New hope for Sickle Cell Disease - All about the Crizanlizumab vaccine

If you or someone in your family has sickle cell disease, you don't need to talk about the terrible pain that comes with it, right? The pain that comes from the joints of the body to the chest is difficult to describe in words. There are countless times when you can't do anything every day and have to run to the hospital. There are times when this condition has made life miserable. However, with the advancement of medical science, new treatments have now come along that bring relief to such patients. One such new hope is the vaccine called Crizanlizumab. Let's talk about this simply today.

Simply put, what is Crizanlizumab?

Crizanlizumab (pronounced: Krizan-li-soo-mab) is a special vaccine that is given to control the symptoms of people with sickle cell disease . Its brand name is ADAKVEO .

Think of it this way: the blood vessels in our bodies are like roads. Red blood cells are like vehicles that carry oxygen along these roads. A healthy person's red blood cells are round and smooth, so they move easily through the blood vessels without getting stuck.

But the red blood cells of a person with sickle cell disease are a little different. They are bent into a sickle shape (C shape) and have a sticky nature. Because of this, these cells stick together inside the blood vessels, clump together, and block the flow of blood. It's like a traffic jam when a lot of cars are stuck together on a road. When the blood flow is blocked in this way, oxygen is reduced to different parts of the body. That's when unbearable pain comes. We call this a pain crisis . Sometimes if this condition occurs in the chest, it's called Acute Chest Syndrome , which is a very dangerous condition.

The Crizanlizumab vaccine stops those sticky cells from clumping together. That is, it reduces the traffic jams in the blood vessels. Then the blood flows smoothly , and the body gets the oxygen it needs. This can significantly reduce the frequency of those severe pain episodes.

This belongs to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies . That is, a protein that is specially designed in a laboratory, just like parts of our body's immune system. It goes directly to target and stop the process that causes those cells to stick together.

Things you need to tell your doctor before taking this medicine

Before starting this treatment, it is very important to tell your doctor your complete health history. Be sure to tell them about the following:

• About your allergies: If you have any allergies to crizanlizumab, any other medicine, food, dyes, or preservatives, please let us know first.
• If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant: The effects of this medicine on the fetus during pregnancy are not yet fully understood. Therefore, if you are pregnant or planning to have a baby soon, you should discuss this with your doctor.
• If you are a breastfeeding mother: There is limited information on whether this medicine passes into breast milk. Therefore, if you are a breastfeeding mother, it is best to discuss the benefits and risks of treatment with your doctor before making a decision.

How is the vaccine given?

This is not a medicine you can take home. The crizanlizumab vaccine is given in a hospital or clinic by trained medical staff.

• The vaccine is given into a vein . This usually takes about 30 minutes.
• Your condition will be closely monitored by the medical staff during and for some time after treatment, as some people may experience infusion reactions when receiving the vaccine.
• This treatment is usually given to people aged 16 and over . If this is given to children under that age, special care should be taken. Your doctor will decide.

What to do if you overdose?

Since this is given in a hospital setting, the risk of overdose is very low. However, if you think you have been exposed to something like this, call the National Poisons Information Centre at the National Hospital immediately. Or go to the Emergency Department (ETU) of the nearest hospital.

What if I miss the day I'm supposed to take the medicine?

It is very important for this treatment to be successful that you take the medication on the scheduled days and at the scheduled times. Do not miss your scheduled appointment, that is, the day you are told to come to receive the medication.

If you are unable to come on that day for some emergency reason, please call your doctor or clinic immediately and let them know. They will advise you on the next day to come.

What are the possible side effects of this medicine?

Like any medicine, some people can experience side effects with the Crizanlizumab vaccine. But not everyone gets all of them. Some are minor and go away in a few days. But there are some things we need to be aware of.

This can be clearly understood from the table below.

This list does not include all possible side effects. If you notice anything unusual in addition to these, talk to your doctor about it.

Can there be problems with other medications?

As far as is currently known, there have been no reports of the Crizanlizumab vaccine causing major interactions with other medications.

However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't tell your doctor about every medication you take.

Give your doctor a complete list of everything you take:

• Medicines prescribed by doctors for other diseases
• Medicines like painkillers that you buy from a pharmacy.
• Vitamins, traditional medicines, Ayurvedic medicines or other supplements
• Also, tell us if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use other drugs.

Some things can interact with medications in ways we don't expect. So it's for your own safety to be clear about everything.