Generic name: idecabtagene vicleucel
Dosage form: suspension for intravenous infusion
Drug class:Miscellaneous antineoplastics
What is Abecma?
Abecma is for the treatment of multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least four kinds of treatment regimens that have not worked or have stopped working.
Abecma is a medicine made from your own white blood cells; the cells are genetically modified to recognize and attack your multiple myeloma cells.
Important information
Abecma may cause side effects that are life-threatening and can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you get any of the following:
- difficulty breathing
- fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher)
- chills/shivering
- confusion
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- shaking or twitching (tremor)
- fast or irregular heartbeat
- severe fatigue
- severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
It is important that you tell your healthcare providers that you have received Abecma and to show them your Patient Wallet Card. Your healthcare provider may give you other medicines to treat your side effects.
How do I use Abecma?
Abecma is made from your own white blood cells, so your blood will be collected by a process called “leukapheresis”.
Your blood cells will be sent to a manufacturing center to make your Abecma. Based on clinical trial experience, it takes about 4 weeks from the time your cells are received at the manufacturing site and are available to be shipped back to your healthcare provider, but the time may vary.
Before you receive treatment, your healthcare provider will give you chemotherapy for 3 days to prepare your body.
When your treatment is ready, your healthcare provider will give the Abecma to you through a catheter (tube) placed into your vein (intravenous infusion). Your d...
