WARNINGS
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
PRECAUTIONS
Falling Asleep During Activities Of Daily Living And Somnolence
Patients treated with levodopa, the active ingredient in
INBRIJA, have reported falling asleep while engaged in activities of daily
living, including the operation of motor vehicles, which sometimes resulted in
accidents. Although many of these patients reported somnolence, some reported
no warning signs (sleep attack) and believed that they were alert immediately
prior to the event. Some of these events have been reported more than 1 year after
the initiation of treatment.
Prescribers should reassess patients for drowsiness or
sleepiness. Prescribers should also be aware that patients may not acknowledge
drowsiness or sleepiness until directly questioned about drowsiness or
sleepiness during specific activities.
Before initiating treatment with INBRIJA, advise patients
about the potential to develop drowsiness and ask about factors that may
increase the risk for somnolence with INBRIJA such as the concomitant use of
sedating medications and the presence of sleep disorders. Consider discontinuing
INBRIJA in patients who report significant daytime sleepiness or episodes of falling
asleep during activities that require active participation (e.g.,
conversations, eating, etc.).
If treatment with INBRIJA continues, patients should be
advised not to drive and to avoid other activities that might result in harm if
the patients become somnolent. There is insufficient information to establish
that dose reduction will eliminate episodes of falling asleep while engaged in
activities of daily living.
Withdrawal-Emergent Hyperpyrexia And Confusion
A symptom complex that resembles neuroleptic malignant
syndrome (characterized by elevated temperature, muscular rigidity, altered
consciousness, and autonomic instability), with no other obvious etiology, has
been reported in association with rapid dose reduction, withdrawal of, or changes
in dopaminergic therapy.
Hallucinations/Psychosis
In placebo-controlled trials [see Clinical Studies],
hallucinations were reported in less than 2% of patients treated with INBRIJA.
Hallucinations may be responsive to reducing levodopa therapy. Hallucinations
may be accompanied by confusion, insomnia, and excessive dreaming. Abnormal
thinking and behavior may present with one or more symptoms, including paranoid
ideation, delusions, hallucinations, confusion, psychotic-like behavior,
disorientation, aggressive behavior, agitation, and delirium.
Because of the risk of exacerbating psychosis, patients
with a major psychotic disorder should ordinarily not be treated with INBRIJA.
In addition, medications that antagonize the effects of dopamine used to treat
psychosis may exacerbate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and may decrease
the effectiveness of INBRIJA [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Impulse Control/Compulsive Behaviors
Patients treated with INBRIJA can experience intense
urges to gamble, increased sexual urges, intense urges to spend money, binge
eating, and/or other intense urges, and the inability to control these urges
while taking one or more of the medications that increase central dopaminergic
tone. In some cases, although not all, these urges were reported to have
stopped when the dose was reduced or the medication was discontinued.
Because patients may not recognize these behaviors as
abnormal, it is important for prescribers to specifically ask patients or their
caregivers about the development of new or increased gambling urges, sexual
urges, uncontrolled spending or other urges while being treated with INBRIJA.
Consider stopping the medication if a patient develops such urges while taking INBRIJA.
Dyskinesia
INBRIJA may cause or exacerbate dyskinesias. If
troublesome dyskinesias occur, prescribers may need to consider stopping
treatment with INBRIJA and/or adjusting the patient's daily medications for the
treatment of Parkinson's disease. In Study 1, 4% patients treated with INBRIJA
84 mg reported dyskinesia, compared with 1% for patients on placebo [see ADVERSE
REACTIONS].
Bronchospasm in Patients With Lung Disease
Because of the risk of bronchospasm, use of INBRIJA in
patients with asthma, COPD, or other chronic underlying lung disease is not
recommended.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical
study, 25 otherwise healthy subjects with mild or moderate asthma on a stable
regimen of asthma medication received placebo or INBRIJA 84 mg every 4 hours
for a total of three doses. Cough was the most frequent adverse reaction,
reported by 60% of subjects following administration of INBRIJA and 0%
following administration of placebo. Following administration of INBRIJA, 10
subjects (40%) had temporary reductions from baseline (between 15% and 59%) for
FEV1; 4 of these subjects also had a reduction in FEV1 following administration
of placebo. Subjects with a reduction in FEV1 remained asymptomatic and did not
require rescue treatment.
Glaucoma
INBRIJA may cause increased intraocular pressure in
patients with glaucoma. Monitor patients for increased intraocular pressure
during therapy with INBRIJA.
Laboratory Test Abnormalities
Abnormalities in laboratory tests may include elevations
of liver function tests such as alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, lactic
dehydrogenase (LDH), and bilirubin. Abnormalities in blood urea nitrogen (BUN),
hemolytic anemia and positive direct antibody test have also been reported.
Patients taking levodopa or carbidopa-levodopa may have
increased levels of catecholamines and their metabolites in plasma and urine
giving false positive results suggesting the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in
patients on levodopa and carbidopa-levodopa.
