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Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC)

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NUTROPIN (BLA-020168)

(SOMATROPIN RECOMBINANT)

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

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12/13/2016 (SUPPL-24)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

4 Contraindications

(revision underlined)

Hypersensitivity

Nutropin 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. No studies have been completed evaluating Nutropin therapy in patients who have received renal transplants. Currently, treatment of 241 patients with functioning renal allografts is not indicated.

5.3 Neoplasms

(additions underlined)

In childhood cancer survivors who were treated with radiation to the brain/head for their first neoplasm and who developed subsequent GHD and were treated with somatropin, an increased risk of a second neoplasm has been reported.  Intracranial tumors, in particular meningiomas, were the most common of these second neoplasms. In adults, it is unknown whether there is any relationship between somatropin replacement therapy and CNS tumor recurrenc. Monitor all patients with a history of GHD secondary to an intracranial neoplasm routinely while on somatropin therapy for progression or recurrence of the tumor.

 

  Because children with certain rare genetic causes of short stature have an increased risk of developing malignancies, practitioners should thoroughly consider the risks and benefits of starting somatropin in these patients. If treatment with somatropin is initiated, these patients should be carefully monitored for development of neoplasms. Monitor patients on somatropin therapy carefully for increased growth, or potential malignant changes, of preexisting nevi.

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
5.8 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 previously 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

·       Severe hypersensitivity

·       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

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

(addition underlined)

In a post-marketing surveillance study, the National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS), the pattern of adverse events in over 8,000 patients with ISS was consistent with the known safetyprofile of growth hormone (GH), and no new safety signals attributable to GH were identified.

…The between-treatment group difference on the change from baseline to Month 12 in median fasting insulin level was significant, p less than 0.0001. 

6.3 Post-Marketing Experience

(addition 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 Sections 6.1 and 6.2 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.