IVIG Brands: In-Depth Guide

This page is an in-depth guide about all the IVIG brands and their differences.

IVIG is the acronym for Intravenous Immune globulin. Doctors mainly prescribe it for autoimmune or immunological disorders (diseases in which your immune system attacks your cells or organs). 

Doctors administer some IVIG products intravenously, while others are administered both subcutaneously or intravenously.

There are ten different brands of IVIG. This article will discuss all the IVIG brands and immunoglobulin drug names in detail.

Intravenous Immune Globulin, Defined

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are proteins our body’s immune system makes to fight infections. 

However, sometimes the body cannot make those antibodies due to autoimmune diseases. In other instances, the antibodies are there. But because of a disorder, they do not function correctly. In these cases, doctors have to administer antibodies externally as a medicinal product or drug. 

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) is a treatment containing antibodies (taken from human blood/pooled plasma of blood donors). Doctors administer it intravenously or subcutaneously to the patient. For some brands, IVIG therapy can be given to children starting from two years of age.

What Is IVIG Approved For?

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved IVIG for ADMA Biologics (a biopharmaceutical company that manufactures and markets plasma-derived products to treat infectious and immunocompromised diseases). 

The FDA approves different immunoglobulin drug names for the following conditions: 

1. Idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) 
2. Kawasaki’s vasculitis 
3. Primary immunodeficiencies

What Is IVIG Used To Treat?

IVIG is used to treat several autoimmune, infectious, or idiopathic diseases. The primary conditions that IVIG is used to treat are listed below:

• Immune thrombocytopenia (IT): This disease occurs when your body doesn’t have enough platelets to clot blood. Immune thrombocytopenia occurs because your immune system has destroyed or attacked the platelets. Nearly all IVIG brands can treat this disorder.
• Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP): This neurological disease targets the patient’s peripheral nerves.
• Kawasaki disease: This disease causes inflammation or swelling of the blood vessels in the entire body.
• Myasthenia Gravis: Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune disease in which antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscles. This results in the weakening of skeletal muscles.
• Lupus: Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s organs and tissues.
• Myositis: Myositis is the inflammation of your voluntary muscles due to any autoimmune disease, injury, or infection.
• Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN): In this disease, your body’s immune system attacks the focal areas of numerous motor nerves.

What Are the IVIG Brand Names?

The ten different immunoglobulin drug names are:

1. Bivigam
2. Carimune
3. Flebogamma
4. Gammagard S/D (low IgA)
5. Gammagard Liquid
6. Gammaked
7. Gammaplex
8. Gamunex
9. Octagam
10. Privigen

What Is the Best Brand of IVIG?

IVIG contains IgG antibodies as its primary component. It also has IgE, IgA, IgM, and IgD antibodies in lower amounts.

For patients who have IgA antibodies, IVIG brands containing lower levels of IgA are preferred to avoid any adverse events. However, for patients deficient in IgA antibodies, you should not give brands with low IgA levels.

Gammagard S/D contains the lowest concentration of IgA (1 mcg/ml in a 5% solution). For this reason, it is the best brand for patients with sufficient IgA antibodies. Brands like Flebogamma and Gammaplex also have low IgA levels.

IVIG Price

IVIG cost can vary from patient to patient, but IVIG is generally quite expensive.

Why is IVIG so expensive?

IVIG therapy is expensive because of the high cost involved in manufacturing and administering the medicine.

A patient’s overall IVIG therapy cost starts from $5,000 to $10,000. This cost can vary depending on the number of infusions administered and the patient’s weight (not including the hospital stay charges).

The per-gram cost of IVIG ranges from $100 to $350.

Which Pharmaceutical Companies Make IVIG?

Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture different brands of IVIG are:

• Biotest AG
• Octapharma AG
• Grifols, S.A.
• LFB Biotechnologies
• Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Limited (Shire PLC)
• Bio Products Laboratory, Ltd.
• Baxter International, Inc.
• ADMA Biologics, Inc.
• Kedrion Biopharma, Inc 
• BDI Pharma, Inc.
• CSL Behring

IVIG and Normal Saline Compatibility

Normal saline is used and preferred for flushing IV lines before and after IVIG administration. However, because it is incompatible with some IVIG brands, such as Gammagard, it is not recommended as a diluent.

If hydration is needed during IVIG therapy, Vaughan Nufactor recommends using D5W hypotonic saline solution, as this solution is compatible with IVIG and can run simultaneously with IVIG. 

