Cinryze (C1 esterase inhibitor [human])

What is Cinryze?

Cinryze is a brand-name prescription medication. It’s FDA-approved to prevent angioedema attacks in adults and in children ages 6 years and older. Angioedema attacks occur in people with a condition called hereditary angioedema (HAE).

HAE is a genetic condition that causes swelling attacks. This swelling usually occurs in your arms, legs, face, or intestines. It may also cause you to have pain, trouble breathing, or a rash.

Cinryze works by preventing angioedema attacks from occurring. It comes as a powder that’s mixed with liquid to form a solution. Cinryze is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion into your arm. (An infusion is an injection into your vein that’s slowly dripped in over time).

You can receive Cinryze infusions at your doctor’s office. Your doctor or pharmacist can also teach you or a caregiver how to use Cinryze, so you can receive the infusions at home. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re interested in doing this.

Cinryze contains the active drug C1 esterase inhibitor (human).

Effectiveness

For information on the effectiveness of Cinryze, see the “Cinryze uses” section below.

Cinryze generic or biosimilar

Cinryze contains the active drug c1 esterase inhibitor (human). It’s a biologic drug, and it’s available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in biosimilar form.

Biologic drugs are made from living cells. It’s not possible to copy these drugs exactly. A generic, on the other hand, refers to drugs made from chemicals. A generic is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug).

Biosimilars are considered to be just as safe and effective as their parent drug. And like generics, biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name medications.

Cinryze cost

As with all medications, the cost of Cinryze can vary. The actual price you’ll pay depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

It’s important to note that you may have to get Cinryze at a specialty pharmacy. This type of pharmacy is authorized to carry specialty medications. These are drugs that may be expensive or may require help from healthcare professionals to be used safely and effectively.

Before approving coverage for Cinryze, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered.

If you’re not sure if you’ll need to get prior authorization for Cinryze, contact your insurance company.

Financial and insurance assistance

If you need financial support to pay for Cinryze, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., the manufacturer of Cinryze, offers the OnePath Co-Pay Assistance Program. This program may be able to help lower the cost of your treatment. For more information and to find out if you’re eligible for support, call 1-866-888-0660 or visit the program website.

Generic or biosimilar version

Cinryze is a biologic drug, and it’s available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in biosimilar form. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). To learn more, see the “Cinryze generic or biosimilar” section above.

Cinryze dosage

The Cinryze dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:

• your age
• your response to the medication

Typically, your doctor will start you on the dose approved to prevent hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the lowest dosage that provides the desired effect.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Drug forms and strengths

Cinryze comes as a powder that’s mixed with liquid to form a solution. It’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion into your arm. (An infusion is an injection into your vein that’s slowly dripped in over time).

Cinryze is available in a vial that contains 500 units of Cinryze in 8 milliliters (mL) of solution.

Dosage for hereditary angioedema

The dosage for adults and children ages 12 years and older is 1,000 units of Cinryze every 3 to 4 days. The medication is infused slowly over the course of 10 minutes.

If you’re still having HAE attacks during your Cinryze treatment, your doctor may increase your dosage to a maximum of 2,500 units every 3 to 4 days.

You can receive Cinryze infusions at your doctor’s office. Your doctor or pharmacist can also teach you or a caregiver how to use Cinryze, so you can receive the infusions at home. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re interested in doing this.

Pediatric dosage

Cinryze is approved for use in children ages 6 and up. For children ages 6 to 11, the dosage is 500 units of Cinryze given every 3 to 4 days. If your child is still having HAE attacks during their Cinryze treatment, their doctor may increase the dose up to 1,000 units every 3 to 4 days.

The dosage for children ages 12 years and older is based on adult dosing. However, the maximum dose should not be more than 100 units per kg of your child’s body weight.

For example, if a child weighs 50 pounds (about 22.7 kg), their dose should not be greater than 2,270 units every 3 to 4 days. See the “Dosage for hereditary angioedema” section above for more information about dosing for children ages 12 years and older.

