Sirolimus (Page 5 of 11)

6.2 Sirolimus Following Cyclosporine Withdrawal

The incidence of adverse reactions was determined through 36 months in a randomized, multicenter, controlled trial (Study 3) in which 215 renal transplant patients received sirolimus as a maintenance regimen following cyclosporine withdrawal, and 215 patients received sirolimus with cyclosporine therapy [see Clinical Studies ( 14.2)]. All patients were treated with corticosteroids. The safety profile prior to randomization (start of cyclosporine withdrawal) was similar to that of the 2 mg sirolimus groups in Studies 1 and 2.
Following randomization (at 3 months), patients who had cyclosporine eliminated from their therapy experienced higher incidences of the following adverse reactions: abnormal liver function tests (including increased AST/SGOT and increased ALT/SGPT), hypokalemia, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal healing. Conversely, the incidence of the following adverse events was higher in patients who remained on cyclosporine than those who had cyclosporine withdrawn from therapy: hypertension, cyclosporine toxicity, increased creatinine, abnormal kidney function, toxic nephropathy, edema, hyperkalemia, hyperuricemia, and gum hyperplasia. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure improved significantly following cyclosporine withdrawal.
Malignancies
The incidence of malignancies in Study 3 [see Clinical Studies ( 14.2)] is presented in Table 3.
In Study 3, the incidence of lymphoma/lymphoproliferative disease was similar in all treatment groups. The overall incidence of malignancy was higher in patients receiving sirolimus plus cyclosporine compared with patients who had cyclosporine withdrawn. Conclusions regarding these differences in the incidence of malignancy could not be made because Study 3 was not designed to consider malignancy risk factors or systematically screen subjects for malignancy. In addition, more patients in the sirolimus with cyclosporine group had a pre-transplantation history of skin carcinoma. TABLE 3: INCIDENCE (%) OF MALIGNANCIES IN STUDY 3 (CYCLOSPORINE WITHDRAWAL STUDY) AT 36 MONTHS POST-TRANSPLANT a,b

Malignancy Nonrandomized Sirolimus with Cyclosporine Therapy Sirolimus Following Cyclosporine Withdrawal
(n=95) (n=215) (n=215)
Lymphoma/ lymphoproliferative disease 1.1 1.4 0.5
Skin Carcinoma
Any Squamous Cell C 3.2 3.3 2.3
Any Basal Cell C 3.2 6.5 2.3
Melanoma 0.0 0.5 0.0
Miscellaneous/ Not specified 1.1 0.9 0.0
Total 4.2 7.9 3.7
Other Malignancy 3.2 3.3 1.9

a: Patients received cyclosporine and corticosteroids.
b: Includes patients who prematurely discontinued treatment.
c: Patients may be counted in more than one category.

6.3 High-Immunologic Risk Renal Transplant Patients

Safety was assessed in 224 patients who received at least one dose of sirolimus with cyclosporine [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3)]. Overall, the incidence and nature of adverse reactions was similar to those seen in previous combination studies with sirolimus. The incidence of malignancy was 1.3% at 12 months.

