Injectafer is a brand-name prescription drug. It’s FDA-approved to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adults. With IDA, you have anemia (low red blood cell level) that’s due to not having enough iron in your body.

Injectafer is approved for use in adults who either:

  • took oral iron treatment and didn’t have improvement in their IDA or had side effects that couldn’t be managed, or
  • have chronic kidney disease (CKD) that doesn’t require dialysis

Drug details

Injectafer contains the active drug ingredient ferric carboxymaltose. It belongs to a class of medications called iron replacement products. (A medication class is a group of medications that work in a similar way.)

Injectafer infusion vs. injection

Injectafer comes as a liquid that’s given by either intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV injection. With IV infusion, the drug is given as a slow drip into your vein over a period of time. With slow IV injection, the drug is given as a single, slow injection into your vein.

You’ll receive doses of Injectafer from a healthcare professional at a medical facility.

Effectiveness

For information on Injectafer’s effectiveness in treating IDA, see the “Injectafer Uses” section below.

Injectafer 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 drug in a brand-name medication.)

Injectafer contains the active drug ferric carboxymaltose.

Injectafer can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Injectafer. These lists don’t include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of Injectafer, 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 Injectafer, you can do so through MedWatch.

Mild side effects

Mild side effects of Injectafer can include:*

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 Injectafer. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or see Injectafer’s package insert.

Serious side effects

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

Serious side effects, which are explained in more detail below in “Side effect details,” include:

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 Injectafer. In clinical trials, serious allergic reactions occurred in 0.1% to 1.5% of people taking Injectafer.

Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

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
  • loss of consciousness or fainting
  • very low blood pressure

Because of the risk of allergic reaction with Injectafer, your healthcare professional will monitor you for at least 30 minutes after you get each dose of the drug. This way, if you have an allergic reaction to Injectafer, your healthcare professional can treat your reaction.

If you have a severe allergic reaction to Injectafer after you’ve left the medical facility where you received your dose of the drug, call your doctor right away. But call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Delayed allergic reaction

As described just above in the “Allergic reaction” section, some people may have an allergic reaction after getting a dose of Injectafer. Allergic reactions typically occur the first time your body is exposed to a drug. But some people have a delayed allergic reaction to certain drugs.

With a delayed reaction, your body reacts to a drug that you’ve been exposed to in the past without having a reaction. A delayed reaction can occur in two different ways: It can happen hours or days after you receive a drug, or it can happen after a second (or later) dose of a drug. And this type of reaction is possible even if you didn’t have a reaction to your first dose of the drug.

For reasons we don’t fully understand, some people’s immune system gets over-activated when the drug enters their body. And this over-activation is what may lead to an allergic reaction or a delayed allergic reaction.

Usually, when drugs may cause an immune system reaction like this, it’s a concern with your first dose of the drug. And if you don’t have an allergic reaction to your first dose of a drug, it’s typically safe to assume you won’t have an allergic reaction to doses that follow.

However, there has been a report of delayed allergic reaction in someone receiving a second dose of Injectafer. And this person had gotten their first dose of the drug without having an allergic reaction. But keep in mind that in this study, delayed allergic reaction only occurred in one person. It’s not known how common delayed allergic reaction might be in other people using Injectafer.

Call your doctor right away if you’re having a severe allergic reaction to Injectafer, even if you’ve had doses of the drug in the past without any problems. But call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Hypophosphatemia (low phosphorus level)

Injectafer can cause low blood levels of phosphorus, which is a condition called hypophosphatemia. Phosphorus is an electrolyte that your body needs in order to make energy. Phosphorus also helps your nerves function properly.

Hypophosphatemia has been reported in people using Injectafer after the drug was released onto the market. It’s not known for sure how often this condition occurred during clinical trials, or if it occurred at all during the trials. But for most people who’ve developed hypophosphatemia with Injectafer, the condition resolved within 3 months.