Your child can receive Cinryze infusions at your doctor’s office. Your doctor or pharmacist can also teach you how to give your child the infusions at home. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re interested in doing this.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose of Cinryze, call your doctor or pharmacist. They can determine the best time to take your next dose based on how long it’s been since your missed dose.

In some cases, they may tell you to take a dose immediately and then take your next dose in 3 to 4 days. In other cases, they may recommend skipping the missed dose and continuing on with your regular dosing schedule.

To help make sure you don’t miss a dose, try setting a reminder on your phone. A medication timer may be useful, too.

Will I need to use this drug long term?

Cinryze is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Cinryze is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

Alternatives to Cinryze

Other drugs are available that can be used to manage or treat hereditary angioedema (HAE). Some may be a better fit for you than others. If you’re interested in finding an alternative to Cinryze, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you.

Alternatives for hereditary angioedema

Examples of other drugs that may be used to prevent swelling attacks from HAE include:

• C1 esterase inhibitor [human] (Haegarda)
• lanadelumab-flyo (Takhzyro)

Examples of drugs that may be used to treat acute HAE attacks include:

• C1 esterase inhibitor [human] (Berinert, Ruconest)
• icatibant acetate (Firazyr)
• ecallantide (Kalbitor)

Cinryze side effects

Cinryze can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Cinryze. These lists do not include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of Cinryze, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be bothersome.

Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs they have approved. If you would like to report to the FDA a side effect you’ve had with Cinryze, you can do so through MedWatch.

Mild side effects

Mild side effects of Cinryze can include:*

• fever
• dizziness
• rash†
• headache†
• nausea and vomiting†

Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. But if they become more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* This is a partial list of mild side effects from Cinryze. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or view Cinryze’s package instructions.
† For more information, see “Side effect details” below.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Cinryze aren’t common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 or your local emergency phone number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Serious side effects and their symptoms can include:

• Serious blood clots. Symptoms can include:
  • chest pain
  • trouble breathing
  • fast heart rate
  • numbness or weakness on one side of your body
  • pain, swelling, or warmth in your arm or leg
• Infections, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a rare but serious brain infection). Symptoms can include:
  • vision problems
  • insomnia (trouble sleeping)
  • impaired judgement
  • changes in mood or behavior
  • rash
  • trouble breathing
• Allergic reaction. See “Side effect details” below.

Side effects in children

Side effects that children experienced in clinical trials were the same as side effects that adults experienced. The most common side effects seen in children taking Cinryze include:

• headache
• nausea
• fever
• redness at the infusion site

See “Cinryze side effects” above for more information on this drug’s side effects.

Side effect details

You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. Here’s some detail on certain side effects this drug may cause.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Cinryze. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing

A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:

• swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat
• trouble breathing

It’s not known how many people had an allergic reaction during clinical trials. Call your doctor right away if you have a severe allergic reaction to Cinryze. Call 911 or your local emergency phone number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Headache

Some people may experience a headache while taking Cinryze. In clinical trials, 17% to 19% of people taking Cinryze experienced a headache. It’s not known how many people taking a placebo (a treatment with no active drug) experienced a headache.

If you experience headaches that are frequent or bothersome to you, talk with your doctor. They may be able to recommend ways to relieve this side effect.

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting is a common side effect of Cinryze. In clinical studies:

• Up to 18% of people taking Cinryze experienced nausea
• 8% to 10% of people taking Cinryze experienced vomiting

It’s not known how many people taking a placebo experienced nausea or vomiting.

If you’re concerned about nausea or vomiting during your Cinryze treatment, talk with your doctor. They may be able to recommend ways to relieve these side effects.

Rash

Some people taking Cinryze may get a rash. In clinical studies, 10% to 21% of people taking Cinryze developed a rash. It’s not known how many people taking a placebo had a rash.

If you develop a rash while taking Cinryze, talk with your doctor. They can determine if the rash is caused by Cinryze or something else.

Cinryze vs. Haegarda

You may wonder how Cinryze compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Cinryze and Haegarda are alike and different.

Ingredients

The active drug ingredient in both Cinryze and Haegarda is C1 esterase inhibitor (human). Although these drugs have the same active drug, they’re given differently and have different dosages. See the “Drug forms and administration” section below to learn more.

