Wainua (eplontersen)

Wainua generic

Wainua is available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in generic form.

A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs.

Wainua dosage

The following information describes the Wainua dosage that is commonly prescribed or recommended. However, be sure to follow the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Drug forms and strengths

Wainua comes as a liquid solution in a single-dose auto-injector. It’s given as a subcutaneous injection (injection under your skin).

Each auto-injector contains 45 milligrams (mg) of Wainua in 0.8 milliliters (mL) of solution.

Dosage for polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis

The typical dosage of Wainua is 45 mg injected once per month.

How to inject

Your healthcare professional will teach you or a caregiver how to administer Wainua. Instructions for use are also provided with the medication. You should read these before injecting Wainua. For further details, there’s also an instruction video on the manufacturer’s website.

Avoid giving the injection into areas of skin that are tender, bruised, hard, discolored, damaged, or scarred.

Wainua should be injected in your upper thigh or abdomen, avoiding the area 2 inches (in) around your belly button. If given by a caregiver, Wainua can also be injected into the back of your upper arm.

About injecting Wainua

Below you’ll find information about key dosage issues.

• When to inject: You should inject Wainua once per month, on the same day each month. You can administer the injection at any time of day.
• If you miss a dose: If you miss a dose, inject the missed dose as soon as possible. Inject your next dose 1 month after the missed dose. Then continue injecting your dose once per month on that same day.
• Injecting Wainua with food: You can inject Wainua with or without food.
• Length of treatment: Wainua is meant to be a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Wainua is safe and effective for you, they’ll likely prescribe it long term.

Overdose

Do not inject more Wainua than your doctor recommends. For some drugs, doing so may lead to unwanted side effects or overdose.

What to do in case you inject too much Wainua

If you think you’ve injected too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. However, if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Wainua side effects

Wainua can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur during treatment with Wainua. These lists do not include all possible side effects.

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

Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs it has approved. If you would like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with Wainua, you can do so through MedWatch.

Mild side effects

Below is a partial list of mild side effects of Wainua. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist or view Wainua’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects of Wainua can include:

• injection site reactions, such as discoloration, pain, or itching
• vomiting
• blurry vision
• cataracts
• protein in the urine
• mild allergic reaction*

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

* For more information about allergic reaction and Wainua, see “Allergic reaction” below.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Wainua aren’t common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 or your local emergency 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:

• Low vitamin A level. Symptoms can include:
  • difficulty seeing at night or in low light
  • dry eyes
  • dry skin
• Heart block (problems with the electrical signals in your heart). Symptoms can include:
  • lightheadedness
  • fainting
  • heart palpitations
  • shortness of breath
• Severe allergic reaction.*

* For details about allergic reaction and Wainua, see “Allergic reaction” below.

ALLERGIC REACTION

As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after a Wainua injection. This side effect wasn’t reported in clinical trials of this drug but can still occur.

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
• difficulty breathing

Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Wainua, as the reaction could become severe. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Wainua uses

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Wainua to treat certain conditions. Wainua may also be prescribed off-label for other conditions. Off-label drug use is when an FDA-approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.

Wainua for polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis

Wainua is FDA-approved to treat polyneuropathy (damage to multiple nerves) caused by hereditary amyloid transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis. It’s approved for this use in adults.

hATTR amyloidosis is a rare inherited condition in which abnormal proteins build up in various tissues and organs in your body. The protein deposits (called amyloid deposits) can damage these tissues. hATTR amyloidosis most commonly affects your heart and nerves.

hATTR amyloidosis can damage nerves that are responsible for feeling touch or pain sensations. This may cause tingling sensations, burning pain, and numbness.

The condition can also damage nerves that manage movement or other body functions, such as digestion, storing and releasing urine, and blood pressure. This can cause weakness, slow reflexes, and difficulty managing movements. It can also cause problems with bowel movements.

Wainua and children

Wainua is not FDA-approved for use in children. It’s not known whether Wainua is safe or effective in children. Symptoms of hATTR amyloidosis typically don’t develop until adulthood.

Wainua interactions

Wainua is not known to interact with other medications, herbs, supplements, foods, or alcohol. The manufacturer did not list any interactions in the drug’s prescribing information.