Hypophosphatemia seems to mostly occur in people who are already at risk for low phosphorus levels. This includes people who:

Usually, hypophosphatemia doesn’t cause symptoms. But in some people, Injectafer can cause symptoms of hypophosphatemia to occur. These symptoms can include:

  • bone pain or fractures
  • fatigue (lack of energy)
  • loss of appetite
  • muscle weakness

While you’re taking Injectafer, your doctor will monitor your phosphorus levels if you’re at risk for hypophosphatemia. They’ll do this by checking certain blood tests. But even if you’re not at risk for the condition, your doctor may still monitor your phosphorus levels.

If you have symptoms of a low phosphorus level, call your doctor. They’ll recommend how to manage your condition.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common side effect of most iron replacement products, which is the group of drugs that Injectafer belongs to. However, diarrhea it isn’t very common in people using Injectafer.

In clinical studies, diarrhea was reported in less than 1% of people taking Injectafer. It’s not known how often people taking a treatment other than Injectafer had diarrhea.

If you have diarrhea while you’re taking Injectafer, call your doctor. If needed, they’ll recommend treatment, including certain medications. In some cases, they may even recommend that you use a drug other than Injectafer to treat your anemia.

How long do Injectafer side effects last?

Most mild side effects of Injectafer typically go away within about 30 minutes of receiving your dose of the drug. Examples of these side effects include dizziness and nausea.

After getting each dose of Injectafer, your healthcare professional will monitor you for at least 30 minutes. This allows them to manage any side effects that you may have following your dose.

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

Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat IDA include:

  • ferric maltol (Accrufer)
  • ferrous sulfate (Fer-Iron, Slow-FE, Feosol)
  • ferric citrate (Auryxia, Triferic)
  • ferrous gluconate (Fergon)
  • ferumoxytol (Feraheme)
  • iron dextran (INFeD)
  • ferric derisomaltose (Monoferric)
  • iron sucrose (Venofer)

Your doctor will recommend the drug that’s right for you depending on the severity of your anemia and any other medical conditions you may have.

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

Ingredients

Injectafer contains the active drug ferric carboxymaltose, while Venofer contains the active drug iron sucrose.

Both Injectafer and Venofer belong to a class of medications called iron replacement products. (A class of medications describes a group of drugs that work in the same way.)

Uses

Injectafer is approved to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA). For this purpose, Injectafer is approved for use in adults who either:

  • took oral iron treatment and didn’t have improvement in their IDA or had side effects that couldn’t be managed, or
  • have chronic kidney disease (CKD) that doesn’t require dialysis

Venofer is also approved to treat IDA. But it’s only approved for use in people with CKD who may or may not need dialysis.

Drug forms and administration

Injectafer comes as a liquid that’s given by either intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV injection. With IV infusion, the drug is given as a slow drip into your vein over a period of time. With slow IV injection, the drug is given as a single, slow injection into your vein.

Venofer also comes as a liquid that’s given by either IV infusion or a slow IV injection.

You’ll receive doses of either drug by a healthcare professional at a medical facility.

Side effects and risks

Injectafer and Venofer can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. 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 Injectafer, with Venofer, or with both drugs (when taken individually).

  • Can occur with Injectafer:
    • flushing
  • Can occur with Venofer:
    • chest pain
    • diarrhea
    • injection site reactions
    • itching
    • pain in your back, arms, legs, or joints
  • Can occur with both Injectafer and Venofer:
    • changes in blood pressure
    • headache
    • nausea
    • dizziness
    • vomiting

Serious side effects

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

Effectiveness

Injectafer and Venofer have different approved uses, but they’re both used to treat IDA in people with CKD.

These drugs have been compared in a clinical trial of adults with both IDA and CKD who didn’t need dialysis. In the studies, people’s hemoglobin level was measured to check for improvement in their anemia. (Hemoglobin is a protein that’s found in your red blood cells.)

With IDA, you have low hemoglobin levels. So the goal of anemia treatment is to increase your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within a normal range.

