All About Ojjaara

What is Ojjaara used for?

Ojjaara is used to treat primary and secondary myelofibrosis (MF) in certain adults. MF is a type of bone marrow cancer. It causes abnormal blood cells to develop in your bone marrow and prevents your bone marrow from making enough healthy blood cells.

Primary MF occurs on its own. Secondary MF occurs as a result of another bone marrow condition, such as essential thrombocythemia or polycythemia vera.

MF may cause anemia (a low red blood cell count), which can have symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue. It may also cause a low white blood cell count, which can lead to frequent infections, and a low platelet count, which can cause unusual bruising or bleeding.

Additionally, MF may cause your spleen to start making blood cells and increase in size. This can lead to symptoms such as belly pain, bloating, and reduced appetite.

Doctors describe MF as low, intermediate, or high risk, depending on factors that help predict how the condition may progress. Ojjaara has approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating MF that is intermediate risk or high risk in adults with anemia.

Mechanism of action

A drug’s mechanism of action is how the drug works.

Ojjaara works to treat MF by blocking the JAK2 gene. When you have MF, a mutation (an abnormal change) in this gene causes abnormal blood cells to multiply in your bone marrow. This stops your bone marrow from making enough healthy blood cells and can cause your spleen to start making blood cells instead.

By blocking the JAK2 gene, Ojjaara stops your bone marrow from making as many abnormal blood cells. This allows your bone marrow to make more healthy blood cells and your spleen to stop making blood cells. Ojjaara also directly stimulates your bone marrow to make more red blood cells. These actions reduce the symptoms of MF.

What are Ojjaara’s side effects?

Like most drugs, Ojjaara may cause mild to serious side effects. The lists below contain some of the more common side effects Ojjaara may cause, but they don’t include all possible side effects.

Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:

• your age
• other health conditions you have
• other medications you take

Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Ojjaara. They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects.

Mild side effects

Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects that Ojjaara can cause. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist or read Ojjaara’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects of Ojjaara that have been reported include:

• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea
• abdominal pain
• fatigue (low energy)
• dizziness
• cough
• fever
• itching
• rash
• tingling or burning feelings

Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Ojjaara can occur, but they aren’t common. If you have serious side effects from Ojjaara, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects of Ojjaara that have been reported include:

• increased risk of infections
• low levels of white blood cells
• low levels of platelets (cells that help blood clot)
• liver damage
• blood clots
• major cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) events, such as heart attack or stroke
• increased risk of certain cancers, such as lymphoma and skin cancer

ALLERGIC REACTION

For some people, Ojjaara can cause an allergic reaction. But this side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.

In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious.

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking Ojjaara.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Ojjaara, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

What is Ojjaara’s dosage?

Your doctor will recommend the dosage of Ojjaara that’s right for you. Below are commonly used dosages, but always take the dosage your doctor prescribes.

Form and strengths

Ojjaara is available as an oral tablet in three strengths: 100 milligrams (mg), 150 mg, and 200 mg.

Recommended dosages

For treatment of myelofibrosis (MF), your doctor will likely prescribe 200 mg once per day. But if you have liver problems or if the drug causes bothersome side effects, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage.

How to take

Your doctor will explain how you should take Ojjaara. They’ll also explain how much to take and how often. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions.

Questions about taking Ojjaara

Below are some common questions about taking Ojjaara.

• Can Ojjaara be chewed, crushed, or split? No, you should not chew, crush, or split Ojjaara tablets. You should swallow them whole. If you have trouble doing so, you can get tips on how to swallow pills, or you can ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
• Should I take Ojjaara with food? Ojjaara can be taken with or without food.
• Is there a best time of day to take Ojjaara? Ojjaara can be taken at any time of day, but it’s best to take it around the same time each day. This helps keep a consistent level of the drug in your body, which helps Ojjaara work effectively.
• What if I miss a dose of Ojjaara? If you miss a dose of Ojjaara, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at its usual time the following day. You should not take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose. Doing so could raise your risk of side effects.
• Will I need to use Ojjaara long term? Ojjaara is typically used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that it’s safe and effective for your condition, you’ll likely take it long term.
• How long does Ojjaara take to work? Ojjaara begins to work after you take your first dose. But you likely won’t feel the drug working in your body at first. It may take a few weeks before your symptoms start to improve. Your doctor will order tests throughout your treatment to check whether Ojjaara is working to treat your condition.

