Baxter introduces Hyqvia in US to treat primary immunodeficiency

Hyqvia consists of Immune Globulin Infusion 10% (Human) (IG 10%) and recombinant human hyaluronidase developed by Halozyme.

The immune globulin treatment for PI in adults was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2014.

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School clinical professor of pediatrics and clinical investigator on the HYQVIA clinical trial Richard Wasserman said Hyqvia will have a significant impact on the treatment of primary immunodeficiency.

"It will be a welcomed addition to the therapeutic options in my practice, particularly for patients who are seeking less frequent dosing, but still desire the efficacy and tolerability associated with subcutaneous treatment," Wasserman said.

According to the company, Hyqvia is the first subcutaneous immune globulin (IG) treatment approved for adult PI patients that provides a full monthly dose of IG to be administered with only one injection site and one infusion each month.

Baxter BioScience president Ludwig Hantson said, "The goal of Hyqvia is to allow people with PI to feel less like patients by reducing the treatment burden associated with weekly dosing and multiple injection sites per dose."

In Europe, Hyqvia was approved in 2013 for adults (=18 years) with primary immunodeficiency syndromes and myeloma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with severe secondary hypogammaglobulinemia and recurrent infections.

Currently, Hyqvia is available in several European countries, including Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Ireland and Italy.

Image: Hyqvia is a combination of Immune Globulin Infusion 10% and Recombinant Human Hyaluronidase indicated to treat primary immunodeficiency.Photo: courtesy of Baitong333/ freedigitalphotos.net.