Diabetic patients should not receive immunoglobulin drug names containing a sugar solution or dilution with D5W hypotonic saline solution.

IVIG Brands

Detailed reviews of all immunoglobulin drug names are given below. Doctors may adjust the dosages according to the disease and the patient’s condition or response.

2. Carimune

Treatment

Carimune is one of the IVIG brands used to treat primary immunodeficiency (PI). In this disease, patients have weakened immunity because their immune system is not working properly. As a result, the chances of infections and sickness increase.

Common Side Effects of This Immunoglobulin Drug Name Include:

• Cough and difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Pale skin
• Runny nose
• Weakness and chest tightness

Dosing

0.4 – 0.8 g/kg every 3 to 4 weeks by IV infusion.

3. Flebogamma

Treatment

Doctors administer Flebogamma if a patient doesn’t have enough antibodies to fight infections or is suffering from a condition associated with an inability to produce enough antibodies (e.g., primary immunodeficiency).

This IVIG brand also treats certain immune disorders, such as:

• Hypogammaglobulinemia ⏤ reduction in the levels of antibodies.
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) ⏤ insufficient platelets in the blood.
• Kawasaki disease ⏤ inflammation in several organs of the body.
• Guillain-Barre syndrome ⏤ inflammation of the nerves throughout the body.

Side Effects Include:

• Headache
• Fast heart rate
• Fever and chest pain
• Chills
• Vomiting and nausea
• Back pain or muscle pain
• Dizziness and diarrhea
• High or low blood pressure 

Dosing (for PI)

300 – 600 mg/kg every 3 to 4 weeks. 1 mg/kg per minute should be given as the initial infusion rate, followed by a maintenance dose (if tolerated) of 8 mg/kg per minute.

4. Gammagard S/D (low IgA)

Treatment

Gammagard S/D is one of the IVIG brands with the least amount of IgA, which is less than 2.2 ug/ml in a 5% solution. It can treat the following conditions:

• Primary immunodeficiency
• Chronic ITP 
• Other immune disorders

Common Side Effects of This Immunoglobulin Drug Name Include:

• Dizziness
• Joint pain
• Fever
• Earache
• Throat irritation
• Skin rash
• Headache and cough
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea

Severe Side Effects Include:

• Breathing difficulties and wheezing

Dosing

300 – 600 mg/kg for PI, infused every 3 to 4 weeks.

5. Gammagard Liquid

Treatment

Gammagard liquid, a ready-to-use liquid product, is the first FDA-approved IVIG brand doctors use to treat multifocal neuropathy. It is also given for primary immune deficiency syndromes and contains immunoglobulin IgG to protect the body and fight infections.

Common Side Effects Include:

• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Back or joint pain
• Muscle cramps
• Dizziness
• Fever 
• High blood pressure

Consult your doctor if any of these symptoms worsen or persist for an unusual duration.

Severe Side Effects Include: 

• Fainting
• Bleeding or bruising
• Irregular heartbeat
• Abnormally high blood pressure

Dosing

The typical dose for patients with a primary immune deficiency is 300 – 600 mg/kg administered every 3 to 4 weeks.

Price

The price for a 10 ml, 10% liquid solution of this IVIG brand is $165.33, but it can vary slightly for different pharmacies.

6. Gammaked

Treatment

Gammaked is one of the most well-known immunoglobulin drug names administered subcutaneously or intravenously to treat PI in adults and children two years or older. 

Gammaked should be administered only intravenously for the treatment of ITP and CIPD. (Only adults can receive it for treating CIPD).

Side Effects Include:

• Cough and sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sinusitis
• Headache
• Fever
• Chills
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Back pain
• Upper respiratory tract infection
• Bronchitis or asthma
• Allergic reaction (rash, redness, pain, or itchiness at the site of injection or elsewhere)

Dosing

The dose of this IVIG brand for PI is 300 – 600 mg/kg administered intravenously every 3 to 4 weeks. Doctors can adjust it according to the patient’s response.

Price

A 10 ml supply of Gammaked 10% solution costs around $176.

7. Gammaplex

Treatment

Gammaplex treats the following conditions: 

• Primary humoral immunodeficiency in patients who are two years and older. Diseases may include:
  • X-linked agammaglobulinemia
  • Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
  • Congenital agammaglobulinemia
  • Combined immunodeficiency diseases
• Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) to increase platelet levels.

Common Side Effects Include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Dehydration
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Dizziness and fever

Seek immediate medical attention if side effects persist or worsen.

