Rystiggo: Side Effects, Uses, Dosage, Cost, and More
Rystiggo (rozanolixizumab-noli) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat generalized myasthenia gravis in adults. Rystiggo is given as an infusion under the skin by a healthcare professional.
Rystiggo basics
Rystiggo contains the active ingredient rozanolixizumab-noli.
Rystiggo is a biologic medication. A biologic is made from parts of living organisms. It’s available only as a brand-name drug. It isn’t available in a biosimilar form.
Biosimilars are like generic drugs. But unlike generics, which are made for non-biologic drugs, biosimilars are made for biologic drugs.
Biosimilars will have the same active ingredient core name as the brand-name drug. But they’ll have unique suffixes. This is why “-noli” appears at the end of the name of the active ingredient. This is to show that it’s distinct from biosimilars that may be created in the future.
What are Rystiggo’s side effects?
Like most drugs, Rystiggo may cause mild to serious side effects. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that Rystiggo may cause. These lists don’t include all possible side effects.
Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:
- your age
- other health conditions you have
- other medications you take
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Rystiggo. They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects.
Mild side effects
Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects that Rystiggo can cause. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or read Rystiggo’s prescribing information.
Mild side effects of Rystiggo that have been reported include:
- mild infection, including urinary tract infection (UTI) and upper respiratory infection
- mild headache
- reactions around the infusion site
- joint pain
- nausea
- fever
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects from Rystiggo can occur, but they aren’t common. If you have serious side effects from Rystiggo, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number.
Serious side effects of Rystiggo that have been reported include:
- serious infection, including pneumonia
- severe headache, which may occur with other symptoms including vertigo and sensitivity to light or noise
- aseptic meningitis (a condition that causes swelling around the brain and spinal cord)
Allergic reaction
For some people, Rystiggo can cause an allergic reaction. This was a common side effect in the drug’s studies.
In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious. You can learn more about possible symptoms in this article.
What might help
If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking Rystiggo.
If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.
If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Rystiggo, they may have you switch to a different treatment.
What is Rystiggo used for?
Rystiggo is used to treat generalized myasthenia gravis in certain adults. (“Generalized” means the condition affects muscle groups throughout your body.)
Specifically, the drug is used in adults who have specific antibodies (proteins) involved in myasthenia gravis.
Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder. It causes symptoms that affect your nerves and muscles. Examples include muscle weakness, difficulty speaking, and difficulty breathing.
Rystiggo treats myasthenia gravis by blocking a certain protein that affects the activity of nerves and muscles. This helps ease the symptoms of myasthenia gravis. To learn more about how Rystiggo works, see the manufacturer’s website.
What is Rystiggo’s dosage?
Your doctor will recommend the dosage of Rystiggo that’s right for you. Below are commonly used dosages, but the dosage you receive will be determined by your doctor.
Form and strength
Rystiggo comes as a liquid solution that’s given as an infusion under your skin. (An infusion is a type of injection given over a period of time.)
Rystiggo is available in one strength of 280 milligrams in 2 milliliters of solution (mg/mL).
Recommended dosages
You’ll receive one Rystiggo infusion each week. Your doctor will likely recommend at least one 6-week treatment cycle of Rystiggo.
Your exact Rystiggo dose for each infusion depends on your body weight in kilograms (kg). One kg is about 2.2 pounds (lb).
The table below lists the recommended weight-based dosages for Rystiggo:
| Body weight in kg | Approximate body weight in lb | Recommended dose once per week |
| Less than 50 kg | Less than 110 lb | 420 mg |
| 50 kg to less than 100 kg | 110 lb to less than 220 lb | 560 mg |
| 100 kg or more | 220 lb or more | 840 mg |
Your doctor will determine how many treatment cycles of Rystiggo you may need.
How it’s given
Your doctor will explain how Rystiggo will be given to you. They’ll also explain how much you’ll be given and how often.
A healthcare professional will give you Rystiggo as an infusion under your skin. You’ll receive each infusion at a clinic, infusion center, or doctor’s office. In some cases, you may receive infusions of Rystiggo at home.
