Imfinzi Injection: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Imfinzi Injection (durvalumab) is a prescription PD-L1 blocking antibody given by IV infusion to treat several types of cancer, including certain lung, biliary tract, liver, endometrial, bladder, and gastric cancers. As an immunotherapy, it works by helping the immune system find and attack cancer cells rather than killing them directly like chemotherapy. It is typically given once every 2, 3, or 4 weeks by a healthcare professional, often alongside other cancer medicines, and is not approved for use in children.

What is Imfinzi Injection

Imfinzi is a prescription medicine given by IV infusion to treat several types of cancer. It is a type of immunotherapy that helps your immune system find and attack cancer cells, rather than killing cancer cells directly like chemotherapy.

Imfinzi Injection uses

• Certain types of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including resectable, unresectable stage 3, and metastatic disease
• Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), both limited-stage and extensive-stage
• Biliary tract cancer (bile duct and gallbladder cancer) that is locally advanced or has spread
• A type of liver cancer called unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
• Advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)
• Muscle-invasive bladder cancer, used before and after bladder surgery
• High-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, in combination with BCG
• Gastric (stomach) and gastroesophageal junction cancer that can be removed by surgery

Benefits of Imfinzi Injection

• Can help shrink certain tumors by allowing the immune system to attack cancer cells
• May help extend the length of time you live without your cancer getting worse
• Shown in clinical trials to improve overall survival and progression-free survival for several cancer types

How Imfinzi Injection works

Some cancer cells display a protein called PD-L1 on their surface, which acts like a disguise that stops the immune system from attacking them. Imfinzi attaches to this PD-L1 protein and blocks it, which removes the disguise and allows the immune system to recognize and destroy the cancer cells.

Imfinzi Injection dosage

Imfinzi is given as an infusion into a vein by a healthcare professional, usually over about 60 minutes. It is typically given once every 2, 3, or 4 weeks, depending on your treatment plan. It is often given in combination with other cancer medicines such as chemotherapy; when given together, Imfinzi is usually infused before the other medicine on the same day. It is not approved for use in children, as safety and effectiveness in children have not been established. Keep all scheduled infusion appointments; if you miss one, call your doctor's office right away to reschedule.

Available forms and strengths

• Injection

Side effects of Imfinzi Injection

Common

• Cough
• Tiredness or feeling weak
• Shortness of breath
• Hair loss
• Pain in muscles or bones
• Itchy skin
• Nausea, constipation, diarrhea, or vomiting
• Decreased appetite
• Fever
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold
• Rash
• Low red or white blood cell counts (anemia, low platelets)

Serious

• Severe allergic reactions
• Infusion-related reactions during treatment
• Immune system reactions causing inflammation of the lungs (pneumonitis), colon (colitis), liver (hepatitis), kidneys (nephritis), pancreas (pancreatitis), skin, or other organs
• Hormone gland problems such as thyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency, type 1 diabetes, or pituitary gland problems (hypophysitis)
• Heart problems such as myocarditis
• Nerve problems such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Eye inflammation (uveitis) that can affect vision
• Serious infections such as pneumonia
• Complications from a stem cell or organ transplant, including organ rejection or graft-versus-host disease
• Aplastic anemia

Warnings and precautions

Imfinzi can cause your immune system to attack healthy organs and tissues anywhere in the body, which can become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time, and they can happen during treatment or even after it has ended. Serious or life-threatening reactions can happen during the infusion itself. People who have had or later receive a stem cell transplant from a donor may develop serious, sometimes fatal, transplant-related complications linked to treatment with Imfinzi. If you have an autoimmune disease, a past organ or stem cell transplant, breathing or liver problems, recent radiation treatment to the chest, or an active infection, tell your doctor before starting Imfinzi, since these conditions may increase your risk of serious side effects.

Imfinzi is not safe to use during pregnancy because it may cause harm to an unborn baby. If you can become pregnant, your doctor will test you for pregnancy before starting treatment and will recommend effective birth control during treatment and for 3 months after your last dose.

It isn't known whether Imfinzi passes into breast milk, but it could cause serious side effects in a breastfed child. You should not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 3 months after your last dose.

If you have a history of liver problems, tell your doctor before starting Imfinzi, since the medicine can sometimes cause liver inflammation (hepatitis).

Imfinzi isn't known to interact directly with alcohol, but drinking could make certain side effects, such as tiredness and nausea, worse. Talk with your doctor about how much alcohol is safe for you during treatment.

Imfinzi is not expected to affect your ability to drive or use machines, but be careful until you know how the medicine affects you.

Storage

• Store unopened vials in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) in the original carton to protect from light
• Do not freeze
• Do not shake
• If you no longer need the medicine or it is out of date, take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away for any new or worsening cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath, which could be signs of lung inflammation.
• Get medical help right away for yellowing of the skin or eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your abdomen, unusual tiredness, or easy bruising or bleeding, which could be signs of liver inflammation.
• Get medical help right away for diarrhea, blood or mucus in your stool, or severe stomach pain, which could be signs of bowel inflammation.
• Get medical help right away for signs of a hormone gland problem, such as persistent headaches, extreme tiredness, weight changes, feeling cold, increased hunger or thirst, hair loss, or mood changes.
• Get medical help right away for signs of kidney problems, such as decreased urination, blood in the urine, or swelling in the ankles.
• Get medical help right away for signs of severe skin reactions, such as rash, itching, blistering, peeling skin, or painful sores in the mouth, nose, throat, or genital area.
• Get medical help right away for signs of an infusion reaction, such as chills, shaking, itching, rash, flushing, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, fever, or back or neck pain during your infusion.
• Call your doctor right away if you experience serious side effects, and call emergency services if your symptoms feel life-threatening.

Alternatives

• Tecentriq
• Opdivo
• Keytruda