Warnings for Vueway
Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section
Precautions for Vueway
Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) increase the risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) among patients with impaired elimination of the drugs. Avoid use of GBCAs among these patients unless the diagnostic information is essential and not available with non-contrast MRI or other modalities. The GBCA-associated NSF risk appears highest for patients with chronic, severe kidney disease (GFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2) as well as patients with acute kidney injury. The risk appears lower for patients with chronic, moderate kidney disease (GFR 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m2) and little, if any, for patients with chronic, mild kidney disease (GFR 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2). NSF may result in fatal or debilitating fibrosis affecting the skin, muscle, and internal organs. Report any diagnosis of NSF following Vueway administration to Bracco Diagnostics Inc. (1-800-257-5181) or FDA (1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch). Screen patients for acute kidney injury and other conditions that may reduce renal function. Features of acute kidney injury consist of rapid (over hours to days) and usually reversible decrease in kidney function, commonly in the setting of surgery, severe infection, injury or drug-induced kidney toxicity. Serum creatinine levels and estimated GFR may not reliably assess renal function in the setting of acute kidney injury. For patients at risk for chronically reduced renal function (e.g., age >60 years, diabetes mellitus or chronic hypertension), estimate the GFR through laboratory testing.
Among the factors that may increase the risk for NSF are repeated or higher than recommended doses of a GBCA and the degree of renal impairment at the time of exposure. Record the specific GBCA and the dose administered to a patient. For patients at highest risk for NSF, do not exceed the recommended Vueway dose and allow a sufficient period of time for elimination of the drug prior to re-administration. For patients receiving hemodialysis, physicians may consider the prompt initiation of hemodialysis following the administration of a GBCA in order to enhance the contrast agent’s elimination [see Use In Specific Populations and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. The usefulness of hemodialysis in the prevention of NSF is unknown.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
With GBCAs, serious hypersensitivity reactions have occurred. In most cases, initial symptoms occurred within minutes of GBCA administration and resolved with prompt emergency treatment.
- Before Vueway administration, assess all patients for any history of a reaction to contrast media, bronchial asthma and/or allergic disorders. These patients may have an increased risk for a hypersensitivity reaction to Vueway.
- Vueway is contraindicated in patients with history of hypersensitivity reactions to Vueway [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
- Administer Vueway only in situations where trained personnel and therapies are promptly available for the treatment of hypersensitivity reactions, including personnel trained in resuscitation.
- During and following Vueway administration, observe patients for signs and symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions.
Gadolinium Retention
Gadolinium is retained for months or years in several organs. The highest concentrations (nanomoles per gram of tissue) have been identified in the bone, followed by other organs (e.g. brain, skin, kidney, liver, and spleen). The duration of retention also varies by tissue and is longest in bone. Linear GBCAs cause more retention than macrocyclic GBCAs. At equivalent doses, gadolinium retention varies among the linear agents with gadodiamide causing greater retention than other linear agents such as gadoxetate disodium and gadobenate dimeglumine. Retention is lowest and similar among the macrocyclic GBCAs such as gadoterate meglumine, gadobutrol, gadoteridol, and gadopiclenol.
Consequences of gadolinium retention in the brain have not been established. Pathologic and clinical consequences of GBCA administration and retention in skin and other organs have been established in patients with impaired renal function [see Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis]. There are rare reports of pathologic skin changes in patients with normal renal function. Adverse events involving multiple organ systems have been reported in patients with normal renal function without an established causal link to gadolinium.
While clinical consequences of gadolinium retention have not been established in patients with normal renal function, certain patients might be at higher risk. These include patients requiring multiple lifetime doses, pregnant and pediatric patients, and patients with inflammatory conditions. Consider the retention characteristics of the agent when choosing a GBCA for these patients. Minimize repetitive GBCA imaging studies, particularly closely spaced studies, when possible.
Acute Kidney Injury
In patients with chronically reduced renal function, acute kidney injury requiring dialysis has occurred with the use of GBCAs. The risk of acute kidney injury may increase with increasing dose of the contrast agent. Do not exceed the recommended dose.
Extravasation And Injection Site Reactions
Injection site reactions such as injection site pain have been reported in the clinical studies with Vueway [see ADVERSE REACTIONS]. Extravasation during Vueway administration may result in tissue irritation [see Nonclinical Toxicology]. Ensure catheter and venous patency before the injection of Vueway.
Interference With Visualization Of Lesions Visible With Non-Contrast MRI
As with any GBCA, Vueway may impair the visualization of lesions seen on non-contrast MRI. Therefore, caution should be exercised when Vueway MRI scans are interpreted without a companion non-contrast MRI scan.
Patient Counseling Information
Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Medication Guide).
Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
Inform the patient that Vueway may increase the risk for NSF among patients with impaired elimination of the drugs and that NSF may result in fatal or debilitating fibrosis affecting the skin, muscle and internal organs.
Instruct the patients to contact their physician if they develop signs or symptoms of NSF following Vueway administration, such as burning, itching, swelling, scaling, hardening and tightening of the skin; red or dark patches on the skin; stiffness in joints with trouble moving, bending or straightening the arms, hands, legs or feet; pain in the hip bones or ribs; or muscle weakness [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Gadolinium Retention
Advise patients that gadolinium is retained for months or years in brain, bone, skin, and other organs following Vueway administration even in patients with normal renal function. The clinical consequences of retention are unknown. Retention depends on multiple factors and is greater following administration of linear GBCAs than following administration of macrocyclic GBCAs [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Injection Site Reactions
Inform the patient that Vueway may cause reactions along the venous injection site, such as mild and transient burning or pain or feeling of warmth or coldness at the injection site [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Pregnancy
Advise pregnant women of the potential risk of fetal exposure to Vueway [see Use In Specific Populations].