Questions about receiving Rystiggo
Below are some common questions about receiving Rystiggo.
- What if I miss a dose of Rystiggo? If you miss an appointment to receive Rystiggo, call the facility where you receive the infusion as soon as possible. They’ll try to reschedule your infusion within 4 days of the original appointment. If more than 4 days have passed since your original appointment, your doctor can recommend when to restart treatment.
- Will I need to use Rystiggo long term? Rystiggo may be used as a short-term or long-term treatment. Your doctor will monitor the symptoms of your condition and determine how long your treatment should last.
- How long does Rystiggo take to work? Rystiggo begins to work after your first infusion. It may take up to 6 weeks to notice the full benefits of treatment. If you have questions about what to expect from your Rystiggo treatment, talk with your doctor.
Rystiggo cost and coupons
Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering Rystiggo. What you’ll pay for Rystiggo may depend on several things, such as your treatment plan and the pharmacy you use.
Here are a few things to consider regarding cost:
- Cost information and savings coupons: You can visit Optum Perks to get price estimates of what you’d pay for Rystiggo when using coupons from the site. See the coupon options below. (Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.)
- Savings program: If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. A program called ONWARD may also be available.
You can also check out this article to learn more about saving money on prescriptions.
What should be considered before receiving Rystiggo?
Below is important information you should consider before receiving Rystiggo.
Interactions
Taking a drug with certain medications, vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the drug works. These effects are called interactions.
Before starting Rystiggo treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also, tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you take. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Rystiggo can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods.
Before taking Rystiggo, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
Drug interactions
Below is a list of medications that can interact with Rystiggo. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Rystiggo. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples |
| intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) | — |
| monoclonal antibodies | • eculizumab (Soliris) • rituximab (Rituxan) |
Rystiggo and alcohol
Alcohol is not known to interact with Rystiggo.If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to do so during your Rystiggo treatment.
Rystiggo and vaccines
You should not receive live vaccines during your Rystiggo treatment. (Live vaccines contain weakened versions of the bacteria or virus that they’re meant to protect against.) Talk with your doctor about whether you need any vaccines before starting treatment.
Examples of live vaccines include:
If you need to receive a vaccine during your Rystiggo treatment, talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether it’s safe to receive Rystiggo during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before starting Rystiggo treatment.
Warnings
Rystiggo can sometimes cause harmful effects in people who have certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether Rystiggo is a good treatment option for you.
Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Rystiggo. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:
- past or current infections
- previous allergic reaction to Rystiggo
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
What are some frequently asked questions about Rystiggo?
Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Rystiggo.
Does Rystiggo cause fatigue?
No, Rystiggo isn’t known to cause fatigue. This side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.
But fatigue can be a symptom of myasthenia gravis, which Rystiggo is used to treat. If you feel more fatigued than usual during your Rystiggo treatment, talk with your doctor. They can help determine whether the drug is working as it should.
If you have concerns about fatigue during your Rystiggo treatment, talk with your doctor.
How does Rystiggo compare with Vyvgart?
Rystiggo has some similarities to efgartigimod alfa-fcab (Vyvgart).
Both drugs are used to treat generalized myasthenia gravis. (“Generalized” means the condition affects muscle groups throughout your body.) And both drugs are prescribed for adults who have specific antibodies (proteins) involved in myasthenia gravis. Both drugs are also given by a healthcare professional.
However, Rystiggo and Vyvgart have some important differences. For example, Rystiggo is given as an infusion under your skin. Vyvgart is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. (An infusion is a type of injection that’s given over a period of time.)
In addition, Rystiggo is given in 6-week treatment cycles. Vyvgart is given in 4-week treatment cycles.
To learn more about how Rystiggo compares with Vyvgart, talk with your doctor. They can recommend the right treatment for your condition.
Similar drugs
Other drugs are available that can treat myasthenia gravis. If you’d like to explore an alternative to Rystiggo, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that might work well for you.
The following drugs are similar to Rystiggo:
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