6.4 Conversion from Calcineurin Inhibitors to Sirolimus in Maintenance Renal Transplant Population

The safety and efficacy of conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to sirolimus in maintenance renal transplant population have not been established [see Clinical Studies ( 14.4)] . In a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to sirolimus (initial target sirolimus concentrations of 12-20 ng/mL, and then 8-20 ng/mL, by chromatographic assay) in maintenance renal transplant patients, enrollment was stopped in the subset of patients (n = 87) with a baseline glomerular filtration rate of less than 40 mL/min. There was a higher rate of serious adverse events, including pneumonia, acute rejection, graft loss and death, in this stratum of the sirolimus treatment arm.
The subset of patients with a baseline glomerular filtration rate of less than 40 mL/min had 2 years of follow-up after randomization. In this population, the rate of pneumonia was 25.9% (15/58) versus 13.8% (4/29), graft loss (excluding death with functioning graft loss) was 22.4% (13/58) versus 31.0% (9/29), and death was 15.5% (9/58) versus 3.4% (1/29) in the sirolimus conversion group and CNI continuation group, respectively.
In the subset of patients with a baseline glomerular filtration rate of greater than 40 mL/min, there was no benefit associated with conversion with regard to improvement in renal function and a greater incidence of proteinuria in the sirolimus conversion arm.
Overall in this study, a 5-fold increase in the reports of tuberculosis among sirolimus 2.0% (11/551) and comparator 0.4% (1/273) treatment groups was observed with 2:1 randomization scheme.
In a second study evaluating the safety and efficacy of conversion from tacrolimus to sirolimus 3 to 5 months post-kidney transplant, a higher rate of adverse events, discontinuations due to adverse events, acute rejection, and new onset diabetes mellitus was observed following conversion to sirolimus. There was also no benefit with respect to renal function and a greater incidence of proteinuria was observed after conversion to sirolimus [see Clinical Studies ( 14.4)].

6.5 Pediatric Renal Transplant Patients

Safety was assessed in a controlled clinical trial in pediatric (<18 years of age) renal transplant patients considered at high-immunologic risk, defined as a history of one or more acute allograft rejection episodes and/or the presence of chronic allograft nephropathy on a renal biopsy [see Clinical Studies ( 14.6)] . The use of sirolimus in combination with calcineurin inhibitors and corticosteroids was associated with a higher incidence of deterioration of renal function (creatinine increased) compared to calcineurin inhibitor-based therapy, serum lipid abnormalities (including, but not limited to, increased serum triglycerides and cholesterol), and urinary tract infections.

6.6 Patients with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Safety was assessed in a controlled trial involving 89 patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, 46 of whom were treated with sirolimus [see Clinical Studies ( 14.7)]. The adverse drug reactions observed in this trial were consistent with the known safety profile for renal transplant patients receiving sirolimus, with the addition of weight decreased which was reported at a greater incidence with sirolimus when compared to placebo. Adverse reactions occurring at a frequency of ≥20% in the sirolimus treatment group and greater than placebo include stomatitis, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, nasopharyngitis, acne, chest pain, peripheral edema, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, dizziness, myalgia, and hypercholesterolemia.

6.7 Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of sirolimus in transplant patients. 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.
Body as a Whole – Lymphedema.
Cardiovascular – Pericardial effusion (including hemodynamically significant effusions and tamponade requiring intervention in children and adults) and fluid accumulation.
Digestive System – Ascites.
Hematological/Lymphatic – Pancytopenia, neutropenia.
Hepatobiliary Disorders – Hepatotoxicity, including fatal hepatic necrosis, with elevated sirolimus trough concentrations.
Immune System – Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions, angioedema, and hypersensitivity vasculitis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4)].
Infections – Tuberculosis. BK virus associated nephropathy has been observed in patients receiving immunosuppressants, including sirolimus. This infection may be associated with serious outcomes, including deteriorating renal function and renal graft loss. Cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), sometimes fatal, have been reported in patients treated with immunosuppressants, including sirolimus [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.10)] . Clostridium difficile enterocolitis.
Metabolic/Nutritional – Liver function test abnormal, AST/SGOT increased, ALT/SGPT increased, hypophosphatemia, hyperglycemia, diabetes mellitus.
Nervous system -Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.
Respiratory – Cases of interstitial lung disease (including pneumonitis, bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia [BOOP], and pulmonary fibrosis), some fatal, with no identified infectious etiology have occurred in patients receiving immunosuppressive regimens including sirolimus. In some cases, the interstitial lung disease has resolved upon discontinuation or dose reduction of sirolimus. The risk may be increased as the sirolimus trough concentration increases [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.11)] ; pulmonary hemorrhage; pleural effusion; alveolar proteinosis.
Skin – Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin (Merkel cell carcinoma) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.18)] , exfoliative dermatitis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4)] .
Urogenital – Nephrotic syndrome, proteinuria, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, ovarian cysts, menstrual disorders (including amenorrhea and menorrhagia). Azoospermia has been reported with the use of sirolimus and has been reversible upon discontinuation of sirolimus in most cases.

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