People in the study received treatment with either Injectafer or Venofer. The researchers found that compared with their hemoglobin level before the study:

  • people who took Injectafer had their hemoglobin level increase by an average of 1.1 grams per deciliter (g/dL)
  • people who took Venofer had their hemoglobin increase by an average of 0.9 g/dL

Costs

But the actual price you’ll pay for either drug depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Injectafer and Venofer are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

As with all medications, the cost of Injectafer can vary.

The actual price you’ll pay depends on your insurance plan and any copays, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

It’s important to note that you’ll get Injectafer doses from a doctor or healthcare professional in a medical facility. So you won’t pick up this medication from a pharmacy. Keep in mind that there may be additional costs related to getting your doses of the drug at a medical facility.

Before approving coverage for Injectafer, 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 Injectafer, contact your insurance company.

Financial and insurance assistance

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

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., the manufacturer of Injectafer, offers a program called injectconnect, which may help lower the cost of the drug. For more information and to find out if you’re eligible for support, call 877-4-IV-IRON (877-448-4766) or visit the program website.

Generic version

Injectafer isn’t available in a generic form. (A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication.) Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

The Injectafer dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on your body weight.

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

Injectafer comes as a liquid solution inside vials. It’s given by either intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV injection. With IV infusion, the drug is given as a slow drip into your vein over a period of time. With slow IV injection, the drug is given as a single, slow injection into your vein.

You’ll receive doses of Injectafer from a healthcare professional at a medical facility.

Dosage for iron deficiency anemia

Typical Injectafer doses for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) depends on your body weight. For example:

  • People who weigh 110 pounds (about 50 kilograms) or more will receive two separate Injectafer doses of 750 milligrams each. This gives a total cumulative dose of 1,500 mg of Injectafer.
  • People who weigh less than 110 lb (about 50 kg) will receive two separate Injectafer doses of 15 mg/kg of body weight. But they won’t receive a total cumulative dose of more than 1,500 mg of Injectafer.

Say you weigh 105 pounds (about 48 kilograms). You would receive 15 mg of Injectafer per kilogram of body weight for each of your two doses. This means you would get two Injectafer doses of 720 mg each. And this would give you a total cumulative Injectafer dose of 1,440 mg.

How often is Injectafer given?

Injectafer should be given in two doses. And these two doses need to be separated by at least 7 days.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss an appointment for your Injectafer dose, you’ll need to call your doctor’s office. Their medical staff can help you set up another time to receive your Injectafer dose.

To help make sure that you don’t miss an appointment for your Injectafer dose, try setting an appointment reminder on your phone.

Will I need to use this drug long term?

No, you most likely won’t take Injectafer long term. Some people only need one treatment course of Injectafer. (One treatment course includes two doses of the drug.) It’s possible that after getting two doses of Injectafer, your anemia may go away completely.

But for other people, their anemia may come back after Injectafer treatment. If this happens to you, your doctor may recommend that you receive another treatment course of Injectafer.

Your doctor may also recommend that you take iron supplements by mouth (if you haven’t tried these supplements in the past). Or your doctor may recommend that you change your eating habits to include more iron in your diet. These changes could help improve your anemia on a long-term basis.

You’ll receive doses of Injectafer from a healthcare professional at a medical facility.

Injectafer infusion vs. injection

Injectafer comes as a liquid that’s given by either intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV injection. With IV infusion, the drug is given as a slow drip into your vein over a period of time. With slow IV injection, the drug is given as a single, slow injection into your vein.

Infusion time

Injectafer infusions are given over a period of at least 15 minutes.

When it’s given

Injectafer isn’t a medication that you’ll take regularly on a schedule.

Instead, you’ll start by receiving just one “treatment course” of Injectafer. This treatment course is split into two doses of the drug, which are given at least 7 days apart. Spacing your Injectafer doses out at least 7 days helps to reduce your risk of side effects.

After getting one treatment course of Injectafer, you typically won’t need another dose of the drug again unless your anemia comes back. If that happens, and your doctor thinks Injectafer is a good treatment option for you, you can receive another treatment course of the drug.

To help make sure that you don’t miss appointments for your Injectafer doses, try setting an appointment reminder on your phone. You can also write a reminder on your calendar.

