Storage Conditions and Expiry Date of Ritlecitinib

Storage Conditions and Expiry Date of Ritlecitinib

Always store ritlecitinib in a place where children cannot see or reach it to avoid accidental ingestion. Do not use the medicine after the expiry date (EXP) stated on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month; expired medicine may become ineffective or toxic. This medicine does not have special temperature storage requirements, meaning it can be stored at room temperature. However, to protect the medicine from light, always keep it in its original packaging (such as the carton or original container). When you need to dispose of expired or unused medicine residues, consult a pharmacist for proper disposal methods. To protect the environment, never flush medicine residues down the sink, toilet, or throw them directly into ordinary household waste.

Management of Abnormal Liver Function and Elevated Creatine Kinase

During treatment with ritlecitinib, two common laboratory abnormalities may appear in blood tests: elevated liver enzymes (ALT and AST) and elevated creatine kinase. Elevated liver enzymes usually indicate some degree of liver cell irritation or damage. If your liver enzyme levels are only mildly elevated (less than 2 to 3 times the upper limit of normal), your doctor may recommend continuing the medicine with increased monitoring. However, if severe elevation occurs or is accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), or dark urine, your doctor may ask you to temporarily stop taking ritlecitinib and investigate further. On the other hand, creatine kinase is mainly found in skeletal muscle; its elevation may be associated with muscle inflammation or injury. In most cases, mild creatine kinase elevation does not cause clinical symptoms. However, if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially with abnormal urine color (tea-colored urine), inform your doctor immediately. During treatment with ritlecitinib, avoid excessive strenuous physical activity to prevent interference with test result interpretation.

Use of Ritlecitinib in Special Populations

The prescribing information clearly states that you should not breastfeed during treatment with ritlecitinib. The main reason for this recommendation is that it is currently unknown whether ritlecitinib passes into human milk, and if so, whether it would cause adverse effects in the nursing infant. Given the mechanism of action of this medicine (JAK kinase inhibition), which may affect the developing immune system and hematopoietic function of an infant, the risk is potential and not negligible. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or planning to resume breastfeeding, you and your doctor need to make a careful decision: either stop ritlecitinib to continue breastfeeding, or completely stop breastfeeding during treatment. If you choose to continue treatment, you should wait at least one month after the last dose (considering the time for complete elimination of the medicine from the body) before resuming breastfeeding. During this period, you may stockpile breast milk in advance or use formula milk as an alternative. Do not switch back and forth between breastfeeding and taking the medicine without consulting your doctor.