Usual Adult Dose for Psoriasis

7.5 mg once a week as an IV bolus

or

15 mg once a week as an IM injection

The recommended regimen is a course of 12 weekly injections. Retreatment with an additional twelve week course may be initiated provided that CD4+ T lymphocyte counts are within the normal range, and a minimum of a twelve week interval has passed since the previous course of treatment. Data on retreatment beyond two cycles are limited.

The CD4+ T lymphocyte counts of patients receiving alefacept should be monitored weekly before initiating dosing and throughout the course of the twelve week dosing regimen. Dosing should be withheld if CD4+ T lymphocyte counts are below 250 cells/microliter. The drug should be discontinued if the counts remain below 250 cells/microliter for one month

Renal Dose Adjustments

Data not available.

Liver Dose Adjustments

Data not available.

Precautions

If a patient develops a malignancy, alefacept should be discontinued.

Alefacept has the potential to increase the risk of infection and reactivate latent, chronic infections. Alefacept should not be administered to patients with a clinically important infection. Caution should be exercised when considering the use of alefacept in patients with chronic infections or a history of recurrent infection. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of infection during or after a course of alefacept. New infections should be closely monitored. If a patient develops a serious infection, alefacept should be discontinued.

Patients receiving other immunosuppressive agents or phototherapy should not receive concurrent therapy with alefacept because of the possibility of excessive immunosuppression.

Safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric patients (less than 18 years of age).

Dialysis

Data not available.

Other Comments

Data on the safety and efficacy of alefacept treatment beyond two courses are limited.

Alefacept should only be used under the guidance and supervision of a physician.