Injectafer is approved to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in certain adults with the condition. For more information about Injectafer’s approved uses, see the section “Injectafer uses” below.

What happens in iron deficiency anemia

With anemia, you have a low level of red blood cells (RBCs) in your body. With this condition, you also have a low hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin is a protein that’s found in your RBCs. It’s responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body.

There are different types of anemia, but IDA is the most common type. It’s caused by your body not having enough iron, which is needed to make hemoglobin.

Without enough hemoglobin, the right amount of oxygen may not reach certain parts of your body. And this can affect how well those parts of your body are able to work.

What Injectafer does

Injectafer contains the active drug ferric carboxymaltose. It belongs to a class of medications known as iron replacement products. (A medication class describes a group of drugs that work in the same way.)

Once inside your body, ferric carboxymaltose releases iron into your system. Then your body uses that iron to make hemoglobin and RBCs. The drug helps increase your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within the normal range.

How long does Injectafer take to work?

Injectafer begins working as soon as it enters your body. But you likely won’t feel the drug working inside of you.

In clinical studies, people who took Injectafer had their hemoglobin level improve as early as 35 days after receiving treatment. Your doctor will monitor your hemoglobin level to tell if Injectafer is working for you. And they’ll recommend how soon after starting the drug you need to have this level checked.

Also, keep in mind that if your anemia is causing certain symptoms, treatment with Injectafer may help those symptoms go away. But the length of time that this may take varies from person to person.

How long does Injectafer stay in your system?

In clinical studies, people who took Injectafer still had iron in their system that was released by the drug 24 days after they’d gotten their injection.

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

Ingredients

Injectafer contains the active drug ferric carboxymaltose, while Feraheme contains the active drug ferumoxytol.

Both Injectafer and Feraheme belong to a class of medications known as iron replacement products. (A class of medications describes a group of drugs that work in the same way.)

Uses

Injectafer is approved to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA). For this purpose, Injectafer is approved for use in adults who either:

  • took oral iron treatment and didn’t have improvement in their IDA or had side effects that couldn’t be managed, or
  • have chronic kidney disease (CKD) that doesn’t require dialysis

Feraheme is also approved to treat IDA in adults who either didn’t have improvement in their IDA or had side effects with iron treatment that’s taken by mouth. And Feraheme is approved for use in adults who have CKD who may or may not need dialysis.

Drug forms and administration

Injectafer comes as a liquid that’s given by either intravenous (IV) infusion or slow IV injection. With IV infusion, the drug is given as a slow drip into your vein over a period of time. With slow IV injection, the drug is given as a single, slow injection into your vein.

Feraheme also comes as a liquid that’s given by IV infusion.

You’ll receive doses of either drug by a healthcare professional at a medical facility.

Side effects and risks

Injectafer and Feraheme can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. 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 Injectafer, with Feraheme, or with both drugs (when taken individually).

Serious side effects

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

* Feraheme has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can issue about a drug. Boxed warnings alert doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Effectiveness

Injectafer and Feraheme have different approved uses, but they’re both used to treat IDA in certain adults.

The use of Injectafer and Feraheme in treating IDA in these adults has been directly compared in a clinical study. In the study, people’s hemoglobin level was measured to check for improvement in their anemia. (Hemoglobin is a protein that’s found in red blood cells.)

With IDA, you have low hemoglobin levels. So the goal of anemia treatment is to increase your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within a normal range.

In this study, researchers compared Feraheme treatment with that of ferric carboxymaltose (the active drug in Injectafer). After 5 weeks of treatment:

  • people who took Feraheme had their hemoglobin level increase, on average, by 1.38 grams per deciliter (g/dL)
  • people who took ferric carboxymaltose had their hemoglobin level increase, on average, by 1.63 g/dL

This study didn’t determine if either drug was better than the other. The study also didn’t show if one treatment was worse than the other.

Costs

The actual price you’ll pay for either drug depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Injectafer and Feraheme are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

It’s not known if Injectafer is safe to use during pregnancy.

In clinical trials, pregnant females* who took Injectafer didn’t have any negative outcomes, such as premature delivery or pregnancy loss. And babies born to those who took Injectafer during pregnancy didn’t have any major congenital anomalies (also sometimes called birth defects).

But it’s important to note that these studies weren’t designed to show whether Injectafer is safe to use during pregnancy. So we can’t say for sure whether the drug is safe to use while you’re pregnant.

Keep in mind that the risk of certain pregnancy-related problems can be increased if iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is left untreated. (And Injectafer is used to treat IDA.) These pregnancy-related problems include preterm delivery and low birth weight of your infant.

If you have questions about using Injectafer for anemia during pregnancy, talk with your doctor. Together, you and your doctor can develop a treatment plan that’s best for you.

* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term “female” in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.

It’s not known if Injectafer 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 taking Injectafer.

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

It’s not known whether it’s safe to breastfeed while you’re taking Injectafer. The iron released by this drug does pass into human breast milk. But it’s not known whether this poses any risk to a child who’s breastfed.

If you do breastfeed while you’re taking Injectafer, the drug’s manufacturer recommends that you monitor your child for side effects of the drug. These side effects may include constipation and diarrhea.

If you have questions about the safety of breastfeeding while you’re taking Injectafer, talk with your doctor. Together, you and your doctor can discuss the benefits and risks of treatment options for anemia.

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

Injectafer for iron deficiency anemia

Injectafer is approved to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA). For this purpose, Injectafer is approved for use in adults who either:

  • took oral iron treatment and didn’t have improvement in their IDA or had side effects that couldn’t be managed, or
  • have chronic kidney disease (CKD) that doesn’t require dialysis

What anemia is

With anemia, you have a low level of red blood cells (RBCs) in your body. With this condition, you also have a low hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin is a protein that’s found in your RBCs. It’s responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body.

There are different types of anemia, but IDA is the most common type. It’s caused by your body not having enough iron, which is needed to make hemoglobin.

Without enough hemoglobin, the right amount of oxygen may not reach certain parts of your body. And this can affect how well those parts of your body are able to work.

Symptoms of IDA can include:

  • fatigue (lack of energy)
  • weakness
  • dizziness
  • having strange cravings to eat items that aren’t food, such as ice
  • cold hands and feet

Why anemia can happen in people with chronic kidney disease

In order for your body to make RBCs, your bone marrow needs a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO). This hormone is made by your kidneys. But you kidneys need iron in order to make EPO.

With CKD, your kidneys don’t function properly, which can lead to your body having problems using iron. As a result, you may not make as much EPO as usual. And this can lead to anemia, including IDA.

What Injectafer does

Injectafer helps to treat IDA by providing an iron infusion directly into your body. Your body then uses the iron from Injectafer to make hemoglobin and new RBCs. The drug helps increase your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within the normal range.

Effectiveness of Injectafer for iron deficiency anemia

In clinical studies, Injectafer was effective in treating IDA in adults who either didn’t improve with or had side effects from taking iron by mouth. In the studies, people’s hemoglobin level was measured to check for improvement in their anemia. With IDA, you have low hemoglobin levels. So the goal of anemia treatment is to increase your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within a normal range.

In one study, treatment with Injectafer was compared with that of iron that’s taken by mouth. All of the people took iron by mouth for 2 weeks. Then the study was split into the following two groups, which are discussed below.

Effectiveness of Injectafer compared with iron that’s taken by mouth

In the first group, some people continued taking iron by mouth, while other people took Injectafer. In this group, after 35 days of treatment:

  • people who took Injectafer had their hemoglobin level increase, on average, by 1.6 grams per deciliter (g/dL)
  • people who kept taking iron by mouth had their hemoglobin level increase, on average, by 0.8 g/dL

Effectiveness of Injectafer compared with a different IV iron product

In the second group, some people switched from taking iron by mouth to taking Injectafer. The rest of the people switched from taking iron by mouth to taking an iron product other than Injectafer that’s given by IV. In this group, after 35 days of treatment:

  • people who took Injectafer had their hemoglobin level increase, on average, by 2.9 g/dL
  • people who took the other intravenous iron product had their hemoglobin level increase, on average, by 2.2 g/dL

Effectiveness for iron deficiency anemia in people with chronic kidney disease who don’t need dialysis

In clinical studies, Injectafer was effective in treating IDA in adults with CKD who didn’t require dialysis. In one study, people were given either Injectafer or an iron replacement drug called Venofer. (For more information on Venofer, see the “Injectafer vs. Venofer” section above). The researchers looked to see how well each drug worked to increase people’s hemoglobin level.

In this study, compared with their level before treatment:

  • people who took Injectafer had their hemoglobin level increase by an average of 1.1 g/dL
  • people who took Venofer had their hemoglobin level increase by an average of 0.9 g/dL

Injectafer and children

Injectafer isn’t currently approved for use in children. So there’s no recommended pediatric dosage for Injectafer.

However, Injectafer has been studied for use in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). And the drug has also been studied in children with IDA who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Additional studies are ongoing to see if Injectafer is a safe and effective treatment option for these conditions.

If you have questions about using Injectafer in a child, talk with your doctor. They can recommend appropriate treatment options.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Injectafer.

Will Injectafer make me gain weight?

No, Injectafer itself won’t make you gain weight. However, some people may have weight changes as they have improvement in their anemia, which Injectafer is used to treat.

Weight changes may be due to symptoms of anemia improving. For example, some people with anemia have extreme fatigue (lack of energy), which can make it hard for them to exercise. These people may lose weight as their anemia improves because they’re more active.

On the other hand, some people may have a poor appetite that goes away when their anemia is treated. And this could lead to weight gain, if they increase their food intake.

Depending on your anemia symptoms, your weight changes may be different than those described here.

If you’re concerned about weight changes while you’re taking Injectafer, talk with your doctor. Together, they can recommend ways to help you manage a body weight that’s healthy for you.

Do I need to take iron pills while I’m using Injectafer?

No, you won’t need to take iron pills while you’re using Injectafer. In fact, Injectafer is meant for some people whose anemia didn’t improve with iron pills or for people who had side effects from iron pills.

If you’re taking iron pills, be sure to tell your doctor before starting Injectafer. They’ll likely have you stop taking the pills while you’re using Injectafer.

If I’m taking a multivitamin that contains iron, do I need to stop taking it while I’m using Injectafer?

It depends. For some people, it may be OK to continue taking a multivitamin that contains iron. But for other people, doing so could lead to having too much iron in their body.

Before taking Injectafer, be sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist about any medications you take, including any over-the-counter vitamins or supplements. Your doctor will recommend whether you should stop taking your multivitamin or any other supplements.

How will my doctor monitor my anemia during Injectafer treatment?

During Injectafer treatment, your doctor will likely order blood tests. These tests will help make sure Injectafer is working to treat your iron deficiency anemia (IDA).

One of the most commonly used tests to monitor IDA is the hemoglobin test. This test measures the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. (Hemoglobin is a protein that’s found inside your red blood cells.)

People with IDA have low blood levels of hemoglobin. So the goal of IDA treatment with Injectafer is to bring your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within normal range.

If you have questions about the blood tests you’ll need to have done to monitor your anemia, talk with your doctor.

Will Injectafer cure my iron deficiency anemia?

Yes, in some cases it may. Clinical trials showed that Injectafer is effective in increasing hemoglobin levels in people with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).

Hemoglobin is a protein that’s found inside your red blood cells. It’s responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. People with IDA have low blood levels of hemoglobin. So the goal of IDA treatment with Injectafer is to bring your hemoglobin level back to a value that’s within normal range.

For some people, after receiving one treatment course (two doses) of Injectafer, their IDA is resolved. But for other people, their IDA returns after treatment with Injectafer. This could happen because Injectafer helps increase their hemoglobin levels, but it doesn’t address the underlying cause of their anemia.

If the underlying cause of your anemia isn’t addressed, there’s a chance your anemia could come back after Injectafer treatment. If this happens, you may need to get another treatment course of Injectafer, if your doctor recommends it for you.

If you have more questions about how Injectafer will affect your anemia, talk with your doctor.

Do I need to follow a specific diet while I’m using Injectafer?

No, you don’t need to follow a specific diet plan while you’re using Injectafer unless your doctor recommends otherwise.

If you have iron deficiency anemia (IDA), there are certain foods you can eat that may help increase your iron levels. But you don’t necessarily need to eat these foods unless your doctor tells you to do so.

If you have questions about the best diet for you during Injectafer treatment, talk with your doctor.

There isn’t a known interaction between Injectafer and alcohol.

If you have iron deficiency anemia (IDA), consuming moderate amounts of alcohol may be safe, if your doctor tells you it’s OK. (With IDA, you have a low level of red blood cells that’s caused by not having enough iron.)

However, consuming large amounts of alcohol can actually cause anemia in some people. This is because alcohol reduces your body’s absorption of certain nutrients that are necessary to make red blood cells. These nutrients include iron, vitamin B12, and folate.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while you’re taking Injectafer, talk with your doctor. They can recommend if this is safe for you to do.

Injectafer isn’t known to interact with any other medications, herbs, supplements, or foods.

However, to be safe, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take before taking Injectafer. 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.

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

  • High blood pressure. Injectafer can cause high blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, the drug could cause your blood pressure to become dangerously high. If you have high blood pressure, be sure to talk with your doctor before starting Injectafer.
  • Low phosphorus level. Injectafer can cause low phosphorus levels (hypophosphatemia) in people who are at risk for this condition. This includes people who already have hypophosphatemia. Before taking Injectafer, be sure to tell your doctor if you have hypophosphatemia. Also tell them if you’re taking other medications that lower your blood level of phosphorus.
  • Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Injectafer or any of its ingredients, you shouldn’t take Injectafer. Ask your doctor what other medications are better options for you. If you’re not sure about your medication allergies, talk with your doctor.
  • Pregnancy. It’s not known if Injectafer is safe to use while you’re pregnant. For more information, please see the “Injectafer and pregnancy” section above.
  • Breastfeeding. Injectafer is present in breast milk, but it’s not known what effect the drug may have on a child who’s breastfed. For more information, please see the “Injectafer and breastfeeding” section above.

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

The following information is provided for clinicians and other healthcare professionals.

Indications

Injectafer is indicated to treat iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adults who meet one of the following criteria:

  • cannot tolerate or have shown a poor response to oral iron, or
  • have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) that is non-dialysis dependent

Administration

Injectafer is administered intravenously, either by intravenous (IV) infusion or as an undiluted, slow IV push.

If administering via IV infusion, up to 750 mg of Injectafer should be diluted in no more than 250 mL of sterile 0.9% sodium chloride solution (NaCl). The infusion concentration should not be less than 2 mg of Injectafer per mL of solution. Infusions should be administered over at least 15 minutes.

The recommended dosing guidelines of Injectafer for treating IDA are based on patient weight, as follows:

  • For people weighing 50 kg (about 110 lb) or more, administer Injectafer in two doses of 750 mg, at least 7 days apart. Do not exceed 1,500 mg of iron per dosing course.
  • For people weighing less than 50 kg, administer Injectafer in two doses of 15 mg/kg of body weight, at least 7 days apart. Do not exceed 1,500 mg of iron per dosing course.

Mechanism of action

Injectafer contains ferric carboxymaltose, which is a polymer that releases iron into the body.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism

Maximum concentrations of Injectafer are achieved within 15 minutes to 1.21 hours following administration. Terminal half-life ranges from 7 to 12 hours. Renal elimination is negligible.

Contraindications

Do not use Injectafer in people with a history of hypersensitivity reactions to Injectafer or any components of the drug product.

Storage

Injectafer should be stored between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C). Injectafer can be exposed to temperatures between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°F) for a short period of time.

Do not freeze Injectafer.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

Injectafer Images