Patient Counseling Information
Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient
labeling (PATIENT INFORMATION and Instructions for Use).
Instructions For Administering INBRIJA
It is important for patients to understand how to
correctly administer INBRIJA. It is recommended that patients be instructed in
the proper administration of INBRIJA prior to use [see DOSAGE AND
ADMINISTRATION].
Patients should be counseled to take a dose of INBRIJA
when the return of their Parkinson's symptoms (OFF periods) first occur [see DOSAGE
AND ADMINISTRATION].
Instruct patients to read the Instructions for Use before
using INBRIJA. Remind patients that INBRIJA capsules should only be
administered via the INBRIJA inhaler and the INBRIJA inhaler should not be used
for administering other medications. Remind patients that the contents of
INBRIJA capsules are for oral inhalation only and must not be swallowed. Instruct
patients to keep INBRIJA capsules in their sealed blister packaging and to
remove each INBRIJA capsule immediately before using [see DOSAGE AND
ADMINISTRATION].
Remind patients they need to orally inhale the contents
of two capsules to take a full dose. They should not take more than 5 doses of
INBRIJA in one day. Instruct patients they should not take more than one dose
(2 capsules) per OFF period [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Lung Disease
Ask patients to report whether they develop asthma, COPD,
or other chronic lung diseases, since INBRIJA is not recommended in patients
with these conditions [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Cough
Inhalation of INBRIJA can lead to coughing at the time of
administration [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and ADVERSE REACTIONS].
Discoloration Of Body Fluids
Patients should be advised that dark color may appear in
bodily fluids (saliva, sputum, urine, or sweat) when using INBRIJA [see ADVERSE
REACTIONS].
Falling Asleep
Advise patients that certain side effects such as
sleepiness and dizziness may affect some patients' ability to drive and operate
machinery safely. Advise patients of the possible additive sedative effects
when taking other CNS depressants in combination with INBRIJA [see WARNINGS
AND PRECAUTIONS].
Impulse Control Disorder
Inform patients of the potential for experiencing Impulse
Control Disorder: patients may experience intense urges to gamble, increased
sexual urges, and other intense urges and the inability to control these urges
while taking one or more of the medications that increase central dopaminergic
tone, that are generally used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease [see WARNINGS
AND PRECAUTIONS].
Dyskinesia
Instruct patients to notify their healthcare provider if
abnormal involuntary movements appear or get worse during treatment with
INBRIJA [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Hypotension And Syncope
Advise patients that while they are on levodopa therapy,
including INBRIJA, that they may develop orthostatic hypotension with or
without symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, syncope, and sweating [see ADVERSE
REACTIONS]. Advise patients to rise slowly after sitting or lying down,
especially if they have been doing so for a prolonged period.
Iron Salts
Inform patients that iron salts or multivitamins containing
iron salts can reduce the bioavailability of levodopa [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Instruct patients to notify their physicians if they
become pregnant or intend to become pregnant during therapy [see Use In Specific
Populations].
Instruct patients to notify their physicians if they
intend to breastfeed or are breastfeeding an infant [see Use In Specific
Populations].
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Carcinogenesis
In rats, oral administration of carbidopa/levodopa for
two years resulted in no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Mutagenesis
Studies to assess the potential mutagenic or clastogenic
effects of levodopa have not been conducted.
Impairment Of Fertility
In reproduction studies in rats, oral administration of
carbidopa/levodopa resulted in no effects on fertility.
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
There are no adequate data on the developmental risk
associated with the use of INBRIJA in pregnant women. In animal studies,
carbidopa/levodopa has been shown to be developmentally toxic (including
teratogenic effects) [see Data]. 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. The background risk
of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown.
Data
Animal Data
When administered to pregnant rabbits throughout
organogenesis, carbidopa/levodopa caused both visceral and skeletal
malformations in rabbits. No teratogenic effects were observed when carbidopa/levodopa
was administered to pregnant mice throughout organogenesis.
There was a decrease in the number of live pups delivered
by rats receiving carbidopa/levodopa during organogenesis.
Lactation
Risk Summary
The prolactin-lowering action of dopamine suggests that
levodopa may interfere with lactation, although there are limited data on the
effects of levodopa on milk production in lactating women. Levodopa has been
detected in human milk. There are no adequate data on the effects of levodopa
on the breastfed infant. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding
should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for INBRIJA and any
potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from INBRIJA or from the
underlying maternal condition.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not
been established.
Geriatric Use
Of the Parkinson's disease patients in Study 1 who took
INBRIJA 84 mg, 49% (n=56) were 65 years of age and older and 51% (n=58) were
under 65 years of age. Of these patients, the following age-related differences
in adverse reactions were reported in patients 65 years of age and older vs. in
patients under 65 years of age, respectively: cough 25% vs. 5%; upper respiratory
tract infection 11% vs. 2%; nausea 7% vs. 3%; vomiting 4% vs. 2%; pain in the extremities
4% vs. 0%; and discolored nasal discharge 4% vs. 0%.