MYFORTIC SIDE EFFECTS

SIDE EFFECTS

The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label.

• Embryo-Fetal Toxicity
• Lymphomas and Other Malignancies
• Serious Infections
• New or Reactivated Viral Infections
• Blood Dyscrasias, Including Pure Red Cell Aplasia
• Serious GI Tract Complications
• Acute Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with Mycophenolate Products
• Rare Hereditary Deficiencies

Clinical Studies 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 data described below derive from two randomized, comparative, active-controlled, double-blind, double-dummy trials in prevention of acute rejection in de novo and converted stable kidney transplant patients.

In the de novo trial, patients were administered either Myfortic 1.44 grams per day (N = 213) or MMF 2 grams per day (N = 210) within 48 hours post-transplant for 12 months in combination with cyclosporine, USP MODIFIED and corticosteroids. Forty-one percent of patients also received antibody therapy as induction treatment. In the conversion trial, renal transplant patients who were at least 6 months post-transplant and receiving 2 grams per day MMF in combination with cyclosporine USP MODIFIED, with or without corticosteroids for at least two weeks prior to entry in the trial were randomized to Myfortic 1.44 grams per day (N = 159) or MMF 2 grams per day (N = 163) for 12 months.

The average age of patients in both studies was 47 years and 48 years (de novo study and conversion study, respectively), ranging from 22 to 75 years. Approximately 66% of patients were male; 82% were white, 12% were black, and 6% other races. About 40% of patients were from the United States and 60% from other countries.

In the de novo trial, the overall incidence of discontinuation due to adverse reactions was 18% (39/213) and 17% (35/210) in the Myfortic and MMF arms, respectively. The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation in the Myfortic arm were graft loss (2%), diarrhea (2%), vomiting (1%), renal impairment (1%), CMV infection (1%), and leukopenia (1%). The overall incidence of patients reporting dose reduction at least once during the 0- to 12-month study period was 59% and 60% in the Myfortic and MMF arms, respectively. The most frequent reasons for dose reduction in the Myfortic arm were adverse reactions (44%), dose reductions according to protocol guidelines (17%), dosing errors (11%) and missing data (2%).

The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20%) associated with the administration of Myfortic were anemia, leukopenia, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, dyspepsia, urinary tract infection, CMV infection, insomnia, and postoperative pain.

The adverse reactions reported in ≥ 10% of patients in the de novo trial are presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Adverse Reactions (%) Reported in ≥ 10% of de novo Kidney Transplant Patients in Either Treatment Group

Table 2 summarizes the incidence of opportunistic infections in de novo transplant patients.

Table 2: Viral and Fungal Infections (%) Reported Over 0 to 12 Months

Lymphoma developed in 2 de novo patients (1%), (1 diagnosed 9 days after treatment initiation) and in 2 conversion patients (1%) receiving Myfortic with other immunosuppressive agents in the 12-month controlled clinical trials.

Nonmelanoma skin carcinoma occurred in 1% de novo and 12% conversion patients. Other types of malignancy occurred in 1% de novo and 1% conversion patients.

The adverse reactions reported in less than 10% of de novo or conversion patients treated with Myfortic in combination with cyclosporine and corticosteroids are listed in Table 3.

Table 3: Adverse Reactions Reported in < 10% of Patients Treated with Myfortic in Combination With Cyclosporine* and Corticosteroids

The following additional adverse reactions have been associated with the exposure to MPA when administered as a sodium salt or as mofetil ester:

Gastrointestinal: Intestinal perforation, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers , colitis (including CMV colitis), pancreatitis, esophagitis, and ileus.

Infections: Serious life-threatening infections, such as meningitis and infectious endocarditis, tuberculosis, and atypical mycobacterial infection.

Respiratory: Interstitial lung disorders, including fatal pulmonary fibrosis.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of Myfortic or other MPA derivatives. 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 drug exposure:

• Congenital malformations, including ear, facial, cardiac and nervous system malformations and an increased incidence of first trimester pregnancy loss have been reported following exposure to MMF during pregnancy.
• Infections
  • Cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), sometimes fatal.
  • Polyomavirus associated nephropathy (PVAN), especially due to BK virus infection, associated with serious outcomes, including deteriorating renal function and renal graft loss.
  • Viral reactivation in patients infected with HBV or HCV.
• Cases of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) have been reported in patients treated with MPA derivatives in combination with other immunosuppressive agents.

The following additional adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of Myfortic: agranulocytosis, asthenia, osteomyelitis, lymphadenopathy, lymphopenia, wheezing, dry mouth, gastritis, peritonitis, anorexia, alopecia, pulmonary edema, Kaposi’s sarcoma, de novo purine synthesis inhibitors-associated acute inflammatory syndrome.