Tpoxx Drug Information

Generic name: TECOVIRIMAT MONOHYDRATE

Orthopoxvirus VP37 Envelope Wrapping Protein Inhibitor [EPC]

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Uses of Tpoxx

Treatment of Human Smallpox Disease TPOXX ® is indicated for the treatment of human smallpox disease caused by variola virus in adults and pediatric patients weighing at least 3 kg.

Limitations of Use

The effectiveness of TPOXX for treatment of smallpox disease has not been determined in humans because adequate and well-controlled field trials have not been feasible, and inducing smallpox disease in humans to study the drug’s efficacy is not ethical. TPOXX efficacy may be reduced in immunocompromised patients based on studies demonstrating reduced efficacy in immunocompromised animal models.

Dosage & Administration of Tpoxx

Important Dosing Instructions It is recommended that patients 13 kg and above initiate oral treatment with TPOXX capsules if possible. If patients are unable to take oral TPOXX capsules or Drug-Food Preparation, treatment may be initiated with TPOXX injection as a 6 hour intravenous (IV) infusion. If IV treatment is necessary, conversion from IV to oral TPOXX is recommended as soon as oral treatment can be tolerated.

In patients receiving an IV infusion, the first dose of oral treatment should be given at the time of and in place of the next scheduled IV dosing. TPOXX capsules Take TPOXX capsules within 30 minutes after a full meal containing moderate or high fat. Missed Dose If a dose of oral TPOXX is missed, the patient should take the dose as soon as possible and anytime up to 8 hours prior to the next scheduled dose.

If less than 8 hours remain before the next scheduled dose, do not take the missed dose, and resume dosing at the next scheduled dose. TPOXX injection Administer TPOXX injection by IV infusion over 6 hours via an infusion pump. Must dilute TPOXX Injection prior to use.

Testing Before Initiating and During Treatment with TPOXX Injection Determine creatinine clearance in all patients before starting TPOXX injection and monitor while receiving TPOXX injection as clinically appropriate.

TPOXX Oral Dosage for Pediatric Patients Weighing at Least 13 kg and Adults The recommended dosage of TPOXX capsules in pediatric patients weighing at least 13 kg and adults is displayed in Table 1 below.

Renal Impairment

TPOXX injection is contraindicated in patients with creatinine clearance below 30 mL per minute.

Table 1: Recommended Dosage and Preparation Instructions for TPOXX Capsules in Pediatric Patients Weighing at Least 13 kg and Adults
a TPOXX capsules should be taken within 30 minutes after a full meal containing moderate or high fat [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )]
Body WeightOral Dosage for 14 Days a
Dosage (Number of Capsules)Drug Food Preparation for Patients Who Cannot Swallow Capsules
13 kg to less than 25 kg200 mg (1 capsule) every 12 hoursCarefully open the required number of capsules and mix contents of capsule(s) of TPOXX with 30 mL of liquid (e.g., milk, chocolate milk) or soft food (e.g., apple sauce, yogurt). The entire mixture should be administered within 30 minutes of its preparation.
25 kg to less than 40 kg400 mg (2 capsules) every 12 hours
40 kg to less than 120 kg600 mg (3 capsules) every 12 hours
120 kg and above600 mg (3 capsules) every 8 hours
Table 2: Recommended Pediatric and Adult Dosage and Preparation Instructions TPOXX Injection for IV Infusion a
a Patients weighing at least 13 kg should be switched to TPOXX Capsules to complete the 14 day treatment course as soon as oral therapy can be tolerated. b 10 mg/mL TPOXX solution containing 40% hydroxypropyl betadex (8 g per vial) with water for injection [see Dosage Forms and Strengths ( 3 )] c Diluent is either 0.9% (w/v) sodium chloride injection or 5% (w/v) dextrose injection solution. d Depending on size of syringe available with syringe pump system, two separate syringes may be needed for each 6 hour administration.
Body WeightDosage for up to 14 daysVolume of TPOXX Injection bVolume of Diluent c
3 kg to less than 35 kg6 mg/kg every 12 hours by intravenous infusion over 6 hours a0.6 mL/kg1.2 mL/kg
35 kg to less than 120 kg200 mg every 12 hours by intravenous infusion over 6 hours20 mL40 mL
120 kg and above d300 mg every 12 hours by intravenous infusion over 6 hours30 mL60 mL

Side Effects of Tpoxx

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 TPOXX has not been studied in patients with smallpox disease. TPOXX Clinical Trial (Oral Administration) The safety of TPOXX was evaluated in 359 healthy adult subjects ages 18-79 years in a Phase 3 clinical trial.

