Emgality

Emgality is a prescription medication used to prevent migraines in adults. 

Emgality is in the biologic class of drugs.  More specifically, it is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) ligand and blocks its binding to the receptor.

This medication comes as a solution in a pre-filled pen or syringe. Emgality is injected under the skin (subcutaneously) once a month. Emgality is for patient self-administration.  Please talk to your physician or pharmacist for proper training and technique.

Common side effects include injection site reactions such as pain, redness, and/or itching.

Emgality is a prescription medication used to prevent migraines in adults.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Emgality. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Emgality include:

• Allergic reactions

• Injection site reactions of pain, redness, and/or itching.

This is not a complete list of Emgality side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

No drug interactions have been determined by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Serious side effects have been reported with Emgality including:

• Allergic reactions. Allergic reactions, including itching, rash, hives, and trouble breathing, can happen after receiving Emgality. This can happen days after using Emgality. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency medical help right away if you have any of the following symptoms, which may be part of an allergic reaction:
  • swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat
  • trouble breathing

Do not take Emgality if you are allergic to any of this medication’s ingredients.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Emgality, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking Emgality tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Emgality or to any of its ingredients
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

There are no well-controlled studies that have been done in pregnant women. Administration of this medication to rats and rabbits during pregnancy did not result in adverse effects on development. Emgality should be used during pregnancy only if the possible benefit outweighs the possible risk to the unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Emgality crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Emgality.

• See the Instructions for Use that come with Emgality prefilled pen or prefilled syringe about how to use Emgality the right way.
• Use Emgality exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to.
• Emgality is given by injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection).
• Your healthcare provider should show you or a caregiver on how to prepare and inject Emgality the right way before you start to use it.
  • Emgality comes in 2 different types of devices: a single-dose (1 time) prefilled pen or a single-dose (1 time) prefilled syringe. Your healthcare provider will prescribe the type that is best for you.
• If you have questions about injecting the medicine, talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider.
• Inject Emgality 1 time each month.
  • For the first dose (loading dose), you will get 2 separate injections one time. You will need 2 prefilled pens or 2 prefilled syringes for your first dose (1-time loading dose).
  • You will need 1 prefilled pen or 1 prefilled syringe for your regular monthly dose.
• Inject Emgality in your stomach area (abdomen), thigh, back of the upper arm, or buttocks.
• If you miss a dose of Emgality, inject the missed dose as soon as possible. Then, inject Emgality 1 month after your last dose to get back on a monthly dosing schedule. If you have questions about your schedule, ask your healthcare provider.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The recommended dose of Emgality for the prevention of migraines is 240 mg (two consecutive subcutaneous injections of 120 mg each) once, followed by monthly doses of 120 mg injected subcutaneously. 

If you take too much Emgality, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store Emgality in the refrigerator between 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C).
• Emgality may be stored out of the refrigerator in the original carton at temperatures up to 86°F (30°C) for up to 7 days. After storing out of the refrigerator, do notplace Emgality back in the refrigerator. Do not store above 86°F (30°C).
• Do not freeze Emgality.
• Keep Emgality in the carton it comes in to protect it from light until time of use.
• Do not shake Emgality.
• Throw away Emgality if any of the above conditions are not followed.
• Keep Emgality and all medicines out of the reach of children.

   

This page was written by Victoria Vuong, PharmD Candidate 2020 | UT Austin College of Pharmacy