NAME OF DRUG
basiliximab

CLASSIFICATION

Monoclonal antibody; Immunosuppressant

ALTERNATE NAMES 

SIMULECT

INDICATIONS

• prevention of acute rejection in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients (i.e. liver, kidney, heart, islet cell, pancreas, lung transplant)

RECONSTITUTION AND STABILITY

• refrigerate; do not freeze
• each 20 mg vial should be reconstituted with 5mL sterile water for injection to make a concentration of 4 mg/mL; shake vial gently to dissolve powder
• diluted solutions in NS or D5W stable x 24 hours in the fridge or 4 hours at room temperature

COMPATIBILITY

• compatible with NS and D5W - do not mix with any other drugs

ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION

May be given by peripheral or central line

• IV intermittent - diluted in 50 mL NS or D5W infused over 20-30 minutes

VH & HSC ADMINISTRATION POLICY

Restricted to SOT patients only

A - Not to be administered by the direct IV route.

DOSAGE

• 20 mg IV within 2 hours of transplantation, followed by 20 mg IV 4 days after the first dose
•  may be used in combination with cyclosporine or tacrolimus, steroids and mycophenolate

POTENTIAL HAZARDS OF PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION

• severe acute (less than 24 hours) hypersensitivity reactions are rare but may occur both on initial exposure and second dose; reactions may include anaphylactoid type reactions such as urticaria, pruritis, hypotension, tachycardia, dyspnea, bronchospasm, pulmonary edema and respiratory failure (< 1/1000 patients); stop the infusion and notify physician; resuscitative equipment should be readily available

IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS

• most common side effects are gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, constipation & nausea/vomiting
• other side effects include hypertrichosis, flushing, dizziness and headache
• basiliximab is a recombinant, chimeric (murine/human) monoclonal antibody against CD25 (IL-2)
• NOT indicated for treatment of acute rejection episodes

Rev Dec 2004