This leaflet answers some common questions people ask about Fasenra. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor will have weighed the risks of you being given Fasenra against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

Fasenra is used to treat a type of asthma - eosinophilic asthma - which is where patients have too many eosinophils in the blood and lungs. Fasenra is used together with other medicines you take regularly to treat your asthma (inhaled corticosteroids plus other asthma medicines - for example a daily "preventer" puffer/inhaler).

Fasenra contains the substance benralizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody. Benralizumab works by binding to a specific receptor on the eosinophil called the interleukin-5 (IL-5) receptor. By binding to this receptor Fasenra reduces the number of eosinophils in your blood and lungs. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that may make your asthma worse by causing inflammation in the lungs.

If you are already using other asthma medicines (such as your daily "preventer" puffer/inhaler) but your asthma is not well controlled by these medicines, then Fasenra may help to reduce the number of asthma attacks (exacerbations) and may also make it easier for you to breathe normally. If you are taking medicines called oral corticosteroids (eg prednisolone) Fasenra may also help reduce the oral corticosteroid dosage you need to take each day to control your asthma.

Your doctor may have prescribed Fasenra for another reason.

This medicine is not addictive.

It is available only with a doctor's prescription.

This medicine is not expected to affect your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.

There is not enough information to recommend the use of this medicine for children under the age of 12 years.

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

The doctor, nurse or hospital pharmacist will usually check that the expiry date printed on the pack has not passed and that the packaging is not torn or showing signs of tampering. However, if you are given Fasenra by a pharmacist to take to your doctor/nurse and it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.

Fasenra is not recommended for children aged under 12 years, as the safety and effectiveness are not known in this population.

Your doctor should give you a personal Asthma Action Plan to help manage your asthma. This plan will include what medicines to use regularly to control your asthma (eg "preventer" puffers/inhalers, as well as Fasenra), as well as what "reliever" medicines to use when you have sudden asthma attacks.

It is not known whether the ingredients of Fasenra can pass into breast milk. The effects of Fasenra in pregnant women or their unborn babies are not known. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.

It is possible that some medicines and Fasenra may interfere with each other. Your doctor and pharmacist can advise you.

Fasenra has been used together with other commonly used asthma medicines.

Some medicines (especially corticosteroids) must be stopped gradually, under the supervision of your doctor and based on your response to Fasenra.

Fasenra is given to you by a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or a nurse, as an injection into the fat layer just under the skin (subcutaneous). The injections are usually given in your upper arm, thigh or abdomen.

The recommended dose for adults and children who are 12 years and over is 30 mg (one prefilled syringe). You will be given one injection every 4 weeks for the first 3 doses, then one injection every 8 weeks after that.

Fasenra helps to control your asthma, but does not cure it. It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well.

As Fasenra is given under the close supervision of a healthcare physician it is unlikely that you will be given too much.

It may affect other medicines used during surgery.

It may interfere with the results of some tests.

Interrupting or stopping Fasenra treatment may cause your asthma symptoms and asthma attacks to come back or become more frequent.

Some medicines (especially corticosteroids) must be stopped gradually, under the supervision of your doctor and on your response to Fasenra.

This medicine helps most people with eosinophilic asthma, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.

The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

Allergic reactions may occur within minutes or hours after an injection, or may even occur several days after an injection.

You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.

It is unlikely that you will need to store Fasenra at home. It will usually be kept at the hospital, pharmacy, doctor's surgery or other health care professional location before your appointment.

If you need to store Fasenra keep it in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C until it is time to take it to your appointment. It must not be frozen. The single use prefilled syringe should be kept sealed in the original package to protect it from light. Do not shake it.

Fasenra contains 1 mL of solution in a clear glass type I prefilled syringe. Its colour may vary from colourless to slightly yellow, and it may contain white particles.

The glass prefilled syringe includes a stainless steel needle, with a FluoroTec (non-latex) coated plunger stopper and a needle safety guard.

Fasenra is available in a pack containing 1 prefilled syringe (a single dose).

Fasenra contains 30 mg of benralizumab as the active ingredient.

Other ingredients include:

This medicine does not contain latex, lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.