TALTZ (Page 2 of 13)

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

5.1 Infections

TALTZ may increase the risk of infection. In clinical trials in adult patients with plaque psoriasis, the TALTZ group had a higher rate of infections than the placebo group (27% vs. 23%). Upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, conjunctivitis and tinea infections occurred more frequently in the TALTZ group than in the placebo group. A similar increase in risk of infection was seen in placebo-controlled trials in patients with pediatric psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)].

Instruct patients treated with TALTZ to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms of clinically important chronic or acute infection occur. If a patient develops a serious infection or is not responding to standard therapy, monitor the patient closely and discontinue TALTZ until the infection resolves.

5.2 Pre-treatment Evaluation for Tuberculosis

Evaluate patients for tuberculosis (TB) infection prior to initiating treatment with TALTZ. Do not administer to patients with active TB infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to administering TALTZ. Consider anti-TB therapy prior to initiating TALTZ in patients with a past history of latent or active TB in whom an adequate course of treatment cannot be confirmed. Patients receiving TALTZ should be monitored closely for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment.

5.3 Hypersensitivity

Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema and urticaria (each ≤0.1%), occurred in the TALTZ group in clinical trials. Anaphylaxis, including cases leading to hospitalization, has been reported in post marketing use with TALTZ [see Adverse Reactions (6.1, 6.3)]. If a serious hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue TALTZ immediately and initiate appropriate therapy.

5.4 Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Patients treated with TALTZ may be at increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease. In clinical trials, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred at a greater frequency in the TALTZ group than the placebo control group [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. During TALTZ treatment, monitor for onset or exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease and if IBD occurs, discontinue TALTZ and initiate appropriate medical management.

5.5 Immunizations

Prior to initiating therapy with TALTZ, consider completion of all age-appropriate immunizations according to current immunization guidelines. Avoid use of live vaccines in patients treated with TALTZ. No data are available on the response to live vaccines.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS

The following adverse drug reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label:

  • Infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]
  • Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Contraindications (4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying and controlled conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

Adult Plaque Psoriasis

Weeks 0 to 12:

Three placebo-controlled trials in subjects with plaque psoriasis were integrated to evaluate the safety of TALTZ compared to placebo for up to 12 weeks. A total of 1167 subjects (mean age 45 years; 66% men; 94% White) with plaque psoriasis received TALTZ (160 mg at Week 0, 80 mg every 2 weeks [Q2W] for 12 weeks) subcutaneously. In two of the trials, the safety of TALTZ (use up to 12 weeks) was also compared with an active comparator, U.S. approved etanercept [see Clinical Studies (14)].

In the 12-week, placebo-controlled period, adverse events occurred in 58% of the TALTZ Q2W group (2.5 per subject-year of follow-up) compared with 47% of the placebo group (2.1 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious adverse events occurred in 2% of the TALTZ group (0.07 per subject-year of follow-up), and in 2% of the placebo group (0.07 per subject-year of follow-up).

Table 2 summarizes the adverse reactions that occurred at a rate of at least 1% and at a higher rate in the TALTZ group than in the placebo group during the 12-week placebo-controlled period of the pooled clinical trials.

Table 2: Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥1% of the TALTZ Group and More Frequently than in the Placebo Group in the Plaque Psoriasis Clinical Trials through Week 12

a Upper respiratory tract infections cluster includes nasopharyngitis and rhinovirus infection.

b U.S. approved etanercept.

Adverse Reactions TALTZ 80 mg Q2W (N=1167) n (%) Etanercept b (N=287) n (%) Placebo (N=791) n (%)
Injection site reactions 196 (17) 32 (11) 26 (3)
Upper respiratory tract infections a 163 (14) 23 (8) 101 (13)
Nausea 23 (2) 1 (<1) 5 (1)
Tinea infections 17 (2) 0 1 (<1)

Adverse reactions that occurred at rates less than 1% in the TALTZ group and more frequently than in the placebo group during the 12-week induction period included rhinitis, oral candidiasis, urticaria, influenza, conjunctivitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and angioedema.

Weeks 13 to 60:

A total of 332 subjects received the recommended maintenance regimen of TALTZ 80 mg dosed every 4 weeks.

During the maintenance period (Weeks 13 to 60), adverse events occurred in 80% of subjects treated with TALTZ (1.0 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 58% of subjects treated with placebo (1.1 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious adverse events were reported in 4% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.05 per subject-year of follow-up) and none in the subjects treated with placebo.

Weeks 0 to 60:

Over the entire treatment period (Weeks 0 to 60), adverse events were reported in 67% of subjects treated with TALTZ (1.4 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 48% of subjects treated with placebo (2.0 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious adverse events were reported in 3% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.06 per subject-year of follow-up), and in 2% of subjects treated with placebo (0.06 per subject-year of follow-up).

Specific Adverse Drug Reactions

Injection Site Reactions

The most frequent injection site reactions were erythema and pain. Most injection site reactions were mild-to-moderate in severity and did not lead to discontinuation of TALTZ.

