Nucala

• Inject Nucala (mepolizumab) once every 4 weeks, or once a month. Mark your calendar or set up reminders on your phone for your injections to help you remember.
• If you miss a dose of Nucala (mepolizumab), inject the medication as soon as you remember. Then, keep following your usual dosing schedule. If it's already time for your next injection, just take the medication like you normally would.
• The spot where you inject Nucala (mepolizumab) might feel sore, red, swollen, or itchy a few hours later. These reactions usually go away on their own in 1 or 2 days. In the meantime, you can use warm or cold compresses or over-the-counter pain relievers to help. But if they get worse or don't go away, tell your care team.
• Don't stop or lower the dose of any steroid medications you take without talking to your care team, even if you feel better with Nucala (mepolizumab). It could make your symptoms worse or cause steroid withdrawal. This can be very uncomfortable. Your prescriber will tell you how to safely lower your dose.

Tips for using Nucala (mepolizumab) at home

• Your care team will show you how to use and inject Nucala (mepolizumab) before you can do it on your own. Review the instructions for use for the prefilled autoinjector or the prefilled syringe. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist if you have any questions about how to inject the medication.
• How to store Nucala (mepolizumab): Keep the medication in the refrigerator until it's time your injection, but don't let it freeze. Keep it in the original carton to protect it from light. If you're traveling or don't have access to a fridge, you can keep unopened cartons at temperatures up to 86ºF for up to 7 days. After that, you'll need to throw it away in a sharps container.
• Before each Nucala (mepolizumab) injection: Take a carton out of the refrigerator and then take out the tray from the carton. Let it sit on a flat surface to warm up. Don't use other ways to warm it. Wait about 30 minutes for the medication to reach room temperature before injecting. Once out of the carton, use the medication within 8 hours or you'll have to throw it away.
• Where to inject Nucala (mepolizumab): Inject under the skin of your thigh or lower stomach (at least 2 inches away from your belly button). Someone can also help you inject it under the skin at the back of the upper arms. Leave at least 2 inches between each spot if you need more than one injection for doses over 100 mg. Don't inject into skin that's bruised, tender, red, or hard to avoid pain or skin irritation.
• When you're ready to inject Nucala (mepolizumab): Take off the needle cap. Inject within 5 minutes. This makes sure the medication doesn't dry in the needle and you get your full dose.
• How to inject using the Nucala prefilled autoinjector: 1) Place the yellow needle guard flat against your skin at a 90-degree angle. 2) Press down and hold it there for the entire injection (takes about 15 seconds). 3) When the injection starts, you'll hear a click and see the inspection window start to turn yellow. 4) After the second click and the window is fully yellow, count to 5 and then lift the autoinjector up.
• How to inject using the Nucala prefilled syringe: 1) Pinch the skin with one hand. 2) With the other hand, insert the entire needle into the pinched skin at a 45-degree angle. 3) Slowly push the white plunger down until all the medication gets injected. 4) Slowly let go of the plunger. The needle will go into the syringe by itself. 5) Let go of your pinched skin when the injection is done.
• After each Nucala (mepolizumab) injection: Throw your used syringes and autoinjectors away in a sharps container or a heavy-duty plastic container, like an empty milk carton or laundry detergent bottle. Don't throw them away in your trash can. This helps prevent everyone from getting hurt from needle sticks.