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Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC)

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DOXERCALCIFEROL (NDA-208614)

(DOXERCALCIFEROL)

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

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08/28/2019 (SUPPL-2)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

4 Contraindications

(additions/revisions are underlined)

Doxercalciferol Injection is contraindicated in patients with:

  • Hypercalcemia

  • Vitamin D toxicity

  • Known hypersensitivity to doxercalciferol or any of the inactive ingredients of Doxercalciferol Injection; serious hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.1 Hypercalcemia

(additions/revisions are underlined)

…

When initiating Doxercalciferol Injection or adjusting Doxercalciferol Injection dose, measure serum calcium weekly. Once a maintenance dose has been established, measure serum calcium monthly for 3 months and then every 3 months. If hypercalcemia occurs, reduce the dose or discontinue Doxercalciferol Injection until serum calcium is normal.

Inform patients about the symptoms of elevated calcium (feeling tired, difficulty thinking clearly, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, increased thirst, increased urination and weight loss) and instruct them to report new or worsening symptoms when they occur.

5.3 Serious Hypersensitivity Reactions

(additions/revisions are underlined)

Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including fatal outcome, have been reported post marketing in patients on hemodialysis following administration of Doxercalciferol Injection. Hypersensitivity reactions include anaphylaxis with symptoms of angioedema (involving face, lips, tongue and airways), hypotension, unresponsiveness, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and cardiopulmonary arrest. These reactions may occur separately or together.

Monitor patients receiving Doxercalciferol Injection upon initiation of treatment for hypersensitivity reactions. Should a hypersensitivity reaction occur, discontinue Doxercalciferol Injection, monitor and treat if indicated.

6 Adverse Reactions

(additions/revisions are underlined)

The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in another section of the label:

  • Hypercalcemia

  • Serious Hypersensitivity Reactions

  • Adynamic Bone Disease

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

(additions/revisions are underlined)

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

The safety of Doxercalciferol Injection has been established from adequate and well-controlled studies of doxercalciferol capsules and from studies of another doxercalciferol injection product (doxercalciferol injection). Below is a display of the adverse reactions of doxercalciferol capsules and doxercalciferol injection from these studies.

Doxercalciferol capsules for oral use were evaluated in two placebo-controlled, double-blind studies in patients with CKD on hemodialysis. Patients were treated with doxercalciferol capsules (n=61) or placebo (n=61). After randomization to two groups, eligible patients underwent an 8-week washout period during which no vitamin D derivatives were administered to either group. Subsequently, all patients received doxercalciferol capsules in an open-label fashion for 16 weeks followed by a double-blind period of 8 weeks during which patients received either doxercalciferol capsules or placebo. Adverse reactions occurring in the doxercalciferol capsules groups at a frequency of 2% or greater, and more frequently than in the placebo group are presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Adverse Reactions Occurring in greater than or equal to 2% of Doxercalciferol Capsules-Treated Patients with CKD on Dialysis and Greater than Placebo in Two Double-Blind Clinical Studies

…

Doxercalciferol injection was studied in 70 patients with CKD on hemodialysis in two 12-week, open-label, single-arm, multi-center studies. The incidence of hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia increased during therapy with doxercalciferol injection. Patients with higher pre-treatment serum levels of calcium (>10.5 mg/dL) or phosphorus (>6.9 mg/dL) were more likely to experience hypercalcemia or hyperphosphatemia.

There was no placebo group included in the studies of doxercalciferol injection. Adverse reactions in patients with CKD on hemodialysis receiving Doxercalciferol Injection are expected to be similar to those reported in placebo-controlled studies of doxercalciferol capsules presented in Table 1.

6.2 Postmarketing Experience

(additions/revisions are underlined)

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of Doxercalciferol Injection. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate their frequency or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

Hypersensitivity reactions, including fatal outcome, have been reported in patients on hemodialysis following administration of Doxercalciferol Injection. Hypersensitivity reactions include anaphylaxis with symptoms of angioedema (involving face, lips, tongue and airways), hypotension, unresponsiveness, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, cardiopulmonary arrest, pruritus, and skin burning sensation.

7 Drug Interactions

(additions/revisions are underlined)

Table 2 includes clinically significant drug interactions with doxercalciferol.

Table 2: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with Doxercalciferol

8 Use in Specific Populations

8.1 Pregnancy

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Risk Summary

The limited available data with Doxercalciferol Injection in pregnant women are insufficient to identify a drug-associated risk for major birth defects, miscarriage or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with chronic kidney disease in pregnancy. In reproduction studies in rats and rabbits administered doxercalciferol during organogenesis at up to 20 mcg/kg/day and 0.1 mcg/kg/day, respectively (approximately 25 times (rats) and less than (rabbits) the maximum recommended human oral dose of 60 mcg/week based on mcg/m2 body surface area), no adverse developmental effects were observed.

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2%-4% and 15%-20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations

Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk

Chronic kidney disease in pregnancy increases the risk for maternal hypertension and preeclampsia, miscarriage, preterm delivery polyhydramnios, still birth, and low-birth-weight infants.

Data

Animal Data

There were no adverse effects on fetal development when doxercalciferol was administered at doses up to 20 mcg/kg/day in pregnant rats or doses up to 0.1 mcg/kg/day in pregnant rabbits during the period of organogenesis.