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

BIJUVA (NDA-210132)

(ESTRADIOL; PROGESTERONE)

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

Download Data

Expand all

02/15/2024 (SUPPL-11)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.2 Malignant Neoplasms

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Breast Cancer

One large meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies reported increased risks that were dependent upon duration of use and could last up to >10 years after discontinuation of estrogen plus progestin therapy and estrogen- alone therapy. Extension of the WHI trials also demonstrated increased breast cancer risk associated with estrogen plus progestin therapy.

12/28/2021 (SUPPL-6)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.19 Laboratory Tests

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol levels have not been shown to be useful in the management of postmenopausal women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms.

5.2 Malignant Neoplasms

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Breast Cancer

After a mean follow-up of 5.6 years, the WHI substudy of daily CE (0.625 mg) plus MPA

(2.5 mg) reported an increased risk of invasive breast cancer in women who took daily CE plus MPA compared to placebo. In this substudy, prior use of estrogen-alone or estrogen plus

progestin therapy was reported by 26% of the women. The relative risk of invasive breast cancer was 1.24, and the absolute risk was 41 versus 33 cases per 10,000 women-years, for CE plus MPA compared with placebo. Among women who reported prior use of hormone therapy, the relative risk of invasive breast cancer was 1.86, and the absolute risk was 46 versus 25 cases per 10,000 women-years, for CE plus MPA compared with placebo. Among women who reported no prior use of hormone therapy, the relative risk of invasive breast cancer was 1.09, and the absolute risk was 40 versus 36 cases per 10,000 women-years for CE plus MPA compared with placebo. In the same substudy, invasive breast cancers were larger, were more likely to be node positive, and were diagnosed at a more advanced stage in the CE (0.625 mg) plus MPA (2.5 mg) group compared with the placebo group. Metastatic disease was rare, with no apparent difference between the two groups. Other prognostic factors, such as histologic subtype, grade and hormone receptor status did not differ between the groups5 [see Clinical Studies (14.4)].

The WHI substudy of daily CE (0.625 mg)-alone provided information about breast cancer in estrogen-alone users. In the WHI estrogen-alone substudy, after an average follow-up of

7.1 years, daily CE-alone was not associated with an increased risk of invasive breast cancer [relative risk (RR) 0.80] compared to placebo6 [see Clinical Studies (14.4)].

Consistent with the WHI clinical trials, observational studies have also reported an increased risk of breast cancer with estrogen plus progestin therapy, and a smaller increase in the risk for breast cancer with estrogen-alone therapy, after several years of use. The risk increased with duration of use and appeared to return to baseline over about 5 years after stopping treatment (only the observational studies have substantial data on risk after stopping). Observational studies also suggest that the risk of breast cancer was greater, and became apparent earlier, with estrogen plus progestin therapy as compared to estrogen-alone therapy. These studies have not generally found significant variation in the risk of breast cancer among different estrogen plus progestin combinations, doses, or routes of administration.

The use of estrogen-alone and estrogen plus progestin therapy has been reported to result in an increase in abnormal mammograms requiring further evaluation.

In a one-year trial, among 1,684 women who received a combination of estradiol plus progesterone (1 mg estradiol plus 100 mg progesterone or 0.5 mg estradiol plus 100 mg progesterone or 0.5 mg estradiol plus 50 mg progesterone or 0.25 mg estradiol plus 50 mg progesterone) or placebo (n=151), six new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed, two of which occurred among the group of 424 women treated with BIJUVA (estradiol and progesterone) capsules, 0.5 mg/100 mg, and two of which occurred among the group of 415 women treated with BIJUVA (estradiol and progesterone) capsules, 1 mg/100 mg. No new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the group of 151 women treated with placebo.

06/22/2021 (SUPPL-1)

Approved Drug Label (PDF)

Boxed Warning

Additions and/or revisions underlined:

Breast Cancer

The WHI estrogen plus progestin substudy demonstrated an increased risk of invasive breast cancer [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2), and Clinical Studies (14.4)].

Only daily oral 0.625 mg CE and 2.5 mg MPA were studied in the estrogen plus progestin substudy of the WHI. Therefore, the relevance of the WHI findings regarding adverse cardiovascular events, dementia and breast cancer to lower CE plus other MPA doses, other routes of administration, or other estrogen plus progestogen products is not known. Without such data, it is not possible to definitively exclude these risks or determine the extent of these risks for other products. Discuss with your patient the benefits and risks of estrogen plus progestogen therapy, taking into account her individual risk profile.

Prescribe estrogens with or without progestogens at the lowest effective doses and for the shortest duration consistent with treatment goals and risks for the individual woman.

Cardiovascular Disorders and Probable Dementia

The WHI estrogen-alone substudy reported increased risks of stroke and DVT in postmenopausal women (50 to 79 years of age) during 7.1 years of treatment with daily oral CE (0.625 mg)-alone, relative to placebo [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1), and Clinical Studies (14.4)].

The WHIMS estrogen-alone ancillary study of WHI reported an increased risk of developing probable dementia in postmenopausal women 65 years of age and older during

5.2 years of treatment with daily CE (0.625 mg)-alone, relative to placebo. It is unknown whether this finding applies to younger postmenopausal women [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3), Use in Specific Populations (8.5), and Clinical Studies (14.5)].

Do not use estrogen-alone therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia

[see Warnings and Precautions (5.1, 5.3), and Clinical Studies (14.4, 14.5)].

Only daily oral 0.625 mg CE was studied in the estrogen-alone substudy of the WHI. Therefore, the relevance of the WHI findings regarding adverse cardiovascular events and dementia to lower CE doses, other routes of administration, or other estrogen-alone products is not known. Without such data, it is not possible to definitively exclude these risks or determine the extent of these risks for other products. Discuss with your patient the benefits and risks of estrogen-alone therapy, taking into account her individual risk profile.

Prescribe estrogens with or without progestogens at the lowest effective doses and for the shortest duration consistent with treatment goals and risks for the individual woman.

5 Warnings and Precautions

5.15 Hereditary Angioedema

Additions underlined

Exogenous estrogens may exacerbate symptoms of angioedema in women with hereditary angioedema. Consider whether the benefits of estrogen therapy, including BIJUVA, outweigh the risks in such women.

6 Adverse Reactions

6.2 Postmarketing Experience

New subsection added

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of BIJUVA. Because these reactions 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.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Abdominal pain and discomfort, abdominal distention, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.

General disorders and administration site conditions

Fatigue, feeling abnormal, malaise.

Investigations

Weight increased.

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Fluid retention.

Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders

Muscle spasms, pain in extremity. Nervous system disorders Dizziness, headache, somnolence. Psychiatric disorders

Insomnia, sleep disorder.

Reproductive system and breast disorders

Breast pain, breast tenderness, uterine bleeding. Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders Night sweats, pruritus.

Vascular disorders

Hot flush.

8 Use in Specific Populations

8.1 Pregnancy

Additions underlined

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

8.2 Lactation

Additions underlined

Risk Summary

Estrogens plus progestogens are present in human milk and can reduce milk production in breast-feeding females. This reduction can occur at any time but is less likely to occur once breast-feeding is well-established. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for BIJUVA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from BIJUVA or from the underlying maternal condition.

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

PATIENT INFORMATION

Additions underlined

What is the most important information I should know about BIJUVA (a combination of estrogen and progestogen)?

  • Do not use estrogen-alone to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, or dementia (decline of brain function).

  • Only one estrogen with progestogen product and dose have been shown to increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, blood clots, and dementia. Only one estrogen-alone product and dose have been shown to increase your chances of getting strokes, blood clots, and dementia. Because other products and doses have not been studied in the same way, it is not known how the use of BIJUVA will affect your chances of these conditions. You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with BIJUVA.