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Carcinogenesis
No carcinogenicity studies of gadopiclenol were performed.
Mutagenesis
Gadopiclenol did not demonstrate mutagenic potential in in vitro bacterial reverse mutation assays (Ames test), in an in vitro chromosome aberration assay in Chinese hamster ovary cells nor in an in vivo rat micronucleus assay.
Impairment Of Fertility
Gadopiclenol had no effect on fertility and general reproductive performance of male and female rats when given at dose up to 10 mmol/kg (corresponding to 62 times the recommended human dose).
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
There are no available data on Vueway use in pregnant women to evaluate for a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. GBCAs cross the human placenta and result in fetal exposure and gadolinium retention. The available human data on GBCA exposure during pregnancy and adverse fetal outcomes are limited and inconclusive (see Data).
In animal reproduction studies, there were no adverse developmental effects observed in rats or rabbits with intravenous administration of Vueway during organogenesis (see Data).
Because of the potential risks of gadolinium to the fetus, use Vueway only if imaging is essential during pregnancy and cannot be delayed.
The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population(s) are 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.
Data
Human Data
Contrast enhancement is visualized in the placenta and fetal tissues after maternal GBCA administration.
Cohort studies and case reports on exposure to GBCAs during pregnancy have not reported a clear association between GBCAs and adverse effects in the exposed neonates. However, a retrospective cohort study comparing pregnant women who had a GBCA MRI to pregnant women who did not have an MRI reported a higher occurrence of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in the group receiving GBCA MRI. Limitations of this study include a lack of comparison with non-contrast MRI and lack of information about the maternal indication for MRI. Overall, these data preclude a reliable evaluation of the potential risk of adverse fetal outcomes with the use of GBCAs in pregnancy.
Animal Data
Gadolinium Retention
GBCAs administered to pregnant non-human primates (0.1 mmol/kg on gestational days 85 and 135) result in measurable gadolinium concentration in the offspring in bone, brain, skin, liver, kidney, and spleen for at least 7 months. GBCAs administered to pregnant mice (2 mmol/kg daily on gestational days 16 through 19) result in measurable gadolinium concentrations in the pups in bone, brain, kidney, liver, blood, muscle, and spleen at one-month postnatal age.
Reproductive Toxicology
Animal reproduction studies conducted with gadopiclenol showed some signs of maternal toxicity in rats at 10 mmol/kg and rabbits at 5 mmol/kg (corresponding to 52 times and 57 times the recommended human dose, respectively). This maternal toxicity was characterized in both species by swelling, decreased activity, and lower gestation weight gain and food consumption.
No effect on embryo-fetal development was observed in rats at 10 mmol/kg (corresponding to 52 times the recommended human dose). In rabbits, a lower mean fetal body weight was observed at 5 mmol/kg (corresponding to 57 times the recommended human dose) and this was attributed as a consequence of the lower gestation weight gain.
Lactation
Risk Summary
There are no data on the presence of gadopiclenol in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. However, published lactation data on other GBCAs indicate that 0.01% to 0.04% of the maternal gadolinium dose is excreted in breast milk. Additionally, there is limited GBCA gastrointestinal absorption in the breast-fed infant. Gadopiclenol is present in rat milk. When a drug is present in animal milk, it is likely that the drug will be present in human milk (see Data). The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Vueway and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Vueway or from the underlying maternal condition.
Data
In lactating rats receiving single intravenous injection of [153Gd]-gadopiclenol, 0.3% and 0.2% of the total administered radioactivity was transferred to the pups via maternal milk at 6 hours and 24 hours after administration, respectively. Furthermore, in nursing rat pups, oral absorption of gadopiclenol was 3.6%.
Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness of Vueway for use with MRI to detect and visualize lesions with abnormal vascularity in the CNS (brain, spine, and associated tissues), and the body (head and neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and musculoskeletal system) have been established in pediatric patients aged 2 years and older.
Use of Vueway in this age group is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies in adults with additional pharmacokinetic and safety data from an open-label, uncontrolled, multicenter, single dose study of Vueway (0.05 mmol/kg) in 80 pediatric patients aged 2 to 17 years. The 80 patients consisted of 60 patients who underwent a CNS MRI and 20 patients who underwent a body MRI [see ADVERSE REACTIONS and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ].
The safety and effectiveness of Vueway have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 2 years of age.
Geriatric Use
Of the total number of Vueway-treated patients in clinical studies, 270 (26%) patients were 65 years of age and over, while 62 (6%) patients were 75 years of age and over. No overall differences in safety or efficacy were observed between these subjects and younger subjects.
This drug is known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of adverse reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, it may be useful to monitor renal function.
Renal Impairment
In patients with renal impairment, the exposure of gadopiclenol is increased compared to patients with normal renal function. This may increase the risk of adverse reactions such as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). Avoid use of GBCAs among these patients unless the diagnostic information is essential and not available with non-contrast MRI or other modalities. No dose adjustment of Vueway is recommended for patients with renal impairment. Vueway can be removed from the body by hemodialysis [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ].