®(ecallantide) on-demand treatment for acute HAE attacks.

References
3 Berinert [C1 Esterase Inhibitor (Human)] Full Prescribing Information, CSL Behring, Kankakee, Illinois, December 2011.
6 Cicardi M, Bork K, Caballero T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for the therapeutic management of angioedema owing to hereditary C1 inhibitor deficiency: consensus report of an International Working Group. Allergy. 2011; DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2011.02751.x.
8 Eidelman FJ. Hereditary angioedema: new therapeutic options for a potentially deadly disorder. BMC Blood Disorders. 2010;10:1-7.
9 FIRAZYR® (icatibant) Full Prescribing Information, Shire Orphan Therapies, Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts, August 2011.
12 KALBITOR® (ecallantide) Full Prescribing Information, Dyax Corp., Burlington, Massachusetts, February 2012.
18 Zuraw BL. Hereditary angioedema. N Eng J Med. 2008;359:1027-1036.

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Important Safety
Information for KALBITOR.

SAFETY INFORMATION

Questions about KALBITOR? Request a call from a Dyax Corp. representative for more information.

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Learn how KALBITOR Care can help you prepare a treatment plan for your patient’s next acute HAE attack.

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KALBITOR subcutaneous injection is indicated for treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients 16 years of age and older.
Important Safety Information EXPAND ›

WARNING: Anaphylaxis

  • Anaphylaxis has been reported after administration of KALBITOR.
  • Because of the risk of anaphylaxis, KALBITOR should only be administered by a healthcare professional with appropriate medical support to manage anaphylaxis and hereditary angioedema.
  • Healthcare professionals should be aware of the similarity of symptoms between hypersensitivity reactions and hereditary angioedema and patients should be monitored closely.
  • Do not administer KALBITOR to patients with known clinical hypersensitivity to KALBITOR.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Do not administer KALBITOR to a patient who has known clinical hypersensitivity to KALBITOR.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

In 255 HAE patients treated with intravenous or subcutaneous KALBITOR in clinical trials, 10 patients (3.9%) experienced anaphylaxis. For the subgroup of 187 patients treated with subcutaneous KALBITOR, 5 patients (2.7%) experienced anaphylaxis. These reactions occurred within the first hour after dosing.

Symptoms associated with these reactions have included chest discomfort, flushing, pharyngeal edema, pruritus, rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal congestion, throat irritation, urticaria, wheezing, and hypotension.

Patients should be observed for an appropriate period of time after administration of KALBITOR, taking into account the time to onset of anaphylaxis seen in clinical trials. Given the similarity in hypersensitivity symptoms and acute HAE symptoms, patients should be monitored closely in the event of hypersensitivity reaction.

ADVERSE EVENTS

The most common adverse events (≥3% and greater than placebo) in HAE patients were headache, nausea, diarrhea, pyrexia, injection site reactions, and nasopharyngitis. There is a potential for immunogenicity with the use of KALBITOR. Patients who seroconvert may be at a higher risk of hypersensitivity reaction. The long-term effects of antibodies to KALBITOR are not known.

USAGE

KALBITOR should only be administered by a healthcare professional with appropriate medical support to manage anaphylaxis and hereditary angioedema. Safety and effectiveness of KALBITOR in patients below 16 years of age have not been established.

Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

Healthcare professionals should report all suspected adverse events associated with the use of KALBITOR. Please contact Dyax Corp. at 1-888-452-5248. Alternatively, this information may be reported to the FDA MedWatch System by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088 or by mail using Form 3500 at www.fda.gov/medwatch.