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For adults with a type of kidney cancer called ccRCC that has spread (advanced) following PD-1 or PD-L1 and VEGF treatments

Resources for WELIREG patients

ccRCC = renal cell carcinoma with a clear cell component; PD-1 = programmed death-receptor-1; PD-L1 = programmed death-ligand 1; VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor.

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Getting support for treatment costs and coverage

Understanding your options may make treatment costs feel more manageable. If you need information or help paying for treatment (with or without insurance coverage), Merck may be able to help. The Merck Access Program is available for patients who get their Merck treatment through their doctors' offices or hospital's pharmacy.

The Merck Access Program can help answer questions like:

  • Does my insurance cover treatment with WELIREG?
  • What are the co-pay assistance options for eligible patients?
  • How can I find out if I’m eligible for the Merck Patient Assistance Program?

Visit The Merck Access Program website for more information and to enroll.

The Merck Access Program

To speak to a Merck Access Program representative:

Call 855-257-3932

Make WELIREG part of your routine

One of the best ways to remember to take WELIREG at the same time each day is by creating a routine. This can make it easier to establish a new habit—like taking a new medication. Use the following tips to help you create a routine that reminds you to take WELIREG at the right time every day.

Here are some ideas to help you create a routine that works for you:

Get smart with reminders.

Set a daily alarm on your cell phone or other smart device to help you remember to take your medication on time every day.

Bundle your habits.

Think about the morning habits you already have, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, and pair that with taking WELIREG. Over time, the two habits will become connected.

Use your support network.

If you have family or friends who have offered to help you, set up a phone chain where one person calls or texts you each day. Not only will you remember to take your medication, but you’ll also stay connected to the people you love.

Click the button below to download the “Build Your Support Community” guide to help determine your needs and identify people you can reach out to for support.

Build Your Support Community (PDF)

Have a question?

For assistance, please call 833-WELIREG (833-935-4734)

Managing treatment with WELIREG

While everyone’s experience taking WELIREG may differ, here are a few more tips that may be helpful to you. Your health care team can offer additional resources and support.

Speak up if you feel something

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Try to stay active

Speak with your health care team to make a plan to reach your goals and do the things you enjoy.

Ask for help

If you’re feeling tired, ask for help from your friends and family—and make sure to talk to your health care team.

Listen to your body

During treatment, changes in your body may lead to changes in how you eat, talk, and feel about yourself. Click the button below to download the “Food, Communication, and Confidence” guide for suggestions to help you feel your best.

Food, Communication, and Confidence (PDF)

Support in your neighborhood

Support Near Me Logo

Support Near Me

A third-party website where people can find local resources. These resources may help with daily challenges, such as housing, food, transportation, and more.

Visit Support Near Me

Access to Support Near Me is licensed by Merck solely as a convenience for patients and caregivers. Merck does not control the content of this site and has not taken steps to verify the accuracy of the listing provided. The organizations listed on the site do not imply an endorsement or referral by Merck, nor do they signify the organizations’ endorsement of Merck or its products.

More third-party resources for support during treatment

Judy Nicholson Kidney Cancer Foundation Logo

Judy Nicholson Kidney Cancer Foundation

Committed to empowering and enhancing the lives of kidney cancer patients and their caregivers through comprehensive support and education.

Visit Judy Nicholson Kidney Cancer Foundation
KidneyCAN Logo

KidneyCAN

An organization dedicated to helping people with kidney cancer and their caregivers by providing education, resources, and support.

Visit KidneyCAN
Kidney Cancer Association® Logo

Kidney Cancer Association

An organization that promotes scientific advances, participates in legislative advocacy, and seeks to be a source of education and resources for patients, caregivers, and anyone impacted by kidney cancer.

Visit Kidney Cancer Association
KCCure Logo

Kidney Cancer Research Alliance (KCCure)

A grassroots organization of patients, caregivers, doctors, and medical researchers dedicated to improving outcomes through outreach, education, and research.

