Ezetimibe

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Ezetimibe tablets are indicated: In combination with a statin, or alone when additional low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering therapy is not possible, as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL-C in adults with primary hyperlipidemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). In combination with a statin as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL-C in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with HeFH. In combination with fenofibrate as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL-C in adults with mixed hyperlipidemia. In combination with a statin, and other LDL-C lowering therapies, to reduce elevated LDL-C levels in adults and in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). As an adjunct to diet for the reduction of elevated sitosterol and campesterol levels in adults and in pediatric patients 9 years of age and older with homozygous familial sitosterolemia. When ezetimibe tablets are used in combination with a statin, fenofibrate, or other LDL-C lowering therapies, refer to the Prescribing Information of these products for information on the safe and effective use. Ezetimibe is indicated ( 1 ): In combination with a statin, or alone when additional low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering therapy is not possible, as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL-C in adults with primary hyperlipidemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). In combination with a statin as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL-C in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with HeFH. In combination with fenofibrate as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL C in adults with mixed hyperlipidemia. In combination with a statin, and other LDL-C lowering therapies, to reduce elevated LDL C levels in adults and in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). As an adjunct to diet for the reduction of elevated sitosterol and campesterol levels in adults and in pediatric patients 9 years of age and older with homozygous familial sitosterolemia. When ezetimibe is used in combination with a statin, fenofibrate, or other LDL-C lowering therapies, refer to the Prescribing Information of these products for information on the safe and effective use ( 1 ).

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label: Liver enzyme abnormalities [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Rhabdomyolysis and myopathy [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Common adverse reactions in clinical trials: Ezetimibe administered alone (incidence ≥2% and greater than placebo): upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, arthralgia, sinusitis, pain in extremity, fatigue, and influenza ( 6.1 ) Ezetimibe coadministered with a statin (incidence ≥2% and greater than statin alone): nasopharyngitis, myalgia, upper respiratory tract infection, arthralgia, diarrhea, back pain, influenza, pain in extremity, and fatigue ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Teva at 1-888-838-2872 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. Monotherapy In 10 double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials, 2,396 patients with primary hyperlipidemia (age range 9 to 86 years; 50% female, 90% White, 5% Black or African American, 2% Asian, 3% other races; 3% identified as Hispanic or Latino ethnicity) and elevated LDL-C were treated with ezetimibe 10 mg daily for a median treatment duration of 12 weeks (range 0 to 39 weeks). Adverse reactions reported in ≥2% of patients treated with ezetimibe and at an incidence greater than placebo in placebo-controlled studies of ezetimibe are shown in Table 1. TABLE 1: Adverse Reactions Occurring ≥2% and Greater than Placebo in Ezetimibe-treated Patients Adverse Reaction Placebo (%) n = 1,159 Ezetimibe Tablets 10 mg (%) n = 2,396 Upper respiratory tract infection 2.5 4.3 Diarrhea 3.7 4.1 Arthralgia 2.2 3.0 Sinusitis 2.2 2.8 Pain in extremity 2.5 2.7 Fatigue 1.5 2.4 Influenza 1.5 2.0 Combination with a Statin In 28 double-blind, controlled (placebo or active-controlled) clinical trials, 11,308 patients with primary hyperlipidemia (age range 10 to 93 years, 48% female, 85% White, 7% Black or African American, 3% Asian, 5% other races; 4% identified as Hispanic or Latino ethnicity) and elevated LDL-C were treated with ezetimibe 10 mg/day concurrently with or added to on-going statin therapy for a median treatment duration of 8 weeks (range 0 to 112 weeks). The incidence of consecutive increased transaminases (≥3 X ULN) was higher in patients receiving ezetimibe administered with statins (1.3%) than in patients treated with statins alone (0.4%). Adverse reactions reported in ≥2% of patients treated with ezetimibe + statin and at an incidence greater than statin are shown in Table 2. TABLE 2: Adverse Reactions Occurring ≥2% in Ezetimibe-treated Patients Coadministered with a Statin and at an Incidence Greater than Statin Adverse Reaction All Statins* (%) n = 9,361 Ezetimibe + All Statins* (%) n = 11,308 Nasopharyngitis 3.3 3.7 Myalgia 2.7 3.2 Upper respiratory tract infection 2.8 2.9 Arthralgia 2.4 2.6 Diarrhea 2.2 2.5 Back pain 2.3 2.4 Influenza 2.1 2.2 Pain in extremity 1.9 2.1 Fatigue 1.6 2.0 * All Statins = all doses of all statins Combination with Fenofibrate This clinical trial involving 625 patients with mixed dyslipidemia (age range 20 to 76 years; 44% female, 79% White, 1% Black or African American, 20% other races; 11% identified as Hispanic or Latino ethnicity) treated for up to 12 weeks and 576 patients treated for up to an additional 48 weeks evaluated coadministration of ezetimibe and fenofibrate. Incidence rates for clinically important elevations (≥3 X ULN, consecutive) in hepatic transaminase levels were 4.5% and 2.7% for fenofibrate monotherapy (n=188) and ezetimibe coadministered with fenofibrate (n=183), respectively, adjusted for treatment exposure. Corresponding incidence rates for cholecystectomy were 0.6% and 1.7% for fenofibrate monotherapy and ezetimibe coadministered with fenofibrate, respectively [see Drug Interactions ( 7 )] . 6.2 Post-Marketing Experience Because the reactions below are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is generally not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The following additional adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of ezetimibe: Blood Disorders: thrombocytopenia Gastrointestinal Disorders: abdominal pain; pancreatitis; nausea Hepatobiliary Disorders: elevations in liver transaminases; hepatitis; cholelithiasis; cholecystitis Immune System Disorders: Hypersensitivity reactions including: anaphylaxis, angioedema, rash, and urticaria Musculoskeletal Disorders: elevated creatine phosphokinase; myopathy/rhabdomyolysis Nervous System Disorders: dizziness; paresthesia; depression; headache Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: erythema multiforme