SIDE EFFECTS
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 following serious adverse reactions are described
below and elsewhere in the labeling:
- Hypersensitivity Reactions Including Anaphylaxis [see
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions
(>10%) following ELAPRASE treatment were hypersensitivity reactions, and
included rash, urticaria, pruritus, flushing, pyrexia, and headache. Most
hypersensitivity reactions requiring intervention were ameliorated with slowing
of the infusion rate, temporarily stopping the infusion, with or without administering
additional treatments including antihistamines, corticosteroids, or both prior
to or during infusions.
In clinical trials, the most frequent serious adverse
reactions following ELAPRASE treatment were hypoxic episodes. Other notable
serious adverse reactions that occurred in the ELAPRASE-treated patients but
not in the placebo-treated patients included one case each of: cardiac
arrhythmia, pulmonary embolism, cyanosis, respiratory failure, infection, and
arthralgia.
Clinical Trials In Patients 5 Years and Older
A 53-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical
trial of ELAPRASE was conducted in 96 male patients with Hunter syndrome, ages
5-31 years old. Of the 96 patients, 83% were White, non-Hispanic. Patients were
randomized to three treatment groups, each with 32 patients: ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg
once weekly, ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg every other week, or placebo. Hypersensitivity
reactions were reported in 69% (22 of 32) of patients who received once-weekly
treatment of ELAPRASE.
Table 1 summarizes the adverse reactions that occurred in
at least 9% of patients (≥3 patients) in the ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg once
weekly group and with a higher incidence than in the placebo group.
Table 1: Adverse Reactions that Occurred in the
Placebo-Controlled Trial in At Least 9% of Patients in the ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg
Once Weekly Group and with a Higher Incidence than in the Placebo Group (5
Years and Older)
System Organ Class Adverse Reaction |
ELAPRASE (0.5 mg/kg weekly)
N=32 n (%) |
Placebo
N=32 n (%) |
Gastrointestinal disorder |
Diarrhea |
3 (9%) |
1 (3%) |
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders |
Musculoskeletal Pain |
4 (13%) |
1 (3%) |
Nervous system disorders Headache |
9 (28%) |
8 (25%) |
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders |
Cough |
3 (9%) |
1 (3%) |
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders |
Pruritus |
8 (25%) |
3 (9%) |
Urticaria |
5 (16%) |
0 (0%) |
Additional adverse reactions
that occurred in at least 9% of patients (≥3 patients) in the ELAPRASE
0.5 mg/kg every other week group and with a higher incidence than in the
placebo group included: rash (19%), flushing (16%), fatigue (13%), tachycardia
(9%), and chills (9%).
Extension Trial
An open-label extension trial
was conducted in patients who completed the placebo-controlled trial.
Ninety-four of the 96 patients who were enrolled in the placebo-controlled
trial consented to participate in the extension trial. All 94 patients received
ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg once weekly for 24 months. No new serious adverse reactions
were reported. Approximately half (53%) of patients experienced
hypersensitivity reactions during the 24-month extension trial. In addition to
the adverse reactions listed in Table 1, common hypersensitivity reactions
occurring in at least 5% of patients (≥5 patients) in the extension trial
included: rash (23%), pyrexia (9%), flushing (7%), erythema (7%), nausea (5%),
dizziness (5%), vomiting (5%), and hypotension (5%).
Clinical Trial In Patients 7
Years And Younger
A 53-week, open-label,
single-arm, safety trial of once weekly ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg treatment was
conducted in patients with Hunter syndrome, ages 16 months to 4 years old
(n=20) and ages 5 to 7.5 years old (n=8) at enrollment. Patients experienced
similar adverse reactions as those observed in clinical trials in patients 5
years and older, with the most common adverse reactions following ELAPRASE
treatment being hypersensitivity reactions (57%). A higher incidence of the
following common hypersensitivity reactions were reported in this younger age
group: pyrexia (36%), rash (32%), and vomiting (14%). The most common serious
adverse reactions occurring in at least 10% of patients (≥3 patients)
included: bronchopneumonia/pneumonia (18%), ear infection (11%), and pyrexia
(11%).
Twenty-seven patients had
results of genotype analysis: 15 patients had complete gene deletion, large
gene rearrangement, nonsense, frameshift, or splice site mutations and 12
patients had missense mutations.
Safety results demonstrated
that patients with complete gene deletion, large gene rearrangement, nonsense,
frameshift, or splice site mutations are more likely to experience
hypersensitivity reactions and have serious adverse reactions following
ELAPRASE administration, compared to patients with missense mutations. Table 2
summarizes these findings.
