The process of discovering a disease may not be an easy one, especially when there are few treatment options.
This is the case of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which has yet to be cured. However, today, there are resources capable of controlling the progression of the disease, improving the condition of life and well-being of patients, including Ofev. Know the action of the remedy and its indications:
Contents
What is Ofev?
Ofev is the trade name of the active ingredient Nintedanib Esylate, used to treat and delay the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
When combined with other medications such as Docetaxel – a medicine that works to fight malignant cells – it can be used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (CRNPC).
It is a new drug, administered orally and manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim – pharmaceutical company.
What is the active ingredient and what is the medicine for?
The active ingredient in Ofev is Nintedanibe Sylate.
It is used to treat and delay the action of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) – a disease characterized by the replacement of healthy lung tissue with scar tissue (fibrosis).
In addition, when combined with Docetaxel – a drug that acts to destroy tumors and malignant cells -, it helps to fight non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic or recurrent, after treatment with Platinum.
Metastatic cancer occurs when there is a proliferation of tumors in the rest of the body, and the recurrent cancer, when there is a tumor that has already been treated, but it manifests again.
How does Nintedanib Esylate act?
The active ingredient acts by inhibiting the proliferation of fibroblasts, cells that participate in the process of development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
In this way, it helps to treat and slow the progression of the disease.
In addition, it inhibits the proliferation of endothelial and perivascular cells – which cover and make up blood vessels -, which are involved in the development of cancer.
According to the package insert, the drug reaches the highest concentration in the blood between 2 and 4 hours after the dose is administered.
What are the side effects?
Like other medicines, Ofev can cause some side effects. The most common reactions are:
- Diarrhea;
- Sickness;
- Abdominal pain;
- Changes in liver enzyme levels.
Other less common but still possible reactions are:
- Vomiting;
- Weight loss;
- Decreased appetite;
- Changes in the functioning of the liver.
Also listed are the unusual effects, including:
- Hypertension;
- Liver damage;
- Inflammation of the pancreas;
- Reduction in the number of platelets in the blood;
- Yellow color in the eyes or skin.
It is worth mentioning that each organism can react differently to the medication, in this way, not all people will necessarily present the same symptoms and with the same intensity.
How does the package insert indicate using Ofev?
According to the package insert, it is recommended to ingest the medicine capsule together with water and during meals, to avoid symptoms such as nausea.
For the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the package insert guides a dose of 150mg, twice a day, administered every 12 hours.
For cases of non-small cell lung cancer, the recommended dose is 200mg, twice a day, also every 12 hours.
The medication should not be administered on the same day as docetaxel – a drug that acts to destroy malignant cells.
Therefore, Ofev should be used within the medication time interval. This means that, as Docetaxel has a 21-day cycle – being applied on day 1 and again only after the 20-day period – Ofev should be administered between days 2 and 21.
Did ANVISA approve Ofev?
-Yeah . Ofev was approved and registered by Anvisa in 2015 and its information can be found on the Agency’s website.
Inspiring you program from Ofev’s laboratory
The laboratory that markets Ofev is Boehringer Ingelheim Chemical and pharmaceutical.
The company has a program called “Inspiring you”, exclusively for people who use Boehringer’s medications.
Through the program, patients have access to informational materials on diseases and a periodic monitoring channel, in which health professionals make calls to advise on treatments.
The registration is carried out free of charge, through the telephone of the laboratory. More information can be obtained from the professional team that guides each patient or directly from the program website.
Price and where to buy Ofev?
The Ofev is a high cost of medicine, with values from R $ 8300 *. It can be consulted in physical pharmacies and online.
However, patients who have a medical prescription to use the medication can request free access to the drug in court.
For that, it is necessary to open a judicial process with information such as medical report, exams, application and budget in three different pharmacies.
For the realization of the quotation, it is possible to obtain assistance in advising on the quotation of high-cost medications , which makes a personalized quote in a simple and easy way.
* Price consulted in November 2019. Prices may change.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a serious and rare disease that still does not have as many treatment options.
As an advance related to the disease, Ofev appeared, a medication used to treat the problem.
The Consultations Remedies brings other information about remedies for you. Check out!
