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Actor Portrayal

After having a kidney transplant, you may wonder how cytomegalovirus (CMV) can affect you

What is the connection between a kidney transplant and CMV?

CMV is a common virus that affects many people. When a person’s immune system is working normally, it’s usually able to keep the virus from causing illness.


However, after a kidney transplant, a patient may be prescribed medicine(s) to help prevent their body from rejecting the new kidney. These medicines may weaken the immune system and can make it harder for the patient’s body to fight off CMV.

People are tested for CMV before a kidney transplant. Healthcare providers use certain laboratory tests, such as blood tests, to find out if someone has CMV. They can also use tests to find out if someone is at greater risk for developing CMV infection/disease.


Healthcare providers will continue to monitor for CMV after a kidney transplant. If the patient already has CMV, the monitoring can determine if the virus is growing or multiplying.

How can CMV affect a patient after a kidney transplant?

CMV may cause health problems that can make it harder to recover from a kidney transplant. The health problems caused by CMV may also affect the lungs, stomach, eyes, and liver.

Learn about PREVYMIS

What is PREVYMIS?

Learn about CMV

What is CMV?

What is PREVYMIS® (letermovir)?

PREVYMIS is a prescription medicine used to help prevent:

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease in adults and children 6 months and older weighing at least 13.2 pounds (lbs) or 6 kilograms (kg) who:
    • have received an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplant, and
    • have a high risk for getting CMV infection and disease.
  • CMV disease in adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 88.2 lbs (40 kg) who:
    • have received a kidney transplant, and
    • have a high risk for getting CMV disease.

 

It is not known if PREVMYIS is safe and effective in:

  • children under 6 months of age or weighing less than 13.2 lbs (6 kg) who received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, or
  • children under 12 years of age or weighing less than 88.2 lbs (40 kg) who received a kidney transplant.

Important Safety Information

Do not take PREVYMIS if you take pimozide or ergot alkaloids.

 

If you are taking PREVYMIS with cyclosporine, do not take pitavastatin or simvastatin.

 

Before taking PREVYMIS, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have kidney or liver problems; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, since it is not known if PREVYMIS will harm your unborn baby; and if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, since it is not known if PREVYMIS passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while taking PREVYMIS.

 

Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. PREVYMIS may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how PREVYMIS works and can cause serious side effects.

 

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist will tell you if it is safe to take PREVYMIS with other medicines. Do not start or stop taking another medicine without telling your healthcare provider first.

 

The most common side effects of PREVYMIS in adults who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, swelling in your arms and legs, cough, headache, tiredness, and stomach (abdominal) pain.

 

The most common side effect of PREVYMIS in adults who have received a kidney transplant is diarrhea.

 

The side effects of PREVYMIS in children are similar to the side effects in adults.

 

These are not all the possible side effects of PREVYMIS.

 

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 

Please read the accompanying Patient Information and Instructions for Use for PREVYMIS, and discuss them with your doctor.
The Physician Prescribing Information also is available.

What is PREVYMIS® (letermovir)?
Important Safety Information About PREVYMIS® (letermovir)

PREVYMIS is a prescription medicine used to help prevent:

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease in adults and children 6 months and older weighing at least 13.2 pounds (lbs) or 6 kilograms (kg) who:
    • have received an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplant, and
    • have a high risk for getting CMV infection and disease.
  • CMV disease in adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 88.2 lbs (40 kg) who:
    • have received a kidney transplant, and
    • have a high risk for getting CMV disease.

 

It is not known if PREVMYIS is safe and effective in:

  • children under 6 months of age or weighing less than 13.2 lbs (6 kg) who received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, or
  • children under 12 years of age or weighing less than 88.2 lbs (40 kg) who received a kidney transplant.

Important Safety Information About PREVYMIS® (letermovir)

Do not take PREVYMIS if you take pimozide or ergot alkaloids.

 

If you are taking PREVYMIS with cyclosporine, do not take pitavastatin or simvastatin.

 

Before taking PREVYMIS, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have kidney or liver problems; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, since it is not known if PREVYMIS will harm your unborn baby; and if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, since it is not known if PREVYMIS passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while taking PREVYMIS.

 

Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. PREVYMIS may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how PREVYMIS works and can cause serious side effects.

 

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist will tell you if it is safe to take PREVYMIS with other medicines. Do not start or stop taking another medicine without telling your healthcare provider first.

 

The most common side effects of PREVYMIS in adults who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, swelling in your arms and legs, cough, headache, tiredness, and stomach (abdominal) pain.

 

The most common side effect of PREVYMIS in adults who have received a kidney transplant is diarrhea.

 

The side effects of PREVYMIS in children are similar to the side effects in adults.

 

These are not all the possible side effects of PREVYMIS.

 

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 

Please read the accompanying Patient Information and Instructions for Use for PREVYMIS, and discuss them with your doctor.
The Physician Prescribing Information also is available.