Patient leaflet - Everolimus Sandoz 2.5 mg tablets
what it is used for
Everolimus is an anticancer medicine containing the active substance everolimus. Everolimus reduces the blood supply to the tumour and slows down the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Everolimus is used to treat adult patients with:
advanced tumours called neuroendocrine tumours that originate from the pancreas. It is given if the tumours are inoperable and do not overproduce specific hormones or other related natural substances.
2 What you need to know
before you take Everolimus
- angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (such as ramipril) used to treat high blood pressure or other cardiovascular problems.
- nefazodone, used to treat depression.
The following may reduce the effectiveness of Everolimus:
- rifampicin, used to treat tuberculosis (TB).
- efavirenz or nevirapine, used to treat HIV infection/AIDS.
- St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), a herbal product used to treat depression and other conditions.
- dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used to treat a wide variety of conditions including inflammatory or immune problems.
- phenytoin, carbamazepine or phenobarbital and other anti-epileptics used to stop seizures or fits.
Everolimus will only be prescribed for you by a doctor with experience in cancer treatment. Follow all the doctor’s instructions carefully. They may differ from the general information contained in this leaflet. If you have any questions about Everolimus or why it has been prescribed for you, ask your doctor.
Do not take Everolimus
- if you are allergic to everolimus, to related substances such as sirolimus or temsirolimus, or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
If you think you may be allergic, ask your doctor for advice.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor before taking
Everolimus:
- if you have any problems with your liver or if you have ever had any disease which may have affected your liver. If this is the case, your doctor may need to prescribe a different dose of Everolimus.
- if you have diabetes (high level of sugar in your blood). Everolimus may increase blood sugar levels and worsen diabetes mellitus. This may result in the need for insulin and/ or oral antidiabetic agent therapy. Tell your doctor if you experience any excessive thirst or increased frequency of urination.
- if you need to receive a vaccine while taking Everolimus.
- if you have high cholesterol. Everolimus may elevate cholesterol and/or other blood fats.
- if you have had recent major surgery, or if you still have an unhealed wound following surgery. Everolimus may increase the risk of problems with wound healing.
- if you have an infection. It may be necessary to treat your infection before starting Everolimus.
- if you have previously had hepatitis B, because this may be reactivated during treatment with Everolimus (see section 4 ‘Possible side effects’).
Everolimus may also:
- weaken your immune system. Therefore, you may be at risk of getting an infection while you are taking Everolimus. If you have fever or other signs of an infection, consult with your doctor. Some infections may be severe and may have fatal consequences.
- impact your kidney function. Therefore, your doctor will monitor your kidney function while you are taking Everolimus.
- cause shortness of breath, cough and fever.
cause mouth ulcers and sores to develop. Your doctor might need to interrupt or discontinue your treatment with Everolimus. You might need treatment with a mouthwash, gel or other products. Some mouthwashes and gels can make ulcers worse, so do not try anything without checking with your doctor first. Your doctor might restart treatment with Everolimus at the same dose or at a lower dose.
These medicines should be avoided during your treatment with Everolimus. If you are taking any of them, your doctor may switch you to a different medicine, or may change your dose of Everolimus.
Everolimus with food and drink
Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while you are on Everolimus.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
Pregnancy
Everolimus could harm your unborn baby and is not recommended during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or think that you may be pregnant. Your doctor will discuss with you whether you should take this medicine during your pregnancy.
Women who could potentially become pregnant should use highly effective contraception during treatment and for up to 8 weeks after ending treatment. If, despite these measures, you think you may have become pregnant, ask your doctor for advice before taking any more Everolimus.
Breast-feeding
Everolimus could harm your breast-fed baby. You should not breast-feed during treatment and for 2 weeks after the last dose of Everolimus. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Female fertility
Absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhoea) has been observed in some female patients receiving Everolimus.
Everolimus may have an impact on female fertility. Talk to your doctor if you wish to have children.
Male fertility
Everolimus may affect male fertility. Talk to your doctor if you wish to father a child.
Driving and using machines
If you feel unusually tired (fatigue is a very common side effect), take special care when driving or using machines.
Everolimus contains lactose
Everolimus contains lactose (milk sugar). If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
3 How to take Everolimus
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The recommended dose is 10 mg, taken once a day. Your doctor will tell you how many tablets of Everolimus to take.
Tell your doctor if you experience these symptoms.
You will have regular blood tests during treatment. These will check the amount of blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets) in your body to see if Everolimus is having an unwanted effect on these cells. Blood tests will also be carried out to check your kidney function (level of creatinine) and liver function (level of transaminases) and your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This is because these can also be affected by Everolimus.
Children and adolescents
Everolimus is not to be used in children or adolescents (age below 18 years).
Other medicines and Everolimus
Everolimus may affect the way some other medicines work. If you are taking other medicines at the same time as Everolimus, your doctor may need to change the dose of Everolimus or the other medicines.
If you have liver problems, your doctor may start you on a lower dose of Everolimus (2.5, 5 or 7.5 mg per day).
If you experience certain side effects while you are taking Everolimus (see section 4), your doctor may lower your dose or stop treatment, either for a short time or permanently.
Take Everolimus once a day, at about the same time every day, consistently either with or without food.
Swallow the tablet(s) whole with a glass of water. Do not chew or crush the tablets.
If you take more Everolimus than you should
- If you have taken too much Everolimus, or if someone else accidentally takes your tablets, see a doctor or go to a hospital immediately. Urgent treatment may be necessary.
- Take the carton and this leaflet, so that the doctor knows what has been taken.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
The following may increase the risk of side effects with Everolimus:
- ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, or fluconazole and other antifungals used to treat fungal infections.
- clarithromycin, telithromycin or erythromycin, antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections.
- ritonavir and other medicines used to treat HIV infection/AIDS.
- verapamil or diltiazem, used to treat heart conditions or high blood pressure.
- dronedarone, a medicine used to help regulate your heart beat.
- ciclosporin, a medicine used to stop the body from rejecting organ transplants.
imatinib, used to inhibit the growth of abnormal cells.
If you forget to take Everolimus
If you miss a dose, take your next dose as scheduled. Do not take a double dose to make up for the forgotten tablets.
If you stop taking Everolimus
Do not stop taking Everolimus unless your doctor tells you to.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4 Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
STOP taking Everolimus and seek medical help immediately if you experience any of the following signs of an allergic reaction:
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat
- severe itching of the skin, with a red rash or raised bumps
Serious side effects of Everolimus include:
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- Increased temperature, chills (signs of infection)
Fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, wheezing (signs of inflammation of the lung, also known as pneumonitis)
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme (www.mhra.gov.uk/ yellowcard) or search for MHRA Yellow Card in Google play or Apple App store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5 How to store Everolimus
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister foil after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
- Excessive thirst, high urine output, increased appetite with weight loss, tiredness (signs of diabetes)
Bleeding (haemorrhage), for example in the gut wall
Do not store above 30˚C.
Severely decreased urine output (sign of kidney failure)
Store in the original package in order to protect from light and moisture.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Fever, skin rash, joint pain and inflammation, as well as tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), pain in the upper right abdomen, pale stools, dark urine (may be signs of hepatitis B reactivation)
Open the blister just before taking the tablets.
This leaflet was last revised in 09/2021. Signature Panel:
Do not use this medicine if any pack is damaged or shows signs of tampering. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
- Breathlessness, difficulty breathing when lying down, swelling of the feet or legs (signs of heart failure)
- Swelling and/or pain in one of the legs, usually in the calf, redness or warm skin in the affected area (signs of blockade of a blood vessel (vein) in the legs caused by blood clotting)
6 Contents of the pack and
other information
Sudden onset of shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing up blood (potential signs of pulmonary embolism, a condition that occurs when one or more arteries in your lungs become blocked)
What Everolimus contains
- The active substance is everolimus.
Everolimus 2.5 mg tablets
- Each tablet contains 2.5 mg of everolimus.
Severely decreased urine output, swelling in the legs, feeling confused, pain in the back (signs of sudden kidney failure)
Everolimus 5 mg tablets
- Each tablet contains 5 mg of everolimus.
Rash, itching, hives, difficulty breathing or swallowing, dizziness (signs of
Everolimus 10 mg tablets
serious allergic reaction, also known as hypersensitivity)
- Each tablet contains 10 mg of everolimus.
- The other ingredients are
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
butylhydroxytoluene (E321), magnesium stearate, lactose, hypromellose, crospovidone type A. See section 2 “Everolimus contains lactose”.
- Shortness of breath or rapid breath (signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome)
If you experience any of these side effects, tell your doctor immediately as this might have life-threatening consequences.
What Everolimus looks like and contents of the pack
Other possible side effects of Everolimus include:
Everolimus 2.5 mg tablets
White to slightly yellowish, elongated tablets approximately 10.1 x 4.1 mm with a bevelled edge and no score. They are engraved with “LCL” on one side and “NVR” on the other
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
High level of sugar in the blood (hyperglycaemia)
Everolimus 5 mg tablets
Loss of appetite
White to slightly yellowish, elongated tablets approximately 12.1 x 4.9 mm with a bevelled edge and no score. They are engraved with “5” on one side and “NVR” on the other
- Disturbed taste (dysgeusia)
- Headache
- Nose bleeds (epistaxis)
- Cough
Mouth ulcers
Everolimus 10 mg tablets
Upset stomach including feeling sick (nausea) or diarrhoea
White to slightly yellowish, elongated tablets approximately 15.1 x 6.0 mm with a bevelled edge and no score. They are engraved with “UHE” on one side and “NVR” on the other
- Skin rash
- Itching (pruritus)
- Feeling weak or tired
Tiredness, breathlessness, dizziness, pale skin, signs of low level of red blood cells (anaemia)
The tablets are packed in aluminium/ polyamide/aluminium/PVC blisters and inserted in a carton.
Swelling of arms, hands, feet, ankles or other part of the body (signs of oedema)
Pack sizes:
Weight loss
Blister: 10, 30 , 90 tablets
High level of lipids (fats) in the blood (hypercholesterolaemia)
Unit dose blister: 10x1, 30x1, 90x1 tablets
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Not all pack sizes or strengths may be marketed in your country.
Spontaneous bleeding or bruising (signs of low level of platelets, also known as thrombocytopenia)
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
- Breathlessness (dyspnoea)
Thirst, low urine output, dark urine, dry flushed skin, irritability (signs of dehydration)
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
Sandoz Limited
Headache, dizziness (sign of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension)
Park View, Riverside Way
Watchmoor Park
Fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers due to infections (signs of low level of white blood cells, leukopenia, lymphopenia and/or neutropenia)
Camberley, Surrey
GU15 3YL
United Kingdom
Fever
Manufacturer
Inflammation of the inner lining of the mouth, stomach, gut
Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d
Dry mouth
Verovškova ulica 57
Heartburn (dyspepsia)
Ljubljana
Being sick (vomiting)
1526
Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
Slovenia
- Abdominal pain
Acne
Or
Rash and pain on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet (hand-foot syndrome)
Salutas Pharma GmbH
Reddening of the skin (erythema)
Otto-von-Guericke-Allee 1
Joint pain
Barleben
Pain in the mouth
39179
Menstruation disorders such as irregular periods
Germany
High level of lipids (fats) in the blood (hyperlipidaemia, raised triglycerides)
Or
Low level of potassium in the blood (hypokalaemia)
Novartis Pharma GmbH
Roonstrasse 25
Low level of phosphate in the blood (hypophosphataemia)
Nürnberg, Bayern
D-90429
Low level of calcium in the blood (hypocalcaemia)
Germany
- Dry skin, skin exfoliation, skin lesions
- Nail disorders, breaking of your nails
- Mild loss of hair
- Abnormal results of liver blood tests (increased alanine and aspartate aminotransferase)
- Abnormal results of renal blood tests (increased creatinine)
- Swelling of the eyelid
- Protein in the urine
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- Weakness, spontaneous bleeding or bruising and frequent infections with signs such as fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers (signs of low level of blood cells, also known as pancytopenia)
- Loss of sense of taste (ageusia)
- Coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
- Menstruation disorders such as absence of periods (amenorrhoea)
- Passing urine more often during daytime
- Chest pain
- Abnormal wound healing
- Hot flushes
- Discharge from the eye with itching and redness,pink eye or red eye (conjunctivitis)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- Tiredness, breathlessness, dizziness, pale skin (signs of low level of red blood cells, possibly due to a type of anaemia called pure red cell aplasia)
- Swelling of the face, around the eyes, mouth, and inside the mouth and/or throat, as well as the tongue and difficulty breathing or swallowing (also known as angioedema), may be signs of an allergic reaction
If these side effects get severe please tell your doctor and/or pharmacist. Most of the side effects are mild to moderate and will generally disappear if your treatment is interrupted for a few days.
AQWA#:
Production site:
Technical num:
Old Comp num:
N002: BROMI to Register PIL removing V003 006.0
Legend:
08/09/2021
Cutting:
594 x 148 mm
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