Givosiran
Indications
Givosiran is used for:
Acute Hepatic Porphyria
Adult Dose
Acute Hepatic Porphyria
Indicated for acute hepatic porphyria (AHP)
2.5 mg/kg SC qMonth; dose based on actual body weight
Hepatic impairment
Mild (bilirubin ?1× ULN and AST >1 x ULN, or bilirubin >1-1.5 x ULN): No clinically meaningful differences in pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics
Moderate-to-severe: Unknown
Child Dose
Renal Dose
Renal impairment
Mild, moderate, or severe (eGFR 15 to <89 mL/min/1.73m2): No clinically meaningful differences in pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics
End-stage renal disease: Unknown
Administration
SC Preparation
Ensure that medical support is available to appropriately manage anaphylactic reactions when administering
Inspect visually for particulate matter and discoloration before administration
Givosiran is a sterile, preservative-free, clear, colorless-to-yellow ready-to-use solution
Does not require additional reconstitution or dilution prior to administration
SC Administration
Intended for SC administration by a healthcare professional only
Calculate weight-based dose
Withdraw volume of solution from vial using ?21-gauge needle
Divide doses requiring volumes >1.5 mL equally into multiple syringes
After withdrawing solution, replace the ?21-gauge or larger needle with either a 25- or 27-gauge needle with 1/2” or 5/8” needle length
Avoid having solution on the needle tip until the needle is in the SC space
Administer SC into abdomen, back or side of upper arms, or thighs; rotate injection sites
Do not inject into scar tissue or areas that are reddened, inflamed, or swollen
If injecting into abdomen, avoid 5-cm diameter circle around the navel
If >1 injection needed for a single dose, the injection sites should be at least 2 cm apart from previous injection locations
Discard unused portion of the drug
Contra Indications
Severe hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis
Precautions
Anaphylaxis observed; ensure medical support is available to appropriately manage anaphylactic reactions when administering; monitor for signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis
Transaminase elevations (ALT) of ≥3x ULN observed in the placebo-controlled trial; primarily occurred 3-5 months after initiating treatment; monitor
Increased serum creatinine levels and decreased eGFR reported; monitor renal function as clinically indicated
Injection-site reactions reported; symptoms included erythema, pain, pruritus, rash, discoloration, or swelling
Pregnancy-Lactation
Pregnancy
Data are not available regarding use in pregnant women to evaluate a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes
Animal studies
Administration to pregnant rabbits during organogenesis resulted in adverse developmental outcomes at doses that produced maternal toxicity
Clinical considerations
Porphyria attacks during pregnancy, often triggered by hormonal changes, occur in 24-95% of patients with AHP, with maternal mortality ranging from 2-42%
Pregnancy in patients with AHP is associated with higher rates of spontaneous abortion, hypertension, and low-birth-weight infants
Lactation
Data are not available regarding use in breastfeeding women
Interactions
In vitro studies indicate that givosiran does not directly inhibit or induce CYP enzymes; however, because of its pharmacological effects on the hepatic heme biosynthesis pathway, givosiran has the potential to reduce the activity of CYP enzymes in the liver
Sensitive CYP1A2 or CYP2D6 substrates
Sensitive CYP1A2 substrates: Coadministration increased caffeine (sensitive CYP1A2 substrate) AUC by 3.1-fold and Cmax by 1.3-fold
Sensitive CYP2D6 substrates: Coadministration increased dextromethorphan (sensitive CYP2D6 substrate) AUC by 2.4-fold and Cmax by 2-fold
Avoid use with CYP1A2 or CYP2D6 substrates, for which minimal concentration changes may lead to serious or life-threatening toxicities
If concomitant use is unavoidable, decrease CYP1A2 or CYP2D6 substrate dosage in accordance with its prescribing information
Adverse Effects
Side effects of Givosiran :
>10%
Nausea (27%)
Injection-site reactions (25%)
Rash (17%)
Increased serum creatinine (15%)
Elevated transaminases (13%)
1-10%
Fatigue (10%)
<1%
Anaphylaxis
Mechanism of Action
Double-stranded small-interfering RNA that causes degradation of aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1) mRNA in hepatocytes through RNA interference, reducing the elevated levels of liver ALAS1 mRNA
This leads to reduced circulating levels of neurotoxic intermediates aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG), factors associated with attacks and other disease manifestations of AHP