Pronunciation:

ra-ni-BIZ-oo-mab

Brand Names:

• Lucentis

Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Classifications:

Therapeutic—

Ophthalmologic Agent

Pharmacologic—

Monoclonal Antibody

Uses of This Medicine:

Ranibizumab is used to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a disorder of the retina of the eye that causes blurring of vision or blindness .

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription .

Before Using This Medicine:

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies—

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Children—

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of ranibizumab in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established .

Older adults—

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of ranibizumab in the elderly .

Pregnancy—

	Pregnancy Category	Explanation
All Trimesters	C	Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women.

Breast-feeding—

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Other medicines—

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other interactions—

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other medical problems—

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Eye infection—Ranibizumab should not be used in patients with an infection in or around the eye .

• Glaucoma—This medicine may increase eye pressure after injection. Your doctor will monitor your eye pressure during the week after every injection .

Proper Use of This Medicine:

A doctor will give you this medicine. Ranibizumab is given through a shot into the eye .

This medicine is usually given once a month (about 28 days). In some patients, it may be given once every three months after the first four injections .

Precautions While Using This Medicine:

Your doctor will want to check your progress at regular visits, especially during the first few weeks that you receive this medicine .

Serious eye problems may occur after treatment with this medicine. Check with your doctor immediately if your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, painful or develops a change in vision several days after your treatment. Also, tell your doctor if you are having an increased pressure in the eye .

This medicine may increase your risk of blood clots. Check with your doctor right away if you are having pain in your chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves; difficulty breathing; severe, sudden headache; slurred speech; sudden, unexplained shortness of breath; sudden loss of coordination; sudden, severe weakness or numbness in your arm or leg; or vision changes .

Side Effects of This Medicine:

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Abdominal pain

bladder pain

blindness

bloody eye

bloody or cloudy urine

blurred vision or loss of vision

body aches or pain

chest pain

chills

cough

cough producing mucus

decreased vision or other changes in vision

diarrhea

difficult, burning, or painful urination

difficulty breathing

disturbed color perception

dizziness

double vision

dry eye

ear congestion or pain

eye pain

fainting

fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat

feeling of having something in the eye

fever

frequent urge to urinate

general feeling of discomfort or illness

halos around lights

head congestion

headache

hoarseness, loss of voice, or other voice changes

joint pain

large amount of cholesterol in the blood

loss of appetite

lower back or side pain

muscle aches and pains

nasal congestion

nausea or vomiting

nervousness

night blindness

overbright appearance of lights

pain or tenderness around eyes and cheekbones

pale skin

pounding in the ears

red, sore eyes

redness of the white part of eyes or inside of eyelids

redness, swelling, and/or itching of eyelid

seeing flashes or sparks of light

seeing floating spots before the eyes, or a veil or curtain appearing across part of vision

sensitivity of eye to light

shivering

shortness of breath

sneezing

sore throat

stuffy or runny nose

sweating

tearing

tightness in chest

trouble sleeping

troubled breathing

tunnel vision

unusual bleeding or bruising

unusual tiredness or weakness

watering of eyes

wheezing

Less common

Dry mouth

fainting

fatigue

flushed, dry skin

fruit-like breath odor

increased hunger

increased thirst

increased urination

loss of consciousness

pain in chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves

painful blisters on trunk of body

severe, sudden headache

slurred speech

sudden loss of coordination

sudden, severe weakness or numbness in arm or leg

sudden, unexplained shortness of breath

unexplained weight loss

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Back pain

difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)

difficulty moving

muscle stiffness

sleeplessness

swelling or redness in joints

unable to sleep

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.