Uses

Both Cinryze and Haegarda are FDA-approved to prevent swelling attacks in people with hereditary angioedema (HAE). Cinryze can be used in adults and in children ages 6 years and older. Haegarda is approved for use in adults and in children ages 12 years and older.

Drug forms and administration

Both Cinryze and Haegarda come as a powder that’s mixed with liquid to form a solution.

Cinryze is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion into your arm. (An infusion is an injection into your vein that’s slowly dripped in over time).

You’ll get a Cinryze infusion every 3 to 4 days. Haegarda is given as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin). You’ll get a Haegarda injection every 2 weeks.

Side effects and risks

Cinryze and Haegarda have some similar side effects and other that differ. Below are examples of these side effects.

Mild side effects

These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with Cinryze or Haegarda.

• Can occur with Cinryze:
  • headache
  • rash
  • nausea and vomiting
  • fever
• Can occur with Haegarda:
  • injection site reactions, such as redness or pain
  • common cold
  • dizziness

Serious side effects

This list contains examples of serious side effects that can occur with both Cinryze and Haegarda (when taken individually).

• Can occur with both Cinryze and Haegarda:
  • allergic reaction
  • infections, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a rare but serious brain infection)
  • serious blood clots

Effectiveness

These drugs haven’t been directly compared in clinical studies. However, studies have found both Cinryze and Haegarda to be effective for preventing HAE attacks.

An indirect comparison was done between Cinryze and Haegarda. An indirect comparison means that the drugs were not compared in a clinical trial. Instead, two separate trials were compared with each other.

This indirect comparison showed that:

• People taking Haegarda had 84% fewer swelling attacks per month than they did before taking the drug.
• People taking Cinryze had a 51% fewer swelling attacks per month than they did before taking the drug.

Another study predicted that Haegarda would prevent 73% more HAE attacks than Cinryze would.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about which drug is a better fit for you.

Costs

Cinryze costs significantly more than Haegarda. The actual price you’ll pay for either drug depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Cinryze and Haegarda are biologic drugs, and they’re available only as brand-name medications. They’re not currently available in biosimilar form. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). To learn more, see the “Cinryze generic or biosimilar” section above.

Cinryze vs. Takhzyro

Cinryze and Takhzyro are prescribed for similar uses. Here’s a look at how these drugs are alike and different.

Ingredients

The active drug in Cinryze is C1 esterase inhibitor (human). The active drug in Takhzyro is lanadelumab-flyo.

Uses

Both Cinryze and Takhzyro are FDA-approved to prevent swelling attacks in people with hereditary angioedema (HAE). Cinryze can be used in adults and in children ages 6 years and older. Takhzyro is approved for use in adults and in children ages 12 years and older.

Drug forms and administration

Cinryze comes as a powder that’s mixed with liquid to form a solution. Takhzyro comes as a ready-to-use liquid in a vial. It doesn’t need to be mixed before use.

Cinryze is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion into your arm. (An infusion is an injection into your vein that’s slowly dripped in over time). Takhzyro is given as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin).

Side effects and risks

Cinryze and Takhzyro have some similar side effects and others that differ. Below are examples of these side effects.

Mild side effects

These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with each drug, or with both Cinryze and Takhzyro (when taken individually).

• Can occur with Cinryze:
  • nausea and vomiting
  • fever
• Can occur with Takhzyro:
  • injection site reactions, such as pain or discoloration
  • upper respiratory infection, such as the common cold
  • muscle pain
  • diarrhea
• Can occur with both Cinryze and Takhzyro:
  • headache
  • rash
  • dizziness

Serious side effects

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Cinryze or with both drugs (when taken individually).

• Can occur with Cinryze:
  • serious blood clots
  • infections, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a rare but serious brain infection)
• Can occur with both Cinryze and Takhzyro:
  • allergic reaction

Effectiveness

These drugs haven’t been directly compared in clinical studies. However, studies have found both Cinryze and Takhzyro to be effective for preventing HAE.

