WARNINGS
Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section
PRECAUTIONS
Patients With Pulmonary Disease Or Pulmonary Infections
The efficacy of Tyvaso has not been established in patients with significant underlying lung disease (e.g., asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Patients with acute pulmonary infections should be carefully monitored to detect any worsening of lung disease and loss of drug effect.
Risk Of Symptomatic Hypotension
Treprostinil is a pulmonary and systemic vasodilator. In patients with low systemic arterial pressure, treatment with Tyvaso may produce symptomatic hypotension.
Patients With Hepatic Or Renal Insufficiency
Titrate slowly in patients with hepatic or renal insufficiency, because such patients will likely be exposed to greater systemic concentrations relative to patients with normal hepatic or renal function [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, Use In Specific Populations and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
Risk Of Bleeding
Tyvaso inhibits platelet aggregation and increases the risk of bleeding.
Effect Of Other Drugs On Treprostinil
Co-administration of a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8 enzyme inhibitor (e.g., gemfibrozil) may increase exposure (both Cmax and AUC) to treprostinil. Co-administration of a CYP2C8 enzyme inducer (e.g., rifampin) may decrease exposure to treprostinil. Increased exposure is likely to increase adverse events associated with treprostinil administration, whereas decreased exposure is likely to reduce clinical effectiveness [see DRUG INTERACTIONS and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
Patient Counseling Information
Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Patient Information and Instructions for Use).
Train patients in the administration process for Tyvaso, including dosing, Tyvaso Inhalation System set up, operation, cleaning, and maintenance, according to the instructions for use [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
To avoid potential interruptions in drug delivery because of equipment malfunction, patients should have access to a back-up Tyvaso Inhalation System device [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
In the event that a scheduled treatment session is missed or interrupted, resume therapy as soon as possible [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
If Tyvaso comes in contact with the skin or eyes, instruct patients to rinse immediately with water [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
A two-year rat carcinogenicity study was performed with treprostinil inhalation at target doses of 5.26, 10.6, and 34.1 mcg/kg/day. There was no evidence for carcinogenic potential associated with treprostinil inhalation in rats at systemic exposure levels up to 35 times the clinical exposure at the target maintenance dose of 54 mcg. In vitro and in vivo genetic toxicology studies did not demonstrate any mutagenic or clastogenic effects of treprostinil. Treprostinil sodium did not affect fertility or mating performance of male or female rats given continuous subcutaneous (sc) infusions at rates of up to 450 ng treprostinil/kg/min [about 59 times the recommended starting human sc infusion rate (1.25 ng/kg/min) and 8 times the average rate (9.3 ng/kg/min) achieved in clinical trials, on a ng/m2 basis]. In this study, males were dosed from 10 weeks prior to mating and through the 2-week mating period. Females were dosed from 2 weeks prior to mating until gestational day 6.
Oral administration of treprostinil diolamine to Tg.rasH2 mice at 0, 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day in males and 0, 3, 7.5 and 15 mg/kg/day in females daily for 26 weeks did not significantly increase the incidence of tumors. The exposures, when based on AUC, obtained at the highest dose levels used in males and females are about 208-and 460-fold, respectively, the human exposure following a single inhaled dose of 54 mcg.
Treprostinil diolamine was tested in vivo in a rat micronucleus assay and did not induce an increased incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes.
Inhalational Toxicity
Rats and dogs that received daily administrations of treprostinil by inhalation for 3 months developed respiratory tract lesions (respiratory epithelial degeneration, goblet cell hyperplasia/hypertrophy, epithelial ulceration, squamous epithelial degeneration and necrosis, and lung hemorrhage). Some of the same lesions seen in animals sacrificed at the end of treatment (larynx, lung and nasal cavity lesions in rats, and lesions of the larynx in dogs) were also observed in animals sacrificed after a 4-week recovery period. Rats also developed cardiac changes (degeneration/fibrosis). A no-effect dose level for these effects was not demonstrated in rats (doses as low as 7 μg/kg/day were administered); whereas 107 μg/kg/day was a no-effect dose level in dogs.