Ten percent of the subjects who participated in the study were age 65 or older. Most Frequently Reported Adverse Reactions The most frequently reported adverse reactions were headache and nausea. Adverse reactions that occurred in at least 2% of subjects in the TPOXX treatment group are shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Treatment-Related Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥ 2% of Healthy Adult Subjects Receiving at Least One Dose of TPOXX Capsules 600 mg s Leading to Discontinuation of TPOXX Six subjects (2%) had their treatment with TPOXX discontinued due to adverse reactions. Each of these subject’s adverse reactions (with severity) is listed below: EEG change, abnormal Mild upset stomach, dry mouth, decreased concentration and dysphoria Mild nausea and fever, moderate diarrhea, severe headache Mild palpable purpura Mild nausea, fever and chills Mild facial redness, facial swelling and pruritus Less Common Adverse Reactions Clinically significant adverse reactions that were reported in <2% of subjects exposed to TPOXX and at rates higher than subjects who received placebo are listed below: Gastrointestinal: dry mouth, chapped lips, dyspepsia, eructation, oral paresthesia General and administration site: pyrexia, pain, chills, malaise, thirst Investigations: abnormal electroencephalogram, hematocrit decreased, hemoglobin decreased, heart rate increased Musculoskeletal and connective tissue: arthralgia, osteoarthritis Nervous system: migraine, disturbance in attention, dysgeusia, paresthesia Psychiatric: depression, dysphoria, irritability, panic attack Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders: oropharyngeal pain Skin and subcutaneous tissue: palpable purpura, rash, pruritic rash, facial redness, facial swelling, pruritus TPOXX Clinical Trial (Intravenous Administration) The safety of multiple doses of 240 mg of TPOXX injection for IV infusion was evaluated in 26 healthy adult subjects ages 23-62 years, inclusive. An additional 6 subjects received placebo.

TPOXX injection was administered over a 6 hour period via infusion pump twice daily (every 12 hours) for 7 days. Most Frequently Reported Adverse Reactions The most frequently reported adverse reactions included infusion site pain, infusion site swelling, infusion site erythema, infusion site extravasation, and headache. Table 4: Treatment-Related Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥ 4% of Healthy Adult Subjects Receiving at Least One Dose of TPOXX Injection 240 mg s Leading to Discontinuation of TPOXX Injection Three subjects (12%) had their treatment with TPOXX injection discontinued due to adverse reactions.

One subject had two adverse reactions. Each of these subject’s adverse reactions (with severity) are listed below: Moderate Infusion site extravasation Mild Infusion site extravasation Mild Infusion site swelling and mild infusion site pain Less Common Adverse Reactions Clinically significant adverse reactions that were reported in <4% of subjects exposed to TPOXX injection and at rates higher than subjects who received placebo are listed below: General and administration site: infusion site discomfort, infusion site edema Musculoskeletal and connective tissue: myalgia, arthritis, back pain, muscle tightness Gastrointestinal: diarrhea Eye: photophobia Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue: pruritus generalized

Table 3: Treatment-Related Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥ 2% of Healthy Adult Subjects Receiving at Least One Dose of TPOXX Capsules 600 mg
a Includes abdominal pain, abdominal pain upper, abdominal distension, abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain lower, epigastric pain
Adverse ReactionTPOXX 600 mg N = 359 (%)Placebo N = 90 (%)
Headache128
Nausea54
Abdominal pain a21
Vomiting20
Table 4: Treatment-Related Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥ 4% of Healthy Adult Subjects Receiving at Least One Dose of TPOXX Injection 240 mg
TPOXX 240 mg N = 26 (%)Placebo N = 6 (%)
Infusion Site Pain7367
Infusion Site Swelling3967
Infusion Site Erythema2367
Infusion Site Extravasation1950
Headache150

Warnings & Cautions for Tpoxx

Hypoglycemia When Co-Administered with Repaglinide Co-administration of repaglinide and tecovirimat may cause mild to moderate hypoglycemia. Monitor blood glucose and monitor for hypoglycemic symptoms when administering TPOXX with repaglinide. Symptoms resolved in all subjects after intake of food and/or oral glucose.

Risks of Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Excipient for Patients with Renal Insufficiency and Pediatric Patients < 2 Years of Age Patients with renal insufficiency TPOXX Injection: In healthy patients and in patients with mild to severe renal insufficiency, the majority of an 8 g dose of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (per 200 mg tecovirimat/20 mL solution) is eliminated in the urine. It is known that clearance of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin is reduced in patients with mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment, resulting in higher exposure to hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin; in these patients, half-life values are increased over normal values by approximately two-, four-, and six-fold, respectively. In these patients, successive infusions may result in accumulation of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin until steady state is reached.