Costs

Cinryze costs significantly more than Takhzyro. The actual price you’ll pay for either drug depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Cinryze and Takhzyro are biologic drugs, and they’re available only as brand-name medications. They’re not currently available in biosimilar form. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). To learn more, see the “Cinryze generic or biosimilar” section above.

How Cinryze is given

You should take Cinryze according to your doctor’s or another healthcare professional’s instructions.

Cinryze comes as a powder that’s mixed with liquid to form a solution. It’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion into a vein in your arm. (An infusion is an injection into your vein that’s slowly dripped in over time).

You can receive Cinryze infusions at your doctor’s office. Your doctor or pharmacist can also teach you or a caregiver how to use Cinryze, so you can receive the infusions at home. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re interested in doing this.

Never try to give yourself a Cinryze infusion without first being trained by a doctor or other healthcare professional. Once they’ve shown you how to give yourself your Cinryze dose, you can refer to the self-administration instructions if you have other questions.

When it’s given

You’ll get a Cinryze infusion every 3 to 4 days. You should receive the infusion at about the same time of day each time. This helps make sure you have a consistent amount of medication in your body. Your doctor will tell you which days you should take Cinryze and how far apart your doses should be.

To help make sure you don’t miss a dose, try setting a reminder on your phone. A medication timer may be useful, too.

Cinryze uses

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Cinryze to treat certain conditions.

Cinryze for hereditary angioedema

Cinryze is FDA-approved to prevent angioedema attacks in adults and in children ages 6 years and older. Angioedema attacks occur in people with a condition called hereditary angioedema (HAE).

HAE is a genetic condition that causes swelling attacks. This swelling usually occurs in your arms, legs, face, or intestines. It may also cause you to have pain, trouble breathing, or a rash.

HAE attacks may be triggered by stress or trauma. In some cases, attacks may happen with no known cause. Without treatment, HAE can have a major effect on your life. If you don’t take medication for HAE, you may have an attack every 1 to 2 weeks. Each attack can last for days.

Effectiveness for hereditary angioedema

Clinical studies have shown Cinryze to be an effective medication for preventing swelling attacks from HAE.

In these studies:

• People taking Cinryze had an average of 6.1 attacks in 12 weeks. Their attacks lasted an average of 2.1 days.
• People taking a placebo (a treatment with no active drug) had an average of 12.7 attacks in 12 weeks. Their attacks lasted an average of 3.4 days.

People taking Cinryze had 66% fewer days of swelling over the course of the studies than people taking a placebo.

Cinryze and children

Cinryze is also FDA-approved for use in children ages 6 years and older with HAE. Often, HAE begins in childhood and worsens during adolescence.

In clinical studies, children taking 500 units of Cinryze had:

• 71.1% fewer attacks than when they were taking a placebo
• 0.8 attacks per month compared with a 2.2 attacks per month when they were taking a placebo

In these studies, children taking 1,000 units of Cinryze had:

• 84.5% fewer attacks than when they were taking a placebo
• 0.4 attacks per month compared with 2.2 attacks per month when they were taking a placebo

Cinryze use with other drugs

Cinryze can be used to prevent swelling attacks from hereditary angioedema (HAE) from occurring. However, Cinryze doesn’t treat an HAE attack that you’re currently experiencing. If you’re having an attack, you may need to take other medications to relieve your symptoms.

Examples of medications that can be used to treat an HAE attack include:

• C1 esterase inhibitor [human] (Berinert, Ruconest)
• icatibant acetate injection (Firazyr)
• ecallantide injection (Kalbitor)

Cinryze and alcohol

There are no known interactions between Cinryze and alcohol. However, alcohol may interact with other medications you’re taking. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink during your treatment for hereditary angioedema (HAE).

Cinryze interactions

Cinryze is not known to interact with any medications. It’s also not known to interact with any supplements or foods.

Cinryze and other medications

Before taking Cinryze, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also, tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Cinryze and herbs and supplements

There aren’t any herbs or supplements that have been specifically reported to interact with Cinryze. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Cinryze.

