Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat certain types of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults. Briumvi is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion by a doctor or other healthcare professional.
Briumvi basics
Briumvi is a biologic medication. A biologic is made from parts of living organisms. It’s available only as a brand-name drug. It isn’t available in a biosimilar form.
Biosimilars are like generic drugs. But unlike generics, which are made for non-biologic drugs, biosimilars are made for biologic drugs.
Biosimilars have the same active ingredient core name as the brand-name drug. But they have unique suffixes. This is why “-xiiy” appears at the end of the name of the active ingredient. This is to show that it’s distinct from biosimilars that may be created in the future.
Like most drugs, Briumvi may cause mild to serious side effects. The lists below contain some of the more common side effects Briumvi may cause, but they don’t include all possible side effects.
Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:
- your age
- other health conditions you have
- other medications you take
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Briumvi. They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects.
Mild side effects
Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects that Briumvi can cause. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or read Briumvi’s prescribing information.
Mild side effects of Briumvi that have been reported include:
- fatigue
- insomnia
- pain in the arms or legs
- mild respiratory tract infections, such as sinus infection or the common cold
- mild infusion reactions, such as chills, fever, or headache
Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects from Briumvi can occur, but they aren’t common. If you have serious side effects from Briumvi, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number.
Serious side effects of Briumvi that have been reported include:
- low blood level of immunoglobulins (a type of protein), which may raise your risk of infection
- serious infections, such as pneumonia or progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)
- severe infusion reactions, such as difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis
Allergic reactionFor some people, Briumvi can cause an allergic reaction. In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious.
What might help
If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep receiving Briumvi.
If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.
If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Briumvi, they may have you switch to a different treatment.
Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering Briumvi. What you’ll pay for Briumvi may depend on several things, including your treatment plan.
If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. A program called Briumvi Copay Assistance may also be available.
You can also check out this article to learn more about saving money on prescriptions.
Your doctor will recommend the dosage of Briumvi that’s right for you. Below are commonly used dosages, but the dosage you receive will be determined by your doctor.
Form and strength
Briumvi comes as a liquid solution in a single-use vial. The drug is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into your vein over a period of time) by a doctor or other healthcare professional.
Each vial of Briumvi contains 150 milligrams (mg) of the drug in 6 milliliters (mL) of solution (25 mg/mL).
Recommended dosages
For multiple sclerosis, the usual dosage schedule for Briumvi is as follows:
- first dose: 150 mg (one vial)
- second dose: 450 mg (three vials) given 2 weeks after the first dose
- third dose: 450 mg given 24 weeks after the first dose
After the first three doses, you’ll continue receiving one 450-mg infusion of Briumvi every 6 months.
How Briumvi is given
Your doctor will explain how Briumvi will be given to you. They’ll also explain how much you’ll be given and how often.
Briumvi comes as a liquid solution that’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. You’ll receive infusions from a doctor or other healthcare professional in a clinic or hospital.
Your first infusion of Briumvi will last about 4 hours, and each infusion after that will last about 1 hour. Your infusion may be slowed or stopped if you experience certain side effects.
To help lower your risk of side effects, you’ll receive certain medications about 30 to 60 minutes before each Briumvi infusion. These may include:
- a fever reducer, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- a corticosteroid, such as dexamethasone (Hemady)
- an antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
For more details about what to expect with Briumvi infusions, visit the drug manufacturer’s website. You can also talk with your doctor to learn more.
Questions about receiving Briumvi
Below are some common questions about receiving Briumvi.
- What if I miss a dose of Briumvi? If you miss an infusion appointment for Briumvi, call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to reschedule.
- Will I need to use Briumvi long term? Briumvi is typically used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that it’s safe and effective for your condition, you’ll likely receive it long term.
- How long does Briumvi take to work? Briumvi begins to work after you receive your first infusion. But you likely won’t feel the drug working in your body. Your doctor will monitor your condition throughout your treatment to check whether Briumvi is working.
Briumvi is used to treat the following conditions in adults:
- clinically isolated syndrome, which causes a single episode of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms and is often the first sign of MS
- relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a type of MS that causes repeated cycles of worsening symptoms followed by symptom-free periods
- active secondary progressive MS, which often follows RRMS and causes worsening symptoms without symptom-free periods
MS is a condition that affects your nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord. MS causes damage to the covering around your nerves. As a result, your brain has difficulty communicating with the rest of your body
MS may cause symptoms such as fatigue, vision problems, and difficulty walking or speaking.
It’s not fully known how Briumvi works to treat MS. However, the drug may help ease symptoms of MS by decreasing the activity of your immune system.
For more details about how Briumvi works, talk with your doctor or visit the drug manufacturer’s website.
Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. If you’d like to explore an alternative to Briumvi, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that might work well for you.
Examples of other drugs used to treat multiple sclerosis include:
Below is important information you should consider before receiving Briumvi.
Interactions
Taking a drug with certain medications, vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the drug works. These effects are called interactions.
Briumvi can interact with several other medications. The drug is not known to interact with supplements or foods.
Before receiving Briumvi, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
Drug interactions
Below is a list of medications that can interact with Briumvi. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Briumvi. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples |
| immunosuppressants | • azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) • cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) • methotrexate (Otrexup, Trexall, others) |
| immunomodulators | • dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) • fingolimod (Gilenya) • teriflunomide (Aubagio) |
Briumvi and alcohol
Alcohol is not known to interact with Briumvi.It’s likely safe to consume alcohol during your Briumvi treatment.
If you have other questions about Briumvi and alcohol, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Other interactions
You should not receive live vaccines during your Briumvi treatment. (Live vaccines contain weakened versions of the bacteria or virus that they’re meant to protect against.)
This is because getting a live vaccine during Briumvi treatment could make the vaccine less effective. Examples of live vaccines include:
If you need to receive a vaccine during Briumvi treatment, talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Briumvi is not safe to receive during pregnancy. If you can become pregnant, your doctor will have you take a pregnancy test before each Briumvi infusion.
It’s not known whether it’s safe to receive Briumvi while breastfeeding.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before starting Briumvi treatment.
Birth control
It’s recommended that females who can become pregnant use birth control during treatment with Briumvi and for at least 6 months after receiving the final dose.
Males with partners who can become pregnant should talk with their doctor about birth control needs during Briumvi treatment.
Note: In this article, we use the terms “female” and “male” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.
Warnings
Briumvi can sometimes cause harmful effects in people who have certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether Briumvi is a good treatment option for you.
Talk with your doctor about your health history before you start Briumvi treatment. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:
- current or past infection, including hepatitis B
- previous allergic reaction to Briumvi
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.