In a 2-year rat study with treprostinil inhalation at target doses of 5.26, 10.6, and 34.1 mcg/kg/day, there were more deaths (11) in the mid and high dose treprostinil groups during the first 9 weeks of the study, compared to 1 in control groups. At the high dose level, males showed a higher incidence of inflammation in teeth and preputial gland, and females showed higher incidences of inflammation and urothelial hyperplasia in the urinary bladder. The exposures in rats at mid and high dose levels were about 15 and 35 times, respectively, the clinical exposure at the target maintenance dose of 54 mcg.
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
Limited case reports of treprostinil use in pregnant women are insufficient to inform a drug-associated risk of adverse developmental outcomes. However, there are risks to the mother and the fetus associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (see Clinical Considerations). In animal studies, no adverse reproductive and developmental effects were seen for treprostinil at 9 and 145 times the human exposure when based on Cmax and AUC following a single treprostinil dose of 54 mcg, respectively.
The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated populations 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
Disease-associated Maternal and Embryo-fetal Risk
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is associated with an increased risk of maternal and fetal mortality.
Data
Animal reproduction studies have been conducted with treprostinil via continuous subcutaneous administration and with treprostinil diolamine administered orally. In pregnant rats, continuous subcutaneous infusions of treprostinil during organogenesis and late gestational development, at doses as high as 900 ng treprostinil/kg/min (about 117 times the starting human subcutaneous infusion rate, on a ng/m2 basis and about 16 times the average rate achieved in clinical trials), resulted in no evidence of harm to the fetus. In pregnant rabbits, effects of continuous subcutaneous infusions of treprostinil during organogenesis were limited to an increased incidence of fetal skeletal variations (bilateral full rib or right rudimentary rib on lumbar 1) associated with maternal toxicity (reduction in body weight and food consumption) at a dose of 150 ng treprostinil/kg/min (about 41 times the starting human subcutaneous infusion rate, on a ng/m2 basis, and 5 times the average rate used in clinical trials). In rats, continuous subcutaneous infusion of treprostinil from implantation to the end of lactation, at doses of up to 450 ng treprostinil/kg/min, did not affect the growth and development of offspring. In studies with orally administered treprostinil diolamine, no adverse effect doses for fetal viability / growth, fetal development (teratogenicity), and postnatal development were determined in rats. In pregnant rats, no evidence of harm to the fetus was observed following oral administration of treprostinil diolamine at the highest dose tested (20 mg/kg/day), which represents about 154 and 1479 times the human exposure, when based on Cmax and AUC following a single Tyvaso dose of 54 mcg, respectively. In pregnant rabbits, external fetal and soft tissue malformations and fetal skeletal malformation occurred. The dose at which no adverse effects were seen (0.5 mg/kg/day) represents about 9 and 145 times the human exposure, when based on Cmax and AUC following a single Tyvaso dose of 54 mcg, respectively. No treprostinil treatment-related effects on labor and delivery were seen in animal studies. Animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response.
Lactation
Risk Summary
There are no data on the presence of treprostinil in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. Clinical studies of Tyvaso did not include patients younger than 18 years to determine whether they respond differently from older patients.
Geriatric Use
Clinical studies of Tyvaso did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 years and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, reflecting the greater frequency of hepatic, renal, or cardiac dysfunction, and of concomitant diseases or other drug therapy.
Patients With Hepatic Insufficiency
Plasma clearance of treprostinil, delivered subcutaneously, was reduced up to 80% in subjects with mildto-
moderate hepatic insufficiency. Uptitrate slowly when treating patients with hepatic insufficiency because of the risk of an increase in systemic exposure which may lead to an increase in dose-dependent adverse effects. Treprostinil has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic insufficiency [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Patients With Renal Insufficiency
No studies have been performed in patients with renal insufficiency. Since treprostinil and its metabolites are excreted mainly through the urinary route, patients with renal insufficiency may have decreased clearance of the drug and its metabolites and consequently, dose-related adverse outcomes may be more frequent [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].