Inflectra Drug Information

Dosage in Plaque Psoriasis

The recommended dosage of INFLECTRA in adult patients is 5 mg/kg given as an intravenous induction regimen at 0, 2 and 6 weeks followed by a maintenance regimen of 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks thereafter for the treatment of chronic severe (i.e., extensive and/or disabling) Ps.

Assessment for Latent and Active Tuberculosis Prior to initiating INFLECTRA and periodically during therapy, patients should be evaluated for active tuberculosis and tested for latent infection.

Administration Instructions Regarding Infusion Reactions Prior to treatment, ensure appropriate personnel and medication are available to treat reactions (e.g., hypersensitivity, other reactions) that occur during infusion and shortly after infusion. Prior to infusion with INFLECTRA, patient may be premedicated with histamine-1 receptor antagonists, histamine-2 receptor antagonists, acetaminophen, and/or corticosteroids. For mild to moderate reactions during the infusion, consider slowing or stopping the infusion.

Upon resolution of these reactions, may reinitiate at a lower infusion rate and/or with histamine-1 receptor antagonists, histamine-2 receptor antagonists, acetaminophen, and/or corticosteroids. Discontinue the infusion if the mild to moderate reactions reoccur. Discontinue the infusion if severe hypersensitivity reactions occur during the infusion.

Reconstitution, Dilution, and Administration Instructions INFLECTRA is intended for use under the guidance and supervision of a healthcare provider. The supplied lyophilized powder must be reconstituted and diluted prior to administration. The infusion solution should be prepared and administered by a trained medical professional using aseptic technique by the following procedure: 1.

Calculate the dose, total volume of reconstituted INFLECTRA solution required and the number of INFLECTRA vials needed. More than one vial may be needed for a full dose. 2. Reconstitute each 100 mg INFLECTRA vial with 10 mL of Sterile Water for Injection, USP, to obtain a concentration of 10 mg/mL, using a syringe equipped with a 21-gauge or smaller needle as follows: • Remove the flip-top from the vial and wipe the top with an alcohol swab. • Insert the syringe needle into the vial through the center of the rubber stopper and direct the stream of Sterile Water for Injection, USP, to the glass wall of the vial.

Gently swirl the solution by rotating the vial to dissolve the lyophilized powder, which has a cake-like appearance. Avoid prolonged or vigorous agitation. DO NOT SHAKE.

Foaming of the solution on reconstitution is not unusual. • Allow the reconstituted solution to stand for 5 minutes. Visually inspect the reconstituted solution for particulate matter and discoloration. The reconstituted solution should be colorless to light yellow and opalescent, and the solution may develop a few translucent particles as infliximab-dyyb is a protein.

Do not use if the lyophilized powder has not fully dissolved or if opaque particles, discoloration, or other foreign particles are present. Do not store unused reconstituted INFLECTRA solution. 3. Dilute the total volume of the reconstituted INFLECTRA solution to 250 mL For volumes greater than 250 mL, either use a larger infusion bag (e.g. 500 mL) or multiple 250 mL infusion bags to ensure that the concentration of the infusion solution does not exceed 4 mg/mL. with sterile 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, (do not dilute with any other diluent) as follows: • Withdraw a volume from the 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, 250 mL bottle or bag equal to the total volume of reconstituted INFLECTRA required for a dose.

Slowly add the total volume of reconstituted INFLECTRA solution from the vial(s) to the 250 mL infusion bottle or bag. • Discard any unused portion of the reconstituted INFLECTRA solution remaining in the vial(s). • Gently invert the bag to mix the solution. The resulting infusion concentration should range between 0.4 mg/mL (minimum recommended concentration) and 4 mg/mL (maximum recommended concentration) of infliximab-dyyb. 4. The INFLECTRA infusion should begin within 3 hours of reconstitution and dilution.

The infusion must be administered intravenously for at least 2 hours with an infusion set with an in-line, sterile, non-pyrogenic, low-protein-binding filter (pore size of 1.2 µm or less). 5. Given that the vials do not contain antibacterial preservatives, discard any unused portion of the infusion solution (do not store for reuse). No physical biochemical compatibility studies have been conducted to evaluate the co-administration of INFLECTRA with other agents.

INFLECTRA should not be infused concomitantly in the same intravenous line with other agents.

