Tecentriq® (atezolizumab): A new identified risk of severe cutaneous adverse reactions

A Dear Healthcare Professional Letter has been issued by Hoffman-La Roche to update healthcare professionals on a new identified risk of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) associated with the use of Tecentriq^®. Based on the totality of evidence in a recent analysis, SCARs are now considered to be an identified risk for atezolizumab. Consequently, the local Tecentriq^® package insert will be updated to reflect the safety information on this risk. Healthcare professionals are advised to refer suspected cases of SCARs to a dermatologist for further diagnosis and management, to withhold atezolizumab from patients with suspected Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and to permanently withdraw atezolizumab for any grade confirmed SJS or TEN. Caution is advised when considering the use of atezolizumab in a patient who has previously experienced a severe or life-threatening skin adverse reaction on prior treatment with other immune-stimulatory anticancer agents. 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 ↗ (opens in new tab) 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.