Lonquex (Lipegfilgrastim)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Lonquex Used For?
Lonquex contains lipegfilgrastim, a long-acting modified protein that helps your body produce more white blood cells after chemotherapy treatment.
Primary Uses
Lonquex is used following chemotherapy to help fight infection. It helps reduce your chance of developing infections that might require antibiotics and hospital stays, and may help you receive your chemotherapy on time at the right dose.
How It Works
Lonquex stimulates your bone marrow (where new blood cells are made) to produce more white blood cells called neutrophils. These cells are important for fighting infection but are very sensitive to chemotherapy effects, which can cause their numbers to decrease dangerously.
Good to know: While Lonquex is not a cancer treatment, it helps your body make new neutrophils which may reduce infection risk and help you stay on your chemotherapy schedule.
How to Take Lonquex
Lonquex is given as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin) using a prefilled syringe. You can learn to give yourself the injection with proper training from your healthcare team.
Dosage Instructions
The recommended dose is one prefilled syringe (6 mg lipegfilgrastim) once per chemotherapy cycle. Give the injection approximately 24 hours after your last chemotherapy dose. Suitable injection sites include the top of your thighs, abdomen (avoiding the navel area), or back/side of upper arms if someone else is giving the injection.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss your scheduled dose, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist as soon as possible. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.
Important: Never double dose if you miss an injection. Each prefilled syringe is for single use only and should be disposed of properly after use.
Available Tablet Strengths
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:
- Musculoskeletal pains and bone pain
- Pain in joints, muscles, limbs, chest, neck or back
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Reduction in blood platelets (bleeding or bruising)
- Skin reactions (redness or rash)
- Low blood potassium levels (muscle weakness, twitching, abnormal heart rhythm)
- Rise in white blood cells
- Local injection site reactions (pain or hardening)
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Allergic reactions (skin rash, raised itchy areas, weakness, blood pressure drop, difficulty breathing, face swelling)
- Spleen enlargement or rupture (upper left abdominal pain or left shoulder pain)
- Serious lung problems like pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (cough, fever, difficult or painful breathing)
- Capillary leak syndrome (swelling, less frequent urination, difficulty breathing, abdominal swelling, tiredness)
Important Warnings
Before using Lonquex, it’s important to discuss your medical history and current conditions with your doctor to ensure safe use.
Who Should Not Take Lonquex
Do not use Lonquex if you are allergic to lipegfilgrastim, similar medicines (filgrastim, lenograstim, pegfilgrastim), certain sugars, or any ingredients in the medicine. This medicine contains sorbitol.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have sickle cell anemia, cough with fever and difficulty breathing (possible lung disorder), upper abdominal pain or shoulder tip pain (possible spleen disorder), or any other medical conditions.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Lonquex has not been tested in pregnant women. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or planning to have a baby. If breastfeeding, you should interrupt breast-feeding during treatment as it’s unknown if the medicine passes into breast milk.
Infection Warning: Watch for signs of infection including fever (38.2°C or higher), chills, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, ear ache, or difficulty breathing. Go straight to hospital if you develop these symptoms.
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor about all medicines you’re taking, including prescription drugs, vitamins, and supplements bought without prescription.
- Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Lonquex
Alcohol & Driving
Be cautious with activities that require alertness until you know how Lonquex affects you.
Alcohol
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Lonquex affects you.
Storage
Store Lonquex in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. Do not freeze. The medicine may be removed from the refrigerator and stored below 25°C for a maximum of 7 days. Once removed from refrigeration, it must be used within this period or disposed of. Keep the prefilled syringe in the outer carton to protect from light. Keep away from children.
Overdose Information
If you think you have used too much Lonquex, seek urgent medical attention 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
Lonquex stimulates your bone marrow to produce more white blood cells. Your doctor will monitor your blood counts to see how well it’s working for you.
Yes, but only after receiving special training from your doctor or nurse. If you’re not sure about giving yourself the injection, ask your healthcare team for help.
Contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist as soon as possible about your missed dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed injection.
Store in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C and do not freeze. You can remove it from the refrigerator and store below 25°C for up to 7 days, but must use it within this time or dispose of it.
Go straight to hospital if you develop fever (38.2°C or higher), chills, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, or signs of allergic reaction like skin rash or difficulty breathing.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, as Lonquex hasn’t been tested in pregnant women. If breastfeeding, you should interrupt breast-feeding during treatment.
Watch for signs of infection, spleen problems (upper left abdominal or shoulder pain), lung problems (cough, fever, breathing difficulties), and allergic reactions. Keep all doctor appointments for monitoring.
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.