In patients with mild (defined as creatinine clearance 60-89 mL/min) and moderate (defined as creatinine clearance 30-59 mL/min) renal impairment, TPOXX Injection should be used with caution. Creatinine clearance should be closely monitored and, if renal toxicity is suspected, consideration should be given to administering TPOXX orally if possible or to using an alternative medication. TPOXX Injection is contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance 30 mL/min).

Pediatric patients TPOXX Injection: In pediatric patients less than 2 years of age, there are limited data regarding the use of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. Given that renal tubular function rapidly matures over the first few years of life, clearance of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin may be reduced in young pediatric patients, resulting in higher exposure to hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. TPOXX Injection should be used with caution in this population given that animal studies have shown potential for nephrotoxicity at very high exposure levels of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin.

Given the potential for drug accumulation due to renal immaturity in pediatric patients less than 2 years, monitoring of renal function after treatment is recommended.

Drug Interactions with Tpoxx

Effect of TPOXX on Other Drugs Tecovirimat is a weak inducer of cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A and a weak inhibitor of CYP2C8 and CYP2C19. However, the effects are not expected to be clinically relevant for most substrates of those enzymes based on the magnitude of interactions and the duration of treatment of TPOXX. Table 5 provides a listing of established or significant drug interactions and clinical recommendations for select sensitive substrates.

Table 5: Significant Drug Interactions with Effect of TPOXX on Other Drugs Monitor blood glucose and monitor for hypoglycemic symptoms in patients when TPOXX is co-administered with repaglinide. CNS Depressant: Midazolam b ↓ midazolam Monitor for effectiveness of midazolam.

Effect of Other drugs on TPOXX Co-administration of phosphate binders with tecovirimat increases tecovirimat bioavailability. Table 6 provides a listing of established drug interactions and clinical recommendations for select phosphate binders. Table 6: Significant Drug Interactions with Effect of Other Drugs on TPOXX Monitor for signs or symptoms of adverse effects when TPOXX is co-administered with phosphate binders.

Drugs Without Clinically Significant Interactions With TPOXX Based on a drug interaction study, no clinically significant drug interactions have been observed when TPOXX is co-administered with bupropion, flurbiprofen, or omeprazole.

Vaccine Interactions

No vaccine-drug interaction studies have been performed in human subjects. Some animal studies have indicated that co-administration of TPOXX at the same time as live smallpox vaccine (vaccinia virus) may reduce the immune response to the vaccine. The clinical impact of this interaction on vaccine efficacy is unknown.

Table 5: Significant Drug Interactions with Effect of TPOXX on Other Drugs
a ↓ = decrease, ↑ = increase b These interactions have been studied in healthy adults.
Concomitant Drug Class: Drug NameEffect on Concentration aClinical Effect/Recommendation
Blood Glucose-Lowering Agent:
Repaglinide b↑ repaglinideMonitor blood glucose and monitor for hypoglycemic symptoms in patients when TPOXX is co-administered with repaglinide [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )].
CNS Depressant:
Midazolam b↓ midazolamMonitor for effectiveness of midazolam.
Table 6: Significant Drug Interactions with Effect of Other Drugs on TPOXX
a ↑ = increase b These interactions have been studied in healthy adults.
Concomitant Drug Class: Drug NameEffect on Concentration aClinical Effect/Recommendation
Phosphate Binders b:
Calcium acetate Lanthanum carbonate Sevelamer carbonate Sucroferric oxyhydroxide↑ tecovirimatMonitor for signs or symptoms of adverse effects when TPOXX is co-administered with phosphate binders [see Overdose ( 10 )].

Pregnancy Safety for Tpoxx

Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no available data on the use of tecovirimat in pregnant individuals to evaluate for a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, and other adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. In animal reproduction studies, no embryofetal developmental toxicity was observed in mice during the period of organogenesis at tecovirimat exposures (area under the curve ) up to 23 times higher than human exposure at the recommended human dose (RHD). In rabbits, no embryofetal developmental toxicity was observed during organogenesis at tecovirimat exposures (AUC) less than human exposures at the RHD.

In a mouse pre-/post-natal development study, no toxicities were observed at maternal tecovirimat exposures up to 24 times higher than human exposure at the RHD (see Data). The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown, and the estimated background risk of miscarriage for the indicated population is higher than the general population. 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 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively. Data Animal Data Tecovirimat was administered orally to pregnant mice at doses up to 1,000 mg/kg/day from gestation Days 6-15. No embryofetal toxicities were observed at doses up to 1,000 mg/kg/day (approximately 23 times higher than human exposure at the RHD).

