Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
ONASEMNOGENE ABEPARVOVEC (ON a SEM noe jeen A be PAR voe vek) treats spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a condition that causes muscle loss and weakness. It works by helping your body make more of a protein needed to support muscle function. This delays worsening symptoms. It is a gene therapy.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): ZOLGENSMA, ZOLGENSMA Suspension
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
This medication is infused into a vein. It is given by your care team in a hospital or clinic setting.
Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. While it may be given to children as young as newborns for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.
This does not apply. This medication is not for regular use.
Interactions are not expected.
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
Advertisement
Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medication.
You may need blood work done while you are taking this medication.
Talk to your care team about your vaccination history. To lower your risk of infection, you may need certain vaccines before you start this medication.
This medication can cause serious infusion reactions. To reduce the risk, your care team may give you other medications to take before receiving this one. Follow the directions from your care team.
This medication may increase your risk of getting an infection. Call your care team for advice if you get a fever, chills, sore throat, or other symptoms of a cold or flu. Do not treat yourself. Try to avoid being around people who are sick.
Be careful brushing or flossing your teeth or using a toothpick because you may get an infection or bleed more easily. If you have any dental work done, tell your dentist you are receiving this medication.
After gene therapy, it is important to avoid contact with the treated person's body fluids for 1 month. Body fluids include saliva, urine, stool, blood, and semen. By avoiding contact, the gene therapy will not affect others by accident. Wash hands with soap and water after coming into contact with body fluids and before eating. Use disposable gloves. Place items that have body fluids on them, such as diapers, in a sealed bag. Get rid of the bag in the regular trash.
This medication may increase the risk of tumors. Tumors are lumps or growths of cells that can form in any area of your body. Many tumors are benign, which means they are not cancer. Talk to your care team right away if you develop a tumor after getting this treatment.
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Advertisement
This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
This medication is given in a hospital or clinic. It will not be stored at home.
NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.
Advertisement
Copyright ©2025 Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Note: Introduction and Additional Common Questions written and medically approved by Cleveland Clinic professionals.