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ruxolitinib

Pronunciation: RUX oh LI ti nib
Brand: Jakafi

What is the most important information I should know about ruxolitinib?

donot You should not use ruxolitinib if you are allergic to it, or if you have severe kidney disease.

Before you take ruxolitinib, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, if you are on dialysis, or if you are pregnant.

nobrfeed You should not breast-feed while you are using ruxolitinib.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

emt To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. This will help your doctor determine the best dose for you to use. When you first start taking ruxolitinib, your blood will need to be tested every 2 to 4 weeks. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with ruxolitinib and can affect the amount of the medication in your blood. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

donot Do not stop using ruxolitinib without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

What is ruxolitinib?

Ruxolitinib works by blocking certain enzymes in the body that affect blood cell production.

Ruxolitinib is used to treat myelofibrosis, a bone marrow disorder that affects your body's ability to produce blood cells.

Ruxolitinib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ruxolitinib?

donot You should not use ruxolitinib if you are allergic to it, or if you have severe kidney disease.

To make sure you can safely use ruxolitinib, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

  • liver disease;
  • kidney disease; or
  • if you are on dialysis.
nopreg FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether ruxolitinib will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
nobrfeed It is not known whether ruxolitinib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using ruxolitinib.

How should I take ruxolitinib?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

Ruxolitinib is usually taken 2 times each day. Follow your doctor's instructions.

You may take ruxolitinib with or without food.

The ruxolitinib tablet can also be given through a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube as follows:

  • Place the tablet into 40 milliliters of water, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
  • When the tablet is completely dispersed, place the mixture into a syringe attached to the NG tube.
  • Push the plunger down to empty the syringe into the tube. Then flush the tube with 75 milliliters of water to wash the contents down.
  • You must give the mixture within 6 hours after placing the tablet into the water.
emt To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. This will help your doctor determine the best dose for you to use. When you first start taking ruxolitinib, your blood will need to be tested every 2 to 4 weeks. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.
donot Do not stop using ruxolitinib without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.
rt Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

emt Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include severe forms of some of the side effects listed in this medication guide.

What should I avoid while taking ruxolitinib?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with ruxolitinib and can affect the amount of the medication in your blood. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

What are the possible side effects of ruxolitinib?

emt Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
donot Some side effects may be similar to the symptoms of myelofibrosis. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
  • pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating;
  • easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;
  • fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, vomiting, sores in your mouth and throat;
  • pain or burning when you urinate; or
  • blisters or painful skin rash.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • headache;
  • dizziness;
  • weight gain; or
  • bloating gas.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect ruxolitinib?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

  • conivaptan (Vaprisol);
  • imatinib (Gleevec);
  • isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);
  • nefazodone;
  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), or telithromycin (Ketek);
  • antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), miconazole (Oravig), posaconazole (Noxafil), or voriconazole (Vfend);
  • heart or blood pressure medication such as nicardipine (Cardene) or quinidine (Quin-G); or
  • HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), boceprevir (Victrelis), delavirdine (Rescriptor), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra), saquinavir (Invirase), or telaprevir (Incivek).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with ruxolitinib. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about ruxolitinib.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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