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Long-term enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with type 1 Gaucher disease.
Important Safety Information: Hypersensitivity reactions, including serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have occurred. VPRIV should be administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Read more Important Safety Information

What is type 1 Gaucher?

information about the condition

 
 

Type 1 Gaucher (go-SHAY) is a rare, inherited disorder caused by the deficiency, absence, or incomplete functioning of an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase (GLOO-ko-SER-e-bro-sy-daze). Over time, this can result in the build-up of a fatty substance in cells. These cells enlarge and accumulate in the organs (particularly the spleen and liver) and tissues.

Even though all patients are different and will experience type 1 Gaucher differently, there are several common signs and symptoms that occur most frequently in patients. They are*:

  • Low red blood cell count
  • Enlarged spleen and/or liver†
  • Low platelet count
*This is not the complete list of signs and symptoms. A full evaluation should be completed by your doctor.
†In a clinical trial of treatment-naïve patients for VPRIV® (velaglucerase alfa) for injection, a significant reduction in liver size was not demonstrated.
Type 1 Gaucher Disease diagnosis

Tricky to diagnose

It can sometimes take doctors a while to arrive at a type 1 Gaucher diagnosis. That’s because it often resembles other conditions. This is why a full evaluation should be completed by your doctor.

“Type 1 Gaucher wasn't my initial diagnosis. I saw five or six different doctors before I got a diagnosis of type 1 Gaucher.”

- Aaron

living with type 1 Gaucher

Learn more about type 1 Gaucher disease diagnosis

How do I learn more?

Information on who gets type 1 Gaucher, and how to test for it.

Read up on diagnosis
How does VPRIV® treat type 1 Gaucher?

How does VPRIV treat
type 1 Gaucher?

VPRIV is built to replace the deficient enzyme that patients with type 1 Gaucher are missing.

Get info on VPRIV

INDICATION

VPRIV® (velaglucerase alfa) for injection is a prescription medication indicated for long-term enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with type 1 Gaucher disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • Hypersensitivity reactions, including serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have occurred. VPRIV should be administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional. VPRIV is given every other week by intravenous infusion that typically takes up to 60 minutes. Appropriate medical support should be available when VPRIV is administered. The most serious side effects in patients treated with VPRIV were hypersensitivity reactions.
  • Hypersensitivity reactions were the most commonly observed side effects in patients treated with VPRIV in clinical studies. The most commonly observed symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions were: headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, nausea, tiredness/weakness, and fever. Hypersensitivity reactions in the clinical trials include any event considered related to and occurring within up to 24 hours of VPRIV infusion, including one case of anaphylaxis. Generally the reactions were mild and, in patients not previously treated, occurred mostly during the first 6 months of treatment and tended to occur less frequently with time. After the drug was approved, additional hypersensitivity reactions of chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, itching and vomiting have been reported. In some cases, vomiting can be serious and require hospitalization and/or stopping the medication.
  • If anaphylactic or other acute reactions occur, your healthcare provider will immediately discontinue the infusion of VPRIV and initiate the appropriate medical treatment. A hypersensitivity reaction should be treated based on the severity of the reaction. Your healthcare provider may manage a reaction by slowing the infusion rate or treating with medicine such as antihistamines, fever-reducing agents and/or corticosteroids or possibly stopping the medication and then restarting with a longer infusion time. For patients who have had symptoms of hypersensitivity reaction to enzyme replacement therapy, the doctor may consider treating the patient with antihistamines and/or corticosteroids before an infusion to help prevent such a reaction from happening.
  • The most commonly reported side effects during clinical studies (in ≥10% of patients) were hypersensitivity reactions, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, back pain, joint pain, increased time it takes for blood to clot, tiredness/weakness, and fever. In clinical studies, the overall frequency of side effects was generally higher in the patients not previously treated with ERT than in the patients who switched from imiglucerase to VPRIV.
  • Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to be pregnant, are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.
  • The safety and efficacy profiles were similar in pediatric (ages 4 to 17) and adult patients. The safety of VPRIV has not been established in patients under 4 years of age. Side effects more commonly seen in pediatric patients compared to adult patients include (>10% difference): rash, increased time it takes for blood to clot, and fever.
  • The side effect profile in elderly patients was generally similar to that seen in pediatric and other adult patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be approached cautiously, considering other existing medical conditions.
  • As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for developing antibodies to VPRIV. In clinical studies, 1 of 54 (2%) patients who had not previously been treated with ERT, who were then treated with VPRIV, developed antibodies. One additional patient developed antibodies to VPRIV during an extension study. It is unknown if having antibodies to VPRIV is associated with a higher risk of infusion reactions. Patients with an immune response to other enzyme replacement therapies who are switching to VPRIV should continue to be monitored for antibodies to VPRIV.
  • Please see full Prescribing Information.
  • You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

