Byfavo Drug Information

® is indicated for the induction and maintenance of procedural sedation in adults undergoing procedures lasting 30 minutes or less. BYFAVO (remimazolam) for injection is a benzodiazepine indicated for the induction and maintenance of procedural sedation in adults undergoing procedures lasting 30 minutes or less.

Clinical Trials 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 another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The safety of BYFAVO was evaluated in three prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel group clinical studies in 630 patients undergoing colonoscopy (two studies) or bronchoscopy (one study). Colonoscopy Study 1 and the bronchoscopy study evaluated American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I to III patients, and Colonoscopy Study 2 evaluated ASA III and IV patients. All three studies evaluated the safety of BYFAVO compared to placebo with midazolam rescue and an open-label midazolam treatment arm.

Patients were administered a total dose ranging from 5 to 30 mg of BYFAVO. In these studies, the most common adverse reactions (incidence greater than 10%) following BYFAVO administration were hypotension, hypertension, diastolic hypertension, systolic hypertension, hypoxia, and diastolic hypotension. There were two patients who experienced an adverse reaction that led to discontinuation of study drug. One patient in the BYFAVO arm in the bronchoscopy study discontinued treatment due to bradycardia, hypertension, hypotension, hypoxia, and respiratory rate increase.

One patient in the open-label midazolam arm in Colonoscopy Study 2 discontinued due to respiratory acidosis. No deaths were reported during the studies. Tables 1-3 provide a summary of the common adverse reactions observed in each of the three Phase 3 studies with BYFAVO. Table 1: Common Adverse Reactions in Colonoscopy Study 1 (Incidence >2%), ASA I to III Adverse Reaction BYFAVO N = 296 Placebo (with Midazolam Rescue 57/60 (95%) patients received midazolam rescue. ) N = 60 Midazolam N = 102 n (%) n (%) n (%) Hypotension Hypotension defined as a fall in systolic BP to ≤80 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≤40 mmHg, or a fall in systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more below baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 115 (39%) 25 (42%) 63 (62%) Hypertension Hypertension defined as an increase in systolic BP to ≥180 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≥100 mmHg, or an increase of systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more over baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 59 (20%) 17 (28%) 18 (18%) Bradycardia 33 (11%) 7 (12%) 16 (16%) Diastolic hypertension 29 (10%) 6 (10%) 9 (9%) Tachycardia 23 (8%) 7 (12%) 13 (13%) Diastolic hypotension 23 (8%) 4 (7%) 9 (9%) Systolic hypertension 16 (5%) 5 (8%) 6 (6%) Table 2: Common Adverse Reactions in Bronchoscopy Study (Incidence >2%) Adverse Reaction BYFAVO N = 303 Placebo (with Midazolam Rescue 57/59 (97%) patients received midazolam rescue. ) N = 59 Midazolam N = 69 n (%) n (%) n (%) Hypotension Hypotension defined as a fall in systolic BP to ≤80 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≤40 mmHg, or a fall in systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more below baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 99 (33%) 28 (47%) 23 (33%) Hypertension Hypertension defined as an increase in systolic BP to ≥180 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≥100 mmHg, or an increase of systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more over baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 85 (28%) 9 (15%) 19 (28%) Diastolic hypertension 77 (25%) 15 (25%) 16 (23%) Systolic hypertension 67 (22%) 13 (22%) 17 (25%) Hypoxia 66 (22%) 12 (20%) 13 (19%) Respiratory rate increased 43 (14%) 6 (10%) 10 (14%) Diastolic hypotension 41 (14%) 17 (29%) 16 (23%) Nausea 12 (4%) 2 (3%) 2 (3%) Bradycardia 11 (4%) 4 (7%) 4 (6%) Pyrexia 11 (4%) 1 (2%) 1 (1%) Headache 8 (3%) 0 (0%) 3 (4%) Table 3: Common Adverse Reactions in Colonoscopy Study 2 (Incidence >2%), ASA III and IV Adverse Reaction BYFAVO N = 31 Placebo (with Midazolam Rescue 16/16 (100%) patients received midazolam rescue. ) N = 16 Midazolam N = 30 n (%) n (%) n (%) Hypotension Hypotension defined as a fall in systolic BP to ≤80 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≤40 mmHg, or a fall in systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more below baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 18 (58%) 11 (69%) 17 (57%) Hypertension Hypertension defined as an increase in systolic BP to ≥180 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≥100 mmHg, or an increase of systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more over baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 13 (42%) 6 (38%) 13 (43%) Respiratory acidosis 6 (19%) 2 (13%) 8 (27%) Diastolic hypertension 3 (10%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Systolic hypertension 2 (6%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Bradycardia 1 (3%) 1 (6%) 4 (13%) Respiratory rate decreased 1 (3%) 1 (6%) 2 (7%) Diastolic hypotension 1 (3%) 1 (6%) 0 (0%) Blood pressure diastolic increased 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Blood pressure increased 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Blood pressure systolic increased 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Upper respiratory tract infection 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Adverse reaction data from Colonoscopy Study 1 and the bronchoscopy study analyzed according to the cumulative dose of concomitant fentanyl (<100 mcg, 100-150 mcg and >150 mcg) suggest an increase in some adverse reactions with increasing fentanyl dose, such as hypotension, hypertension, bradycardia, hypoxia, and increased respiratory rate (see Table 4 and Table 5 ). There were too few patients in each fentanyl stratum in Colonoscopy Study 2 to perform this analysis.