However, this doesn’t mean that interactions won’t be recognized in the future. For example, new drugs could be approved that interact with Wainua.

Before starting Wainua treatment, 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 take. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

In particular, tell your doctor if you take any supplements that contain vitamin A or beta carotene. Your doctor will likely recommend taking a vitamin A supplement during treatment with Wainua. But you should not take more vitamin A than your doctor recommends, as this can be harmful.

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

Wainua cost and coupons

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

Drug coupons: You can visit Optum Perks for price estimates of Wainua. These estimates are based on the use of Optum Perks coupons. Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Financial and insurance assistance: If you need financial support to pay for Wainua, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.

A program called AstraZeneca Access 360 is available for Wainua. For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, call 844-275-2360 or visit the program website.

To learn more about saving money on prescriptions, check out this article.

Generic version: Wainua is not available in a generic form. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

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Retail price refers to the manufacturer’s published list price and is up to date as of 3/2023. Retail and discounted prices are U.S.-only and can vary based on region and pharmacy. We cannot guarantee that the discounted price listed here will exactly match the price at your pharmacy. Please contact your pharmacy for the exact price.

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Similar drugs

Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be a better fit for you than others. If you’re interested in finding an alternative to Wainua, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you.

The following drugs are similar to Wainua:

• inotersen (Tegsedi)
• patisiran (Onpattro)
• tafamidis (Vyndaqel, Vyndamax)

Things to consider with Wainua

If you can become pregnant, consider the following information about pregnancy, birth control, and breastfeeding.

Wainua and pregnancy

It’s not known whether Wainua should be injected during pregnancy.

Wainua can lower the level of vitamin A in your body, so doctors usually recommend taking a vitamin A supplement during Wainua treatment. However, it’s not known whether it’s safe to do this while pregnant. Vitamin A is needed for fetal development, but if the level of vitamin A in your body is too high, it can cause fetal harm.

If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before injecting this medication.

Wainua and birth control

It’s not known if Wainua is safe to inject during pregnancy. If you’re sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs during treatment with Wainua.

Wainua and breastfeeding

It’s not known whether Wainua should be injected while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before injecting this medication.

Common questions about Wainua

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Wainua.

How does Wainua work?

Wainua is prescribed to treat polyneuropathy (damage to multiple nerves) caused by hereditary amyloid transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis.

With hATTR amyloidosis, your body makes abnormal versions of a protein called transthyretin (TTR). The abnormal TTR proteins clump together and form deposits (called amyloid deposits) in various tissues and organs in your body, including your nerves. This can cause nerve damage. Symptoms can include problems with touch or pain sensation, movement, digestion, and blood pressure.

hATTR amyloidosis is caused by an inherited mutation (abnormal change) in the TTR gene. This gene carries instructions for making the TTR protein. The gene mutation causes your body to make abnormal TTR proteins.

Wainua is a type of drug called an RNA interference therapy (sometimes called a gene silencer). It blocks the effect of the gene mutation, which stops your body from making abnormal TTR proteins. By doing this, Wainua reduces the buildup of amyloid deposits in nerves throughout your body. Your body may break down existing deposits over time. These actions help reduce nerve damage caused by the amyloid deposits.

Wainua can help relieve symptoms of nerve damage. It can also help stop nerve damage from getting worse.

If you have questions about how Wainua works, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can Wainua cure polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis?

No, Wainua can’t cure polyneuropathy (damage to multiple nerves) caused by hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis. This condition is caused by a mutation (abnormal change) in one of your genes. Wainua can’t cure the genetic mutation.

Wainua can reduce the symptoms of nerve damage caused by the condition. It can also help stop the condition from getting worse. But if you stop treatment with Wainua, the genetic mutation can make the nerve damage come back.

If you have questions about Wainua and your condition, talk with your doctor.

Is Wainua safe for older adults?

Yes, Wainua is likely safe for older adults. In clinical trials, adults ages 65 years and older who had treatment with Wainua had similar side effects to younger adults who had treatment with the drug.

However, it’s possible that some older adults may be more sensitive to certain side effects, such as blurry vision.

If you have questions or concerns about Wainua’s safety based on your age, talk with your doctor.