Treatment Options

If you have been diagnosed with von Willebrand Disease (VWD), you should learn about your treatment options. With VWD, the von Willebrand factor (VWF) in your blood does not work properly, or there is not enough of it. To treat this condition, you need to replace the VWF that is missing or ineffective.

Stimate^® (desmopressin acetate) Nasal Spray. Stimate^® is a synthetic copy of a natural hormone, which helps the body release more VWF into the bloodstream. It is for people with mild to moderate type 1 VWD, but because it’s a nasal spray, it can be easier to use than an injectable treatment.

DDAVP^® (desmopressin acetate). Two brands of desmopressin acetate are Stimate^®, which is a high-concentration nasal spray, and DDAVP^®, which comes in an injectable form.

Replacement Therapy. These injectable medicines replace the missing VWF in people with all types of VWD. This type of treatment is most effective in:

• People who can’t use desmopressin acetate or who need prolonged treatment
• People with type 1 VWD who are not responsive to desmopressin acetate
• People with type 2 VWD
• People with type 3 VWD

Humate-P is replacement therapy for people who have difficulty tolerating desmopressin, or if the use of desmopressin is inadequate, or for people who have more severe VWD.

Important Safety Information for Stimate^® (desmopressin acetate) Nasal Spray
STIMATE^® Nasal Spray (desmopressin acetate) is contraindicated in individuals with a known hypersensitivity to desmopressin acetate or to any of the components of STIMATE^®. STIMATE^® should not be used in patients with type 2B von Willebrand disease since platelet aggregation may be induced.

Adverse reactions reported with use of injectable and/or intranasal desmopressin acetate include headache, nausea, somnolence, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations and tachycardia, water intoxication, hyponatremia, seizures possibly leading to coma, and severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. See full prescribing information for STIMATE^® Nasal Spray for a complete list.

Important Safety Information

Antihemophilic Factor/von Willebrand Factor Complex (Human), Dried, Pasteurized, Humate-P^® is indicated in adult patients for treatment and prevention of bleeding in hemophilia A (classical hemophilia). Humate-P^® is also indicated in adult and pediatric patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD) for (1) treatment of spontaneous and trauma-induced bleeding episodes, and (2) prevention of excessive bleeding during and after surgery. This applies to patients with severe VWD, and patients with mild and moderate VWD for whom use of desmopressin is known or suspected to be inadequate.

Humate-P^® is contraindicated in individuals with a history of anaphylactic or severe systemic response to antihemophilic factor or von Willebrand factor preparations or to any of its components.

Thromboembolic events have been reported in VWD patients receiving coagulation factor replacement, especially in the setting of known risk factors for thrombosis. Caution should be exercised and antithrombotic measures considered.

Humate-P^® is derived from human plasma. As with all plasma-derived products, the risk of transmission of infectious agents, including viruses and, theoretically, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) agent, cannot be completely eliminated.

Although few adverse reactions have been reported the most common are allergic-anaphylactic reactions, including urticaria, chest tightness, rash, pruritus, edema, shock, chills and fever, and hypervolemia. For patients undergoing surgery, the most common adverse reactions are postoperative wound or injection-site bleeding.

Please see accompanying full prescribing information for Humate-P^®.