HOW DOES IMFINZI WORK?

IMFINZI WORKS WITH THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

IMFINZI is given after completing a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CRT) given at the same time, also known as concurrent CRT. To understand how IMFINZI works to help keep cancer from growing or spreading in your body after concurrent CRT, it's important to understand the key players.

Healthy cell

Cancer cell

Immune System

IMFINZI

Watch the video below to see how IMFINZI works or download a printable version.

IMFINZI Mechanism of Action Step 1 IMFINZI Mechanism of Action Step 2 IMFINZI Mechanism of Action Step 3IMFINZI Mechanism of Action Step 4
 
 
When cancer cells appear in your body, your immune system works to recognize and attack them.
PD-L1 is a protein that disguises cancer cells from the immune system.
IMFINZI works by binding to and blocking PD-L1 to remove the disguise...
...so your immune system is better able to find and attack these cancer cells. There is a chance that IMFINZI may affect healthy cells, too.

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See Full Prescribing Information.

IMFINZI IS AN IMMUNOTHERAPY

IMFINZI is not chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It works with the immune system to find and attack unresectable Stage 3 NSCLC. IMFINZI may also attack healthy cells.

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NEXT: POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat a type of cancer in the bladder and urinary tract or certain types of lung cancer by working with your immune system.

IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life-threatening and can lead to death.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI® (durvalumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). IMFINZI may be used when your NSCLC has not spread outside your chest, cannot be removed by surgery, and has responded or stabilized with initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.

Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any symptoms of the following problems or if these symptoms get worse:

  • Lung problems icon

    Lung problems (pneumonitis). Signs and symptoms may include new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

  • Liver problems icon

    Liver problems (hepatitis). Signs and symptoms may include yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen), drowsiness, dark urine (tea colored), bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, and feeling less hungry than usual.

  • Intestinal problems icon

    Intestinal problems (colitis). Signs and symptoms may include diarrhea or more bowel movements than usual; stools that are black, tarry, sticky, or have blood or mucus; and severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness.

  • Hormone gland problems icon

    Hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, and pancreas). Signs and symptoms that your hormone glands are not working properly may include headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches; extreme tiredness; weight gain or weight loss; dizziness or fainting; feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual; hair loss; feeling cold; constipation; your voice gets deeper; urinating more often than usual; nausea or vomiting; stomach-area (abdomen) pain; and changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness.

  • Kidney problems icon

    Kidney problems, including nephritis and kidney failure. Signs of kidney problems may include decrease in the amount of urine, blood in your urine, swelling of your ankles, and loss of appetite.

  • Skin problems icon

    Skin problems. Signs may include rash, itching, and skin blistering.

  • Other organ problems icon

    Problems in other organs. Signs and symptoms may include neck stiffness; headache; confusion; fever; chest pain, shortness of breath, or irregular heartbeat (myocarditis); severe or persistent muscle pain; severe muscle weakness; changes in mood or behavior; low red blood cells (anemia); excessive bleeding or bruising; blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems; and eye pain or redness.

  • Severe infections icon

    Severe infections. Signs and symptoms may include fever, cough, frequent urination, pain when urinating, and flu-like symptoms.

  • Severe infusion reactions icon

    Severe infusion reactions. Signs and symptoms may include chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, fever, feeling like passing out, back or neck pain, and facial swelling.

Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your healthcare provider will check you for these problems during your treatment with IMFINZI. Your healthcare provider may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your healthcare provider may delay or completely stop treatment with IMFINZI if you have severe side effects.

Before you receive IMFINZI, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you have immune system problems such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus; have had an organ transplant; have lung or breathing problems; have liver problems; or are being treated for an infection.

If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, tell your healthcare provider. IMFINZI can harm your unborn baby. If you are able to become pregnant, you should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and for at least 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI. Talk to your healthcare provider about which birth control methods to use. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant during treatment with IMFINZI.

If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, tell your healthcare provider. It is not known if IMFINZI passes into breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with IMFINZI and for at least 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What are the possible side effects of IMFINZI?

IMFINZI can cause serious side effects (see above).

The most common side effects in people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) include cough, feeling tired, inflammation in the lungs (pneumonitis), upper respiratory tract infections, shortness of breath, and rash.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of IMFINZI. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information.

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products by clicking here.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI® (durvalumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). IMFINZI may be used when your NSCLC has not spread outside your chest, cannot be removed by surgery, and has responded or stabilized with initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.

Please see complete Prescribing Information, including Patient Information (Medication Guide).

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Important Safety Information +

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat a type of cancer in the bladder and urinary tract or certain types of lung cancer by working with your immune system.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI® (durvalumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). IMFINZI may be used when your NSCLC has not spread outside your chest, cannot be removed by surgery, and has responded or stabilized with initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.