What Zomiba is and what it is used for?
Zomiba contains the active substance bortezomib, also-called ‘proteasome inhibitor’. Proteasomes play an important role in controlling cell function and growth. By interfering with their function, bortezomib can kill cancer cells.
Zomiba is used for the treatment of multiple myeloma (a cancer of the bone marrow) in patients older than 18 years:
Zomiba is used for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (a type of cancer affecting the lymph nodes) in patients 18 years or older in combination with the medicines rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone, for patients whose disease has not been previously treated and for whom blood stem cell transplantation is unsuitable.
Before you take Zomiba
Do not take Zomiba
Warnings and precautions
You should tell your doctor if you have any of the following:
You must read the package leaflets of all medicinal products to be taken in combination with Zomiba for information related to these medicines before starting treatment with Zomiba.
When thalidomide is used, particular attention to pregnancy testing and prevention requirements is needed (see Pregnancy and breast-feeding in this section).
Children and adolescents
Zomiba should not be used in children and adolescents because it is not known how the medicine will affect them.
Other medicines and Zomiba
Please tell your doctor, or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. In particular, tell your doctor if you are using medicines containing any of the following active substances: Ketoconazole, Ritonavir, Rifampicin, Carbamazepine, Phenytoin or Phenobarbital, St. John’s wort (hypericum perforatum), oral antidiabetics.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
You should not use Zomiba if you are pregnant, unless clearly necessary.
Females of reproductive potential must use effective contraception during treatment and for 7 months following Zomiba treatment, also males with female partners of reproductive potential must use effective contraception during treatment and for 4 months following Zomiba treatment.
If, despite these measures, pregnancy occurs, tell your doctor immediately.
You should not breast-feed while using Zomiba and for two months after last dose. Discuss with your doctor when it is safe to restart breast-feeding after finishing your treatment.
Thalidomide causes birth defects and fetal death. When Zomiba is given in combination with thalidomide you must follow the pregnancy prevention program for thalidomide.
Driving and using machines
Zomiba might cause tiredness, dizziness, fainting, or blurred vision. Do not drive or operate tools or machines if you experience such side effects; even if you do not, you should still be cautious.
How to take Zomiba?
Your doctor will work out your dose of Zomiba according to your height and weight (body surface area).
The usual starting dose of Zomiba is 1.3 mg/m2 body surface area twice a week.Your doctor may change the dose and total number of treatment cycles, depending on your response to the treatment on the occurrence of certain side effects and on your underlying conditions (e.g. liver problems).
Progressive multiple myeloma:
When Zomiba is given alone, you will receive 4 doses of Zomiba intravenously or subcutaneously on days 1, 4, 8 and 11, followed by a 10-day ‘rest period’ without treatment. This 21-day period (3 weeks) corresponds to one treatment cycle. You might receive up to 8 cycles (24 weeks).
You may also be given Zomiba together with the medicines pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or dexamethasone.
When Zomiba is given together with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, you will receive Bortezomib intravenously or subcutaneously as a 21-day treatment cycle and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 is given on day 4 of the Zomiba 21-day treatment cycle as an intravenous infusion after the Zomiba injection.You might receive up to 8 cycles (24 weeks).
When Zomiba is given together with dexamethasone, you will receive Zomiba intravenously or subcutaneously as a 21-day treatment cycle and dexamethasone 20 mg is given orally on days 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, and 12, of the Bortezomib, 21-day treatment cycle.
You might receive up to 8 cycles (24 weeks).
Previously untreated multiple myeloma:
If you have not been treated before for multiple myeloma, and you are not suitable for blood stem cell transplantation you will receive Zomiba together with two other medicines; melphalan and prednisone.
In this case, the duration of a treatment cycle is 42 days (6 weeks). You will receive 9 cycles (54 weeks).
In cycles 1 to 4, Zomiba is administered twice weekly on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 22, 25, 29 and 32.
In cycles 5 to 9, Zomiba is administered once weekly on days 1, 8, 22 and 29.
Melphalan (9 mg/m2) and prednisone (60 mg/m2) are both given orally on days 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first week of each cycle.