Table 4: Common Adverse Reactions Incidence >2% of patients. in Colonoscopy Study 1 by Cumulative Fentanyl Dose BYFAVO Placebo (with Midazolam Rescue 57/60 (95%) patients received midazolam rescue. ) Midazolam Fentanyl dose (mcg) <100 100-150 >150 <100 100-150 >150 <100 100-150 >150 N = 148 N = 146 N = 2 N = 9 N = 43 N = 8 N = 31 N = 62 N = 9 Adverse Reaction n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) Hypotension Hypotension defined as a fall in systolic BP to ≤80 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≤40 mmHg, or a fall in systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more below baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 49 (33%) 64 (44%) 2 (100%) 5 (56%) 17 (40%) 3 (38%) 18 (58%) 36 (58%) 9 (100%) Hypertension Hypertension defined as an increase in systolic BP to ≥180 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≥100 mmHg, or an increase of systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more over baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 24 (16%) 35 (24%) 0 (0%) 1 (11%) 14 (33%) 2 (25%) 3 (10%) 12 (19%) 3 (33%) Bradycardia 12 (8%) 20 (14%) 1 (50%) 0 (0%) 5 (12%) 2 (25%) 1 (3%) 13 (21%) 2 (22%) Diastolic hypertension 9 (6%) 20 (14%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 3 (7%) 3 (38%) 2 (6%) 7 (11%) 0 (0%) Tachycardia 10 (7%) 12 (8%) 1 (50%) 0 (0%) 6 (14%) 1 (13%) 2 (6%) 8 (13%) 3 (33%) Diastolic hypotension 10 (7%) 13 (9%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 3 (7%) 1 (13%) 3 (10%) 4 (6%) 2 (22%) Systolic hypertension 5 (3%) 11 (8%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 3 (7%) 2 (25%) 4 (13%) 2 (3%) 0 (0%) Table 5: Common Adverse Reactions Incidence >2% of patients. in Bronchoscopy Study by Cumulative Fentanyl Dose BYFAVO Placebo (with Midazolam Rescue 57/59 (97%) patients received midazolam rescue. ) Midazolam Fentanyl dose (mcg) <100 100-150 >150 <100 100-150 >150 <100 100-150 >150 N = 215 N = 63 N = 25 N = 26 N = 18 N = 15 N = 29 N = 27 N = 13 Adverse Reaction n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) Hypotension Hypotension defined as a fall in systolic BP to ≤ 80 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≤40 mmHg, or a fall in systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more below baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 52 (24%) 32 (51%) 16 (64%) 7 (27%) 9 (50%) 12 (80%) 7 (24%) 7 (26%) 9 (69%) Hypertension Hypertension defined as an increase in systolic BP to ≥180 mmHg or in diastolic BP to ≥100 mmHg, or an increase of systolic or diastolic BP of 20% or more over baseline or necessitating medical intervention. 43 (20%) 25 (40%) 18 (72%) 2 (8%) 2 (11%) 5 (33%) 3 (10%) 8 (30%) 8 (62%) Diastolic hypertension 65 (30%) 12 (19%) 0 (0%) 11 (42%) 3 (17%) 1 (7%) 10 (34%) 6 (22%) 0 (0%) Systolic hypertension 55 (26%) 11 (17%) 1 (4%) 10 (38%) 3 (17%) 0 (0%) 9 (31%) 6 (22%) 2 (15%) Hypoxia 35 (16%) 22 (35%) 9 (36%) 6 (23%) 2 (11%) 4 (27%) 2 (7%) 5 (19%) 6 (46%) Respiratory rate increased 22 (10%) 12 (19%) 9 (36%) 1 (4%) 2 (11%) 3 (20%) 2 (7%) 5 (19%) 3 (23%) Diastolic hypotension 28 (13%) 13 (21%) 0 (0%) 8 (31%) 7 (39%) 2 (13%) 7 (24%) 6 (22%) 3 (23%) Nausea 9 (4%) 1 (2%) 2 (8%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 2 (13%) 1 (3%) 1 (4%) 0 (0%) Bradycardia 3 (1%) 4 (6%) 4 (16%) 2 (8%) 1 (6%) 1 (7%) 0 (0%) 2 (7%) 2 (15%) Pyrexia 7 (3%) 2 (3%) 2 (8%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (7%) 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Headache 5 (2%) 2 (3%) 1 (4%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 3 (11%) 0 %

