Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC)

Get Email Alerts | Guide

Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC) Database

ANDA	Abbreviated New Drug Application
BLA	Biologics License Application
CDER	Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
MG	Medication Guide
NDA	New Drug Application
PCI	Patient Counseling Information
PI	Patient Information
PLR	Physician Labeling Rule
PLLR	Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule
Italics	For the most part, italics indicate an FDA comment such as: Additions and/or revisions underlined These italics usually appear at the beginning of the section. In some cases, italics may be an inherent part of the label, and will most often appear in the body of the section.
Underlines	Any text that is underlined indicates text that has been added or revised. There are exceptions where underlining occurs in a section subtitle or heading. This is the case when there is just one word underlined in the body of the text.

Sections

BW	Box Warning
WP	Warnings and Precautions all in one section (PLR-format) Warnings as one section (pre-PLR format) Precautions as one section (pre-PLR format)
AR	Adverse Reactions (in pre-PLR format, this may be a subheading under precautions).
DI	Drug Interactions (in pre-PLR format, this may be a subheading under precautions).
USP	Use in Specific Populations (Inclusive on one or more of the following: Pregnancy; Lactation (PLLR- format); Nursing Mothers (pre-PLLR format); Females and Males of Reproductive Potential (PLLR format only); Pediatric Use, Geriatric Use, Renal Impairment, Hepatic Impairment, Sex, Race (these last six may be a subheading of precautions if label in pre-PLLR format.
PCI/PI/MG	Patient Counseling Information (PLR format only) - summarizes the information that a health care provider should convey to a patient (or caregiver when applicable) when a counseling discussion is taking place (e.g., a physician prescribing a drug during an office visit, a nurse providing discharge instructions at a hospital, or a pharmacist conveying information at a pharmacy). Patient Information - FDA approved patient labeling. Medication Guide - paper handouts that come with many prescription medicines. The guides address issues that are specific to particular drugs and drug classes, and they contain FDA-approved information that can help patients avoid serious adverse events.

Only NDAs and CDER regulated BLAs are included in this database. ANDAs are not included.

Applications that remain active, even if the product has been discontinued, undergo safety-related labeling changes.

NUTROPIN AQ (BLA-020522)

(SOMATROPIN RECOMBINANT)

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

Download Data

Expand all

07/09/2025 (SUPPL-68)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.10 Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) in Pediatric Patients

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

SCFE may occur more frequently in patients with endocrine disorders (including GHD and TS) or in patients undergoing rapid growth. SCFE may lead to osteonecrosis. Cases of SCFE with or without osteonecrosis have been reported in pediatric patients with short stature receiving somatropin, including NUTROPIN AQ. Any pediatric patient with the onset of a limp or complaints of hip or knee pain during NUTROPIN AQ therapy should be evaluated for SCFE and osteonecrosis and managed accordingly.

6 Adverse Reactions

6.3 Postmarketing Experience

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of somatropin or NUTROPIN AQ.

. . .

The following adverse reactions have been observed during the use of somatropin, including NUTROPIN AQ: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis [children, see Warnings and Precautions (5.10)] and osteonecrosis (children).

12/13/2016 (SUPPL-61)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

4 Contraindications

(revision underlined)

Hypersensitivity

Nutropin AQ is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to somatropin or any of its excipients. Systemic hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with postmarketing use of somatropin products.

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.13 Osteodystrophy in Pediatric Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

(addition underlined)

Children with growth failure secondary to CKD should be examined periodically for evidence of progression of renal osteodystrophy. SCFE or avascular necrosis of the femoral head may be seen in children with advanced renal osteodystrophy, and it is uncertain whether these problems are affected by somatropin therapy. X-rays of the hip should be obtained prior to initiating somatropin therapy in CKD patients and physicians and parents should be alert to the development of a limp or complaints of hip or knee pain in these patients treated with Nutropin AQ. No studies have been completed evaluating Nutropin AQ therapy in patients who have received renal transplants. Currently, treatment of patients with functioning renal allografts is not indicated.

5.1 Acute Critical Illness

(additions underlined)

Increased mortality in patients with acute critical illnesses due to complications following open heart surgery, abdominal surgery or multiple accidental trauma, or those with acute respiratory failure has been reported after treatment with pharmacologic amounts of somatropin . Two placebo-controlled clinical trials in non-GHD adult patients (n = 522) with these conditions in intensive care units revealed a significant increase in mortality (42% vs.19%) among somatropin-treated patients (doses 5.3-8 mg/day) compared to those receiving placebo. The safety of continuing somatropin treatment in patients receiving replacement doses for approved indications who concurrently develop these illnesses has not been established. Therefore, the potential benefit of treatment continuation with somatropin in patients having acute critical illnesses should be weighed against the potential risk.

5.6 Severe Hypersensitivity

(New subsection added)

Serious systemic hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic reaction and angioedema have been reported with postmarketing use of somatropin products. Patients and caregivers should be informed that such reactions are possible and that prompt medical attention should be sought if an allergic reaction occurs.

5.7 Fluid Retention

(additions underlined)

Fluid retention during somatropin replacement therapy in adults may occur. Clinical manifestations of fluid retention (e.g., edema, arthralgia, myalgia, nerve compression syndromes including carpal tunnel syndrome/paraesthesias) are usually transient and dose dependent.

5.8 Hypoadrenalism

(New subsection added)

Patients receiving somatropin therapy who have or are at risk for pituitary hormone deficiency(s) may be at risk for reduced serum cortisol levels and/or unmasking of central (secondary) hypoadrenalism. In addition, patients treated with glucocorticoid replacement for previousl diagnosed hypoadrenalism may require an increase in their maintenance or stress doses following initiation of somatropin treatment.

6 Adverse Reactions

(additions underlined)

The following important adverse reactions are also described elsewhere in the labeling:

· Increased mortality in patients with acute critical illness

· Fatalities in children with Prader-Willi syndrome

· Neoplasms in pediatric patients

· Glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus

· Intracranial hypertension

· Fluid retention

· Hypoadrenalism

· Hypothyroidism

· Slipped capital femoral epiphysis in pediatric patients

· Progression of preexisting scoliosis in pediatric patients

· Otitis media and cardiovascular disorders in patients with Turner syndrome

· Osteodystrophy in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease

· Lipoatrophy

· Pancreatitis

6.3 Post-Marketing Experience

(additions underlined)

Because these adverse events are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The adverse events reported during post-marketing surveillance do not differ from those listed/discussed above in children and adults.

Serious systemic hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic reactions and angioedema have been reported with postmarketing use of somatropin products.

Leukemia has been reported in a small number of GHD children treated with somatropin, somatrem (methionylated rhGH) and GH of pituitary origin. It is uncertain whether these cases of leukemia are related to GH therapy, the pathology of GHD itself, or other associated treatments such as radiation therapy. On the basis of current evidence, experts have not been able to conclude that GH therapy per se was responsible for these cases of leukemia. The risk for children with GHD, CKD, or TS, if any, remains to be established.

The following additional adverse reactions have been reported in GH-treated patients: gynecomastia (children), and pancreatitis.