Cinryze and foods

There aren’t any foods that have been specifically reported to interact with Cinryze. If you have any questions about eating certain foods with Cinryze, talk with your doctor.

How Cinryze works

Cinryze is FDA-approved to prevent angioedema attacks in adults and in children ages 6 years and older. Angioedema attacks occur in people with a condition called hereditary angioedema (HAE).

About hereditary angioedema

HAE is a genetic condition that causes serious swelling. This swelling usually occurs in your arms, legs, face, or intestines. It may also cause you to have pain or trouble breathing.

HAE attacks may be triggered by stress or trauma. In some cases, attacks may happen with no known cause. Without treatment, HAE can have a major effect on your life. If you don’t take medication, you may have an attack every 1 to 2 weeks. Each attack can last for days.

People with HAE don’t produce enough of a protein called C1 esterase inhibitor. If you have low levels of this protein, you may also have high levels of another protein called kallikrein. (This is a protein that helps manage your blood pressure).

With a low level of C1 inhibitor protein, kallikrein becomes too active.

Kallikrein produces a peptide called bradykinin. When kallikrein is too active, it makes more bradykinin than it should. Bradykinin is the main cause of HAE symptoms such as swelling attacks and pain.

What Cinryze does

Cinryze works by increasing the amount of C1 esterase inhibitor in your body. This decreases the amount of bradykinin you have, which helps relieve swelling and pain that occurs with an HAE attack.

How long does it take to work?

Cinryze begins working after you take your first dose. However, Cinryze helps prevent HAE attacks, rather than treating symptoms of an attack. Therefore, it may take a few doses before you notice that the drug is reducing the number of swelling attacks you have.

It’s important to note that Cinryze should not be used to treat an acute HAE attack. If you’re having an acute HAE attack, call your doctor right away.

Cinryze and pregnancy

It’s not known if Cinryze is safe to take during pregnancy. This drug has not been studied in pregnant people.

In animal studies, no harm was reported in pregnant animals or their offspring when Cinryze was given. However, animal studies do not always reflect what will happen in humans.

If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking Cinryze.

Cinryze and birth control

It’s unknown whether Cinryze is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs while you’re using Cinryze.

For more information about taking Cinryze during pregnancy, see the “Cinryze and pregnancy” section above.

Cinryze and breastfeeding

It’s unknown if Cinryze is safe to take while breastfeeding. This drug has not been studied in breastfeeding people.

If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before taking Cinryze.

Common questions about Cinryze

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Cinryze.

Can I get a bloodborne infection from receiving Cinryze?

Although very rare, it’s possible to get a bloodborne infection from Cinryze. This is because Cinryze is a medication made from human blood. Therefore, it may be able to carry certain viruses, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a rare but serious brain infection).

In clinical trials, no one developed bloodborne infections, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. If you have concerns about your risk for developing an infection from Cinryze, talk with your doctor.

Will Cinryze cure my hereditary angioedema?

No, Cinryze will not cure your hereditary angioedema (HAE). There is no known cure for HAE. However, Cinryze can reduce the number of HAE attacks you have. It can also make the attacks you do have less severe.

For information on Cinryze’s effectiveness, see the “Cinryze uses” section.

Can Cinryze be used to treat acute attacks of hereditary angioedema?

No, Cinryze should not be used to treat an acute attack of HAE.

Cinryze works to prevent HAE attacks from occurring. This can reduce the number of attacks you have. However, when you do experience an HAE attack, you’ll still need to treat it with other medications.

Examples of medications that can be used to treat an acute HAE attack include:

• C1 esterase inhibitor [human] (Berinert, Ruconest)
• icatibant acetate injection (Firazyr)
• ecallantide injection (Kalbitor)

If you have questions about treating your acute HAE attacks, talk with your doctor.

Does Cinryze increase my risk for blood clots?

Yes, Cinryze can raise your risk for developing a blood clot. Blood clots may be serious and can cause heart attack or stroke.

In a clinical study, about 3.4% of people taking Cinryze for HAE had a blood clot. (Note: All of the people in the study were already at increased risk of developing a blood clot.)

Examples of risk factors for developing a blood clot include:

• history of blood clots
• taking birth control pills containing estrogen
• taking androgen medications such as testosterone
• morbid obesity
• being unable to move
• an indwelling venous catheter (a tube inserted into a vein to give medications or blood)

If you have risk factors for developing a blood clot, talk with your doctor before taking Cinryze. They may recommend another medication that has a lower risk of causing blood clots.

What should I discuss with my doctor before starting Cinryze?

Before you start taking Cinryze, talk with your doctor about any health conditions you have. You should also discuss any medications you take, including over-the counter-medications, vitamins, and supplements.

Specifically, you should talk with your doctor about any risk factors you may have for developing a blood clot. Cinryze may cause blood clots in some people. Other health conditions or certain drugs can also raise your risk for a blood clot. For examples of these risk factors, see the question above.

Also, be sure to tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding before taking Cinryze. See the “Cinryze precautions” section for more information.

What should I do if I’m traveling when I need to take Cinryze?

If you’re traveling when you need to take your dose of Cinryze, be sure to bring enough medication to last your entire trip.

Talk with your doctor before you leave. They can teach you how to give yourself a Cinryze infusion if you don’t already do them yourself. Your doctor can also help you figure out which days you should give yourself the infusions while traveling.

Never try to give yourself a Cinryze infusion without first being trained by a doctor or other healthcare professional. Once they’ve shown you how to give yourself your Cinryze dose, you can refer to the self-administration instructions if you have other questions.

Cinryze precautions

Before taking Cinryze, talk with your doctor about your health history. Cinryze may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. These include:

• History of blood clots. Cinryze may cause blood clots. If you have a history of blood clots, this could raise your risk for developing another blood clot, especially when taking Cinryze. Talk with your doctor before taking Cinryze if you’ve had blood clots before.
• Morbid obesity or being unable to move. If you have morbid obesity or are unable to move, you may have a higher risk for developing a blood clot. Because Cinryze can also cause blood clots, you may be at an even higher risk. Talk with your doctor about your risk for blood clots and whether Cinryze is right for you.
• Indwelling venous catheter. If you have an indwelling venous catheter (a tube inserted into a vein to give medications or blood), you may have a higher risk for blood clots. Because Cinryze can also cause blood clots, you may be at an even higher risk. If you have an indwelling venous catheter, talk with your doctor about whether Cinryze is right for you.
• Taking estrogen birth control pills or androgen medication. Taking birth control pills containing estrogen or androgen medications (such as testosterone) can raise your risk for blood clots. Cinryze may also increase your risk for blood clots. Therefore, taking these drugs together could raise your risk even more. Before taking Cinryze, talk with your doctor about any medications that you take, especially birth control pills or androgen medications. They can help determine if Cinryze is safe for you to take.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Cinryze or any of its ingredients, you shouldn’t take Cinryze. Ask your doctor about other medications that are better options for you.
• Pregnancy. It’s not known if Cinryze is safe to take during pregnancy. For more information, see the “Cinryze and pregnancy” section above.
• Breastfeeding. It’s not known if Cinryze is safe to take while breastfeeding. For more information, see the “Cinryze and breastfeeding” section above.

Note: For more information about the potential negative effects of Cinryze, see the “Cinryze side effects” section above.

Cinryze overdose

Using more than the recommended dosage of Cinryze can lead to serious side effects.

Do not use more Cinryze than your doctor recommends.

What to do in case you take too much Cinryze

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Cinryze expiration, storage, and disposal

When you get Cinryze from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the box of syringes. This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication.

The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. The current stance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to avoid using expired medications. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk with your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

Storage

How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication.

Cinryze vials should be stored at a room temperature of 36°F to 77°F (2°C to 25°C). Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. Do not freeze Cinryze vials. Store the medication in its original carton so that it’s protected from light.

Disposal

Right after you’ve used a syringe, needle, or autoinjector, dispose of it in an FDA-approved sharps disposal container. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident or harming themselves with the needle. You can buy a sharps container online, or ask your doctor, pharmacist, or health insurance company where to get one.

This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication.