Aranesp Drug Information

Important Dosing Information Evaluation of Iron Stores and Nutritional Factors Evaluate the iron status in all patients before and during treatment. Administer supplemental iron therapy when serum ferritin is less than 100 mcg/L or when serum transferrin saturation is less than 20%. The majority of patients with CKD will require supplemental iron during the course of ESA therapy.

Monitoring of Response to Therapy Correct or exclude other causes of anemia (e.g., vitamin deficiency, metabolic or chronic inflammatory conditions, bleeding, etc.) before initiating Aranesp. Following initiation of therapy and after each dose adjustment, monitor hemoglobin weekly until the hemoglobin level is stable and sufficient to minimize the need for RBC transfusion.

Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

In controlled trials, patients experienced greater risks for death, serious adverse cardiovascular reactions, and stroke when administered erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) to target a hemoglobin level of greater than 11 g/dL. No trial has identified a hemoglobin target level, Aranesp dose, or dosing strategy that does not increase these risks. Individualize dosing and use the lowest dose of Aranesp sufficient to reduce the need for RBC transfusions.

Physicians and patients should weigh the possible benefits of decreasing transfusions against the increased risks of death and other serious cardiovascular adverse events. For all patients with CKD When initiating or adjusting therapy, monitor hemoglobin levels at least weekly until stable, then monitor at least monthly. When adjusting therapy consider hemoglobin rate of rise, rate of decline, ESA responsiveness and hemoglobin variability.

A single hemoglobin excursion may not require a dosing change. Do not increase the dose more frequently than once every 4 weeks. Decreases in dose can occur more frequently.

Avoid frequent dose adjustments. If the hemoglobin rises rapidly (e.g., more than 1 g/dL in any 2-week period), reduce the dose of Aranesp by 25% or more as needed to reduce rapid responses. For patients who do not respond adequately, if the hemoglobin has not increased by more than 1 g/dL after 4 weeks of therapy, increase the dose by 25%.

For patients who do not respond adequately over a 12-week escalation period, increasing the Aranesp dose further is unlikely to improve response and may increase risks. Use the lowest dose that will maintain a hemoglobin level sufficient to reduce the need for RBC transfusions. Evaluate other causes of anemia.

Discontinue Aranesp if responsiveness does not improve. For adult patients with CKD on dialysis: Initiate Aranesp treatment when the hemoglobin level is less than 10 g/dL. If the hemoglobin level approaches or exceeds 11 g/dL, reduce or interrupt the dose of Aranesp.

The recommended starting dose is 0.45 mcg/kg intravenously or subcutaneously as a weekly injection or 0.75 mcg/kg once every 2 weeks as appropriate. The intravenous route is recommended for patients on hemodialysis. If the hemoglobin level exceeds 10 g/dL, reduce or interrupt the dose of Aranesp, and use the lowest dose of Aranesp sufficient to reduce the need for RBC transfusions.

The recommended starting dose is 0.45 mcg/kg body weight intravenously or subcutaneously given once at four week intervals as appropriate. The recommended starting dose for pediatric patients (less than 18 years) is 0.45 mcg/kg body weight administered as a single subcutaneous or intravenous injection once weekly; patients not receiving dialysis may be initiated at a dose of 0.75 mcg/kg once every 2 weeks. When treating patients who have chronic kidney disease and cancer, physicians should refer to Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 and 5.2 ).

Conversion from Epoetin alfa to Aranesp in patients with CKD on dialysis Aranesp is administered less frequently than epoetin alfa. Administer Aranesp once weekly in patients who were receiving epoetin alfa 2 to 3 times weekly. Administer Aranesp once every 2 weeks in patients who were receiving epoetin alfa once weekly.

Estimate the starting weekly dose of Aranesp for adults and pediatric patients on the basis of the weekly epoetin alfa dose at the time of substitution (see Table 1). Maintain the route of administration (intravenous or subcutaneous injection). Table 1.

Estimated Aranesp Starting Doses (mcg/week) for Patients with CKD on Dialysis Based on Previous Epoetin alfa Dose (Units/week) *For pediatric patients receiving a weekly epoetin alfa dose of < 1,500 Units/week, the available data are insufficient to determine an Aranesp conversion dose. Conversion from Epoetin alfa to Aranesp in patients with CKD not on dialysis Refer to Table 1. The dose conversion depicted in Table 1 does not accurately estimate the once monthly dose of Aranesp.

Patients on Cancer Chemotherapy Initiate Aranesp in patients on cancer chemotherapy only if the hemoglobin is less than 10 g/dL, and if there is a minimum of two additional months of planned chemotherapy. Use the lowest dose of Aranesp necessary to avoid RBC transfusions. Recommended Starting Dose The recommended starting dose and schedules are: 2.25 mcg/kg every week subcutaneously until completion of a chemotherapy course. 500 mcg every 3 weeks subcutaneously until completion of a chemotherapy course.

Table 2.

Preparation and Administration

The needle cover of the prefilled syringe contains dry natural rubber (a derivative of latex), which may cause allergic reactions. Do not shake. Do not use Aranesp that has been shaken or frozen.

Protect vials and prefilled syringes from light. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. Do not use any vials or prefilled syringes exhibiting particulate matter or discoloration.

Discard unused portion of Aranesp in vials or prefilled syringes. Do not re-enter vial. Do not dilute Aranesp and do not administer in conjunction with other drug solutions.

Self-Administration of the Prefilled Syringe Training should aim to demonstrate to those patients and caregivers how to measure the dose of Aranesp, and the focus should be on ensuring that a patient or caregiver can successfully perform all of the steps in the Instructions for Use for a prefilled syringe. If a patient or caregiver is not able to demonstrate that they can measure the dose and administer the product successfully, you should consider whether the patient is an appropriate candidate for self-administration of Aranesp or whether the patient would benefit from a different Aranesp presentation. If a patient or caregiver experiences difficulty measuring the required dose, especially if it is other than the entire contents of the Aranesp prefilled syringe, use of the Aranesp vial may be considered.

Clinical Trial Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of other drugs and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The median (25 th, 75 th percentiles) weight-adjusted dose of Aranesp was 0.50 mcg/kg. The median (range) age for patients administered Aranesp was 62 years (18 to 88).

Table 5 lists adverse reactions occurring in ≥ 5% of patients treated with Aranesp. Table 5. Rates of adverse reactions with Aranesp therapy were similar to those observed with other recombinant erythropoietins in these studies.

Pediatric Patients Adverse reactions were determined based on pooled data from 2 randomized, controlled trials. In one study, Aranesp was administered to 81 pediatric patients with CKD who had stable hemoglobin concentrations while previously receiving epoetin alfa. In a second study, Aranesp was administered to 114 anemic pediatric patients with CKD receiving or not receiving dialysis for initial treatment of anemia.

In these studies, the most frequently reported serious adverse reactions with Aranesp were hypertension and convulsions. The most commonly reported adverse reactions were hypertension, injection site pain, rash, and convulsions. Aranesp administration was discontinued because of injection site pain in 2 patients and hypertension in 3 patients.

Patients with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy Adverse reactions were based on data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Aranesp in 597 patients (Aranesp 301, placebo 296) with extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. Table 6. Thrombovascular “Cerebrovascular disorders” encompasses central nervous system (CNS) hemorrhages and cerebrovascular accidents (ischemic and hemorrhagic).

Events in this category may also be included under “thromboembolic adverse reactions.” In addition to the thrombovascular adverse reactions, abdominal pain and edema occurred at a higher incidence in patients taking Aranesp compared to patients on placebo. Because postmarketing reporting of adverse reactions is voluntary and from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Seizures Pure Red Cell Aplasia Serious Allergic Reactions Severe Cutaneous Reactions

Immunogenicity As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for immunogenicity. In clinical studies, the percentage of patients with antibodies to Aranesp was examined using the Biacore ® assay. Sera from 1501 patients with CKD and 1159 patients with cancer were tested.

During Aranesp therapy (range: 22 to 177 weeks), a follow-up sample was taken. One additional patient with CKD and 8 additional patients with cancer developed antibodies capable of binding Aranesp. During therapy, 4 additional patients receiving dialysis and 4 additional patients not receiving dialysis developed antibodies capable of binding Aranesp.

