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IVIgAxium Healthcare Pharmacy, Inc. is a nationwide specialty pharmacy that delivers high-quality, personalized care and infusion management for patients on IVig therapy.
About IVIg What is IVIg (Intravenous Immunoglobulin)? Intravenous immunoglobulin is frequently abbreviated as IVIg or IgG (for intravenous gamma globulin). IVIg has been shown in research studies to be beneficial in the treatment of several immune regulation disorders. IVIg is a solution composed primarily of heterogeneous human IgG with trace amounts of IgA and IgM. IVIg is collected from the venous blood of donors and all samples undergo HIV and HBV testing. Is IVIg a new treatment? IVIg was originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating immune disorders in children and has been available for over 30 years. IVIg is FDA-approved for the treatment of patients with primary immunodeficiencies, immunethrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), B-cell chronic lymphocyctic leukemia (CLL), Kawasaki syndrome, and immunodeficiency associated with pediatric HIV and bone marrow transplantation. Neurologists also use IVIg in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and motor neuropathy, though IVIg is not used for these conditions. It is not presently approved to treat Alzheimer’s disease, but now under study. In several MS clinical studies, there are suggestions that IVIg is a safe and effective treatment for acute relapses; prevention of new relapses; and in RR-MS, refractory to conventional therapies. The yearly exacerbation rate (YER) in MS patients is the main factor affecting neurological disability and quality of life, because with additional relapses the probability of complete clinical remission decreases. There is evidence to suggest that infusions of IVIg in the MS patient shows major decreases in yearly exacerbation rates, decreases in gadolinium enhancing lesions as seen on MRIs and overall improved neurological status. The AIMS study demonstrated a lower number of hospital admissions and days spent in hospital, which further attests to favorable use of IVIg with MS patients. IVIg is able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier which contributes to enhanced remyelination and enables active involvement of the drug during remissions. The drug can cause suppression of the active immune process, which can contribute to reduction of long-term disability by promoting remyelination. DOSING AND ADMINISTRATION: IVIg is given intravenously, usually infused once monthly. Dose ranges from 0.2 to 0.4g/kg for use with Multiple Sclerosis. IVIg is supplied as: Gamimune, Gammagard, Gammar-P, Gamunes, Iveegam, Panglobulin NF, Polygam, Octagamma, Venoglobulin-I, Venoglobulin-S, and Carimune. Not all forms of IVIg are available. For more info view the IVIg Reference Chart. |
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