Warnings for Zerviate
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
Precautions for Zerviate
Contamination Of Tip And Solution
As with any eye drop, care should be taken not to touch the eyelids or surrounding areas with the dropper tip of the bottle or tip of the single- use container in order to avoid injury to the eye and to prevent contaminating the tip and solution. Keep the multi-dose bottle closed when not in use. Discard the single-use container after using in each eye.
Contact Lens Wear
Patients should be advised not to wear a contact lens if their eye is red.
ZERVIATE should not be instilled while wearing contact lenses. Remove contact lenses prior to instillation of ZERVIATE. The preservative in ZERVIATE, benzalkonium chloride, may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Lenses may be reinserted 10 minutes following administration of ZERVIATE.
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Carcinogenicity
In a 2-year carcinogenicity study in rats, orally administered cetirizine was not carcinogenic at dietary doses up to 20 mg/kg (approximately 550 times the MRHOD, on a mg/m² basis). In a 2-year carcinogenicity study in mice, cetirizine caused an increased incidence of benign liver tumors in males at a dietary dose of 16 mg/kg (approximately 220 times the MRHOD, on a mg/m² basis). No increase in the incidence of liver tumors was observed in mice at a dietary dose of 4 mg/kg (approximately 55 times the MRHOD, on a mg/m² basis). The clinical significance of these findings during long-term use of cetirizine is not known.
Mutagenesis
Cetirizine was not mutagenic in the Ames test or in an in vivo micronucleus test in rats. Cetirizine was not clastogenic in the human lymphocyte assay or the mouse lymphoma assay.
Impairment Of Fertility
In a fertility and general reproductive performance study in mice, cetirizine did not impair fertility at an oral dose of 64 mg/kg (approximately 875 times the MRHOD on a mg/m² basis).
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
There were no adequate or well-controlled studies with ZERVIATE™ (cetirizine ophthalmic solution) 0.24% in pregnant women. Cetirizine should be used in pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Animal Data
Cetirizine was not teratogenic in mice, rats, or rabbits at oral doses up to 96, 225, and 135 mg/kg, respectively (approximately 1300, 4930, and 7400 times the maximum recommended human ophthalmic dose (MRHOD), on a mg/m² basis).
Lactation
Risk Summary
Cetirizine has been reported to be excreted in human breast milk following oral administration. Multiple doses of oral dose cetirizine (10 mg tablets once daily for 10 days) resulted in systemic levels (Mean Cmax = 311 ng/mL) that were 100 times higher than the observed human exposure (Mean Cmax = 3.1 ng/mL) following twicedaily administration of cetirizine ophthalmic solution 0.24% to both eyes for one week [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. Comparable bioavailability has been found between the tablet and syrup dosage forms. However, it is not known whether the systemic absorption resulting from topical ocular administration of ZERVIATE could produce detectable quantities in human breast milk.
There is no adequate information regarding the effects of cetirizine on breastfed infants, or the effects on milk production to inform risk of ZERVIATE to an infant during lactation. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for ZERVIATE and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from ZERVIATE.
Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness of ZERVIATE has been established in pediatric patients two years of age and older. Use of ZERVIATE in these pediatric patients is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies of ZERVIATE in pediatric and adult patients.
Geriatric Use
No overall differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and younger patients.