CYCLOSPORINE

CYCLOSPORINE — cyclosporine capsule, liquid filled
Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.

WARNING

Only physicians experienced in management of systemic immunosuppressive therapy for the indicated disease should prescribe cyclosporine capsules, (modified). At doses used in solid organ transplantation, only physicians experienced in immunosuppressive therapy and management of organ transplant recipients should prescribe cyclosporine capsules, (modified). Patients receiving the drug should be managed in facilities equipped and staffed with adequate laboratory and supportive medical resources. The physician responsible for maintenance therapy should have complete information requisite for the follow-up of the patient.

Cyclosporine capsules, (modified), a systemic immunosuppressant, may increase the susceptibility to infection and the development of neoplasia. In kidney, liver, and heart transplant patients cyclosporine capsules, (modified) may be administered with other immunosuppressive agents. Increased susceptibility to infection and the possible development of lymphoma and other neoplasms may result from the increase in the degree of immunosuppression in transplant patients.

Cyclosporine capsules, (modified) have increased bioavailability in comparison to Sandimmune® Soft Gelatin Capsules (cyclosporine capsules, USP) [NON-MODIFIED]. Cyclosporine capsules, (modified) and Sandimmune® are not bioequivalent and cannot be used interchangeably without physician supervision. For a given trough concentration, cyclosporine exposure will be greater with cyclosporine capsules, (modified) than with Sandimmune®. If a patient who is receiving exceptionally high doses of Sandimmune® is converted to cyclosporine capsules, (modified), particular caution should be exercised. Cyclosporine blood concentrations should be monitored in transplant and rheumatoid arthritis patients taking cyclosporine capsules, (modified) to avoid toxicity due to high concentrations. Dose adjustments should be made in transplant patients to minimize possible organ rejection due to low concentrations. Comparison of blood concentrations in the published literature with blood concentrations obtained using current assays must be done with detailed knowledge of the assay methods employed (see Dosage and Administration).

For Psoriasis Patients (see also BOXED WARNING above)

Psoriasis patients previously treated with PUVA and to a lesser extent, methotrexate or other immunosuppressive agents, UVB, coal tar, or radiation therapy, are at an increased risk of developing skin malignancies when taking cyclosporine capsules, (modified).

Cyclosporine, the active ingredient in cyclosporine capsules, (modified), in recommended dosages, can cause systemic hypertension and nephrotoxicity. The risk increases with increasing dose and duration of cyclosporine therapy. Renal dysfunction, including structural kidney damage, is a potential consequence of cyclosporine, and therefore, renal function must be monitored during therapy.

DESCRIPTION

Cyclosporine capsules, USP (modified) is an oral formulation of cyclosporine that immediately forms a microemulsion in an aqueous environment.

Cyclosporine, USP the active principle in cyclosporine capsules, USP (modified), is a cyclic polypeptide immunosuppressant agent consisting of 11 amino acids. It is produced as a metabolite by the fungus species Beauveria nivea.

Chemically, cyclosporine, USP is designated as [R -[R* ,R* -(E)]]-cyclic-(L-alanyl-D-alanyl-N -methyl-L-leucyl-N -methyl-L-leucyl-N -methyl-L-valyl-3-hydroxy-N ,4-dimethyl-L-2-amino-6-octenoyl-L-α -amino-butyryl-N -methylglycyl-N -methyl-L-leucyl-L-valyl-N -methyl-L-leucyl).

Cyclosporine capsules, USP (modified) (Soft Gelatin Capsules) are available in 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg strengths.

Each 25 mg capsule contains:

Cyclosporine, USP………………………………………………………………………………25 mg

Dehydrated alcohol…………………………………………. (9.5% w/v or 12.0% v/v)

Each 50 mg capsule contains:

Cyclosporine, USP………………………………………………………………………………50 mg

Dehydrated alcohol…………………………………………… (9.5% w/v or 12.0% v/v)

Each 100 mg capsule contains:

Cyclosporine, USP……………………………………………………………………………100 mg

Dehydrated alcohol………………………………………….. (9.5% w/v or 12.0% v/v)

Inactive Ingredients: gelatin, glycerin, propylene glycol, titanium dioxide, ferric oxide black [25 mg and 100 mg], glyceryl monolinoleate, polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil, all-rac-alpha tocopherol [vitamin E synthetic], Ink contains- ammonium hydroxide 28%, iron oxide red, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl acetate phthalate, propylene glycol.

The chemical structure of cyclosporine (also known as cyclosporin A) is:

Chemical structure
(click image for full-size original)

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Cyclosporine is a potent immunosuppressive agent that in animals prolongs survival of allogeneic transplants involving skin, kidney, liver, heart, pancreas, bone marrow, small intestine, and lung. Cyclosporine has been demonstrated to suppress some humoral immunity and to a greater extent, cell-mediated immune reactions such as allograft rejection, delayed hypersensitivity, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, Freund’s adjuvant arthritis, and graft versus host disease in many animal species for a variety of organs.

The effectiveness of cyclosporine results from specific and reversible inhibition of immunocompetent lymphocytes in the G0 — and G1 -phase of the cell cycle. T-lymphocytes are preferentially inhibited. The T-helper cell is the main target, although the T-suppressor cell may also be suppressed. Cyclosporine also inhibits lymphokine production and release including interleukin-2.

No effects on phagocytic function (changes in enzyme secretions, chemotactic migration of granulocytes, macrophage migration, carbon clearance in vivo) have been detected in animals. Cyclosporine does not cause bone marrow suppression in animal models or man.