Opioid Analgesics and Other Sedative-Hypnotics

The sedative effect of intravenous BYFAVO can be accentuated by concomitantly administered CNS depressant medications, including opioid analgesics, other benzodiazepines, and propofol. Continuously monitor vital signs during sedation and through the recovery period. Titrate the dose of BYFAVO when administered with opioid analgesics and sedative-hypnotics to the desired clinical response.

Pregnancy Risk Summary Neonates born to mothers using benzodiazepines late in pregnancy have been reported to experience symptoms of sedation and/or neonatal withdrawal. Available data from published observational studies of pregnant women exposed to benzodiazepines do not report a clear association with benzodiazepines and major birth defects (see Data ). In animal studies, reduced fetal weights but no evidence of malformations or embryofetal lethality were noted in a study in which pregnant rabbits were treated intravenously with 4 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 30 mg during organogenesis. Adequate rodent reproductive and developmental toxicology studies have not been completed to fully evaluate the effects of BYFAVO. Published studies in pregnant primates demonstrate that the administration of anesthetic and sedation drugs that block NMDA receptors and/or potentiate GABA activity during the period of peak brain development increases neuronal apoptosis in the developing brain of the offspring when used for longer than 3 hours.

There are no data on pregnancy exposures in primates corresponding to periods prior to the third trimester in humans (see Data ). The 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 risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations Fetal/Neonatal Adverse Reactions Benzodiazepines cross the placenta and may produce respiratory depression, hypotonia, and sedation in neonates. Monitor neonates exposed to BYFAVO during pregnancy or labor for signs of sedation, respiratory depression, hypotonia, and feeding problems. Monitor neonates exposed to BYFAVO during pregnancy for signs of withdrawal.

Manage these neonates accordingly. Data Human Data Published data from observational studies on the use of benzodiazepines during pregnancy do not report a clear association with benzodiazepines and major birth defects. Although early studies reported an increased risk of congenital malformations with diazepam and chlordiazepoxide, there was no consistent pattern noted.

In addition, the majority of more recent case-control and cohort studies of benzodiazepine use during pregnancy, which were adjusted for confounding exposures to alcohol, tobacco, and other medications, have not confirmed these findings. Animal Data Reduced fetal weights but no evidence of malformation or embryofetal lethality were noted in a study in which pregnant rabbits were treated intravenously with 5 mg/kg remimazolam (approximately 4 times the MRHD of 30 mg/day based on AUC) from Gestation Day 6 to 20 in the presence of maternal toxicity (reduced food intake and body weights). In a study that did not test exposures comparable to the MRHD of 30 mg/day over the full period of organogenesis, there was an increase in early resorptions (embryolethality) but no evidence of malformations when female rats were treated from Gestation Day 6 through 17 with up to 30 mg/kg remimazolam via intravenous bolus (approximately 0.3 times the MRHD based on AUC by the end of the dosing interval) in the presence of maternal toxicity (convulsion in one mid dose and one high dose dam). In a pre- and postnatal development study that did not test exposures comparable to the MRHD of 30 mg/day over the full treatment period, there were no adverse effects on survival or development of offspring when pregnant rats were treated with up to 30 mg/kg remimazolam (<0.3 times the MRHD by the end of the gestational period) by intravenous bolus injection from Gestation Day 6 through Lactation Day 20 with minimal evidence of maternal toxicity (sedation). No evidence of adverse effects on physical development, a functional observational battery of behavioral assessments, or fertility were noted in pups born to pregnant rabbits that were treated by intravenous infusion of up to 20 mg/kg/day remimazolam (approximately 19 times the MRHD based on AUC) from 14 days prior to mating until Lactation Day 30 despite the presence of maternal toxicity (sedation, convulsions, and mortality). Learning and memory of the first-generation offspring was not evaluated in this study. In a published study in primates, administration of an anesthetic dose of ketamine for 24 hours on Gestation Day 122 increased neuronal apoptosis in the developing brain of the fetus.