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. One of the most common reasons for discontinuation of treatment was infusion-related reactions (e.g., dyspnea, flushing, headache and rash). Infusion-Related Reactions Adverse Reactions During or Shortly After Infusion An infusion reaction was defined in clinical trials as any adverse event occurring during an infusion or within 1 hour after an infusion.

In all the clinical studies, approximately 20% of infliximab-treated patients experienced an infusion reaction compared with 10% of placebo-treated patients. Of infliximab-treated patients who had an infusion reaction during the induction period, 27% experienced an infusion reaction during the maintenance period. Of patients who did not have an infusion reaction during the induction period, 9% experienced an infusion reaction during the maintenance period.

Among all infliximab infusions, 3% were accompanied by nonspecific symptoms such as fever or chills, 1% were accompanied by cardiopulmonary reactions (primarily chest pain, hypotension, hypertension or dyspnea), and <1% were accompanied by pruritus, urticaria, or the combined symptoms of pruritus/urticaria and cardiopulmonary reactions. Serious infusion reactions occurred in <1% of patients and included anaphylaxis, convulsions, erythematous rash and hypotension. Approximately 3% of patients discontinued treatment with infliximab because of infusion reactions, and all patients recovered with treatment and/or discontinuation of the infusion.

Infliximab infusions beyond the initial infusion were not associated with a higher incidence of reactions. The infusion reaction rates remained stable in Ps through 1 year in Ps Study I. In psoriasis Study II, the rates were variable over time and somewhat higher following the final infusion than after the initial infusion.

Patients who became positive for antibodies to infliximab were more likely (approximately two to three-fold) to have an infusion reaction than were those who were negative. Use of concomitant immunosuppressant agents appeared to reduce the frequency of both antibodies to infliximab and infusion reactions. Infusion Reactions Following Re-administration In a clinical trial of patients with moderate to severe Ps designed to assess the efficacy of long-term maintenance therapy versus re-treatment with an induction regimen of infliximab following disease flare, 4% (8/219) of patients in the re-treatment induction therapy arm experienced serious infusion reactions versus <1% (1/222) in the maintenance therapy arm.

Patients enrolled in this trial did not receive any concomitant immunosuppressant therapy. In this study, the majority of serious infusion reactions occurred during the second infusion at Week 2. Symptoms included, but were not limited to, dyspnea, urticaria, facial edema, and hypotension.

In all cases, treatment with infliximab was discontinued and/or other treatment instituted with complete resolution of signs and symptoms. Delayed Reactions/Reactions Following Re-administration In Ps studies, approximately 1% of patients treated with infliximab experienced a possible delayed hypersensitivity reaction, generally reported as serum sickness or a combination of arthralgia and/or myalgia with fever and/or rash. These reactions generally occurred within 2 weeks after repeat infusion.

Infections In infliximab clinical studies, treated infections were reported in 36% of patients treated with infliximab (average of 51 weeks of follow-up) and in 25% of placebo-treated patients (average of 37 weeks of follow-up). The infections most frequently reported were respiratory tract infections (including sinusitis, pharyngitis, and bronchitis) and urinary tract infections. Among patients treated with infliximab, serious infections included pneumonia, cellulitis, abscess, skin ulceration, sepsis, and bacterial infection.

Tuberculosis (TB) was reported in 14 patients, 4 of whom died due to miliary tuberculosis. Other cases of TB, including disseminated TB, also have been reported postmarketing. Most of these cases of TB occurred within the first 2 months after initiation of therapy with infliximab and may reflect recrudescence of latent disease.

In the 1-year placebo-controlled studies RA I and RA II, 5.3% of patients receiving infliximab every 8 weeks with MTX developed serious infections as compared to 3.4% of placebo patients receiving MTX. During the 54-week Crohn's II Study, 15% of patients with fistulizing CD developed a new fistula-related abscess. In clinical studies with infliximab in patients with UC, infections treated with antimicrobials were reported in 27% of patients treated with infliximab (average of 41 weeks of follow-up) and in 18% of placebo-treated patients (average 32 weeks of follow-up).

The types of infections, including serious infections, reported in patients with UC were similar to those reported in other clinical studies. The onset of serious infections may be preceded by constitutional symptoms such as fever, chills, weight loss, and fatigue. The majority of serious infections, however, may also be preceded by signs or symptoms localized to the site of the infection.

Autoantibodies/Lupus-like Syndrome Approximately half of patients treated with infliximab in clinical trials who were antinuclear antibody (ANA) negative at baseline developed a positive ANA during the trial compared with approximately one-fifth of placebo-treated patients. Anti-dsDNA antibodies were newly detected in approximately one-fifth of patients treated with infliximab compared with 0% of placebo-treated patients. Reports of lupus and lupus-like syndromes, however, remain uncommon.

Malignancies In controlled trials, more patients treated with infliximab developed malignancies than placebo-treated patients. In a randomized controlled clinical trial exploring the use of infliximab in patients with moderate to severe COPD who were either current smokers or ex-smokers, 157 patients were treated with infliximab at doses similar to those used in RA and CD. The majority of the malignancies developed in the lung or head and neck.

Higher incidences of mortality and hospitalization due to worsening heart failure were observed in patients receiving the 10 mg/kg infliximab dose. There were trends toward increased dyspnea, hypotension, angina, and dizziness in both the 10 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg infliximab treatment groups, versus placebo. Infliximab products have not been studied in patients with mild heart failure (NYHA Class I/II).

Hepatotoxicity Severe liver injury, including acute liver failure and autoimmune hepatitis, has been reported in patients receiving infliximab products. Reactivation of hepatitis B virus has occurred in patients receiving TNF blockers, including infliximab products, who are chronic carriers of this virus. In clinical trials in RA, CD, UC, AS, Ps, and PsA, elevations of aminotransferases were observed (ALT more common than AST) in a greater proportion of patients receiving infliximab than in controls (Table 1), both when infliximab was given as monotherapy and when it was used in combination with other immunosuppressive agents.

In general, patients who developed ALT and AST elevations were asymptomatic, and the abnormalities decreased or resolved with either continuation or discontinuation of infliximab, or modification of concomitant medications. Table 1 Proportion of Patients with Elevated ALT in Clinical Trials in Adults Adverse Reactions in Psoriasis Studies During the placebo-controlled portion across the 3 clinical trials up to week 16, the proportion of patients who experienced at least 1 serious adverse reaction (SAE; defined as resulting in death, life threatening, requires hospitalization, or persistent or significant disability/incapacity) was 0.5% in the 3 mg/kg infliximab group, 1.9% in the placebo group, and 1.6% in the 5 mg/kg infliximab group. One death due to bacterial sepsis occurred 25 days after the second infusion of 5 mg/kg of infliximab.

Serious infections included sepsis, and abscesses. The most common serious infection (requiring hospitalization) was abscess (skin, throat, and peri-rectal) reported by 5 (0.7%) patients in the 5 mg/kg infliximab group. Two active cases of tuberculosis were reported: 6 weeks and 34 weeks after starting infliximab.

In the placebo-controlled portion of the Ps studies, 7 of 1123 patients who received infliximab at any dose were diagnosed with at least one NMSC compared to 0 of 334 patients who received placebo. In the Ps studies, 1% (15/1373) of patients experienced serum sickness or a combination of arthralgia and/or myalgia with fever, and/or rash, usually early in the treatment course. Of these patients, 6 required hospitalization due to fever, severe myalgia, arthralgia, swollen joints, and immobility.

Adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of all patients with RA receiving 4 or more infusions are in Table 2. The types and frequencies of adverse reactions observed were similar in infliximab-treated RA, AS, PsA, Ps and CD patients except for abdominal pain, which occurred in 26% of infliximab-treated patients with CD. In the CD studies, there were insufficient numbers and duration of follow-up for patients who never received infliximab to provide meaningful comparisons.

Table 2 Adverse Reactions that Occurred in ≥ The most common serious adverse reactions observed in clinical trials were infections. Other serious, medically relevant adverse reactions ≥0.2% or clinically significant adverse reactions by body system were as follows: • Body as a whole: allergic reaction, edema • Blood: pancytopenia • Cardiovascular: hypotension • Gastrointestinal: constipation, intestinal obstruction • Central and Peripheral Nervous: dizziness • Heart Rate and Rhythm: bradycardia • Liver and Biliary: hepatitis • Metabolic and Nutritional: dehydration • Platelet, Bleeding and Clotting: thrombocytopenia • Neoplasms: lymphoma • Red Blood Cell: anemia, hemolytic anemia • Resistance Mechanism: cellulitis, sepsis, serum sickness, sarcoidosis • Respiratory: lower respiratory tract infection (including pneumonia), pleurisy, pulmonary edema • Skin and Appendages: increased sweating • Vascular (Extracardiac): thrombophlebitis • White Cell and Reticuloendothelial: leukopenia, lymphadenopathy Adverse Reactions in Pediatric Patients Adverse Reactions in Pediatric Patients with Crohn's Disease There were some differences in the adverse reactions observed in the pediatric patients receiving infliximab compared to those observed in adults with CD. These differences are discussed in the following paragraphs.

