HULIO SIDE EFFECTS

SIDE EFFECTS

The most serious adverse reactions described elsewhere in the labeling include the following:

• Serious Infections
• Malignancies

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 most common adverse reaction with adalimumab was injection site reactions. In placebo-controlled trials, 20% of patients treated with adalimumab developed injection site reactions (erythema and/or itching, hemorrhage, pain or swelling), compared to 14% of patients receiving placebo. Most injection site reactions were described as mild and generally did not necessitate drug discontinuation.

The proportion of patients who discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions during the double-blind, placebo-controlled portion of studies in patients with RA (i.e., Studies RA-I, RA-II, RA-III and RA-IV) was 7% for patients taking adalimumab and 4% for placebo-treated patients. The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation of adalimumab in these RA studies were clinical flare reaction (0.7%), rash (0.3%) and pneumonia (0.3%).

Infections

In the controlled portions of the 39 global adalimumab clinical trials in adult patients with RA, PsA, AS, CD, UC, Ps, and other indications, the rate of serious infections was 4.3 per 100 patient years in 7973 adalimumab treated patients versus a rate of 2.9 per 100 patient years in 4848 control-treated patients. Serious infections observed included pneumonia, septic arthritis, prosthetic and post-surgical infections, erysipelas, cellulitis, diverticulitis, and pyelonephritis.

Tuberculosis And Opportunistic Infections

In 52 global controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials in RA, PsA, AS, CD, UC, Ps, and other diseases that included 24,605 adalimumab-treated patients, the rate of reported active tuberculosis was 0.20 per 100 patient-years and the rate of positive PPD conversion was 0.09 per 100 patient-years. In a subgroup of 10,113 U.S. and Canadian adalimumab-treated patients, the rate of reported active TB was 0.05 per 100 patient-years and the rate of positive PPD conversion was 0.07 per 100 patient-years. These trials included reports of miliary, lymphatic, peritoneal, and pulmonary TB. Most of the TB cases occurred within the first eight months after initiation of therapy and may reflect recrudescence of latent disease. In these global clinical trials, cases of serious opportunistic infections have been reported at an overall rate of 0.05 per 100 patient-years. Some cases of serious opportunistic infections and TB have been fatal.

Autoantibodies

In the rheumatoid arthritis controlled trials, 12% of patients treated with adalimumab and 7% of placebo-treated patients that had negative baseline ANA titers developed positive titers at week 24. Two patients out of 3046 treated with adalimumab developed clinical signs suggestive of new-onset lupus-like syndrome. The patients improved following discontinuation of therapy. No patients developed lupus nephritis or central nervous system symptoms. The impact of long-term treatment with adalimumab products on the development of autoimmune diseases is unknown.

Liver Enzyme Elevations

There have been reports of severe hepatic reactions including acute liver failure in patients receiving TNF-blockers. In controlled Phase 3 trials of adalimumab (40 mg SC every other week) in patients with RA, PsA, and AS with control period duration ranging from 4 to 104 weeks, ALT elevations ≥ 3 x ULN occurred in 3.5% of adalimumab-treated patients and 1.5% of control-treated patients. Since many of these patients in these trials were also taking medications that cause liver enzyme elevations (e.g., NSAIDS, MTX), the relationship between adalimumab and the liver enzyme elevations is not clear. In a controlled Phase 3 trial of adalimumab in patients with polyarticular JIA who were 4 to 17 years, ALT elevations ≥ 3 x ULN occurred in 4.4% of adalimumab-treated patients and 1.5% of control-treated patients (ALT more common than AST); liver enzyme test elevations were more frequent among those treated with the combination of adalimumab and MTX than those treated with adalimumab alone. In general, these elevations did not lead to discontinuation of adalimumab treatment.

In controlled Phase 3 trials of adalimumab (initial doses of 160 mg and 80 mg, or 80 mg and 40 mg on Days 1 and 15, respectively, followed by 40 mg every other week) in adult patients with CD with a control period duration ranging from 4 to 52 weeks, ALT elevations ≥ 3 x ULN occurred in 0.9% of adalimumab-treated patients and 0.9% of control-treated patients. In controlled Phase 3 trials of adalimumab (initial doses of 160 mg and 80 mg on Days 1 and 15 respectively, followed by 40 mg every other week) in patients with UC with control period duration ranging from 1 to 52 weeks, ALT elevations ≥3 x ULN occurred in 1.5% of adalimumab-treated patients and 1.0% of control-treated patients. In controlled Phase 3 trials of adalimumab (initial dose of 80 mg then 40 mg every other week) in patients with Ps with control period duration ranging from 12 to 24 weeks, ALT elevations ≥ 3 x ULN occurred in 1.8% of adalimumab-treated patients and 1.8% of control-treated patients.