Infections

In the 12-week, placebo-controlled period of the clinical trials in plaque psoriasis, infections occurred in 27% of subjects treated with TALTZ (1.2 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 23% of subjects treated with placebo (1.0 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious infections occurred in 0.4% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.02 per subject-year of follow-up) and in 0.4% of subjects treated with placebo (0.02 per subject-year of follow-up) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

During the maintenance treatment period (Weeks 13 to 60), infections occurred in 57% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.70 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 32% of subjects treated with placebo (0.61 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious infections occurred in 0.9% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.01 per subject-year of follow-up) and none in the subjects treated with placebo.

Over the entire treatment period (Weeks 0 to 60), infections were reported in 38% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.83 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 23% of subjects treated with placebo (1.0 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious infections occurred in 0.7% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.02 per subject-year of follow-up), and in 0.4% of subject treated with placebo (0.02 per subject-year of follow-up).

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

In adult subjects with plaque psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred at a greater frequency in the TALTZ 80 mg Q2W group (Crohn’s disease 0.1%, ulcerative colitis 0.2%) than the placebo group (0%) during the 12-week, placebo-controlled period in clinical trials [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

Laboratory Assessment of Cytopenia

Neutropenia

Over the entire treatment period (Weeks 0 to 60), neutropenia occurred in 11% of subjects treated with TALTZ (0.24 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 3% of subjects treated with placebo (0.14 per subject-year of follow-up). In subjects treated with TALTZ, the incidence rate of neutropenia during Weeks 13 to 60 was lower than the incidence rate during Weeks 0 to 12.

In the 12-week, placebo-controlled period, neutropenia ≥ Grade 3 (<1,000 cells/mm3) occurred in 0.2% of the TALTZ group (0.007 per subject-year of follow-up) compared to 0.1% of the placebo group (0.006 per subject-year of follow-up). The majority of cases of neutropenia were either Grade 2 (2% for TALTZ 80 mg Q2W versus 0.3% for placebo; ≥1,000 to <1,500 cells/mm3) or Grade 1 (7% for TALTZ 80 mg Q2W versus 3% for placebo; ≥1,500 cells/mm3 to ˂2,000 cells/mm3). Neutropenia in the TALTZ group was not associated with an increased rate of infection compared to the placebo group.

Thrombocytopenia

Ninety eight percent of cases of thrombocytopenia were Grade 1 (3% for TALTZ 80 mg Q2W versus 1% for placebo; ≥75,000 cells/mm3 to <150,000 cells/mm3). Thrombocytopenia in subjects treated with TALTZ was not associated with an increased rate of bleeding compared to subjects treated with placebo.

Active Comparator Trials

In the two clinical trials that included an active comparator, the rate of serious adverse events during weeks zero to twelve was 0.7% for U.S. approved etanercept and 2% for TALTZ 80 mg Q2W, and the rate of discontinuation from adverse events was 0.7% for U.S. approved etanercept and 2% for TALTZ 80 mg Q2W. The incidence of infections was 18% for U.S. approved etanercept and 26% for TALTZ 80 mg Q2W. The rate of serious infections was 0.3% for both TALTZ 80 mg Q2W and U.S. approved etanercept.

Pediatric Plaque Psoriasis

TALTZ was evaluated in a placebo-controlled trial in pediatric subjects with moderate-to-severe psoriasis 6 to less than 18 years of age. A total of 171 subjects were studied (115 subjects on TALTZ and 56 subjects on placebo). Overall, the safety profile observed in pediatric subjects with plaque psoriasis treated with TALTZ every 4 weeks is consistent with the safety profile in adult subjects with plaque psoriasis with the exception of the frequencies of conjunctivitis (2.6%), influenza (1.7%), and urticaria (1.7%).

In this clinical trial, Crohn’s disease occurred at a greater frequency in the TALTZ group (0.9%) than the placebo group (0%) during the 12-week, placebo-controlled period. Crohn’s disease occurred in a total of 4 TALTZ treated subjects (2.0%) in the clinical trial [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

Psoriatic Arthritis

TALTZ was studied in two placebo-controlled trials in patients with psoriatic arthritis. A total of 678 patients were studied (454 patients on TALTZ and 224 on placebo). A total of 229 patients in these trials received TALTZ 160 mg at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W). Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with TALTZ Q4W is consistent with the safety profile in adult patients with plaque psoriasis with the exception of the frequencies of influenza (1.3%) and conjunctivitis (1.3%).

Ankylosing Spondylitis

TALTZ was studied in two placebo-controlled trials in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. A total of 566 patients were studied (376 patients on TALTZ and 190 on placebo). A total of 195 patients in these trials received TALTZ 80 or 160 mg at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W). Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with ankylosing spondylitis treated with TALTZ Q4W is consistent with the safety profile in adult patients with plaque psoriasis.

In adult patients with ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred in 2 patients (1.0%) and 1 patient (0.5%), respectively, in the TALTZ 80 mg Q4W group and 1 patient (0.5%) and 0%, respectively, in the placebo group during the 16-week, placebo-controlled period in clinical trials. Of these patients, serious events occurred in 1 patient in the TALTZ 80 mg Q4W group and 1 patient in the placebo group [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis

TALTZ was studied in a placebo-controlled trial in patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. A total of 303 patients were studied (198 patients on TALTZ and 105 on placebo). A total of 96 patients in this trial received TALTZ 80 or 160 mg at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W). Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis treated with TALTZ 80 mg Q4W up to Week 16 is consistent with the previous experience of TALTZ in other indications.

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