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STARTING SC INJECTIONS

ACTEMRA SC is available in a prefilled syringe or ACTEMRA ACTPen^® autoinjector

There are slight differences between the prefilled syringe and the ACTPen autoinjector.

Prefilled syringe icon

The prefilled syringe is a single-dose needle that is manually injected.

ACTPen® Autoinjector icon

The ACTPen autoinjector is a prefilled, single-dose, pen-like autoinjector that keeps the needle tip shielded before the injection, allowing you to inject by holding down a button.

Whichever treatment method option you prefer, your ACTEMRA is the same.

Together, these two options should give you and your healthcare provider a choice in how you take ACTEMRA.

After you've reviewed your brochure and the FDA-approved Instructions for Use, use the quick reference guides below as a reminder. You can also watch step-by-step videos within each tab below to learn how to inject ACTEMRA using the prefilled syringe or ACTPen autoinjector.

Your healthcare provider will also train you to properly inject ACTEMRA. This way, you'll know the exact steps involved.

ACTEMRA ACTPen® Autoinjector Prefilled Syringe

ACTEMRA ACTPen® Autoinjector

ACTPen autoinjector quick reference guide

Once you have become comfortable with the steps detailed in the FDA-approved Instructions for Use, the following summary could be used as a quick reference before injecting.

1 Prepare for your injection

2 Twist and pull off cap

4 Compress to unlock

5 Inject ACTEMRA SC

6 Watch and release

How to inject with the ACTPen autoinjector

Quick tips videos

Watch these brief videos for help on specific topics related to the ACTPen autoinjector.

Prefilled Syringe

Prefilled syringe quick reference guide

Once you have become comfortable with the steps detailed in the FDA-approved Instructions for Use, the following summary could be used as a quick reference before injecting.

1 Prepare for your injection

4 Insert needle

5 Inject ACTEMRA SC

6 Remove and release

How to inject with the ACTEMRA prefilled syringe

Preparing for your injection

Blood tests

Before you start on ACTEMRA SC injections, your healthcare provider will do a variety of blood tests. The chart below shows how often these tests will occur after you start treatment.

Blood test	First test	Follow-up tests
Liver function, neutrophil count, and platelet count	4-8 weeks after first injection for the first 6 months	Every 3 months
Cholesterol level	4-8 weeks after first injection	Every 6 months

Review Important Side Effect Information & training

Before you start taking ACTEMRA injections, your doctor or nurse should review the ACTEMRA Medication Guide, including Instructions for Use, with you. Reviewing the Medication Guide should help you to better understand the risks and benefits of your RA treatment. After reviewing the Important Side Effect Information for ACTEMRA, you should be properly trained on using the prefilled syringe.

Weighing in

Your ACTEMRA dose is based on your weight, so your healthcare provider or nurse should weigh you at each office visit to ensure the right amount is prescribed.

Learn more about your ACTEMRA dose here.

Monitoring for ACTEMRA side effects at home

It’s important to pay close attention to how you’re feeling before, during, and after an injection. ACTEMRA may lead to serious allergic reactions, including death. Allergic reactions may happen during and after any injection, even if they have not happened before.

In case of emergency

Contact 911 immediately, as well as your healthcare provider or nurse, if you experience any of these allergic reactions:

Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
Swelling of lips, tongue, or face
Chest pain
Feeling dizzy or faint
Moderate or severe abdominal pain or vomiting

Support for living with RA

Learn what the ACTEMRA & You patient support program has to offer.

Explore the program

Talking to your doctor icon

Talking to
your doctor

Make the most of your office visit with this helpful guide.

ACTEMRA Patient Support icon

ACTEMRA Patient Support Line

Call 1-800-228-3672 to talk with a team member about ACTEMRA.

INDICATIONS

What does ACTEMRA treat?

ACTEMRA is a prescription medicine called an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antagonist.

ACTEMRA is used:

To treat adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after at least one other medicine called a disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) has been used and did not work well
To treat adults with giant cell arteritis (GCA)
To treat patients with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) 2 years of age and older
To treat patients with active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) 2 years of age and older
For slowing the rate of decline in lung function in adults with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) (also known as scleroderma-associated ILD).
To treat hospitalized adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) receiving systemic corticosteroids and requiring supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
ACTEMRA is not approved for subcutaneous use in people with COVID-19.

It is not known if ACTEMRA is safe and effective in children with PJIA or SJIA under 2 years of age or in children with conditions other than PJIA or SJIA.

ACTEMRA can cause serious side effects

Serious Infections

ACTEMRA changes the way your immune system works. This can make you more likely to get infections or make any current infection worse. Some people have serious infections while taking ACTEMRA, including tuberculosis (TB), and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider should assess you for TB before starting and during treatment with ACTEMRA (except if you have COVID-19).

Before starting ACTEMRA, tell your healthcare provider if you have:

an infection, think you may have an infection, are being treated for an infection, or get a lot of infections that return. Symptoms of an infection, with or without a fever, include sweating or chills; shortness of breath; warm, red or painful skin or sores on your body; feeling very tired; muscle aches; blood in phlegm; diarrhea or stomach pain; cough; weight loss; burning when you urinate or urinating more than normal
any of the following conditions that may give you a higher chance of getting infections: diabetes, HIV, or a weak immune system
tuberculosis (TB), or have been in close contact with someone with TB
live or have lived, or have traveled to certain parts of the United States where there is an increased chance of getting fungal infections. These parts include the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest
hepatitis B or have had hepatitis B

If you have COVID-19, your healthcare provider should monitor you for signs and symptoms of new infections during and after treatment with ACTEMRA.

Who should not take ACTEMRA?

Do not take ACTEMRA if you are allergic to tocilizumab, or any of the ingredients in ACTEMRA.

Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you see any signs of these serious side effects:

Tears (perforation) of the Stomach or Intestines

If you have diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine), talk to your healthcare provider before taking ACTEMRA. Some people taking ACTEMRA may develop a hole in the wall of their stomach or intestines (also known as a perforation). This happens most often in people who also take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, or methotrexate.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you see any of these side effects: fever, stomach-area pain that does not go away, or if you see a change in your bowel habits.

Liver problems (Hepatotoxicity)

Some people have experienced serious life-threatening liver problems, which required liver transplant or led to death. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking ACTEMRA if you develop new or worsening liver problems during treatment with ACTEMRA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

feeling tired (fatigue)
lack of appetite for several days or longer (anorexia)
yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
abdominal swelling and pain on the right side of the stomach-area
light colored stools
weakness
nausea and vomiting
confusion
dark “tea-colored” urine

Changes in Blood Test Results

Your healthcare provider should do blood tests before you start receiving ACTEMRA. If you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or giant cell arteritis (GCA), or systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) your healthcare provider should do blood tests 4 to 8 weeks after you start receiving ACTEMRA for the first 6 months and then every 3 months after that. If you have polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) you will have blood tests done every 4 to 8 weeks during treatment. If you have systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) you will have blood tests done every 2 to 4 weeks during treatment. These blood tests are to check for the following side effects of ACTEMRA:

Low neutrophil count: neutrophils are white blood cells that help the body fight infection
Low platelet count: platelets are blood cells that help with clotting, which stops bleeding
Increase in liver function test levels
Increase in blood cholesterol levels: your cholesterol levels should be checked 4 to 8 weeks after you start receiving ACTEMRA.

Your healthcare provider will determine how often you will have follow-up blood tests. Make sure you get all your follow-up blood tests done as ordered by your healthcare provider.

You should not receive ACTEMRA if your neutrophil and platelet counts are too low or your liver function test levels are too high. Changes in blood test results may cause your healthcare provider to stop your ACTEMRA treatment for a time or change your dose.

Cancer

ACTEMRA may increase your risk of certain cancers by changing the way your immune system works.

Hepatitis B Infection

If you have or are a carrier of the hepatitis B virus (a virus that affects the liver), the virus may become active while you use ACTEMRA. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests before you start treatment with ACTEMRA and while you are using ACTEMRA. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any signs of these symptoms:

feel very tired
skin or eyes look yellow
little or no appetite
vomiting
clay-colored bowel movements
fevers
chills
stomach discomfort
muscle aches
dark urine
skin rash

Serious Allergic Reactions

Serious allergic reactions, including death, can happen with ACTEMRA. These reactions can happen with any infusion or injection of ACTEMRA, even if they did not occur with an earlier infusion or injection. Tell your healthcare provider before your next dose if you had hives, rash or flushing after your injection.

Contact 911 immediately, as well as your healthcare provider, if you experience any of these reactions:

shortness of breath or trouble breathing
swelling of the lips, tongue, or face
chest pain
feeling dizzy or faint
moderate or severe abdominal pain or vomiting

Nervous System Problems

While rare, Multiple Sclerosis has been diagnosed in people who take ACTEMRA. It is not known what effect ACTEMRA may have on some nervous system disorders.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before receiving ACTEMRA?

ACTEMRA may not be right for you. Before receiving ACTEMRA, tell your healthcare provider if you:

have an infection
have liver problems
have any stomach-area (abdominal) pain or been diagnosed with diverticulitis or ulcers in your stomach or intestines
have had a reaction to tocilizumab or any of the ingredients in ACTEMRA before
have or had a condition that affects your nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis
have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine
plan to have surgery or a medical procedure
have any other medical conditions
plan to become pregnant or are pregnant. It is not known if ACTEMRA will harm your unborn baby.
plan to breast-feed or are breast-feeding. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take ACTEMRA or breast-feed. You should not do both.
are taking any medications, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of ACTEMRA include:

upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections)
headache
increased blood pressure (hypertension)
injection site reactions

ACTEMRA & Pregnancy

Tell your healthcare provider if you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, plan to breast-feed, or are breast-feeding. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take ACTEMRA or breast-feed. You should not do both. If you are pregnant and taking ACTEMRA, join the pregnancy registry. The purpose of this registry is to check the health of the pregnant mother and her baby. To learn more, call 1-877-311-8972 or talk to your healthcare provider to register.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

Please see full Prescribing Information and the Medication Guide, including Serious Side Effects, for more Important Safety Information.