Serious Side Effects of This IVIG brand Include: 

• Vomiting and dehydration
• Thrombosis

Dosing

For patients with PI, the recommended dose of this immunoglobulin drug name is 300 – 800 mg/kg, administered every 3 to 4 weeks.

For patients with ITP, the recommended dose is 1 g/kg for two consecutive days.

Price

Gammaplex 5% costs around $940 for a 100 ml intravenous solution.

8. Gamunex

Gamunex can be used to treat: 

• Primary humoral immunodeficiency diseases in patients who are two years or older.
• ITP in adults and children
• CIDP in adults

Common Side Effects Include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Cough
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever or chills
• Back or joint pain
• Pain and swelling at the site of injection

Consult a doctor if symptoms persist with this IVIG brand.

Serious Side Effects That Require Immediate Consultation Include: 

• Fast heartbeat
• Excessive tiredness
• Inflammation of the brain
• Severe headache
• Sensitivity to light

Dosing (for PI)

300 – 600 mg/kg administered every 3 to 4 weeks.

Price

The average cost is $145 for 10 ml.

9. Octagam

Treatment

Octagam can be used to treat: 

• PI
• ITP
• Dermatomyositis (DM) in adults

Common Side Effects Include: 

• Mild headache
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Minor chest pain
• Pain and swelling at the injection site
• Abdominal or back pain
• Muscle cramps

Serious Side Effects Include: 

• Kidney, liver, or lung problems
• Blood clots or initial signs of blood clots in the brain, heart, lungs, or legs.

Dosing

Doctors can adjust the dose of this IVIG brand according to the patient’s response. The recommended dose for Octagam 5% liquid for PI diseases is usually 300 – 600 mg/kg administered every 3 to 4 weeks.

Price

Octagam 10% costs $385 for 20 ml.

10. Privigen 10% Protein Liquid

Privigen is one of the ready-to-use immunoglobulin drug names made with IgG antibodies given to patients as their IgG therapy. It was proven to be safe in clinical trials. It is also the only IVIG brand and immunoglobulin therapy stabilized with proline.

Proline, a naturally occurring amino acid, is incorporated to keep the product stable at room temperature. It can be convenient for patients because they do not have to store Privigen in the refrigerator. 

Privigen must not be given to patients with hyperprolinemia (excess proline in the blood) since the product already contains proline. Using Privigen in these patients may aggravate their condition.

Treatment/Therapy:

Privigen can treat the following conditions: 

• Various types of primary immunodeficiency (PI).
• Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) for patients over 15.
• Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in adults.

Common Side Effects of This IVIG brand Include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Fever

Serious Side Effects That Patients Should Report Immediately Include:

• Serious allergic reaction.
• Shock, chest tightness, breathing difficulty, or wheezing.
• Sudden weight gain.
• Worsening of common side effects like excessive drowsiness, high fever, headache, stiff neck, or fatigue.
• Pain or/and swelling in arms or legs.
• Difficulty in urine output.

Dosing

The typical dosage for treating PI with this immunoglobulin drug name is 200 – 800 mg/kg, administered every 3 to 4 weeks.

The dose for chronic ITP is 1 g/kg for two consecutive days.

Price

The price for this IVIG brand is $804 for 50 ml.

Are There Different Types Of IVIG?

There are mainly five different types of IVIG (immunoglobulin).

1. IgG 
2. IgA
3. IgM
4. IgE
5. IgG

The primary component in IVIG is the IgG antibody, while the other antibodies are present in trace amounts. The IgG antibody is the primary antibody present in our blood.

IgG is more durable than IgM. It is also a fundamental component of the humoral immune system.

SCIG (Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin) Brands as an Alternative to IVIG Brands

Doctors can administer the different immunoglobulin brands either subcutaneously or intravenously. 

Subcutaneous immunoglobulin can treat primary immune disorders. 

SCIG brands include:

• Gammagard liquid
• Gammaked
• Gamunex

Conclusion

There are ten different IVIG brands. All immunoglobulin drug names included here can help treat autoimmune diseases such as primary immunodeficiency and chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. 

However, some brands are unsuitable for diabetic patients due to their sugar content. Other brands, such as Gammagard S/D, are appropriate for patients with IgA antibodies. Patients with hyperprolinemia should not use Privigen. In short, the specific brand used will depend on each patient’s condition and disorder.

Healthcare professionals should remain cautious and carefully consider the patient’s history before prescribing any IVIG brand.  

The dosage of each IVIG drug may vary for each patient. Doctors should modify it during therapy to achieve the desired therapeutic response.