QDOLO

QDOLO- tramadol hydrochloride solution
Athena Bioscience, LLC

ADDICTION, ABUSE AND MISUSE

QDOLO exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. Assess each patient’s risk prior to prescribing QDOLO, and monitor all patients regularly for the development of these behaviors and conditions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2)] .

OPIOID ANALGESIC RISK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION STRATEGY (REMS)

To ensure that the benefits of opioid analgesics outweigh the risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required a REMS for these products [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3)] . Under the requirements of the REMS, drug companies with approved opioid analgesic products must make REMS-compliant education programs available to healthcare providers. Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged to

• complete a REMS-compliant education program,
• counsel patients and/or their caregivers, with every prescription, on safe use, serious risks, storage, and disposal of these products,
• emphasize to patients and their caregivers the importance of reading the Medication Guide every time it is provided by their pharmacist, and
• consider other tools to improve patient, household, and community safety.

LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION

Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur with use of QDOLO.

Monitor for respiratory depression, especially during initiation of QDOLO or following a dose increase [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4)]

ACCIDENTAL INGESTION

Accidental ingestion of QDOLO, especially by children, can be fatal. [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4)] .

ULTRA-RAPID METABOLISM OF TRAMADOL AND OTHER RISK FACTORS FOR LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION IN CHILDREN

Life-threatening respiratory depression and death have occurred in children who received tramadol. Some of the reported cases followed tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy; in at least one case, the child had evidence of being an ultra-rapid metabolizer of tramadol due to a CYP2D6 polymorphism [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5)] . QDOLO is contraindicated in children younger than 12 years of age and in children younger than 18 years of age following tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy [see Contraindications ( 4)] . Avoid the use of QDOLO in adolescents 12 to 18 years of age who have other risk factors that may increase their sensitivity to the respiratory depressant effects of tramadol [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5)] .

NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME

Prolonged use of QDOLO during pregnancy can result in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, which may be life-threatening if not recognized and treated, and requires management according to protocols developed by neonatology experts. If opioid use is required for a prolonged period in a pregnant woman, advise the patient of the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and ensure that appropriate treatment will be available [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6)] .

INTERACTIONS WITH DRUGS AFFECTING CYTOCHROME P450 ISOENZYMES

The effects of concomitant use or discontinuation of cytochrome P450 3A4 inducers, 3A4 inhibitors, or 2D6 inhibitors with tramadol are complex. Use of cytochrome P450 3A4 inducers, 3A4 inhibitors, or 2D6 inhibitors with QDOLO requires careful consideration of the effects on the parent drug, tramadol, and the active metabolite, M1 [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7), Drug Interactions ( 7)] .

RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH BENZODIAZEPINES OR OTHER CNS DEPRESSANTS

Concomitant use of opioids with benzodiazepines or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol, may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8), Drug Interactions ( 7)] .

• Reserve concomitant prescribing of QDOLO and benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.
• Limit treatment to the minimum effective dosages and durations.
• Follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation.

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE

QDOLO is indicated in adults for the management of pain severe enough to require an opioid analgesic and for which alternative treatments are inadequate.

Limitations of UseBecause of the risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse with opioids, even at recommended doses [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2)] , reserve QDOLO for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options [e.g., non-opioid analgesics]:

• Have not been tolerated or are not expected to be tolerated.
• Have not provided adequate analgesia or are not expected to provide adequate analgesia.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

2.1 Important Dosage and Administration Instructions

• Ensure accuracy when prescribing, dispensing, and administering QDOLO to avoid dosing errors due to confusion between mg and mL which could result in accidental overdose and death. Ensure the proper dose is communicated and dispensed. When writing prescriptions, include both the total dose in mg and the total dose in volume.
• Instruct patients on how to measure and take the correct dose of QDOLO and to use extreme caution when measuring the dose.
• Strongly advise patients to always use a calibrated oral syringe or other oral dosing device, with metric units of measurements (i.e., mL), to correctly measure the prescribed amount of medication.
• Inform patients that oral dosing devices may be obtained from their pharmacy and to never use household teaspoons or tablespoons to measure QDOLO [see Patient Counseling Information ( 17)] .
• Do not use QDOLO concomitantly with other tramadol-containing products.
• Do not administer QDOLO at a dose exceeding 400 mg (80 mL) per day.
• Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2)] .
• Initiate the dosing regimen for each patient individually, taking into account the patient’s severity of pain, patient response, prior analgesic treatment experience, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2)] .
• Monitor patients closely for respiratory depression, especially within the first 24–72 hours of initiating therapy and following dosage increases with QDOLO and adjust the dosage accordingly [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4)] .