If you have not been treated before for multiple myeloma, and you are suitable for blood stem cell transplantation you will receive Zomiba intravenously or subcutaneously together with the medicines dexamethasone, or dexamethasone and thalidomide, as induction treatment.
When Zomiba is given together with dexamethasone, you will receive Zomiba intravenously or subcutaneously as a 21-day treatment cycle and dexamethasone 40 mg is given orally on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Zomiba 21-day treatment cycle.
You will receive 4 cycles (12 weeks).
When Zomiba is given together with thalidomide and dexamethasone, the duration of a treatment cycle is 28 days (4 weeks).
Dexamethasone 40 mg is given orally on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Zomiba 28-day treatment cycle and thalidomide is given orally daily at 50 mg up to day 14 of the first cycle, and if tolerated the thalidomide dose is increased to 100 mg on days 15-28 and may be further increased to 200 mg daily from the second cycle onwards.
You might receive up to 6 cycles (24 weeks).
Previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma:
If you have not been treated before for mantle cell lymphoma you will receive Zomiba intravenously or subcutaneously together with the medicines rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone.
Zomiba is given intravenously or subcutaneously on days 1, 4, 8 and 11, followed by a ‘rest period’ without treatment. The duration of a treatment cycle is 21 days (3 weeks). You might receive up to 8 cycles (24 weeks).
The following medicinal products are given on day 1 of each Zomiba 21-day treatment cycle as intravenous infusions:
Rituximab at 375 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide at 750 mg/m2 and doxorubicin at 50 mg/m2. Prednisone is given orally at 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Zomiba treatment cycle.
This medicine is for intravenous or subcutaneous use.
Zomiba will be administered by a health care professional experienced in the use of cytotoxic medicines.
Reconstitution for intravenous injection: add 3.5 ml of sterile, 9 mg/ml (0.9%) sodium chloride solution for injection to the vial containing the Bortezomib powder. Dissolution of the lyophilized powder is completed in less than 2 minutes. The concentration of the resulting solution will be 1 mg/ml. The solution will be clear and colorless.
Reconstitution for subcutaneous injection: add 1.4 ml of sterile, 9 mg/ml (0.9%) sodium chloride solution for injection to the vial containing the Bortezomib powder.
Dissolution of the lyophilized powder is completed in less than 2 minutes.
The concentration of the resulting solution will be 2.5 mg/ml.
The solution will be clear and colorless.
Before administration, visually inspect the solution for particulate matter and discoloration. If any discoloration or particulate matter is observed, the solution should be discarded.
The resulting solution is then either injected into a vein or under the skin. Injection into a vein is rapid, taking 3 to 5 seconds. Injection under the skin is in either the thighs or the abdomen.
Possible Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some of these effects may be serious. If you are given Zomiba for multiple myeloma or mantle cell lymphoma, tell your doctor straight away if you notice any of the following symptoms:
Treatment with Zomiba can very commonly cause a decrease in the numbers of red and white blood cells and platelets in your blood. Therefore, you will have to take regular blood tests before and during your treatment with Zomiba, to check your blood cell counts regularly.
You may experience a reduction in the number of:
If you are given Zomiba for the treatment of multiple myeloma, the side effects that you may get are listed below:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
(can be severe)
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
If you are given Zomiba together with other medicines for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma the side effects you may get are listed below:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
How to store Zomiba?
Keep out of the reach of children.
Store below 30°C. Keep vial in outer carton in order to protect from light.
Protect from freezing.
The reconstituted solution should be used immediately after preparation.
If the reconstituted solution is not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions prior to use are the responsibility of the user. However, the reconstituted solution is stable for 24 hours at 20-25°C stored in the original vial.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label and carton.
For single-used only. Discard unused portion.
The medicine should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required.
These measures will help to protect the environment.
Further information
What Zomiba contains?
Lyophilized powder for solution for injection containing Bortezomib 3.5 mg.
The other ingredients are Mannitol and Tertiary butyl alcohol.
What Zomiba looks like and contents of the pack?
Zomiba is white to off white Lyophilized powder.
It is supplied in pack containing:
1 x 3.5 mg vial along with information booklet