U.S. flag An official website of the United States government
  1. Home
  2. Drug Databases
  3. Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes

Drug Safety-related Labeling Changes (SrLC)

Get Email Alerts | Guide

FOSAMAX PLUS D (NDA-021762)

(ALENDRONATE SODIUM; CHOLECALCIFEROL)

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

Download Data

Expand all

08/16/2019 (SUPPL-22)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

8 Use in Specific Populations

Lactation

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Risk Summary

Cholecalciferol and some of its active metabolites pass into breast milk. It is not known whether alendronate is present in human breast milk, affects human milk production, or has effects on the breastfed infant. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for FOSAMAX PLUS D and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from FOSAMAX PLUS D or from the underlying maternal condition.

Pregnancy

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Risk Summary

Available data on the use of FOSAMAX plus vitamin D use in pregnant women are insufficient to inform a drug-associated risk of adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Discontinue FOSAMAX PLUS D when pregnancy is recognized.

Alendronate Sodium

In animal reproduction studies, daily oral administration of alendronate to rats from before mating through the end of gestation or lactation showed decreased postimplantation survival and decreased pup body weight gain starting at doses equivalent to less than half of the highest recommended 40 mg clinical daily dose (based on body surface area, mg/m2). Oral administration of alendronate to rats during organogenesis resulted in reduced fetal ossification starting at doses 3 times the 40 mg clinical daily dose. No similar fetal effects were observed in pregnant rabbits dosed orally during organogenesis at doses equivalent to approximately 10 times the 40 mg clinical daily dose.

Delayed or failed delivery of offspring, protracted parturition, and late pregnancy maternal and fetal deaths due to maternal hypocalcemia occurred in rats at oral doses as low as one tenth the 40 mg clinical daily dose.

Bisphosphonates are incorporated into the bone matrix, from which they are gradually released over a period of years. The amount of bisphosphonate incorporated into adult bone and available for release into the systemic circulation is directly related to the dose and duration of bisphosphonate use. Consequently, based on the mechanism of action of bisphosphonates, there is a potential risk of fetal harm, predominantly skeletal, if a woman becomes pregnant after completing a course of bisphosphonate therapy. The impact of variables such as time between cessation of bisphosphonate therapy to conception, the particular bisphosphonate used, and the route of administration (intravenous versus oral) on the risk has not been studied.

Cholecalciferol

No data are available for cholecalciferol (vitamin D3 ) in animals. However, administration of high doses of vitamin D2 to pregnant rabbits resulted in abortions and an increased incidence of fetal aortic stenosis. Administration of high doses of vitamin D2 to pregnant rats resulted in neonatal death, decreased fetal weight, and impaired osteogenesis of long bones postnatally.

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population(s) is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defects, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the

U.S. general population, the estimated background risks of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Data

Animal Data

Alendronate Sodium

Reproduction studies in rats dosed orally from before mating to the end of gestation or lactation showed decreased postimplantation survival starting at 2 mg/kg/day and decreased body weight gain starting at 1 mg/kg/day, doses equivalent to less than half the 40 mg clinical daily dose based on body surface area, mg/m2. Incidence of incomplete fetal ossification in vertebral, skull, and sternebral bones were increased in rats dosed orally during organogenesis starting at 10 mg/kg/day (approximately 3 times the 40 mg clinical daily dose). No similar fetal effects were observed in pregnant rabbits dosed orally during organogenesis at up to 35 mg/kg/day (equivalent to approximately 10 times the 40 mg clinical daily dose).

Both total and ionized calcium decreased in pregnant rats dosed orally with 15 mg/kg/day alendronate (approximately 4 times the 40 mg clinical daily dose) resulting in delays and failures of delivery. Protracted parturition due to maternal hypocalcemia was observed when rats were treated from before mating through gestation starting at 0.5 mg/kg/day (approximately one tenth the 40 mg clinical daily dose). Maternotoxicity (late pregnancy deaths) also occurred in female rats treated orally with 15 mg/kg/day (approximately 4 times the 40 mg clinical daily dose) for varying gestational time periods. These maternal deaths were lessened but not eliminated by cessation of treatment. Calcium supplementation in the drinking water or by subcutaneous minipump to rats dosed orally with 15 mg/kg/day alendronate could not ameliorate the hypocalcemia or prevent the dystocia-related maternal and neonatal deaths. However, intravenous calcium supplementation prevented maternal, but not neonatal deaths.

Cholecalciferol

Administration of high doses (greater than or equal to 10,000 international units/every other day during pregnancy) of ergocalciferol (vitamin D2 ) to pregnant rabbits resulted in abortions and an increased incidence of fetal aortic stenosis. Administration of vitamin D2 (40,000 international units/day) to pregnant rats from gestation day 10 to 21 (organogenesis) resulted in neonatal death, decreased fetal weight, and impaired osteogenesis of long bones postnatally.

17 PCI/PI/MG (Patient Counseling Information/Patient Information/Medication Guide)

MEDICATION GUIDE

Newly added section; please refer to label for complete information.

PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Medication Guide).