None of the patients had antibodies capable of neutralizing the activity of Aranesp or endogenous erythropoietin at baseline or at end of study. No clinical sequelae consistent with PRCA were associated with the presence of these antibodies. The incidence of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay.

Additionally, the observed incidence of antibody (including neutralizing antibody) positivity in an assay may be influenced by several factors, including assay methodology, sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison of the incidence of antibodies to Aranesp with the incidence of antibodies to other products may be misleading. Neutralizing antibodies to darbepoetin alfa that cross-react with endogenous erythropoietin and other ESAs can result in PRCA or severe anemia (with or without other cytopenias).

Pregnancy Risk Summary The limited available data on Aranesp use in pregnant women are insufficient to determine a drug-associated risk of major birth defects or miscarriage. In animal reproductive and developmental toxicity studies, Aranesp increased early post-implantation loss at doses approximating the clinical recommended starting doses. Consider the benefits and risks of Aranesp for the mother and possible risks to the fetus when prescribing Aranesp to a pregnant woman.

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risks of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Data Animal Data When Aranesp was administered intravenously during organogenesis to pregnant rats (gestational days 6 to 15) and rabbits (gestational days 6 to 18), there was no evidence of embryofetal toxicity or other adverse outcomes at the intravenous doses tested, up to 20 mcg/kg/day. This animal dose level of 20 mcg/kg/day is approximately 20-fold higher than the clinical recommended starting dose, depending on the patient’s treatment indication. Slightly reduced fetal weights were observed when rat and rabbit mothers received doses of 1 mcg/kg or more, causing exaggerated pharmacological effects in both the rat and rabbit dams.

This dose of 1 mcg/kg is near the clinical recommended starting dose. While no adverse effects on uterine implantation occurred in animals, in a rat fertility study, there was an increase in early post-implantation loss at doses equal to or greater than 0.5 mcg/kg, administered 3 times weekly. It is not clear whether the increased post-implantation loss reflects a drug effect on the uterine environment or on the conceptus.

No significant placental transfer of Aranesp was observed in rats; placental transfer was not evaluated in rabbits. In a peri/postnatal development study, pregnant female rats received Aranesp intravenously every other day from implantation (day 6) throughout pregnancy and lactation (day 23). The lowest dose tested, 0.5 mcg/kg, did not cause fetal toxicity; this dose is approximately equivalent to the clinical recommended starting dose.

At maternal doses of 2.5 mcg/kg and higher, pups had decreased fetal body weights, which correlated with a slight increase in the incidence of fetal deaths, as well as delayed eye opening and delayed preputial separation. The offspring (F1 generation) of the treated rats were observed postnatally; rats from the F1 generation reached maturity and were mated; no Aranesp related effects were apparent for their offspring (F2 generation fetuses).

Pediatric Use Pediatric Patients with CKD The safety and effectiveness of Aranesp in pediatric patients with CKD receiving and not receiving dialysis have been established in the age groups 1 month to 16 years old. No data are available in pediatric patients less than 1 month old. Use of Aranesp in these age groups is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies of Aranesp in adults with additional data from a randomized trial evaluating two schedules (weekly and every 2 week dosing) in 114 pediatric patients 1 to 16 years of age receiving darbepoetin alfa, and an observational registry study in 319 pediatric patients < 1 to 16 years of age receiving darbepoetin alfa.

Aranesp safety and efficacy were similar between adults and pediatric patients with CKD receiving and not receiving dialysis when Aranesp was used for initial treatment of anemia or patients were transitioned from treatment with epoetin alfa to Aranesp. Pediatric Patients with Cancer The safety and efficacy of Aranesp in pediatric patients with cancer have not been established.

Aranesp is contraindicated in patients with: Uncontrolled hypertension. Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) that begins after treatment with Aranesp or other erythropoietin protein drugs. Serious allergic reactions to Aranesp.

Aranesp overdosage can cause hemoglobin levels above the desired level, which should be managed with discontinuation or reduction of Aranesp dosage and/or with phlebotomy, as clinically indicated. Cases of severe hypertension have been observed following overdose with ESAs.