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Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC)

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CYTOVENE (NDA-019661)

(GANCICLOVIR SODIUM)

Safety-related Labeling Changes Approved by FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)

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08/06/2018 (SUPPL-37)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

Boxed Warning

Boxed Warning

(Additions and/or revisions are underlined)

 WARNING: HEMATOLOGIC TOXICITY, IMPAIRMENT OF FERTILITY, FETAL TOXICITY, MUTAGENESIS AND CARCINOGENESIS

  • Hematologic Toxicity: Granulocytopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and pancytopenia have been reported in patients treated with CYTOVENE-IV.

  • Impairment of Fertility: Based on animal data and limited human data, CYTOVENE-IV may cause temporary or permanent inhibition of spermatogenesis in males and suppression of fertility in females.

  • Fetal Toxicity: Based on animal data, CYTOVENE-IV has the potential to cause birth defects in humans.

  • Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis: Based on animal data, CYTOVENE-IV has the potential to cause cancers in humans.

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.3 Impairment of Fertility

(Additions and/or revisions are underlined)

 Based on animal data and limited human data, CYTOVENE-IV at the recommended human dose (RHD) may cause temporary or permanent inhibition of spermatogenesis in males, and may cause suppression of fertility in females. Advise patients that fertility may be impaired with the use of CYTOVENE-IV.

8 Use in Specific Populations

8.3 Females and Males of Reproductive Potential

Additions and/or revisions are underlined)

Infertility

CYTOVENE-IV at the recommended doses may cause temporary or permanent female and male infertility.

Data

Human Data

In a small, open-label, non-randomized clinical study, adult male renal transplant patients receiving valganciclovir (the prodrug of ganciclovir) for CMV prophylaxis for up to 200 days post-transplantation were compared to an untreated control group. Patients were followed-up for six months after valganciclovir discontinuation. Among 24 evaluable patients in the valganciclovir group, the mean sperm density at the end of treatment visit decreased by 11 million/mL from baseline; whereas, among 14 evaluable patients in the control group the mean sperm density increased by 33 million/mL. However, at the follow-up visit among 20 evaluable patients in the valganciclovir group, the mean sperm density was comparable to that observed among 10 evaluable patients in the untreated control group (the mean sperm density at the end of follow-up visit increased by 41 million/mL from baseline in the valganciclovir group and by 43 million/mL in the untreated group).

07/03/2017 (SUPPL-36)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

8 Use in Specific Populations

8.1 Pregnancy

(PLLR conversion)

Risk Summary

In animal studies, ganciclovir caused maternal and fetal toxicity and embryo-fetal mortality in pregnant mice and rabbits as well as teratogenicity in rabbits at exposures two times the exposure at the recommended human dose (RHD) [see Data]. Although placental transfer of ganciclovir has been shown to occur based on ex vivo experiments with human placenta and in at least one case report in a pregnant woman, no adequate human data are available to establish whether CYTOVENE-IV poses a risk to pregnancy outcomes. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated populations is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in the clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations

Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo-fetal risk

Most maternal CMV infections are asymptomatic or they may be associated with a self-limited mononucleosis-like syndrome. However, in immunocompromised patients (i.e., transplant patients or patients with AIDS), CMV infections may be symptomatic and may result in significant maternal morbidity and mortality. The transmission of CMV to the fetus is a result of maternal viremia and transplacental infection. Perinatal infection can also occur from exposure of the neonate to CMV shedding in the genital tract. Approximately 10% of children with congenital CMV infection are symptomatic at birth. Mortality in symptomatic infants is about 10% and approximately 50-90% of symptomatic surviving newborns experience significant morbidity, including mental retardation, sensorineural hearing loss, microcephaly, seizures, and other medical problems. The risk of congenital CMV infection resulting from primary maternal CMV infection may be higher and of greater severity than that resulting from maternal reactivation of CMV infection.

Data

Animal Data

Daily intravenous doses of ganciclovir were administered to pregnant mice (108 mg/kg/day) and rabbits (60 mg/kg/day), and also to female mice (90 mg/kg) prior to mating, during gestation, and during lactation. Fetal resorptions were present in at least 85% of rabbits and mice. Additional effects observed in rabbits included fetal growth retardation, embryolethality, teratogenicity, and/or maternal toxicity. Teratogenic changes included cleft palate, anophthalmia/microphthalmia, aplastic organs (kidney and pancreas), hydrocephaly, and brachygnathia. In pre/postnatal development studies in mice, there were maternal/fetal toxicity and embryolethality which included fetal effects of hypoplasia of the testes and seminal vesicles in the male offspring, as well as pathologic changes in the nonglandular region of the stomach. The systemic exposure (AUC) of ganciclovir during these studies was approximately 2 times (pregnant mice and rabbits) and 1.7 times (pre/postnatal mice) the exposure in humans at the RHD.

8.2 Lactation

(PLLR conversion)

Risk Summary

No data are available regarding the presence of ganciclovir in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. When ganciclovir was administered to lactating rats, ganciclovir was present in milk [see Data]. Advise nursing mothers that breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with CYTOVENE-IV because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that HIV-infected mothers not breastfeed their infants to avoid potential postnatal transmission of HIV.

Data

Animal Data

Ganciclovir administered intravenously (at 0.13 mg/h) to lactating rats (on lactation day 15) resulted in passive transfer into milk. The milk-to-serum ratio for ganciclovir at steady state was 1.6 ± 0.33.

8.3 Females and Males of Reproductive Potential

(PLLR conversion)

Pregnancy Testing

Females of reproductive potential should undergo pregnancy testing before initiation of treatment with CYTOVENE-IV.

Contraception

Females

Because of the mutagenic and teratogenic potential of CYTOVENE-IV, females of reproductive potential should be advised to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 30 days following treatment with CYTOVENE-IV.

Males

Because of its mutagenic potential, males should be advised to practice barrier contraception during and for at least 90 days following treatment with CYTOVENE-IV [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4), Nonclinical Toxicology (13.1)].

Infertility

CYTOVENE-IV at the recommended doses may cause temporary or permanent female and male infertility.

8.7 Hepatic Impairment

(subsection added)

The safety and efficacy of CYTOVENE-IV have not been studied in patients with hepatic impairment.

Other

(revisions to labeling to comply with the Physician’s Labeling Rule (PLR)).