Tecovirimat was administered orally to pregnant rabbits at doses up to 100 mg/kg/day from gestation Days 6-19. No embryofetal toxicities were observed at doses up to 100 mg/kg/day (0.4 times the human exposure at the RHD). In the pre-/post-natal development study, tecovirimat was administered orally to pregnant mice at doses up to 1,000 mg/kg/day from gestation Day 6 to post-natal Day 20.

Pediatric Use of Tpoxx

Pediatric Use As in adults, the effectiveness of TPOXX in pediatric patients is based solely on efficacy studies in animal models of orthopoxvirus disease. As exposure of healthy pediatric subjects to TPOXX with no potential for direct clinical benefit is not ethical, pharmacokinetic simulation was used to derive dosing regimens that are predicted to provide pediatric patients with exposures comparable to the observed exposure in adults receiving 600 mg orally twice daily (every 12 hours) or 200 mg intravenously twice daily (every 12 hours). The dosage for pediatric patients is based on weight.

TPOXX Injection: There are limited data regarding the use of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, an ingredient in TPOXX injection, in pediatric patients less than 2 years of age. Given the potential for drug accumulation due to renal immaturity in pediatric patients less than 2 years, monitoring of renal function after treatment is recommended.

Contraindications for Tpoxx

  • TPOXX Capsules: None.
  • TPOXX Injection: The excipient hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin is eliminated through glomerular filtration. Therefore, TPOXX Injection is contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment (defined as creatinine clearance below 30 mL/min).

Overdosage Information for Tpoxx

There is no clinical experience with overdosage of TPOXX. In case of overdosage, monitor patients for any signs or symptoms of adverse effects. Hemodialysis will not significantly remove TPOXX in overdosed patients.

Clinical Studies of Tpoxx

Overview The effectiveness of TPOXX for treatment of smallpox disease has not been determined in humans because adequate and well-controlled field trials have not been feasible, and inducing smallpox disease in humans to study the drug’s efficacy is not ethical. Therefore, the effectiveness of TPOXX for treatment of smallpox disease was established based on results of adequate and well-controlled animal efficacy studies of non-human primates and rabbits infected with non-variola orthopoxviruses. Survival rates observed in the animal studies may not be predictive of survival rates in clinical practice.

Study Design Efficacy studies were conducted in cynomolgus macaques infected with monkeypox virus, and New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits infected with rabbitpox virus. The primary efficacy endpoint for these studies was survival. In rabbit studies, NZW rabbits were lethally challenged intradermally with 1,000 plaque-forming units of rabbitpox virus; tecovirimat was administered orally once daily for 14 days at a dose level of 40 mg/kg, starting at Day 4 post-challenge.

The timing of tecovirimat dosing in these studies was intended to assess efficacy when treatment is initiated after animals have developed clinical signs of disease, specifically dermal pox lesions in cynomolgus macaques, and fever in rabbits. Clinical signs of disease were evident in some animals at Day 2-3 post-challenge but were evident in all animals by Day 4 post-challenge. Survival was monitored for 3-6 times the mean time to death for untreated animals in each model.

Study Results Treatment with tecovirimat for 14 days resulted in statistically significant improvement in survival relative to placebo, except when given to cynomolgus macaques starting at Day 6 post-challenge ( Table 10 ). Table 10: Survival Rates in Tecovirimat Treatment Studies in Cynomolgus Macaques and NZW Rabbits Exhibiting Clinical Signs of Orthopoxvirus Disease

Table 10: Survival Rates in Tecovirimat Treatment Studies in Cynomolgus Macaques and NZW Rabbits Exhibiting Clinical Signs of Orthopoxvirus Disease
a Day post-challenge tecovirimat treatment was initiated b p-value is from 1-sided Boschloo Test (with Berger-Boos modification of gamma = 0.000001) compared to placebo c Survival percentage in tecovirimat treated animals minus survival percentage in placebo treated animals d Exact 95% confidence interval based on the score statistic of difference in survival rates e A placebo control group was not included in this study. KEY: NA = Not Applicable
Treatment Initiation aSurvival Percentage (No. survived/n)p-value bSurvival Rate Difference c (95% CI) d
PlaceboTecovirimat
Cynomolgus Macaques
Study 1Day 40% (0/7)80% (4/5)0.003880% (20.8%, 99.5%)
Study 2Day 40% (0/6)100% (6/6)0.0002100% (47.1%, 100%)
Study 3Day 40% (0/3)83% (5/6)0.015183% (7.5%, 99.6%)
Day 583% (5/6)0.015183% (7.5%, 99.6%)
Day 650% (3/6)0.123150% (-28.3%, 90.2%)
NZW Rabbits
Study 4Day 40% (0/10)90% (9/10)< 0.000190% (50.3%, 99.8%)
Study 5Day 4NA e88% (7/8)NANA

Drug information sourced from the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before making any medication decisions.

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