Myozyme Injection

Generic name: alglucosidase alfa (injection) [ AL-gloo-KOE-si-dase-AL-fa ]
Brand name: Myozyme /i>
Drug class: Lysosomal enzymes

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Sep 25, 2023.

What is Myozyme?

Myozyme contains an enzyme that naturally occurs in the body in healthy people. Some people lack this enzyme because of a genetic disorder. Alglucosidase alfa helps replace this missing enzyme in such people.

Myozyme is used to treat a glycogen storage disorder called Pompe disease, (also called GAA deficiency) in adults and children.

Myozyme has been shown to improve ventilator-free survival in patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease.

Warnings

Some people receiving Myozyme have had serious allergic reactions during or shortly after infusion of this medicine. Tell your caregivers or get emergency medical help right away if you have any signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as itching, rash. redness or tingling, severe headache, feeling like you might pass out, fast or slow heart rate, wheezing, trouble breathing, pale skin, and blue lips or fingernails.

Before receiving Myozyme, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, lung disease or a breathing disorder, or if you are allergic to mice, hamsters, or drug products made with "murine" proteins.

Before each injection, tell your doctor if you have recently been sick with a cold, flu, or other illness. Some people receiving an injection of Myozyme have had a reaction to the infusion. This type of reaction can occur when the medicine is injected into the vein, or as long as 3 hours after the injection.

Before taking this medicine

To make sure Myozyme is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• heart disease; or

• lung disease or breathing disorder.

Babies who develop Pompe disease in the first year of life may need specialized medical tests to improve treatment with Myozyme treatment.

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

You should not breastfeed within 24 hours after receiving Myozyme. If you use a breast pump during this time, throw out any milk you collect. Do not feed it to your baby.

Your name may be listed on the Pompe Registry. This is to track the progress of your disease and the outcome of your treatment with Myozyme.

How is Myozyme given?

Myozyme is given as an infusion into a vein. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.

Myozyme must be given slowly, and the IV infusion can take up to 4 hours to complete.

This medicine is usually given once every 2 weeks.

Before each injection, tell your doctor if you have recently been sick with a cold, flu, or other illness.

If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using Myozyme.

Myozyme can have long lasting effects on your body. Your blood will need to be tested every 3 months for 2 years and then once every year after that.

Dosing information

Usual Adult Dose for Pompe disease:

20 mg/kg via IV infusion every 2 weeks

Comments:
-Total volume of infusion is determined by patient's body weight and should be infused over about 4 hours.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Pompe disease:

20 mg/kg via IV infusion every 2 weeks

Comments:
-Total volume of infusion is determined by body weight and should be infused over about 4 hours.

Related/similar drugs

miglustat, Lumizyme, Opfolda, alglucosidase alfa

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your Myozyme injection.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while receiving Myozyme?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

Myozyme side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Myozyme: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Some allergic reactions may occur during the injection, or as long as 3 hours afterward. Tell your caregivers or get emergency medical help right away if you have:

• a feeling like you might pass out, even while lying down;

• slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, slow breathing (breathing may stop);

• bronchospasm (wheezing, tight feeling in your chest or throat, trouble breathing);

• pale skin, cold or clammy skin, blue lips or fingernails, cold hands or feet;

• warmth, redness, numbness, or tingly feeling under your skin;

• rash, itching, sweating, fever;

• severe headache, nausea, feeling restless or nervous;

• seizure (convulsions); or

• fast heart rate, pounding in your neck or ears, anxiety, confusion.

Also call your doctor at once if you have:

• skin changes (sores, lesions, ulcers, discoloring); or

• puffy eyes, swelling in your ankles or feet, weight gain, urine that looks foamy.

Common Myozyme side effects may include:

• hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat;

• pale skin, blue lips, feeling hot or feverish;

• skin rash, itching, flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling);

• headache, dizziness, agitation, muscle twitching;

• fast heart rate, rapid breathing, chest discomfort, cough;

• increased blood pressure;

• nausea, vomiting;

• tremor, shaking, increased sweating; or

• muscle pain, tiredness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Myozyme?

Other drugs may interact with alglucosidase alfa, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Further information

• Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about Myozyme.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Myozyme only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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Myozyme Biosimilars

Biosimilar and interchangeable products are biological products that are highly similar to and have no clinically meaningful differences from the reference product.

Reference products

These are biological products that have already been approved by the FDA, against which biosimilar products are compared. There are 2 for Myozyme.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer