NEPHROLOGY PRODUCTS

What is KORSUVA?

KORSUVA is a prescription medicine used to treat moderate-to-severe pruritus (itching) associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD-aP) in adults undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

KORSUVA is not recommended in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (fluid taken from abdomen).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What are the possible side effects of KORSUVA?

KORSUVA may cause serious side effects, including:

• Dizziness, sleepiness mental status changes (e.g., confusion), and trouble walking (which may lead to falls). Sleepiness is more likely to occur in patients who are 65 years or older. Taking KORSUVA with centrally acting depressant medications (including anti-depressants and medicines used for anxiety, epilepsy, insomnia), sedating antihistamines (allergy medicines that can cause drowsiness), and opioid analgesics (certain pain medications) may increase the likelihood of these side effects.

• Impairment of mental or physical abilities.  You should not drive or operate dangerous machinery until the effect of KORSUVA on your ability to drive or operate machinery is known. The most common side effects of KORSUVA include: diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, trouble walking (including falls), high potassium, headache, sleepiness, and mental status changes (e.g., confusion).

What should I tell my doctor before taking KORSUVA?

Before you take KORSUVA, tell your doctor if you:

• are currently taking centrally acting depressant medications (including anti-depressants and medicines used for anxiety, epilepsy, insomnia), sedating antihistamines (allergy medicines that can cause drowsiness) or opioid analgesics (certain pain medications)
• regularly drive or operate dangerous machinery

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take,  including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed.  In pre-clinical studies, KORSUVA was shown to be transferable into breastmilk.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of KORSUVA. You may report side effects to Vifor (International) Inc. at 1-844-835-8277 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

The risk information provided here is not comprehensive and does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment. To learn more about KORSUVA, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Please see full Prescribing information here.

VELTASSA is a prescription medication used to treat high levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia). It is not known if VELTASSA is safe and effective in children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Who should not take VELTASSA?

Do not take VELTASSA if you are allergic to VELTASSA or any of its ingredients.

What should I tell my doctor before taking VELTASSA?

Before you take VELTASSA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have problems having a bowel movement, including if you have severe constipation, a blockage (obstruction) in your bowel, or dry hard stool that will not pass out of your rectum (impaction) 
• have problems with your bowels after surgery

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What are the possible side effects of VELTASSA?

VELTASSA may cause serious side effects, including:

• Worsening of bowel function
• Low levels of magnesium in your blood (hypomagnesemia). Low levels of magnesium in the blood can happen when taking VELTASSA. Your doctor will check the magnesium levels in your blood during treatment with VELTASSA and may prescribe a magnesium supplement.

The most common side effects of VELTASSA include: constipation, low levels of magnesium, diarrhea, nausea, stomach-area (abdominal) discomfort, and gas.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of VELTASSA. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088  or  www.fda.gov/medwatch.

The risk information provided here is not comprehensive and does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.  To learn more about VELTASSA, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Please click here for full Prescribing Information.

Patients should always ask their doctors for medical advice about adverse events (side effects). Any suspected side effects should be reported to CSL Vifor at 1-844-735-9772. If you prefer, you may contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration directly. The FDA has established a reporting service known as MedWatch, where healthcare professionals and consumers can report serious problems they suspect may be associated with the drugs and medical devices they prescribe, dispense, or use. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you have a Veltassa^® related question or request for general disease state information by a U.S. healthcare professional please click here.

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2. Rayner, H. C. et al. International comparisons of prevalence, awareness, and treatment of pruritus in people on hemodialysis. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 12, 2000–2007 (2017).
3. Ständer, S. et al. Clinical classification of itch: a position paper of the International Forum for the Study of Itch. Acta Derm Venereol 87, 291–294 (2007).
4. Weisshaar, E. et al. European S2k guideline on chronic pruritus. Acta Derm Venereol 99, 469–506 (2019).
5. Rastergar, A. Hypokalaemia and hyperkalaemia. Postgraduate Medical Journal. December 2001. 77(914): p. 759-764
6. Ponikowski P; Voors AA; Anker SD; Bueno H; Cleland JGF; Coats AJS; Falk V; González-Juanatey JR; Harjola VP; Jankowska EA; et al. 2016 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure: The Task Force for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Developed with the special contribution of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC. July 2016. Eur Heart J. 37(27): p. 2129–2200.