Immunogenicity

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is potential for immunogenicity. The detection of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. Additionally, the observed incidence of antibody (including neutralizing antibody) positivity in an assay may be influenced by several factors, including assay methodology, sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison of the incidence of antibodies in the studies described below with the incidence of antibodies in other studies or to other adalimumab products may be misleading.

Patients in Studies RA-I, RA-II, and RA-III were tested at multiple time points for antibodies to adalimumab during the 6- to 12-month period. Approximately 5% (58 of 1062) of adult RA patients receiving adalimumab developed low-titer antibodies to adalimumab at least once during treatment, which were neutralizing in vitro. Patients treated with concomitant methotrexate (MTX) had a lower rate of antibody development than patients on adalimumab monotherapy (1% versus 12%). No apparent correlation of antibody development to adverse reactions was observed. With monotherapy, patients receiving every other week dosing may develop antibodies more frequently than those receiving weekly dosing. In patients receiving the recommended dosage of 40 mg every other week as monotherapy, the ACR 20 response was lower among antibody-positive patients than among antibody-negative patients. The long-term immunogenicity of adalimumab is unknown.

In patients with polyarticular JIA who were 4 to 17 years of age, adalimumab antibodies were identified in 16% of adalimumab-treated patients. In patients receiving concomitant MTX, the incidence was 6% compared to 26% with adalimumab monotherapy.

In patients with AS, the rate of development of antibodies to adalimumab in adalimumab-treated patients was comparable to patients with RA.

In patients with PsA, the rate of antibody development in patients receiving adalimumab monotherapy was comparable to patients with RA; however, in patients receiving concomitant MTX the rate was 7% compared to 1% in RA.

In adult patients with CD, the rate of antibody development was 3%.

In patients with moderately to severely active UC, the rate of antibody development in patients receiving adalimumab was 5%. However, due to the limitation of the assay conditions, antibodies to adalimumab could be detected only when serum adalimumab levels were < 2 mcg/mL. Among the patients whose serum adalimumab levels were < 2 mcg/mL (approximately 25% of total patients studied), the immunogenicity rate was 20.7%.

In patients with Ps, the rate of antibody development with adalimumab monotherapy was 8%. However, due to the limitation of the assay conditions, antibodies to adalimumab could be detected only when serum adalimumab levels were < 2 mcg/mL. Among the patients whose serum adalimumab levels were < 2 mcg/mL (approximately 40% of total patients studied), the immunogenicity rate was 20.7%. In Ps patients who were on adalimumab monotherapy and subsequently withdrawn from the treatment, the rate of antibodies to adalimumab after retreatment was similar to the rate observed prior to withdrawal.

Other Adverse Reactions

Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Studies

The data described below reflect exposure to adalimumab in 2468 patients, including 2073 exposed for 6 months, 1497 exposed for greater than one year and 1380 in adequate and well-controlled studies (Studies RA-I, RA-II, RA-III, and RA-IV). Adalimumab was studied primarily in placebo- controlled trials and in long-term follow up studies for up to 36 months duration. The population had a mean age of 54 years, 77% were female, 91% were Caucasian and had moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. Most patients received 40 mg adalimumab every other week.

Table 1 summarizes reactions reported at a rate of at least 5% in patients treated with adalimumab 40 mg every other week compared to placebo and with an incidence higher than placebo. In Study RA-III, the types and frequencies of adverse reactions in the second year open-label extension were similar to those observed in the one-year double-blind portion.

Table 1: Adverse Reactions Reported by ≥5% of Patients Treated with Adalimumab During Placebo-Controlled Period of Pooled RA Studies (Studies RA-I, RA-II, RA-III, and RA-IV)

Less Common Adverse Reactions In Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Studies

Other infrequent serious adverse reactions that do not appear in the Warnings and Precautions or Adverse Reaction sections that occurred at an incidence of less than 5% in adalimumab-treated patients in RA studies were:

Body As A Whole: Pain in extremity, pelvic pain, surgery, thorax pain

Cardiovascular System: Arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, chest pain, coronary artery disorder, heart arrest, hypertensive encephalopathy, myocardial infarct, palpitation, pericardial effusion, pericarditis, syncope, tachycardia

Digestive System: Cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, esophagitis, gastroenteritis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hepatic necrosis, vomiting

Endocrine System: Parathyroid disorder

Hemic And Lymphatic System: Agranulocytosis, polycythemia

Metabolic And Nutritional Disorders: Dehydration, healing abnormal, ketosis, paraproteinemia, peripheral edema