INDICATION

VPRIV® (velaglucerase alfa) for injection is a prescription medication indicated for long-term enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with type 1 Gaucher disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • Hypersensitivity reactions, including serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have occurred. VPRIV should be administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional. VPRIV is given every other week by intravenous infusion that typically takes up to 60 minutes. Appropriate medical support should be available when VPRIV is administered. The most serious side effects in patients treated with VPRIV were hypersensitivity reactions.
  • Hypersensitivity reactions were the most commonly observed side effects in patients treated with VPRIV in clinical studies. The most commonly observed symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions were: headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, nausea, tiredness/weakness, and fever. Hypersensitivity reactions in the clinical trials include any event considered related to and occurring within up to 24 hours of VPRIV infusion, including one case of anaphylaxis. Generally the reactions were mild and, in patients not previously treated, occurred mostly during the first 6 months of treatment and tended to occur less frequently with time. After the drug was approved, additional hypersensitivity reactions of chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, itching and vomiting have been reported. In some cases, vomiting can be serious and require hospitalization and/or stopping the medication.
  • If anaphylactic or other acute reactions occur, your healthcare provider will immediately discontinue the infusion of VPRIV and initiate the appropriate medical treatment. A hypersensitivity reaction should be treated based on the severity of the reaction. Your healthcare provider may manage a reaction by slowing the infusion rate or treating with medicine such as antihistamines, fever-reducing agents and/or corticosteroids or possibly stopping the medication and then restarting with a longer infusion time. For patients who have had symptoms of hypersensitivity reaction to enzyme replacement therapy, the doctor may consider treating the patient with antihistamines and/or corticosteroids before an infusion to help prevent such a reaction from happening.
  • The most commonly reported side effects during clinical studies (in ≥10% of patients) were hypersensitivity reactions, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, back pain, joint pain, increased time it takes for blood to clot, tiredness/weakness, and fever. In clinical studies, the overall frequency of side effects was generally higher in the patients not previously treated with ERT than in the patients who switched from imiglucerase to VPRIV.
  • Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to be pregnant, are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.
  • The safety and efficacy profiles were similar in pediatric (ages 4 to 17) and adult patients. The safety of VPRIV has not been established in patients under 4 years of age. Side effects more commonly seen in pediatric patients compared to adult patients include (>10% difference): rash, increased time it takes for blood to clot, and fever.
  • The side effect profile in elderly patients was generally similar to that seen in pediatric and other adult patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be approached cautiously, considering other existing medical conditions.
  • As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for developing antibodies to VPRIV. In clinical studies, 1 of 54 (2%) patients who had not previously been treated with ERT, who were then treated with VPRIV, developed antibodies. One additional patient developed antibodies to VPRIV during an extension study. It is unknown if having antibodies to VPRIV is associated with a higher risk of infusion reactions. Patients with an immune response to other enzyme replacement therapies who are switching to VPRIV should continue to be monitored for antibodies to VPRIV.
  • Please see full Prescribing Information.
  • You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

INDICATION

VPRIV® (velaglucerase alfa) for injection is a prescription medication indicated for long-term enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with type 1 Gaucher disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • Hypersensitivity reactions, including serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have occurred. VPRIV should be administered under the supervision of a healthcare professional. VPRIV is given every other week by intravenous infusion that typically takes up to 60 minutes. Appropriate medical support should be available when VPRIV is administered. The most serious side effects in patients treated with VPRIV were hypersensitivity reactions.
  • Hypersensitivity reactions were the most commonly observed side effects in patients treated with VPRIV in clinical studies. The most commonly observed symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions were: headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, nausea, tiredness/weakness, and fever. Hypersensitivity reactions in the clinical trials include any event considered related to and occurring within up to 24 hours of VPRIV infusion, including one case of anaphylaxis. Generally the reactions were mild and, in patients not previously treated, occurred mostly during the first 6 months of treatment and tended to occur less frequently with time. After the drug was approved, additional hypersensitivity reactions of chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, itching and vomiting have been reported. In some cases, vomiting can be serious and require hospitalization and/or stopping the medication.
  • If anaphylactic or other acute reactions occur, your healthcare provider will immediately discontinue the infusion of VPRIV and initiate the appropriate medical treatment. A hypersensitivity reaction should be treated based on the severity of the reaction. Your healthcare provider may manage a reaction by slowing the infusion rate or treating with medicine such as antihistamines, fever-reducing agents and/or corticosteroids or possibly stopping the medication and then restarting with a longer infusion time. For patients who have had symptoms of hypersensitivity reaction to enzyme replacement therapy, the doctor may consider treating the patient with antihistamines and/or corticosteroids before an infusion to help prevent such a reaction from happening.
  • The most commonly reported side effects during clinical studies (in ≥10% of patients) were hypersensitivity reactions, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, back pain, joint pain, increased time it takes for blood to clot, tiredness/weakness, and fever. In clinical studies, the overall frequency of side effects was generally higher in the patients not previously treated with ERT than in the patients who switched from imiglucerase to VPRIV.
  • Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to be pregnant, are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.
  • The safety and efficacy profiles were similar in pediatric (ages 4 to 17) and adult patients. The safety of VPRIV has not been established in patients under 4 years of age. Side effects more commonly seen in pediatric patients compared to adult patients include (>10% difference): rash, increased time it takes for blood to clot, and fever.
  • The side effect profile in elderly patients was generally similar to that seen in pediatric and other adult patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be approached cautiously, considering other existing medical conditions.
  • As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for developing antibodies to VPRIV. In clinical studies, 1 of 54 (2%) patients who had not previously been treated with ERT, who were then treated with VPRIV, developed antibodies. One additional patient developed antibodies to VPRIV during an extension study. It is unknown if having antibodies to VPRIV is associated with a higher risk of infusion reactions. Patients with an immune response to other enzyme replacement therapies who are switching to VPRIV should continue to be monitored for antibodies to VPRIV.
  • Please see full Prescribing Information.
  • You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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