Overdose

Do not take more Ojjaara than your doctor prescribes, as this can lead to harmful effects.

What to do in case you take too much Ojjaara

Call your doctor if you think you’ve taken too much Ojjaara. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach America’s Poison Centers or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. Or go to the nearest emergency room.

What should be considered before taking Ojjaara?

Below is important information you should consider before taking Ojjaara.

Interactions

Taking a drug with certain medications, vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the drug works. These effects are called interactions.

Ojjaara can interact with several other medications. Before starting Ojjaara treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also, tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you take. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions

Below is a list of medications that can interact with Ojjaara. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Ojjaara. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Ojjaara and alcohol

Alcohol is not known to interact with Ojjaara. But drinking alcohol with Ojjaara may raise your risk of certain Ojjaara side effects, such as dizziness, nausea, and liver damage. Talk with your doctor to determine whether it’s safe for you to consume alcohol during Ojjaara treatment.

Other interactions

Ojjaara can interact with other substances such as:

Lab tests or vaccines: You should not receive live vaccines* during your Ojjaara treatment. This is because getting a live vaccine while you’re taking Ojjaara increases your risk of infection. Examples of live vaccines include the nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist), rotavirus, and chickenpox. If you need to receive a vaccine, talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.

* Live vaccines contain weakened versions of the bacteria or virus that they’re meant to protect against.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Ojjaara during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Your doctor will likely recommend that you not breastfeed while taking Ojjaara and for at least 1 week after your last dose.

If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before starting Ojjaara treatment.

Birth control

If you’re able to become pregnant, you should use birth control throughout your Ojjaara treatment and for at least 1 week after your last dose.

Warnings

Ojjaara can sometimes cause harmful effects in people who have certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether Ojjaara is a good treatment option for you.

Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Ojjaara. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:

• liver problems
• infections
• low levels of white blood cells or platelets (cells that help blood clot)
• past hepatitis B
• past heart attack or stroke
• heart disease
• heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes
• smoking (past or current)
• history of cancer (other than myelofibrosis)
• previous allergic reaction to Ojjaara
• pregnancy
• breastfeeding

What are some frequently asked questions about Ojjaara?

Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Ojjaara.

Is Ojjaara chemotherapy?

No, Ojjaara is not a form of chemotherapy. Instead, it’s a targeted therapy.

Chemotherapy drugs work by killing cells in your body that are multiplying quickly. This includes cancer cells, but it also includes certain healthy cells, such as blood cells. As a result, chemotherapy can often cause lots of side effects throughout your body.

Targeted therapy drugs work by blocking specific proteins or processes that make cancer cells multiply quickly. Targeted therapies can still cause side effects, but they tend be less common and less severe than side effects of chemotherapy.

How does Ojjaara compare with Jakafi?

Ojjaara and Jakafi (ruxolitinib) are both used to treat myelofibrosis (MF) in certain adults. Jakafi is also used for polycythemia vera and graft-versus-host disease. Both drugs come as an oral tablet, but Ojjaara is taken once per day, while Jakafi is taken twice per day.

These drugs work in a similar way in your body. But Ojjaara has an extra action that helps treat anemia, which is one of the more common symptoms of MF. These drugs can cause similar side effects.

To learn more about how these drugs compare, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Ojjaara cost and coupons

Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering Ojjaara. What you’ll pay for Ojjaara may depend on several things, such as your treatment plan and the pharmacy you use.

Here are a few things to consider regarding cost:

• Generic form: Ojjaara is available only as a brand-name drug. It’s not currently available in a generic version. Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs.
• Savings program: If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. A program called Together with GSK Oncology may also be available.

Learn more about saving on your prescriptions.