COPAXONE® is indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.
Contraindication: COPAXONE® is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to glatiramer acetate or mannitol.
Immediate Post-Injection Reaction: Approximately 16% of patients exposed to COPAXONE® 20 mg per mL compared to 4% of those on placebo, and approximately 2% of patients exposed to COPAXONE® 40 mg per mL compared to none on placebo experienced a constellation of symptoms that may occur immediately (within seconds to minutes, with the majority of symptoms observed within 1 hour) after injection and included at least 2 of the following: flushing, chest pain, palpitations, tachycardia, anxiety, dyspnea, throat constriction, and urticaria. In general, these symptoms have their onset several months after the initiation of treatment, although they may occur earlier, and a given patient may experience 1 or several episodes of these symptoms. Typically, the symptoms were transient and self-limited and did not require treatment; however, there have been reports of patients with similar symptoms who received emergency medical care.
Chest Pain: Transient chest pain was noted in 13% of COPAXONE® 20 mg per mL patients compared to 6% of placebo patients, and approximately 2% of COPAXONE® 40 mg per mL patients compared to 1% on placebo. While some episodes of chest pain occurred in the context of the Immediate Post-Injection Reaction described above, many did not. The temporal relationship of this chest pain to an injection was not always known. The pain was usually transient, often unassociated with other symptoms, and appeared to have no clinical sequelae. Some patients experienced more than 1 such episode, and episodes usually began at least 1 month after the initiation of treatment.
Lipoatrophy and Skin Necrosis: At injection sites, localized lipoatrophy and, rarely, injection site skin necrosis may occur. Lipoatrophy may occur at various times after treatment onset (sometimes after several months) and is thought to be permanent. There is no known therapy for lipoatrophy.
Potential Effects on Immune Response: Because COPAXONE® can modify immune response, it may interfere with immune functions. For example, treatment with COPAXONE® may interfere with recognition of foreign antigens in a way that would undermine the body’s tumor surveillance and its defenses against infection. There is no evidence that COPAXONE® does this, but there has not been a systematic evaluation of this risk.
Hepatic Injury: Cases of hepatic injury, some severe, including liver failure and hepatitis with jaundice, have been reported with COPAXONE®. Hepatic injury has occurred from days to years after initiating treatment with COPAXONE®. If signs or symptoms of liver dysfunction occur, consider discontinuation of COPAXONE®.
Common Adverse Reactions: In controlled studies of COPAXONE® 20 mg per mL, the most common adverse reactions with COPAXONE® vs placebo were injection site reactions (ISRs), such as erythema (43% vs 10%); vasodilatation (20% vs 5%); rash (19% vs 11%); dyspnea (14% vs 4%); and chest pain (13% vs 6%).
In a controlled study of COPAXONE® 40 mg per mL, the most common adverse reactions with COPAXONE® vs placebo were ISRs, such as erythema (22% vs 2%).
ISRs were one of the most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation of COPAXONE®. ISRs, such as erythema, pain, pruritus, mass, edema, hypersensitivity, fibrosis, and atrophy, occurred at a higher rate with COPAXONE® than placebo.
Please see full Prescribing Information for COPAXONE®.
Injections for 3-times-a-week COPAXONE® 40 mg must be at least 48 hours apart.
Some glatiramer acetate products can be administered by an optional compatible autoinjector. Compatible autoinjectors are supplied separately, if available, but the availability of compatible autoinjectors may change with time.
