Kyprolis® (carfilzomib) and risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and Hepatitis B virus reactivation

A Dear Healthcare Professional Letter has been issued by Amgen Biotechnology Singapore to inform healthcare professionals on the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare, often rapidly progressive demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation associated with the use of Kyprolis^® (carfilzomib). Healthcare professionals are advised to monitor patients for any new or worsening neurologic, cognitive or behavioural signs and symptoms that may be suggestive of PML as part of the differential diagnosis of CNS disorders. If PML is suspected, patients should be referred to a specialist and appropriate diagnostic testing should be initiated. It is advisable to discontinue Kyprolis^® if PML diagnosis is confirmed. Healthcare professionals are also advised to test patients for HBV infection before initiating treatment with Kyprolis^®. For patients who are carriers of HBV, prophylaxis with antivirals should be considered. Carriers of HBV who require treatment with Kyprolis^® should be closely monitored for signs and symptoms of active HBV infection throughout and following the end of treatment. Please refer to the letter for details. 

Only abstracts of the Dear Healthcare Professional Letters (DHCPL) are provided on this website. Details of these letters can be found in the MOH Alert System, which is accessible via the Health Professionals Portal (HPP), a one-stop portal for all healthcare professionals in Singapore. Dentists, medical doctors and pharmacists may access HPP at https://hpp.moh.gov.sg and follow the procedures below to access the MOH Alert system.

Step 1: Select your profession under ‘For Healthcare Professionals’.

Step 2: Click on ‘Useful links’.

Step 3: Click on ‘MOH Alert’ and log in via Singpass.

Step 4: Click on ‘Drug Alerts’ or ‘Med Device Alerts’ to view the DHCPLs.