Infections were reported in 56% of randomized pediatric patients in Study Peds Crohn's and in 50% of adult patients in Study Crohn's I. In Study Peds Crohn's, infections were reported more frequently for patients who received every 8-week as opposed to every 12-week infusions (74% and 38%, respectively), while serious infections were reported for 3 patients in the every 8-week and 4 patients in the every 12-week maintenance treatment group. The most commonly reported infections were upper respiratory tract infection and pharyngitis, and the most commonly reported serious infection was abscess.

Herpes zoster was reported for 2 patients in the every 8-week maintenance treatment group. In Study Peds Crohn's, 18% of randomized patients experienced 1 or more infusion reactions, with no notable difference between treatment groups. Of the 112 patients in Study Peds Crohn's, there were no serious infusion reactions, and 2 patients had non-serious anaphylactoid reactions.

Adverse Reactions in Pediatric Patients with Ulcerative Colitis Overall, the adverse reactions reported in the pediatric UC trial and adult UC (Study UC I and Study UC II) studies were generally consistent. In a pediatric UC trial, the most common adverse reactions were upper respiratory tract infection, pharyngitis, abdominal pain, fever, and headache. The proportion of patients with infections in the pediatric UC trial was similar to that in the pediatric CD study (Study Peds Crohn's) but higher than the proportion in the adults' UC studies (Study UC I and Study UC II).

The overall incidence of infections in the pediatric UC trial was 13/22 (59%) in the every 8 week maintenance treatment group. Upper respiratory tract infection (7/60 ) and pharyngitis (5/60 ) were the most frequently reported respiratory system infections. Serious infections were reported in 12% (7/60) of all treated patients.

No serious infusion reactions were reported. The numbers of patients in each subgroup are too small to make any definitive conclusions about the effect of age on safety events. Overall proportions of adverse reactions, including infusion reactions, were similar between the year age groups (13%).

Immunogenicity As with all therapeutic proteins, there is potential for immunogenicity. The detection 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 in the studies described below with the incidence of antibodies in other studies or to other infliximab products may be misleading. Treatment with infliximab products can be associated with the development of antibodies to infliximab products. An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method was originally used to measure anti-infliximab antibodies in clinical studies of infliximab.

The EIA method is subject to interference by serum infliximab, possibly resulting in an underestimation of the rate of patient antibody formation. A separate, drug-tolerant electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) method for detecting antibodies to infliximab was subsequently developed and validated. This method is 60-fold more sensitive than the original EIA.

With the ECLIA method, all clinical samples can be classified as either positive or negative for antibodies to infliximab without the need for the inconclusive category. The incidence of antibodies to infliximab was based on the original EIA method in all clinical studies of infliximab except for the Phase 3 study in pediatric patients with UC where the incidence of antibodies to infliximab was detected using both the EIA and ECLIA methods. Immunogenicity in Adult Patients The incidence of antibodies to infliximab in patients with RA and CD given a 3-dose induction regimen followed by maintenance dosing was approximately 10% as assessed through 1 to 2 years of infliximab treatment.

A higher incidence of antibodies to infliximab was observed in CD patients receiving infliximab after drug-free intervals >16 weeks. In a PsA study in which 191 patients received 5 mg/kg with or without MTX, antibodies to infliximab occurred in 15% of patients. The majority of antibody-positive patients had low titers.

Antibody development was lower among RA and CD patients receiving immunosuppressant therapies such as 6-MP/AZA or MTX. Patients who were antibody-positive were more likely to have higher rates of clearance, have reduced efficacy, and to experience an infusion reaction than were patients who were antibody negative. Despite the increase in antibody formation, the infusion reaction rates in Studies I and II in patients treated with 5 mg/kg induction followed by every 8 week maintenance for 1 year and in Study III in patients treated with 5 mg/kg induction (14.1% – 23.0%) and serious infusion reaction rates (<1%) were similar to those observed in other study populations.