Pharmacokinetics

The immunosuppressive activity of cyclosporine is primarily due to parent drug. Following oral administration, absorption of cyclosporine is incomplete. The extent of absorption of cyclosporine is dependent on the individual patient, the patient population, and the formulation. Elimination of cyclosporine is primarily biliary with only 6% of the dose (parent drug and metabolites) excreted in urine. The disposition of cyclosporine from blood is generally biphasic, with a terminal half-life of approximately 8.4 hours (range 5 to 18 hours). Following intravenous administration, the blood clearance of cyclosporine (assay: HPLC) is approximately 5 to 7 mL/min/kg in adult recipients of renal or liver allografts. Blood cyclosporine clearance appears to be slightly slower in cardiac transplant patients.

Cyclosporine capsules (MODIFIED) and cyclosporine oral solution (MODIFIED) are bioequivalent.

The relationship between administered dose and exposure (area under the concentration versus time curve, AUC) is linear within the therapeutic dose range. The intersubject variability (total, %CV) of cyclosporine exposure (AUC) when cyclosporine capsules, (modified) or Sandimmune® is administered ranges from approximately 20% to 50% in renal transplant patients. This intersubject variability contributes to the need for individualization of the dosing regimen for optimal therapy (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). Intrasubject variability of AUC in renal transplant recipients (%CV) was 9% to 21% for cyclosporine capsules, (modified) and 19% to 26% for Sandimmune®. In the same studies, intrasubject variability of trough concentrations (%CV) was 17% to 30% for cyclosporine capsules, (modified) and 16% to 38% for Sandimmune®.

Absorption

Cyclosporine capsules (modified) has increased bioavailability compared to Sandimmune®. The absolute bioavailability of cyclosporine administered as Sandimmune® is dependent on the patient population, estimated to be less than 10% in liver transplant patients and as great as 89% in some renal transplant patients. The absolute bioavailability of cyclosporine administered as cyclosporine capsules (modified) has not been determined in adults. In studies of renal transplant, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis patients, the mean cyclosporine AUC was approximately 20% to 50% greater and the peak blood cyclosporine concentration (Cmax ) was approximately 40% to 106% greater following administration of cyclosporine capsules (modified) compared to following administration of Sandimmune®. The dose normalized AUC in de novo liver transplant patients administered cyclosporine capsules (modified) 28 days after transplantation was 50% greater and Cmax was 90% greater than in those patients administered Sandimmune®. AUC and Cmax are also increased (cyclosporine capsules (modified) relative to Sandimmune®) in heart transplant patients, but data are very limited. Although the AUC and Cmax values are higher on cyclosporine capsules (modified) relative to Sandimmune® , the predose trough concentrations (dose-normalized) are similar for the two formulations.

Following oral administration of cyclosporine capsules, (modified), the time to peak blood cyclosporine concentrations (Tmax ) ranged from 1.5 to 2.0 hours. The administration of food with cyclosporine capsules (modified) decreases the cyclosporine AUC and Cmax . A high fat meal (669 kcal, 45 grams fat) consumed within one-half hour before cyclosporine capsules (modified) administration decreased the AUC by 13% and Cmax by 33%. The effects of a low-fat meal (667 kcal, 15 grams fat) were similar.

The effect of T-tube diversion of bile on the absorption of cyclosporine from cyclosporine capsules (modified) was investigated in eleven de novo liver transplant patients. When the patients were administered cyclosporine capsules (modified) with and without T-tube diversion of bile, very little difference in absorption was observed, as measured by the change in maximal cyclosporine blood concentrations from pre-dose values with the T-tube closed relative to when it was open: 6.9 ± 41% (range 55% to 68%).

Pharmacokinetic Parameters (mean ± SD)
Dose/day1 Dose/weight AUC2 Cmax Trough3 CL/F CL/F
Patient Population (mg/d) (mg/kg/d) (ng·hr/mL) (ng/mL) (ng/mL) (mL/min) (mL/min/kg)
De novo renal transplant4 597 ± 174 7.95 ± 2.81 8772 ± 2089 1802 ± 428 361 ± 129 593 ± 204 7.8 ± 2.9
Week 4 (N = 37)
Stable renal transplant4 344 ± 122 4.10 ± 1.58 6035 ± 2194 1333 ± 469 251 ± 116 492 ± 140 5.9 ± 2.1
(N = 55)
De novo liver transplant5 458 ± 190 6.89 ± 3.68 7187 ± 2816 1555 ± 740 268 ± 101 577 ± 309 8.6 ± 5.7
Week 4 (N = 18)
De novo rheumatoid arthritis6 182 ± 55.6 2.37 ± 0.36 2641 ± 877 728 ± 263 96.4 ± 37.7 613 ± 196 8.3 ± 2.8
(N = 23)
De novo psoriasis6 189 ± 69.8 2.48 ± 0.65 2324 ± 1048 655 ± 186 74.9 ± 46.7 723 ± 186 10.2 ± 3.9
Week 4 (N = 18)
1 Total daily dose was divided into two doses administered every 12 hours.2 AUC was measured over one dosing interval.3 Trough concentration was measured just prior to the morning cyclosporine capsules (Modified) dose, approximately 12 hours after the previous dose.4 Assay: TDx specific monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay.5 Assay: Cyclo-trac specific monoclonal radioimmunoassay.6 Assay: INCSTAR specific monoclonal radioimmunoassay.

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