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RAPTIVA is an injection you can give yourself once a week at home – after a healthcare professional shows you how to do it. You inject RAPTIVA under the skin. You can give yourself the shot in your upper leg (thigh), upper arm, abdomen, or buttocks. You should take RAPTIVA the same day each week. If you miss your dose of RAPTIVA, contact your healthcare provider to find out when to take your next dose and what schedule to follow after that.
The most common side effects of RAPTIVA are flu-like symptoms such as headache, chills, fever, nausea, and muscle aches. These symptoms usually last a short time – during the first 48 hours following the first 2 RAPTIVA injections. And often decrease after the first few weeks of use of RAPTIVA. Raptiva is a medicine used to treat adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis whose psoriasis is appropriate for treatment with whole body (systemic therapy) or phototherapy. Raptiva has not been studied in children under 18 years of age. Raptiva can decrease the activity of your immune system. Therefore, people using Raptiva may have an increased chance of getting: serious infections cancers low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) worsening of psoriasis You should not receive vaccines while using Raptiva. Raptiva may prevent a vaccine from working. RAPTIVA® is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the CD11a subunit of LFA-1 (lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1), a leukocyte cell surface protein. By this mechanism, efalizumab: inhibits the primary T lymphocyte activation in lymph nodes (including T lymphocyte proliferation, interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor expression, CD11a expression, and cytokine release); inhibits T lymphocyte binding to endothelial cells and trafficking to psoriatic lesions; inhibits T lymphocyte reactivation in dermis/epidermis and interaction with keratinocytes. Raptiva must be refrigerated at a temperature of 36° to 46° F (2° to 8° C). Protect the vial from exposure to light, and do not use beyond expiration date stamped on carton or vial. |