Your body makes antibodies to help you fight off infections and disease. Antibodies are immunoglobulins, or globular proteins that are part of your immune system. As explained by Dr. Katzung in "Basic and Clinical Pharmacology," your physician may use immunoglobulins that have been collected from the plasma of blood donors. Not only are these immunoglobulins used if your immune system is not making a sufficient amount of antibodies, but they are also used to prevent you from contracting certain diseases and for certain insect and snake bites.
Gammagard S/D
Made by Baxter Healthcare, this formulation is used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a disease wherein your body makes too many white blood cells. It is also used with aspirin to treat Kawasaki syndrome, a disease that affects a child's blood vessels. It treats immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which is a condition that causes your own antibodies to attack your platelets. And it is used in diseases where you are not making enough antibodies or other cells that help fight infection (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
Privigen
Made by CSL Biotherapies, Inc., this formulation is used to treat immune thrombocytopenic purpura, where your antibodies attack your platelets. It is used in diseases where you are not making enough antibodies or other cells that help fight infection (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
Carimune NF
This is made by ZLB Bioplasma, and used to treat immune thrombocytopenic purpura, where your antibodies attack your platelets. And it is used in diseases where you are not making enough antibodies or other cells that help fight infection (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
Octagam
Made by Octapharma USA, Inc., Octagam treats diseases where you are not making enough antibodies or other cells that help fight infection (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
Gamunex
This is made by Bayer Corp. Pharmaceutical Division to treat chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a disease that affects many of your nerves. It is also used for immune thrombocytopenic purpura, where your antibodies attack your platelets. And it is used in diseases where you are not making enough antibodies or other cells that help fight infection (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
Flebogamma
Made by Grifols USA, this formulation is used to treat the diseases where you are not making enough antibodies or other cells that help fight infection (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
HyperHEP B S/D, HepaGam B, Nabi-HB
Hyper HEP B S/D is made by Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. HepaGam B is made by Apotex Corporation, while Nabi-HB is made by Nabi. Either one of these formulations are used to prevent contracting hepatitis B, a liver infection, just after exposure. (This could be used if a medical professional accidentally sticks their finger with a needle that was used on a hepatitis patient.) Any of these formulations are also used for a newly-born infant whose mother has hepatitis B or if you have been exposed through sexual contact.
Imogam Rabies-HT, HyperRAB S/D
Imogam Rabies-HT is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, Inc., and HyperRAB S/D is made by Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. Either brand is used as part of the treatment to prevent you from contracting rabies, if there was possible exposure.
RhoGAM, MICRhoGAM, HyperRHO, Rhophylac, WinRho SDF
RhoGAM and MICRhoGAM are both made by Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. HyperRHO is manufactured by Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. Rhophylac is manufactured by ZLB Bioplasma, while WinRho SDF is made by Baxter Healthcare. Any one of these brand names are used when a mother is Rh(D) negative but has been exposed to Rh(D) positive blood, as when she gives birth to a Rh(D) positive child. This immune globulin formulation will prevent the mother's immune system from creating antibodies that will attack Rh(D) positive red blood cells of any future fetuses (McPhee and Papadakis 691).
References
- "Basic & Clinical Pharmacology"; Bertram Katzung, M.D., PhD, Susan Masters, PhD, Anthony Trevor, PhD; 2009
- "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2009"; Stephen McPhee, M.D., Maxine Papadakis, M.D.; 2009
- "Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses"; Judith Deglin, April Vallerand, PhD; 2009
