Treatment information: How hemophilia therapy works
Goals of therapy
The main goal of hemophilia therapy is to keep bleeds from happening or stop a bleed as soon as possible. Factor replacement therapy does exactly what it sounds like it does—replaces the clotting factor that is missing so that there is enough to prevent or stop a bleed. Most bleeds stop after one dose of clotting factor, while others may need several infusions to stop the bleeding. Severe bleeds may even need therapy once or twice a day for several days. The amount of factor needed is based on the severity of the bleed.
Frequency of therapy
Doctors prescribe clotting factor therapy on dosing schedules that meet the individual needs of their patients.
- Treating a bleed when it starts with infusions of clotting factor is called on-demand therapy
- Preventive therapy means that an infusion of clotting factor is given before an event or activity that may cause bleeding
Some bleeds may require medical attention and others may not. Please speak with a medical professional to learn when to seek medical care.
Treatment for hemophilia A
For people with hemophilia A, one treatment option is Xyntha® Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), Plasma/Albumin-Free, a recombinant factor VIII product. XYNTHA uses a state-of-the-art purification process that's entirely free of added human and animal materials.
XYNTHA Solofuse is the all-in-one reconstitution device. It comes prefilled with
diluent and 250 IU, 500 IU, 1000 IU, 2000 IU, or 3000 IU of XYNTHA. XYNTHA is also available in doses of 2000 IU and lower with the Rapid Reconstitution (R2) Kit.
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XYNTHA has been studied, tested, and proven to work in clinical trials. To learn more about XYNTHA, visit XYNTHA.com.
What Is XYNTHA?
Xyntha® Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), Plasma/Albumin-Free is indicated for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia) and for surgical prophylaxis in patients with hemophilia A.
XYNTHA does not contain von Willebrand factor and, therefore, is not indicated in von Willebrand's disease.
Important Safety Information for XYNTHA
- Allergic reactions are possible with XYNTHA. Signs of an allergic reaction may include hives, rash with itching, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, faintness, or fast heartbeat. XYNTHA contains trace amounts of hamster protein. You may develop an allergic reaction to these proteins. Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to hamster protein.
- Call your doctor right away if bleeding is not controlled after using your factor VIII replacement therapy; this may be a sign of an inhibitor. Inhibitors have been observed in patients receiving factor VIII products, including XYNTHA.
- The most common adverse reaction in study 1 (safety and efficacy study) is headache (24% of subjects) and in study 2 (surgery study) is fever (41% of subjects). Other common side effects of XYNTHA include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or weakness.
- XYNTHA is an injectable medicine administered by intravenous (IV) infusion. Local irritation may occur when infusing XYNTHA after reconstitution in XYNTHA Solofuse.
Please see full Prescribing Information for XYNTHA.
Treatment for hemophilia B
One treatment option for patients with hemophilia B is BeneFIX® Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant), the first recombinant factor IX product. BeneFIX has more than 14 years of clinical experience, and it has been proven to work in clinical studies for preventing bleeds and controlling bleeds once they started.
BeneFIX comes with the convenience of the Rapid Reconstitution (R2) Kit and is approved in doses of 250 IU, 500 IU, 1000 IU, 2000 IU, and 3000 IU. To learn more about dosing availability, visit BeneFIX.com.
Talk to your doctor about which factor replacement product may be right for you.
What Is BeneFIX?
BeneFIX® Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant) is an injectable medicine that is used to help control and prevent bleeding in people with hemophilia B. Hemophilia B is also called congenital factor IX deficiency or Christmas disease.
BeneFIX is NOT used to treat hemophilia A.
Important Safety Information for BeneFIX
- BeneFIX is contraindicated in patients who have manifested life-threatening, immediate hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, to the product or its components, including hamster protein.
- Call your health care provider right away if your bleeding is not controlled after using BeneFIX.
- Allergic reactions may occur with BeneFIX. Call your health care provider or get emergency treatment right away if you have any of the following symptoms: wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, your lips and gums turning blue, fast heartbeat, facial swelling, faintness, rash or hives.
- Your body can make antibodies, called “inhibitors,” which may interfere with the effectiveness of BeneFIX.
- If you have risk factors for developing blood clots, such as a venous catheter through which BeneFIX is given by continuous infusion, BeneFIX may increase the risk of abnormal blood clots. The safety and efficacy of BeneFIX administration by continuous infusion have not been established.
- Some common side effects of BeneFIX are nausea, injection site reaction, injection site pain, headache, dizziness and rash.
Please see full Prescribing Information for BeneFIX.
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