Musculo-Skeletal System: Arthritis, bone disorder, bone fracture (not spontaneous), bone necrosis, joint disorder, muscle cramps, myasthenia, pyogenic arthritis, synovitis, tendon disorder

Neoplasia: Adenoma

Nervous System: Confusion, paresthesia, subdural hematoma, tremor

Respiratory System: Asthma, bronchospasm, dyspnea, lung function decreased, pleural effusion

Special Senses: Cataract

Thrombosis: Thrombosis leg

Urogenital System: Cystitis, kidney calculus, menstrual disorder

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Clinical Studies

In general, the adverse reactions in the adalimumab-treated patients in the polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) trial (Study JIA-I) were similar in frequency and type to those seen in adult patients. Important findings and differences from adults are discussed in the following paragraphs.

In Study JIA-I, adalimumab was studied in 171 patients who were 4 to 17 years of age, with polyarticular JIA. Severe adverse reactions reported in the study included neutropenia, streptococcal pharyngitis, increased aminotransferases, herpes zoster, myositis, metrorrhagia, and appendicitis. Serious infections were observed in 4% of patients within approximately 2 years of initiation of treatment with adalimumab and included cases of herpes simplex, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, pharyngitis, and herpes zoster.

In Study JIA-I, 45% of patients experienced an infection while receiving adalimumab with or without concomitant MTX in the first 16 weeks of treatment. The types of infections reported in adalimumab-treated patients were generally similar to those commonly seen in polyarticular JIA patients who are not treated with TNF blockers. Upon initiation of treatment, the most common adverse reactions occurring in this patient population treated with adalimumab were injection site pain and injection site reaction (19% and 16%, respectively). A less commonly reported adverse event in patients receiving adalimumab was granuloma annulare which did not lead to discontinuation of adalimumab treatment.

In the first 48 weeks of treatment in Study JIA-I, non-serious hypersensitivity reactions were seen in approximately 6% of patients and included primarily localized allergic hypersensitivity reactions and allergic rash.

In Study JIA-I, 10% of patients treated with adalimumab who had negative baseline anti-dsDNA antibodies developed positive titers after 48 weeks of treatment. No patient developed clinical signs of autoimmunity during the clinical trial.

Approximately 15% of patients treated with adalimumab developed mild-to-moderate elevations of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in Study JIA-I. Elevations exceeding 5 times the upper limit of normal were observed in several patients. CPK levels decreased or returned to normal in all patients. Most patients were able to continue adalimumab without interruption.

Psoriatic Arthritis And Ankylosing Spondylitis Clinical Studies

Adalimumab has been studied in 395 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in two placebo-controlled trials and in an open label study and in 393 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in two placebo-controlled studies. The safety profile for patients with PsA and AS treated with adalimumab 40 mg every other week was similar to the safety profile seen in patients with RA, adalimumab Studies RA-I through IV.

Adult Crohn’s Disease Clinical Studies

Adalimumab has been studied in 1478 adult patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) in four placebo-controlled and two open-label extension studies. The safety profile for adult patients with CD treated with adalimumab was similar to the safety profile seen in patients with RA.

Ulcerative Colitis Clinical Studies

Adalimumab has been studied in 1010 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in two placebo-controlled studies and one open-label extension study. The safety profile for patients with UC treated with adalimumab was similar to the safety profile seen in patients with RA.

Plaque Psoriasis Clinical Studies

Adalimumab has been studied in 1696 subjects with plaque psoriasis (Ps) in placebo-controlled and open-label extension studies. The safety profile for subjects with Ps treated with adalimumab was similar to the safety profile seen in subjects with RA with the following exceptions. In the placebo-controlled portions of the clinical trials in Ps subjects, adalimumab-treated subjects had a higher incidence of arthralgia when compared to controls (3% vs. 1%).

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of adalimumab products. 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 adalimumab products exposure.

Gastrointestinal disorders: Diverticulitis, large bowel perforations including perforations associated with diverticulitis and appendiceal perforations associated with appendicitis, pancreatitis

General disorders and administration site conditions: Pyrexia

Hepato-biliary disorders: Liver failure, hepatitis

Immune system disorders: Sarcoidosis

Neoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (including cysts and polyps): Merkel Cell Carcinoma (neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin)

Nervous system disorders: Demyelinating disorders (e.g., optic neuritis, Guillain-Barré syndrome), cerebrovascular accident

Respiratory disorders: Interstitial lung disease, including pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary embolism

Skin reactions: Stevens Johnson Syndrome, cutaneous vasculitis, erythema multiforme, new or worsening psoriasis (all sub-types including pustular and palmoplantar), alopecia, lichenoid skin reaction

Vascular disorders: Systemic vasculitis, deep vein thrombosis