The clinical significance of apparent increased immunogenicity on efficacy and infusion reactions in Ps patients as compared to patients with other diseases treated with infliximab products over the long term is not known. Immunogenicity in Pediatric Patients with Crohn's Disease In Study Peds Crohn's, in which all patients received stable doses of 6-MP, AZA, or MTX, excluding inconclusive samples, 3 of 24 patients had antibodies to infliximab. Although 105 patients were tested for antibodies to infliximab, 81 patients were classified as inconclusive because they could not be ruled as negative due to assay interference by the presence of infliximab in the sample.

Immunogenicity in Pediatric Patients with Ulcerative Colitis In the pediatric UC trial, 58 patients were evaluated for antibodies to infliximab using the EIA as well as the drug-tolerant ECLIA. With the EIA, 4 of 58 (7%) patients had antibodies to infliximab. With the ECLIA, 30 of 58 (52%) patients had antibodies to infliximab.

The higher incidence of antibodies to infliximab by the ECLIA method was due to the 60-fold higher sensitivity compared to the EIA method. While EIA-positive patients generally had undetectable trough infliximab concentrations, ECLIA-positive patients could have detectable trough concentrations of infliximab because the ECLIA assay is more sensitive and drug-tolerant.

Postmarketing Experience

Adverse reactions, some with fatal outcomes, have been identified during post approval use of infliximab products in adult and pediatric 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. Postmarketing Adverse Reactions in Adults and Pediatric Patients • Neutropenia, agranulocytosis (including infants exposed in utero to infliximab products), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. • Interstitial lung disease (including pulmonary fibrosis/interstitial pneumonitis and rapidly progressive disease). • Pericardial effusion, systemic and cutaneous vasculitis. • Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), worsening psoriasis (all subtypes including pustular, primarily palmoplantar), lichenoid reactions. • Peripheral demyelinating disorders (such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and multifocal motor neuropathy) transverse myelitis, and neuropathies (additional neurologic reactions have also been observed). • Acute liver failure, jaundice, hepatitis, and cholestasis • Serious infections and vaccine breakthrough infection including bovine tuberculosis (disseminated BCG infection) following vaccination in an infant exposed in utero to infliximab products. • Malignancies, including leukemia, melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and cervical cancer • Anaphylactic reactions, including anaphylactic shock, laryngeal/pharyngeal edema and severe bronchospasm, and seizure have been associated with administration of infliximab products. • Transient visual loss have been reported in association with infliximab products during or within 2 hours of infusion.

Cerebrovascular accidents, myocardial ischemia/infarction (some fatal), and arrhythmia occurring within 24 hours of initiation of infusion have also been reported. • New onset immune disorders (e.g., psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease). Postmarketing Serious Adverse Reactions in Pediatric Patients The following serious adverse reactions have been reported in the postmarketing experience in pediatric patients: infections (some fatal) including opportunistic infections and tuberculosis, infusion reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, malignancies, including hepatosplenic T-cell lymphomas, transient hepatic enzyme abnormalities, lupus-like syndromes, and the development of autoantibodies.

Other Biological Products

The combination of INFLECTRA with other biological products used to treat the same conditions as INFLECTRA is not recommended. An increased risk of serious infections was seen in clinical studies of other TNF blockers used in combination with anakinra or abatacept, with no added clinical benefit. Because of the nature of the adverse reactions seen with these combinations with TNF blocker therapy, similar toxicities may also result from the combination of anakinra or abatacept with other TNF blockers.

Therefore, the combination of INFLECTRA and anakinra or abatacept is not recommended. The concomitant use of tocilizumab with biological DMARDs such as TNF antagonists, including INFLECTRA, should be avoided because of the possibility of increased immunosuppression and increased risk of infection.

Methotrexate and Other Concomitant Medications

Specific drug interaction studies, including interactions with methotrexate (MTX), have not been conducted. The majority of patients in RA or CD clinical studies received one or more concomitant medications. In RA, concomitant medications besides MTX were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), folic acid, corticosteroids and/or narcotics.

Concomitant CD medications were antibiotics, antivirals, corticosteroids, 6-MP/AZA and aminosalicylates. In PsA clinical trials, concomitant medications included MTX in approximately half of the patients as well as NSAIDs, folic acid and corticosteroids. Concomitant MTX use may decrease the incidence of anti-drug antibody production and increase infliximab product concentrations.

