Formulary
Basiliximab: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Basiliximab is a monoclonal antibody that acts as an interleukin-2 receptor antagonist and prevents T-lymphocyte proliferation.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Basiliximab: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Basiliximab is a monoclonal antibody that acts as an interleukin-2 receptor antagonist and prevents T-lymphocyte proliferation.
Drug action
Basiliximab is a monoclonal antibody that acts as an interleukin-2 receptor antagonist and prevents T-lymphocyte proliferation.
Indications and dose
**Prophylaxis of acute rejection in allogeneic renal transplantation used in combination with ciclosporin and corticosteroid-containing immunosuppression regimens (specialist use only)**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Injection, Or By Intravenous Infusion): Initially 20 mg, administered within 2 hours before transplant surgery, followed by 20 mg after 4 days, dose to be administered after surgery, withhold second dose if severe hypersensitivity or graft loss occurs.
**Prophylaxis of acute rejection in allogeneic renal transplantation used in combination with ciclosporin and corticosteroid-containing immunosuppression regimens (specialist use only) for basiliximab**
- **Child 1-17 years (body-weight up to 35 kg)** (By intravenous injection, or by intravenous infusion): Initially 10 mg, dose to be administered within 2 hours before transplant surgery, followed by 10 mg after 4 days, dose administered after transplant surgery, withhold second dose if severe hypersensitivity or graft loss occurs.
- **Child 1-17 years (body-weight 35 kg and above)** (By intravenous injection, or by intravenous infusion): Initially 20 mg, administered within 2 hours before transplant surgery, followed by 20 mg after 4 days, dose to be administered after surgery, withhold second dose if severe hypersensitivity or graft loss occurs.
Cautions
Off-label use in cardiac transplantation-increased risk of serious cardiac side-effects
Side effects
Frequency not known Anaemia; capillary leak syndrome; constipation; cytokine release syndrome; diarrhoea; dyspnoea; electrolyte imbalance; headache; heart failure; hypercholesterolaemia; hypersensitivity; hypertension; hypotension; increased risk of infection; myocardial infarction; nausea; pain; peripheral oedema; post procedural wound complication; pulmonary oedema; respiratory disorders; skin reactions; sneezing; tachycardia; weight increased
Interactions
**Other interactions (10):**
- Because basiliximab is an immunoglobulin, no metabolic drug-drug interactions are to be expected.
- In addition to ciclosporin for microemulsion, steroids, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil, other concomitant medications routinely administered in organ transplantation have been administered...
- These concomitant medications include systemic antiviral, antibacterial and antimycotic medications, analgesics, antihypertensive medications such as beta-blocking agents or calcium channel...
- Human antimurine antibody (HAMA) responses were reported in a clinical trial of 172 patients treated with basiliximab, without predictive value for clinical tolerability.
- The use of basiliximab does not preclude subsequent treatment with murine antilymphocyte antibody preparations.
- In the original phase III studies during the first 3 months post-transplantation, 14% of patients in the basiliximab group and 27% of patients in the placebo group had an acute rejection episode...
Pregnancy
Manufacturer advises avoid-no information available.
Breast feeding
Manufacturer advises avoid-no information available.
Medicinal forms
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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