Ajovy: Uses, side effects, and interactions

Overview

What is Ajovy?

Ajovy (Fremanezumab) is an injectable drug doctor prescribe for adult migraine headaches. Migraine is a disease in which severe pain occurs on one part of the head for several days, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to sound and light.¹Overview| Researched based study from Fda.gov

Facts

Key facts of Ajovy

• In 2018, The United States Food and Drug Administration approved Ajovy for migraine headaches.
• Ajovy is the brand name of the drug Fremanezumab it is a humanized monoclonal antibody.
• Fremanezumab is produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells by recombinant DNA technology¹Facts| Researched based study from Fda.gov

Category of drug

• Ajovy belongs to a class of drugs known as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists.
• A class of drugs is a collection of medicines that work in a similar pattern.
• Ajovy contains a biologic drug viz; Fremanezumab as the active ingredient ²Facts| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Mechanism

• Calcitonin gene-related peptide(CCRP) is a neuropeptide involved in pain transmission in our body. Neuropeptides are chemical messengers released by nerve cells.
• CCRP binds with receptors (molecules) in the brain’s wall and causes the widening of the blood vessels causing pain and swelling that ultimately leads to migraine headaches.
• Ajovy attaches to CCRP preventing connecting to receptors in the brain’s walls and controlling blood vessel dilation and inflammation. Ajovy thus prevents migraine headaches ²Facts| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Dosage

Dosage of Ajovy

The commonly used dosage for Ajovy are as follows

• Single Ajovy injection of 225 mg(milligram) once in 30 days on the same day
• Three Ajovy injections of a total of 675mg once every 90 days on the same day

However, taking the dose as the doctor prescribes is always advisable ³Dosage| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Formulations of Ajovy

• Ajovy comes as a liquid solution in disposable single-use prefilled syringes. It is also available as an auto-injector pen.
• Ajovy is available in one power or strength of 225 milligrams in 1.5 milliliters of liquid solution.

How to take an Ajovy injection?

• Ajovy is administered under the skin by doctors or health care professionals in either of the three areas viz; belly, back of the upper arms, and in front of the thighs. It might be administered as a single injection of 225mg once every month or as three injections of 675mg once every three months.
• However, one can also take the injections themselves after proper training from health professionals. Also, each syringe is for single use and must be immediately discarded⁴Dosage| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Time required for Ajovy to function

• It may take weeks to several months to get the full effect of migraine treatment.
• In clinical studies, people taking the first dose of Ajovy experienced fewer migraine attacks within one month.
• While for people on several months of Ajovy treatment, the number of migraine days within the month decreased further.

Time Ajovy stays in the body

• Staying of any drug in the body depends on the half-life of the drug.
• The drug’s half-life is when the body must clear half the drug dose.
• Ajovy’s half-life is 31 days, so it remains in the body for 31 days.

Cost of Ajovy

• The cost of Ajovy depends on the treatment plan, geographic location, the health store in use, and insurance coverage ⁸Cost| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov .

Uses

Uses of Ajovy

Migraine treatment

• Ajovy is indicated to treat migraine headaches in adult individuals
• Ajovy is a long-term treatment and can be used for both episodic and chronic migraine headaches.⁵Uses| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov
• Episodic migraine headaches are headaches fewer than 15 days per month and chronic migraine headaches are headaches for more than 15 days per month

Improves migraine symptoms

A migraine headache is a severe headache that worsens with physical activity and may last from two to three days. It has several symptoms, which can be improved by Ajovy, such as

• Extreme tiredness
• Difficulty in speaking
• Vision problem
• Lightheadedness
• Vomiting
• Extreme sensitivity to bright light
• Extreme sensitivity to sound

Side effects

Side effects of Ajovy

Mild injection site side effects

• Tenderness of the injected site
• Itchiness
• Redness
• Skin rash
• Pain
• Swelling
• Hardened skin

The injected site side effects are temporary and may disappear within some days or weeks. It is best to consult a physician if the side effects persist.

Serious side effects

Some people might experience a severe allergic reaction after taking an Ajovy injection. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction are:

• Swelling in the mouth, throat, and tongue
• Swelling under the skin, such as lips, hands, feet, and eyelids
• Difficult breathing

It is always recommended to dial the emergency medical number in case of severe allergies ⁶Side effects| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Overdose

Overdose toxicity of Ajovy

• Overdose of Ajova might cause serious side effects such as difficulty breathing or collapse(fainting).
• One must immediately contact the emergency medical number in case of experiencing such symptoms.

Warnings for Ajovy

• It is always necessary to consult the patient’s health conditions and the medicines already in use with the doctor before taking an Ajova injection.
• Ajova is strictly prohibited for individuals with a history of severe hypersensitivity(allergic) reactions to Ajova or its ingredients.

Contraindication

Who should not take Ajovy

• Aged people(above 65 years of age)
• Pregnant woman
• Nursing mothers
• Children
• People with heart diseases
• People with stroke(blood vessel in the brain ruptures)
• People with a blood clot
• People with allergic reactions to the drug ⁷Contraindication| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Precautions

Precautions while injecting Ajovy

One must strictly follow the instructions mentioned in Ajovy’s label sheet

Before injecting, one must ensure the following things

• Ajovy must be brought to room temperature after taking out from the freeze
• It must not be injected into tender areas, tattoos, scars, or stretch marks
• It must not be injected in the same spots used previously to inject other medication

After injecting, one must ensure the following

• The injected site must be pressed gently with a clean cotton ball for a few seconds
• One must not rub the injected site
• An ice pack on the affected area might help if the injected site feels uncomfortable.
• Any reaction that lasts for several days must be immediately intimated to a healthcare professional ⁷Precaution| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Interactions

Interaction of Ajovy

• To date, Ajovy has not been shown to interact with other drugs. But there is always a possibility that interactions might occur.
• So, it is best to consult a doctor about the medicines, supplements, over-the-counter medicines, and vitamins one consumes before taking Ajovy treatment ²Interactions| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Storage

Storage of Ajovy

• Ajovy must be stored in a refrigerator between temperatures 2 to 8 degrees centigrade.
• If required, one might keep it in the original carton for seven days at room temperature.
• After removal from the freeze, one must use it within seven days or discard
• Once removed from the freeze, one must not keep it back
• One must not shake it
• Don not keep it in direct sunlight
• Discard the unused medicine after the expiry date
• One must keep it out of reach of children and young kids ³Storage| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Takeaway

Key takeaways

• Ajovy is an FDA-approved medicine for migraine treatment
• One should always see the expiry date of the injection while purchasing and before taking it subcutaneously
• Once taken out from the refrigerator, Ajovy must be used within one day or discarded
• To know the correct dose and prevent untoward incidents, one must consult a registered physician before taking an Ajovy injection