Visit KCCure
National Kidney Foundation® Logo

National Kidney Foundation

An organization dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of people at risk or affected by kidney disease through prevention, education, and empowerment.

Visit National Kidney Foundation

The organizations listed above are not affiliated with Merck. Merck does not review or control their content. The list does not constitute endorsement by Merck.

Tracking and talking about side effects with your doctor

Even before your first treatment, write down how you feel physically and emotionally. This will help you recognize if you start to feel anything out of the ordinary. Keep these key things in mind:

  • Consider downloading an app to your phone by searching key phrases like “side effects tracker” to make tracking easy
  • Talk to your doctor about what you can expect from treatment
  • Write down how you are feeling early and often

Use these suggestions as a starting point for writing down how you are feeling:

  • The date you’re feeling a symptom
  • What your symptom is and/or how you feel overall
  • What your energy level and/or mood is like
  • How your doctor suggests you can manage the symptom

You should speak up immediately if you feel something new or different.

Calling or talking to a member of your cancer care team may keep your side effects from getting more serious. It may also enable your doctor to help you manage any side effects with medication.

You also might be interested in:

WELIREG is a prescription medicine used to treat a type of kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma with a clear cell component in adults that has spread (advanced ccRCC) following treatment with a programmed death-receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor and vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGF-TKI) cancer medicines.

It is not known if WELIREG is safe and effective in children with ccRCC.

WELIREG can cause serious side effects. WELIREG can cause harm to your unborn baby.

  • A pregnancy test will be done before you start treatment.
  • Birth control methods that contain hormones may not work as well during treatment.
  • Females and males with female partners who can become pregnant should use an effective form of non-hormonal birth control (contraception) during treatment and for 1 week after your last dose.

WELIREG can cause serious side effects, including:

Low red blood cell counts (anemia). Low red blood cell counts can be severe. You may need a blood transfusion if your red blood cell counts drop too low. Your health care provider will do blood tests to check your red blood cell counts before you start and during treatment with WELIREG. Tell your health care provider if you get any symptoms of low red blood cell counts, including tiredness, feeling cold, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fast heartbeat.

Low oxygen levels in your body. WELIREG can cause low oxygen levels in your body that can be severe and may require you to stop treatment with WELIREG, receive oxygen therapy, or be hospitalized. Your health care provider will monitor your oxygen levels before you start and during treatment with WELIREG. Tell your health care provider or get medical help right away if you get symptoms of low oxygen in your body, including shortness of breath or increased heart rate.

Harm to your unborn baby. Treatment with WELIREG during pregnancy can cause harm to your unborn baby.

Females who are able to become pregnant:

  • Your health care provider will do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with WELIREG.
  • You should use an effective form of non-hormonal birth control (contraception) during treatment with WELIREG and for 1 week after your last dose.
  • Birth control methods that contain hormones (such as birth control pills, injections, or transdermal system patches) may not work as well during treatment with WELIREG.
  • Talk to your health care provider about birth control methods that may be right for you during treatment with WELIREG.
  • Tell your health care provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with WELIREG.

Males with female partners who are able to become pregnant:

  • You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with WELIREG and for 1 week after your last dose.
  • Tell your health care provider right away if your partner becomes pregnant or thinks she is pregnant while you are taking WELIREG.

Before taking WELIREG, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have low red blood cell counts (anemia)
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if WELIREG passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with WELIREG and for 1 week after your last dose.

Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking WELIREG with certain other medicines can affect each other and cause serious side effects and may affect the way certain other medicines work.

The most common side effects of WELIREG in adults with VHL disease include:

  • low red blood cell counts
  • tiredness
  • increased blood creatinine (kidney function test)
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • increased blood sugar (glucose) levels
  • nausea

The most common side effects of WELIREG when taken alone in adults with advanced ccRCC include:

  • low red blood cell counts
  • tiredness
  • muscle and joint pain
  • increased blood creatinine (kidney function test)
  • decreased white blood cell counts
  • increased blood liver enzymes (liver function tests)
  • decreased blood salts (sodium) levels
  • increased blood potassium levels

Your health care provider may change your dose, temporarily stop, or permanently stop treatment with WELIREG if you get certain side effects.

WELIREG may cause fertility problems in males and females, which may affect your ability to have children. Talk to your health care provider if this is a concern for you.

These are not all of the possible side effects of WELIREG. Call your health care provider for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please read the accompanying Medication Guide for WELIREG, including an important warning about harm to an unborn baby, and discuss it with your doctor. The physician Prescribing Information also is available.

Indication

WELIREG is a prescription medicine used to treat a type of kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma with a clear cell component in adults that has spread (advanced ccRCC) following treatment with a programmed death-receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor and vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGF-TKI) cancer medicines.

It is not known if WELIREG is safe and effective in children with ccRCC.

Important Safety Information

WELIREG can cause serious side effects. WELIREG can cause harm to your unborn baby.

  • A pregnancy test will be done before you start treatment.
  • Birth control methods that contain hormones may not work as well during treatment.
  • Females and males with female partners who can become pregnant should use an effective form of non-hormonal birth control (contraception) during treatment and for 1 week after your last dose.

WELIREG can cause serious side effects, including:

Low red blood cell counts (anemia). Low red blood cell counts can be severe. You may need a blood transfusion if your red blood cell counts drop too low. Your health care provider will do blood tests to check your red blood cell counts before you start and during treatment with WELIREG. Tell your health care provider if you get any symptoms of low red blood cell counts, including tiredness, feeling cold, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fast heartbeat.

Low oxygen levels in your body. WELIREG can cause low oxygen levels in your body that can be severe and may require you to stop treatment with WELIREG, receive oxygen therapy, or be hospitalized. Your health care provider will monitor your oxygen levels before you start and during treatment with WELIREG. Tell your health care provider or get medical help right away if you get symptoms of low oxygen in your body, including shortness of breath or increased heart rate.

Harm to your unborn baby. Treatment with WELIREG during pregnancy can cause harm to your unborn baby.

Females who are able to become pregnant:

  • Your health care provider will do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with WELIREG.
  • You should use an effective form of non-hormonal birth control (contraception) during treatment with WELIREG and for 1 week after your last dose.
  • Birth control methods that contain hormones (such as birth control pills, injections, or transdermal system patches) may not work as well during treatment with WELIREG.
  • Talk to your health care provider about birth control methods that may be right for you during treatment with WELIREG.
  • Tell your health care provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with WELIREG.

Males with female partners who are able to become pregnant:

  • You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with WELIREG and for 1 week after your last dose.
  • Tell your health care provider right away if your partner becomes pregnant or thinks she is pregnant while you are taking WELIREG.

Before taking WELIREG, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have low red blood cell counts (anemia)
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if WELIREG passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with WELIREG and for 1 week after your last dose.

Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking WELIREG with certain other medicines can affect each other and cause serious side effects and may affect the way certain other medicines work.

The most common side effects of WELIREG in adults with VHL disease include:

  • low red blood cell counts
  • tiredness
  • increased blood creatinine (kidney function test)
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • increased blood sugar (glucose) levels
  • nausea

The most common side effects of WELIREG when taken alone in adults with advanced ccRCC include:

  • low red blood cell counts
  • tiredness
  • muscle and joint pain
  • increased blood creatinine (kidney function test)
  • decreased white blood cell counts
  • increased blood liver enzymes (liver function tests)
  • decreased blood salts (sodium) levels
  • increased blood potassium levels

Your health care provider may change your dose, temporarily stop, or permanently stop treatment with WELIREG if you get certain side effects.

WELIREG may cause fertility problems in males and females, which may affect your ability to have children. Talk to your health care provider if this is a concern for you.

These are not all of the possible side effects of WELIREG. Call your health care provider for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please read the accompanying Medication Guide for WELIREG, including an important warning about harm to an unborn baby, and discuss it with your doctor. The physician Prescribing Information also is available.