Table 2: Impact of Antibody Status and Genetic
Mutations on Occurrence of Serious Adverse Reactions and Hypersensitivity in
Patients 7 Years and Younger Treated with ELAPRASE
|
Total |
Anti-idursulfase antibodies (Ab) |
Anti-idursulfase neutralizing antibodies (Nab) |
Positive |
Negative |
Positive |
Negative |
Antibody Status Reported (patients) |
28 |
19 |
9 |
15 |
13 |
Serious Adverse Reactions* (patients) |
13 |
11 |
2 |
9 |
4 |
Hypersensitivity (patients) |
16 |
12 |
4 |
10 |
6 |
Patients with genotype data |
27 |
|
M U T A T I O N S |
Missense Mutation (n=12) |
Antibody status |
12 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
11 |
Serious Adverse Reactions |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
Hypersensitivity Reactions |
5 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
5 |
Complete Gene Deletion, Large Gene Rearrangement, Nonsense, Frameshift, Splice Site Mutations (n=15) |
Antibody Status |
15 |
15 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
Serious Adverse Reactions |
9 |
9 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
Hypersensitivity Reactions |
11 |
11 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
* Serious adverse reactions included:
bronchopneumonia/pneumonia, ear infection, and pyrexia [see ADVERSE
REACTIONS]. |
Immunogenicity
Clinical Trials In Patients 5
Years And Older
As with all therapeutic
proteins, there is potential for immunogenicity. In clinical trials in patients
5 years and older, 63 of the 64 patients treated with ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg once
weekly or placebo for 53 weeks, followed by ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg once weekly in
the extension trial, had immunogenicity data available for analysis. Of
the 63 patients, 32 (51%) patients tested positive for anti-idursulfase IgG
antibodies (Ab) at least one time (Table 2). Of the 32 Ab-positive patients, 23
(72%) tested positive for Ab at three or more different time points (persistent
Ab). The incidence of hypersensitivity reactions was higher in patients who
tested positive for Ab than those who tested negative.
Thirteen of 32 (41%) Ab-positive patients also tested
positive for antibodies that neutralize idursulfase uptake into cells (uptake
neutralizing antibodies, uptake NAb) or enzymatic activity (activity NAb) at
least one time, and 8 (25%) of Ab-positive patients had persistent NAb. There
was no clear relationship between the presence of either Ab or NAb and
therapeutic response.
Clinical Trial In Patients 7 Years And Younger
In the clinical trial in patients 7 years and younger, 19
of 28 (68%) patients treated with ELAPRASE 0.5 mg/kg once weekly tested
Ab-positive. Of the 19 Ab-positive patients, 16 (84%) tested positive for Ab at
three or more different time points (persistent Ab). In addition, 15 of 19
(79%) Ab-positive patients tested positive for NAb, with 14 of 15 (93%)
NAb-positive patients having persistent NAb.
All 15 patients with complete gene deletion, large gene
rearrangement, nonsense, frameshift, or splice site mutations tested positive
for Ab (Table 2). Of these 15 patients, neutralizing antibodies were observed
in 13 (87%) patients. The NAbs in these patients developed earlier (most
reported to be positive at Week 9 rather than at Week 27, as reported in
clinical trials in patients older than 5 years of age) and were associated with
higher titers and greater in vitro neutralizing activity than in patients older
than 5 years of age. The presence of Ab was associated with reduced systemic
idursulfase exposure [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
The immunogenicity data reflect the percentage of
patients whose test results were positive for antibodies to idursulfase in
specific assays, and are highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of
these assays. The observed incidence of positive antibody in an assay may be
influenced by several factors, including sample handling, timing of sample
collection, concomitant medication, and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison
of the incidence of antibodies to idursulfase with the incidence of antibodies
to other products may be misleading.
Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified
during post-approval use of ELAPRASE. 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.
In post-marketing experience, late-emergent symptoms and
signs of anaphylactic reactions have occurred up to 24 hours after initial
treatment and recovery from an initial anaphylactic reaction. In addition,
patients experienced repeated anaphylaxis over a two-to four-month period, up
to several years after initiating ELAPRASE treatment [see WARNINGS AND
PRECAUTIONS].
A seven year-old male patient with Hunter syndrome, who
received ELAPRASE at twice the recommended dosage (1 mg/kg weekly) for 1.5
years, experienced two anaphylactic events after 4.5 years of treatment.
Treatment has been withdrawn [see OVERDOSAGE].
Serious adverse reactions that resulted in death included
cardiorespiratory arrest, respiratory failure, respiratory distress, cardiac
failure, and pneumonia.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
No Information provided