Your immune system is made up of two different cell groups: innate immune cells, which are your body’s first line of defense, and adaptive immune cells (including B and T cells), the second line of defense, which plays a role in your body’s long-term immune response.
When your immune system is working properly, it defends your body against infection. When your immune system mistakenly attacks normal, healthy cells, it’s considered an autoimmune condition, which is what multiple sclerosis is thought to be.
Your immune system is made up of two different cell groups: innate immune cells, which are your body’s first line of defense, and adaptive immune cells (including B and T cells), the second line of defense, which plays a role in your body’s long-term immune response.
When your immune system is working properly, it defends your body against infection. When your immune system mistakenly attacks normal, healthy cells, it’s considered an autoimmune condition, which is what multiple sclerosis is thought to be.
When you have MS, B and T cells recognize your normal, healthy tissues of the central nervous system as foreign. When this happens, the immune system (including B and T cells) attacks the myelin sheath, the insulating layer that protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system. The damage from these attacks causes inflammation and interrupts the signals between nerves, which shows up as lesions and MS-related symptoms.
MAVENCLAD temporarily reduces the number of B and T cells circulating in the body. This means there are fewer such cells attacking the nerves of the central nervous system. Even when the body has a reduced number of these cells, other immune cells, including innate cells, are still present to defend the body from infection. However, low blood cell counts have occurred and can increase risk of infections during treatment with MAVENCLAD.
MAVENCLAD temporarily reduces the number of B and T cells circulating in the body. This means there are fewer such cells attacking the nerves of the central nervous system. Even when the body has a reduced number of these cells, other immune cells, including innate cells, are still present to defend the body from infection. However, low blood cell counts have occurred and can increase risk of infections during treatment with MAVENCLAD.
Even when B and T cell counts are reduced, other immune cells are still present to defend the body from infections
MAVENCLAD is taken for up to 10 days each year for 2 years. After each treatment course and over several months, new B and T cell counts recover to near normal (although they may not go back to pre-treatment levels). Your healthcare provider will monitor your health and blood cell count and make adjustments if necessary.
Graphics are for illustrative purposes only.
MAVENCLAD is a prescription medicine used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include relapsing-remitting disease and active secondary progressive disease, in adults. Because of its safety profile, MAVENCLAD is generally used in people who have tried another MS medicine that they could not tolerate or that has not worked well enough.
MAVENCLAD is not recommended for use in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS).
It is not known if MAVENCLAD is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age and is therefore not recommended.
MAVENCLAD may cause serious side effects, including:
Do not take MAVENCLAD if you:
Before you take MAVENCLAD, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
How should I take MAVENCLAD?
Your healthcare provider will continue to monitor your health during the 2 yearly treatment courses, and for at least another 2 years during which you do not need to take MAVENCLAD. It is not known if MAVENCLAD is safe and effective in people who restart MAVENCLAD treatment more than 2 years after completing 2 yearly treatment courses.
MAVENCLAD can cause serious side effects. If you have any of these symptoms listed below, call your healthcare provider right away:
The most common side effects of MAVENCLAD include: upper respiratory infection, headache, and low white blood cell counts.
These are not all the possible side effects of MAVENCLAD. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact EMD Serono at: 1-800-283-8088 ext. 5563 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Please see full Prescribing Information/Medication Guide, including serious side effects, for additional Important Safety Information.