Drug Detail:Increlex (Mecasermin [ me-ka-ser-min ])
Generic Name: mecasermin 40mg in 4mL
Dosage Form: injection, solution
Drug Class: Insulin-like growth factors
Dosage
- Treatment with INCRELEX should be supervised by a physician who is experienced in the diagnosis and management of pediatric patients with short stature associated with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency or with growth hormone gene deletion and who have developed neutralizing antibodies to growth hormone.
- The dosage of INCRELEX should be individualized for each patient. The recommended starting dose of INCRELEX is 0.04 to 0.08 mg/kg (40 to 80 micrograms/kg) twice daily by subcutaneous injection. If well-tolerated for at least one week, the dose may be increased by 0.04 mg/kg per dose, to the maximum dose of 0.12 mg/kg given twice daily [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 and 5.7)].
- Preprandial glucose monitoring is recommended at treatment initiation and until a well-tolerated dose is established. If frequent symptoms of hypoglycemia or severe hypoglycemia occur, preprandial glucose monitoring should continue. If hypoglycemia occurs with recommended doses despite adequate food intake, the dose should be reduced. INCRELEX should be administered shortly before or after (± 20 minutes) a meal or snack. If the patient is unable to eat shortly before or after a dose for any reason, that dose of INCRELEX should be withheld.
- If one or more doses of INCRELEX is missed, do not increase the subsequent doses to make up for omitted doses.
Administration
INCRELEX is administered by subcutaneous injection only. Do not administer intravenously.
INCRELEX injection sites should be rotated to a different site (upper arm, thigh, buttock or abdomen) with each injection to help prevent lipohypertrophy.
INCRELEX should be administered using sterile disposable syringes and needles. The syringes should be of small enough volume so that the prescribed dose can be withdrawn from the vial with accuracy.
Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.
If using syringes that measure dose in units, doses in mg/kg must be converted to units using the following formula: Weight (kg) × Dose (mg/kg) × 1 mL/10 mg × 100 units/1 mL = units/injection.