In other published studies, administration of either isoflurane or propofol for 5 hours on Gestation Day 120 resulted in increased neuronal and oligodendrocyte apoptosis in the developing brain of the offspring. With respect to brain development, this time period corresponds to the third trimester of gestation in the human. The clinical significance of these findings is not clear; however, studies in juvenile animals suggest neuroapoptosis correlates with long-term cognitive deficits.

Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. No studies are available in any pediatric population and extrapolation of adult effectiveness data to the pediatric population is not possible. Published juvenile animal studies demonstrate that the administration of anesthetic and sedation drugs, such as BYFAVO, that either block NMDA receptors or potentiate the activity of GABA during the period of rapid brain growth or synaptogenesis, results in widespread neuronal and oligodendrocyte cell loss in the developing brain and alterations in synaptic morphology and neurogenesis.

Based on comparisons across species, the window of vulnerability to these changes is believed to correlate with exposures in the third trimester of gestation through the first several months of life but may extend out to approximately 3 years of age in humans. In primates, exposure to 3 hours of ketamine that produced a light surgical plane of anesthesia did not increase neuronal cell loss; however, treatment regimens of 5 hours or longer of isoflurane increased neuronal cell loss. Data from isoflurane-treated rodents and ketamine-treated primates suggest that the neuronal and oligodendrocyte cell losses are associated with prolonged cognitive deficits in learning and memory.

The clinical significance of these nonclinical findings is not known, and healthcare providers should balance the benefits of appropriate anesthesia in pregnant women, neonates, and young children who require procedures with the potential risks suggested by the nonclinical data.

is contraindicated in patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to dextran 40 or products containing dextran 40. Hypersensitivity to dextran 40.

Clinical Presentation Overdosage of benzodiazepines is characterized by central nervous system depression ranging from drowsiness to coma. In mild to moderate cases, symptoms can include drowsiness, confusion, dysarthria, lethargy, hypnotic state, diminished reflexes, ataxia, and hypotonia. Rarely, paradoxical or disinhibitory reactions (including agitation, irritability, impulsivity, violent behavior, confusion, restlessness, excitement, and talkativeness) may occur.

In severe overdosage cases, patients may develop respiratory depression and coma. Overdosage of benzodiazepines in combination with other CNS depressants (including alcohol and opioids) may be fatal . Markedly abnormal (lowered or elevated) blood pressure, heart rate, or respiratory rate raise the concern that additional drugs and/or alcohol are involved in the overdosage. Management of Overdosage In managing benzodiazepine overdosage, employ general supportive measures, including intravenous fluids and airway management.

Flumazenil, a specific benzodiazepine receptor antagonist indicated for the complete or partial reversal of the sedative effects of benzodiazepines in the management of benzodiazepine overdosage, can lead to withdrawal and adverse reactions, including seizures, particularly in the context of mixed overdosage with drugs that increase seizure risk (e.g., tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants) and in patients with long-term benzodiazepine use and physical dependency. The risk of withdrawal seizures with flumazenil use may be increased in patients with epilepsy. Flumazenil is contraindicated in patients who have received a benzodiazepine for control of a potentially life-threatening condition (e.g., status epilepticus). If the decision is made to use flumazenil, it should be used as an adjunct to, not as a substitute for, supportive management of benzodiazepine overdosage.

See the flumazenil injection Prescribing Information. Consider contacting the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222), or medical toxicologist for additional overdosage management recommendations.