Immunosuppressants Patients with CD who received immunosuppressants tended to experience fewer infusion reactions compared to patients on no immunosuppressants. Serum infliximab concentrations appeared to be unaffected by baseline use of medications for the treatment of CD including corticosteroids, antibiotics (metronidazole or ciprofloxacin) and aminosalicylates.

Cytochrome P450 Substrates

The formation of CYP450 enzymes may be suppressed by increased levels of cytokines (e.g., TNFα, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IFN) during chronic inflammation. Therefore, it is expected that for a molecule that antagonizes cytokine activity, such as infliximab products, the formation of CYP450 enzymes could be normalized. Upon initiation or discontinuation of INFLECTRA in patients being treated with CYP450 substrates with a narrow therapeutic index, monitoring of the effect (e.g., warfarin) or drug concentration (e.g., cyclosporine or theophylline) is recommended and the individual dose of the drug product may be adjusted as needed.

Live Vaccines/Therapeutic Infectious Agents It is recommended that live vaccines not be given concurrently with INFLECTRA. It is also recommended that live vaccines not be given to infants after in utero exposure to infliximab products for at least 6 months following birth.

Pregnancy Risk Summary Available observational studies in pregnant women exposed to infliximab products showed no increased risk of major malformations among live births as compared to those exposed to non-biologics. However, findings on other birth and maternal outcomes were not consistent across studies of different study design and conduct (see Data ). Monoclonal antibodies such as infliximab products are transferred across the placenta during the third trimester of pregnancy and may affect immune response in the in utero exposed infant (see Clinical Considerations ).

Because infliximab products do not cross-react with TNFα in species other than humans and chimpanzees, animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with infliximab products. In a developmental study conducted in mice using an analogous antibody, no evidence of maternal toxicity or fetal harm was observed (see Data ). All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes.

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated populations is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2–4% and 15–20%, respectively. Clinical Considerations Disease-Associated Maternal and/or Embryo/Fetal Risk Published data suggest that there is an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis associated with increased disease activity.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes include preterm delivery (before 37 weeks of gestation), low birth weight (less than 2.5 kg) and small for gestational age at birth. Fetal/Neonatal Adverse Reactions As with other IgG antibodies, infliximab products cross the placenta. Infliximab products have been detected in the serum of infants up to 6 months following birth.

Consequently, these infants may be at increased risk of infection, including disseminated infection which can become fatal. At least a six month waiting period following birth is recommended before the administration of live vaccines (e.g., BCG vaccine or other live vaccines, such as the rotavirus vaccine) to these infants. Cases of agranulocytosis in infants exposed in utero have also been reported.

Data Human Data Two prospective cohort studies were conducted assessing birth outcomes as well as the health status of infants up to the age of one year in women exposed to infliximab compared to non-biologic comparators including methotrexate, azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine and systemic corticosteroids used for the treatment of similar diseases. The first study was conducted in an IBD pregnancy registry in the United States and assessed pregnancy outcomes in 294 women with inflammatory bowel disease exposed to infliximab during pregnancy compared with 515 women on a non-biologic treatment. Infliximab exposure was not associated with increased rates of major congenital malformations, miscarriage/stillbirth, infants of low birth weight, small for gestational age, or infection in the first year of life.

In this study, comparing pooled data across the three countries, exposure to infliximab was not associated with increased rates of congenital anomalies or infant death. Infliximab in combination with immunosuppressants (mainly systemic corticosteroids and azathioprine) was associated with increased rates of preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight, and infant hospitalization for infection compared with non-biologic systemic treatment. Although the study did not show any associations with infliximab monotherapy, the analyses could have been underpowered to detect an association.

There were additional methodological limitations with these studies that may account for the study findings in both studies: the concomitant use of other medications or treatments was not controlled and disease severity was not assessed; in the U.S. study, patient reported outcomes were collected without clinical validation. These methodological limitations hinder interpretation of the study results. An embryofetal development study was conducted in pregnant mice using cV1q anti-mouse TNFα, an analogous antibody that selectively inhibits the functional activity of mouse TNFα.

This antibody administered in mice, during the period of organogenesis on gestation days (GDs) 6 and 12, at IV doses up to 40 mg/kg produced no evidence of maternal toxicity, fetal mortality, or structural abnormalities. Doses of 10 to 15 mg/kg in pharmacodynamic animal models with the anti-TNF analogous antibody produced maximal pharmacologic effectiveness. Analyses of fetal samples on GD 14 indicated placental transfer of the antibody and exposure of the fetuses during organogenesis.

