Meningococcal Disease and People Receiving Complement Inhibitors

Complement inhibitors greatly increase risk

Compared to otherwise healthy people, someone receiving a complement inhibitor is up to 2,000 times more likely to get meningococcal disease. Meningococcal disease is often serious and can be deadly.

Complement inhibitors include:

• C5 inhibitors such as eculizumab (Soliris®) and ravulizumab (Ultomiris™)
• Inhibitors of other complement components such as pegcetacoplan (Empaveli®, Syfovre®) and iptacopan (Fabhalta®)

Who's prescribed complement inhibitors

Healthcare providers most often prescribe complement inhibitors for the following four rare medical conditions:

• Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, a blood disorder
• Generalized myasthenia gravis, a disorder that leads to muscle weakness
• Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, a disorder of the brain and spinal cord
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a blood disorder

Protective factors

Vaccination

CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination, including regular booster shots, for people receiving complement inhibitors. Talk to your healthcare provider to make sure you are up to date on vaccination.

Antibiotics

Some healthcare providers prescribe antibiotics to people receiving complement inhibitors to help prevent meningococcal disease.

Risk remains despite protective measures

CDC data suggest that meningococcal vaccines provide incomplete protection against invasive meningococcal disease in people receiving eculizumab. Experts believe this increased risk likely also applies to people receiving some other complement inhibitors, such as ravulizumab.

People receiving a complement inhibitor can still get meningococcal disease even if they've been vaccinated or are taking antibiotics.

Resources

Product labels

Soliris^® (eculizumab)

Ultomiris^TM (ravulizumab)

Vaccination schedules

For children from birth through 6 years old

For children 7 through 18 years old

For adults