Actemra PFS (Tocilizumab)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Quick Facts
What Is Actemra PFS Used For?
Actemra PFS contains tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody that specifically targets and blocks proteins in your body to help treat inflammatory conditions.
Primary Uses
Actemra PFS is used to treat active moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) in adults. It's also used for active moderate to severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in children over 2 years old and active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) in children and adolescents aged 1 year and over.
How It Works
Actemra works by binding to and blocking the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R), a protein that causes inflammation and symptoms in these conditions. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Actemra can also help prevent damage to your joints.
Good to know: Actemra is not addictive and is available only with a doctor's prescription.
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How to Take Actemra PFS
Actemra PFS is given as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin). Your first injection will be supervised by a healthcare provider, and you may learn to self-inject at home after proper training.
Dosage Instructions
For adults with RA and GCA: 162 mg once weekly (or every 2 weeks for some GCA patients). For children with pJIA: if under 30 kg, 162 mg every 3 weeks; if 30 kg or more, 162 mg every 2 weeks. For children with sJIA: if under 30 kg, 162 mg every 2 weeks; if 30 kg or more, 162 mg weekly. Must not be given to children weighing less than 10 kg.
What If You Miss a Dose?
For weekly dosing: If you remember within 7 days, skip the missed dose and take your next dose on the scheduled day. For fortnightly or every 3 weeks: If you remember within 7 days, inject as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If more than 7 days have passed, contact your doctor.
Important: Never give yourself two injections to make up for a missed dose. The syringe is for single use only.
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Injection site reactions
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Headache
- High blood pressure
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Allergic reactions (chest tightness, wheezing, difficulty breathing, severe dizziness, swelling of face/lips/tongue/throat, skin rash, itching, hives)
- Signs of infection with or without fever (sweating, chills, feeling very tired, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, weight loss, warm/red/painful skin or sores, blood in phlegm, diarrhea, stomach pain, persistent headaches, burning when urinating)
- Signs of tears in stomach or intestines
- Liver disease, hepatitis, jaundice
- Signs of pancreatitis
Important Warnings
Actemra can reduce your body's ability to fight infections and may cause serious side effects. Several conditions require special monitoring.
Who Should Not Take Actemra PFS
Do not use if you are allergic to tocilizumab, any ingredients in Actemra, or other recombinant human or humanised antibodies. Do not use if you have an active, severe infection.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diverticulitis, intestinal ulcers, low white blood cell or platelet counts, diabetes, cancer, heart problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, nervous system conditions like multiple sclerosis, or if you need vaccinations.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Actemra should not be used during pregnancy as it may harm your unborn baby. Women of childbearing age should use adequate contraception during treatment and for several months after. It's not known if Actemra passes into breast milk, so breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment.
Drug Interactions
Some medications can interact with Actemra, increasing side effects or affecting how well other medicines work.
- Other biological medicines for RA (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept, certolizumab pegol, golimumab, anakinra, abatacept, rituximab)
- Vaccines (certain types should not be given)
- Warfarin (blood thinner)
- Cyclosporin (used after organ transplant)
- Atorvastatin and simvastatin (cholesterol medicines)
- Calcium channel blockers like amlodipine (blood pressure medicines)
- Theophylline (asthma medicine)
- Phenytoin (seizure medicine)
- Benzodiazepines like diazepam (anxiety medicines)
Alcohol & Driving
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Actemra affects you.
Alcohol
No specific alcohol warnings mentioned in the source material.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Actemra affects you.
Storage
Store in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. Do not freeze. Keep the pre-filled syringe in the carton to protect from light and keep dry. Once removed from the refrigerator, the syringe can be stored up to 2 weeks (14 days) at or below 30°C.
Overdose Information
If you think you or anyone else has had too much Actemra, seek urgent medical care immediately. Phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
The duration of treatment depends on how you respond to the medicine. Your doctor will monitor your progress and discuss this with you. Continue using Actemra until your doctor tells you to stop.
No, Actemra is not addictive.
Your first injection will be given under healthcare provider supervision. After that, your doctor may discuss whether it's appropriate for you to self-inject at home. You or a caregiver would receive proper training on injection technique and recognizing allergic reactions.
For weekly dosing: If you remember within 7 days, skip the missed dose and take your next dose on schedule. For fortnightly or every 3 weeks: If you remember within 7 days, inject as soon as possible. If more than 7 days have passed, contact your doctor. Never double dose.
Certain types of vaccines should not be given while receiving Actemra as you may have an increased risk of infection. Tell your doctor if you are planning to have a vaccination or have recently had one.
Tell your doctor immediately if you develop an infection or symptoms of infection. Actemra can reduce your body's ability to fight infections and may make existing infections worse. Watch for signs like fever, sweating, chills, feeling very tired, cough, or other infection symptoms.
Yes, but only for specific conditions and ages. It's used for pJIA in children over 2 years and sJIA in children over 1 year. It must not be given to children weighing less than 10 kg. Dosing depends on the child's weight and condition.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.