IVIG: Gammaked vs Gamunex-c

    • June 27, 2017 at 11:41 pm

      Hello, I am being treated for CIDP. I started out on Gammaked for a while until I was switched to Gamunex-c last year when supposedly Gammaked was no longer obtainable by the infusion center.

      I don’t seem to be doing as well on the latter in spite of higher and higher doses with less time between doses, so I have a couple of questions.

      1. They both appear to be manufactured by Grifols (or at least were at one time but gamunex is now listed via Kedrion although it is not clear to me the companies relationship if any).

      Can someone explain the differences in the two products if any?

      2. Has one been demonstrated to perhaps be more effective than the other in CIDP management? If not, why select one over the other?

      3. Is there still difficulty in obtaining Gammaked (if there ever was)? Was going to talk to Neuro about experimenting to see if I respond better if we changed brands, going back to the original Gammaked I was on. Although if both the same, that would not be worthwhile.

      Thanks

    • jk
      June 28, 2017 at 3:25 pm

      JIM-LA gave a link to a chart a few months back. I was looking for it when I found this quote from a Registered Pharmacist in 2015- “Gamunex and Gammaked are made by the same manufacturer and are identical.”

      My local infusion center has switched IVIG types because their ‘approved’ Formulary changed.

      We can find that information in the same article- “No brand has been proven to be more effective than another. Some prescribers may write for a particular brand based on past experience and familiarity. Some payers have limited formularies and may require use of a specific brand. ”

      here: http://www.nufactor.com/Blog/post/IVIG-brands.aspx

      The chart I found shows Gamunex-C® Grifols; Gammaked® Kedrion.

      here: http://www.bdipharma.com/comparison-charts

      The data supplied in the chart for these two appears identical as stated above.

      Yep, no matter what talk with your doctor about your results.

    • June 29, 2017 at 12:21 am

      In addition to the links JK gave, here is a comparison:
      http://primaryimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/IVIG-Chart-2.2017.pdf