Pediatric Use The safety and effectiveness of INFLECTRA have been established in pediatric patients 6 to 17 years of age for induction and maintenance treatment of CD and UC. However, the safety and effectiveness of INFLECTRA in pediatric patients <6 years of age with CD or UC have not been established. The safety and effectiveness of INFLECTRA in the treatment of pediatric patients with Ps and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) have not been established.

Pediatric Crohn's Disease The safety and effectiveness of INFLECTRA have been established for reducing signs and symptoms and inducing and maintaining clinical remission in pediatric patients 6 years of age and older with moderately to severely active CD who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy. The use of INFLECTRA for this indication is supported by evidence from a randomized, open-label pediatric CD study of infliximab in 112 pediatric patients aged 6 years and older. Infliximab has been studied only in combination with conventional immunosuppressive therapy in pediatric CD.

The longer term (greater than 1 year) safety and effectiveness of infliximab products in pediatric CD patients have not been established in clinical trials. Postmarketing cases of HSTCL have been reported in pediatric patients treated with TNF blockers including infliximab products. Due to the risk of HSTCL, a careful risk-benefit assessment should be made when INFLECTRA is used in combination with other immunosuppressants in pediatric CD patients.

Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis The safety and effectiveness of INFLECTRA for reducing signs and symptoms and inducing and maintaining clinical remission in pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with moderately to severely active UC who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy have been established. The use of INFLECTRA for this indication is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies of infliximab in adults with additional safety and pharmacokinetic data from an open-label pediatric UC Study in 60 pediatric patients aged 6 years and older. The effectiveness of infliximab in inducing and maintaining mucosal healing in pediatric UC was not established.

Only 9 patients had an optional endoscopy at Week 54. Approximately half of the patients were on concomitant immunomodulators (AZA, 6-MP, MTX) at study start. The safety and efficacy of INFLECTRA in patients with JRA is based on the evaluation of infliximab in a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study for 14 weeks, followed by a double-blind, all-active treatment extension, for a maximum of 44 weeks.

Patients with active JRA between the ages of 4 and 17 years who had been treated with MTX for at least 3 months were enrolled. Concurrent use of folic acid, oral corticosteroids (≤0.2 mg/kg/day of prednisone or equivalent), NSAIDs, and/or disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) was permitted. Patients who completed the study continued to receive open-label treatment with infliximab for up to 2 years in a companion extension study.

The study failed to establish the efficacy of infliximab in the treatment of JRA. Key observations in the study included a high placebo response rate and a higher rate of immunogenicity than what has been observed in adults. Additionally, a higher rate of clearance of infliximab was observed than had been observed in adults.

Population pharmacokinetic analysis showed that in pediatric patients with JRA with a body weight of up to 35 kg receiving 6 mg/kg infliximab and pediatric patients with JRA with body weight greater than 35 kg up to adult body weight receiving 3 mg/kg infliximab, the steady state area under the concentration curve (AUCss) was similar to that observed in adults receiving 3 mg/kg of infliximab. The most common infusion reactions reported were vomiting, fever, headache, and hypotension. In the 6 mg/kg infliximab group, 2 patients had a serious infusion reaction, 1 of whom had a possible anaphylactic reaction.

Two of the 6 patients who experienced serious infusion reactions received infliximab by rapid infusion (duration of less than 2 hours). The most commonly reported infections were upper respiratory tract infection and pharyngitis, and the most commonly reported serious infection was pneumonia. Other notable infections included primary varicella infection in 1 patient and herpes zoster in 1 patient.

• The use of INFLECTRA at doses >5 mg/kg is contraindicated in patients with moderate or severe heart failure. INFLECTRA is contraindicated in patients with a previous severe hypersensitivity reaction to infliximab products or any of the inactive ingredients of INFLECTRA or any murine proteins.
• INFLECTRA doses >5 mg/kg in moderate or severe heart failure.
• Previous severe hypersensitivity reaction to infliximab products or any inactive ingredients of INFLECTRA or to any murine proteins.

Single doses up to 20 mg/kg have been administered without any direct toxic effect. In case of overdosage, it is recommended that the patient be monitored for any signs or symptoms of adverse reactions or effects and appropriate symptomatic treatment instituted immediately.