ERT with Cerezyme^® (imiglucerase for injection) may be more likely to succeed when the patient understands the disease and the treatment process. Before treatment begins, patients and family members may want to be counseled about infusion therapy, treatment-associated risks, possible therapeutic outcomes, and the need to keep appointments and maintain compliance. Gaucher disease may raise many emotional questions and concerns, and physicians should be prepared to discuss these issues or refer patients for any appropriate counseling. It is important for patients to be informed of any risks associated with Cerezyme therapy.

Please see the full prescribing information (PDF) and important safety information below.

Infusion therapy concerns

You may wish to inform patients that infusion therapy usually takes place at a doctor's office, infusion center, or through home infusions under careful medical supervision. You can also point out that the treatment follows a routine. To aid in this discussion, the Visiting an Infusion Center page includes a simple step-by-step description of a typical infusion procedure.

Regular monitoring

You may consider offering reminders to patients to keep appointments for monitoring and regular check ups. Whether they receive Cerezyme therapy or not, regular monitoring is important for gauging disease progression and tracking therapeutic progress.

Expectations of therapy

Patients and their families may have high hopes for quick results with Cerezyme therapy. Consider offering explanations on how results may vary from patient to patient and depend largely on the severity of symptoms at the beginning of treatment. Please see the Clinical responses to enzyme replacement therapy section for more detailed information on therapeutic outcomes, and the full prescribing information (PDF) and important safety information below.

Continuing therapy

It is important to encourage patients to stay on therapy. You may want to emphasize that Type 1 Gaucher disease is a lifelong disorder, and that Cerezyme is not a cure. It is important that patients maintain therapeutic compliance in order to continue to benefit.

Therapy and planning ahead

Your patients may require assistance in planning ahead for their therapy when away from home, such as when going to camp, attending college, and enjoying vacations. Genzyme Treatment Support (GTS) is available to help arrange insurance coverage for Cerezyme therapy. GTS case managers will assist patients and families in planning a trip or move to make sure that they receive the treatment and the cost of treatment is covered. For more information, go to Reimbursement Support.

Providing additional support

Once a diagnosis is made, patients and families may experience a sense of uncertainty about the future course of the disorder because symptoms may vary so widely and can develop at any time. Additionally, people with Gaucher disease, or carriers of the disorder, may face difficult decisions about marriage and children. You may wish to refer patients and families to psychological counseling to help them deal with the challenges and issues involved with Gaucher disease. Likewise, genetic counseling for families with Gaucher disease may help them address the complex social and reproductive issues they may face. Many Gaucher treatment centers are staffed by genetic counselors. To find a local center, go to Locate a Treatment Center.

Important Safety Information

Approximately 15% of patients have developed immune responses (antibodies). These patients have a higher risk of an allergic reaction (hypersensitivity). Use Cerezyme® (imiglucerase for injection) carefully if you have had an allergic reaction to the product in the past. Symptoms suggestive of allergic reaction happened in 6.6% of patients, and include anaphylactoid reaction (a serious allergic reaction), itching, flushing, hives, an accumulation of fluid under the skin, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, coughing, cyanosis (a bluish discoloration of the skin due to diminished oxygen), and low blood pressure. Side effects related to Cerezyme administration have been reported in less than 15% of patients. Each of the following events occurred in less than 2% of the total patient population. Reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rash, fatigue, headache, fever, dizziness, chills, backache, and rapid heart rate. Because Cerezyme therapy is administered by intravenous infusion, reactions at the site of injection may occur: discomfort, itching, burning, swelling or uninfected abscess. Cerezyme is available by prescription only. For more information, consult your physician. To learn more, please see full product information (PDF), or contact Genzyme at 1-800-745-4447.