WITH BREYANZI®, SUCCESS IS IN YOUR BLOOD
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BREYANZ IS A CAR T MEDICATION: A DIFFERENT KIND OF CANCER TREATMENT
Breyanzi is not a stem cell transplant or chemotherapy. It is a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy—a type of treatment that uses your own immune cells to fight your cancer.
Your white blood cells (T cells) are combined with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). The CAR cell has been engineered to fight a specific type of cancer. The CAR T-cell combination is then infused back into your body, where the T cells are able to “guide” the CAR cell to your cancer.
Learn more about each step in the CAR T medication process.
CAR T consultation
Once you and your doctor have decided on CAR T as a possible treatment, you’ll have a consultation at a certified treatment center. At the center, you'll be evaluated to make sure you're a candidate for Breyanzi.
If you are eligible based on the consultation, you will be scheduled to have your blood drawn, a process called apheresis (also referred to as leukapheresis). After your blood is drawn, your white blood cells (T cells), a type of cell in your immune system, will be collected while the other parts of your blood are returned into your body. Apheresis can be done in 1 day and usually takes 2 to 6 hours.
Your white blood cells (T cells) will be sent to a manufacturing site to become Breyanzi CAR T cells
While at the manufacturing site, CARs (receptors or hooks) are added to your white blood cells (T cells) to make the Breyanzi CAR T cells that are unique to you. The CAR T cell can then find and fight specific cancer cells. During this time, your doctor may prescribe other treatments for your cancer.
Your Breyanzi CAR T cells are infused back into your body
Before your infusion:
Before your Breyanzi infusion, you’ll receive a low-dose chemotherapy called lymphodepleting chemotherapy for 3 days to help prepare your body for Breyanzi.
The low-dose chemotherapy is given 2–7 days before receiving Breyanzi.
During your infusion:
Breyanzi is given as infusions of 2 different cell types. These infusions are given one after the other, and each takes less than 15 minutes to infuse, but times may vary.
Breyanzi will be given at a certified treatment center by a specially trained healthcare team. Your healthcare provider will decide if you need to stay in the hospital or if you can be discharged after treatment.
After your infusion:
You’ll be closely monitored for side effects following your Breyanzi infusion.
During the first week, you will be monitored daily. For at least 2 weeks after getting Breyanzi, you should plan to stay close to the facility where you received your treatment.
You may be hospitalized for side effects and your healthcare provider will discharge you if your side effects are under control and it is safe for you to leave.
During this time, you or your care partner may have questions like “What do I pack?” or “How will we cover travel expenses?” We can help you answer these questions and provide resources. Sign up for our Cell Therapy 360® program to learn more or check out our other helpful resources.
Initial follow-up monitoring: After your infusion, you will be monitored every day for a week. Plan to stay close to the facility for at least 2 weeks.
Long-term monitoring: Your healthcare provider will want to do blood tests to follow your progress. Some patients treated with Breyanzi may develop other cancers. Your healthcare team will provide lifelong monitoring for these cancers. It's important that you have your blood tested. If you miss an appointment, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule.
LEARN HOW BREYANZI WORKS AND ABOUT THE TREATMENT PROCESS
Hear from a CAR T cell about how Breyanzi can help fight your cancer
With a CAR T cell as your guide, explore how cell therapy works as a one-time treatment* from collection and creation to reinfusion. By the end of the video, you’ll understand how Breyanzi boosts your white blood cells to find and fight cancer.
Watch the treatment process from beginning to end
This video outlines the entire infusion process to help you and your loved ones better understand what to expect.
*The treatment process includes blood collection, CAR T-cell creation, administration, and side-effect monitoring. No maintenance therapy for the lymphoma is needed after Breyanzi as long as you are responding to treatment.