IRESSA 250 MG FILM-COATED TABLETS - summary of medicine characteristics

IRESSA 250 mg film-coated tablets

2 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION

Each tablet contains 250 mg of gefitinib.

Excipients with known effect:

Each tablet contains 163.5 mg of lactose (as monohydrate).

Each tablet contains 3.86 mg of sodium.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

3 PHARMACEUTICAL FORM

Film-coated tablets (tablet).

Tablets are brown, round, biconvex, impressed with “IRESSA 250” on one side and plain on the other.

4.1 Therapeutic indications

IRESSA is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating mutations of EGFR-TK (see section 4.4).

4.2 Posology and method of administration

Treatment with IRESSA should be initiated and supervised by a physician experienced in the use of anti-cancer therapies.

Posology

The recommended posology of IRESSA is one 250 mg tablet once a day. If a dose is missed, it should be taken as soon as the patient remembers. If it is less than 12 hours to the next dose, the patient should not take the missed dose. Patients should not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for a forgotten dose.

Paediatric population

The safety and efficacy of IRESSA in children and adolescents aged less than 18 years has not been established. There is no relevant use of gefitinib in the paediatric population in the indication of NSCLC.

Hepatic impairment

Patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) due to cirrhosis have increased plasma concentrations of gefitinib. These patients should be closely monitored for adverse events. Plasma concentrations were not increased in patients with elevated aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase or bilirubin due to liver metastases (see section 5.2).

Renal impairment

No dose adjustment is required in patients with impaired renal function at creatinine clearance >20 ml/min. Only limited data are available in patients with creatinine clearance < 20 ml/min and caution is advised in these patients (see section 5.2).

Elderly

No dose adjustment is required on the basis of patient age (see section 5.2).

CYP2D6 poor metabolisers

No specific dose adjustment is recommended in patients with known CYP2D6 poor metaboliser genotype, but these patients should be closely monitored for adverse events (see section 5.2).

Dose adjustment due to toxicity

Patients with poorly tolerated diarrhoea or skin adverse reactions may be successfully managed by providing a brief (up to 14 days) therapy interruption followed by reinstatement of the 250 mg dose (see section 4.8). For patients unable to tolerate treatment after a therapy interruption, gefitinib should be discontinued and an alternative treatment should be considered.

Method of administration

The tablet may be taken orally with or without food, at about the same time each day. The tablet can be swallowed whole with some water or if dosing of whole tablets is not possible, tablets may be administered as a dispersion in water (non-carbonated). No other liquids should be used. Without crushing it, the tablet should be dropped in half a glass of drinking water. The glass should be swirled occasionally, until the tablet is dispersed (this may take up to 20

uncommonly presenting as hepatitis (see section 4.8). There have been isolated reports of hepatic failure which in some cases led to fatal outcomes. Therefore, periodic liver function testing is recommended. Gefitinib should be used cautiously in the presence of mild to moderate changes in liver function. Discontinuation should be considered if changes are severe.

Impaired liver function due to cirrhosis has been shown to lead to increased plasma concentrations of gefitinib (see section 5.2).

Interactions with other medicinal products

CYP3A4 inducers may increase metabolism of gefitinib and decrease gefitinib plasma concentrations. Therefore, concomitant administration of CYP3A4 inducers (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampicin, barbiturates or herbal preparations containing St John’s wort/Hy­pericum perforatum) may reduce efficacy of the treatment and should be avoided (see section 4.5).

In individual patients with CYP2D6 poor metaboliser genotype, treatment with a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor might lead to increased plasma levels of gefitinib.

At initiation of treatment with a CYP3A4 inhibitor, patients should be closely monitored for gefitinib adverse reactions (see section 4.5).

International normalised ratio (INR) elevations and/or bleeding events have been reported in some patients taking warfarin together with gefitinib (see section 4.5). Patients taking warfarin and gefitinib concomitantly should be monitored regularly for changes in prothrombin time (PT) or INR.

Medicinal products that cause significant sustained elevation in gastric pH, such as proton-pump inhibitors and h2-antagonists may reduce bioavailability and plasma concentrations of gefitinib and, therefore, may reduce efficacy. Antacids if taken regularly close in time to administration of gefitinib may have a similar effect (see sections 4.5 and 5.2).

Data from phase II clinical trials, where gefitinib and vinorelbine have been used concomitantly, indicate that gefitinib may exacerbate the neutropenic effect of vinorelbine.

Lactose

IRESSA contains lactose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicinal product.

Sodium

IRESSA contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) of sodium per tablet, that is to say it is essentially ‘sodium-free’.

Further precautions for use

Patients should be advised to seek medical advice immediately if they experience severe or persistent diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or anorexia as these may indirectly lead to dehydration. These symptoms should be managed as clinically indicated (see section 4.8).

Patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of keratitis such as acute or worsening: eye inflammation, lacrimation, light sensitivity, blurred vision, eye pain and/or red eye should be referred promptly to an ophthalmology specialist.

If a diagnosis of ulcerative keratitis is confirmed, treatment with gefitinib should be interrupted, and if symptoms do not resolve, or if symptoms recur on reintroduction of gefitinib, permanent discontinuation should be considered.

In a phase I/II trial studying the use of gefitinib and radiation in paediatric patients, with newly diagnosed brain stem glioma or incompletely resected supratentorial malignant glioma, 4 cases (1 fatal) of Central Nervous System (CNS) haemorrhages were reported from 45 patients enrolled. A further case of CNS haemorrhage has been reported in a child with an ependymoma from a trial with gefitinib alone. An increased risk of cerebral haemorrhage in adult patients with NSCLC receiving gefitinib has not been established.

Gastrointestinal perforation has been reported in patients taking gefitinib. In most cases this is associated with other known risk factors, including concomitant medications such as steroids or NSAIDs, underlying history of GI ulceration, age, smoking or bowel metastases at sites of perforation.

4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

The metabolism of gefitinib is via the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP3A4 (predominantly) and via CYP2D6.

Active substances that may increase gefitinib plasma concentrations

In vitro studies have shown that gefitinib is a substrate of p-glycoprotein (Pgp). Available data do not suggest any clinical consequences to this in vitro finding.

Substances that inhibit CYP3A4 may decrease the clearance of gefitinib. Concomitant administration with potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 activity (e.g. ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, protease inhibitors, clarithromycin, telithromycin) may increase gefitinib plasma concentrations. The increase may be clinically relevant since adverse reactions are related to dose and exposure. The increase might be higher in individual patients with CYP2D6 poor metaboliser genotype. Pre-treatment with itraconazole (a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor) resulted in an 80% increase in the mean AUC of gefitinib in healthy volunteers. In situations of concomitant treatment with potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 the patient should be closely monitored for gefitinib adverse reactions.

There are no data on concomitant treatment with an inhibitor of CYP2D6 but potent inhibitors of this enzyme might cause increased plasma concentrations of gefitinib in CYP2D6 extensive metabolisers by about 2-fold (see section

5.2). If concomitant treatment with a potent CYP2D6 inhibitor is initiated, the patient should be closely monitored for adverse reactions.

Active substances that may reduce gefitinib plasma concentrations Substances that are inducers of CYP3A4 activity may increase metabolism and decrease gefitinib plasma concentrations and thereby reduce the efficacy of gefitinib. Concomitant medicinal products that induce CYP3A4 (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampicin, barbiturates or St John’s wort, Hypericum perforatum)), should be avoided. Pre-treatment with rifampicin (a potent CYP3A4 inducer) in healthy volunteers reduced mean gefitinib AUC by 83% (see section 4.4).

Substances that cause significant sustained elevation in gastric pH may reduce gefitinib plasma concentrations and thereby reduce the efficacy of gefitinib. High doses of short-acting antacids may have a similar effect if taken regularly close in time to administration of gefitinib. Concomitant administration of gefitinib with ranitidine at a dose that caused sustained elevations in gastric pH > 5 resulted in a reduced mean gefitinib AUC by 47% in healthy volunteers (see sections 4.4 and 5.2).

Active substances that may have their plasma concentrations altered by gefitinib

In vitro studies have shown that gefitinib has limited potential to inhibit CYP2D6. In a clinical trial in patients, gefitinib was co-administered with metoprolol (a CYP2D6 substrate). This resulted in a 35% increase in exposure to metoprolol. Such an increase might potentially be relevant for CYP2D6 substrates with narrow therapeutic index. When the use of CYP2D6 substrates are considered in combination with gefitinib, a dose modification of the CYP2D6 substrate should be considered especially for products with a narrow therapeutic window.

Gefitinib inhibits the transporter protein BCRP in vitro, but the clinical relevance of this finding is unknown.

Other potential interactions

INR elevations and/or bleeding events have been reported in some patients concomitantly taking warfarin (see section 4.4).

4.6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

Women of childbearing potential

Women of childbearing potential must be advised not to get pregnant during therapy.

Pregnancy

There are no data from the use of gefitinib in pregnant women. Studies in animals have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). The potential risk for humans is unknown. IRESSA should not be used during pregnancy unless clearly necessary.

Breast-feeding

It is not known whether gefitinib is secreted in human milk. Gefitinib and metabolites of gefitinib accumulated in milk of lactating rats (see section 5.3). Gefitinib is contraindicated during breast-feeding and therefore breast-feeding must be discontinued while receiving gefitinib therapy (see section 4.3).

4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines

During treatment with gefitinib, asthenia has been reported. Therefore, patients who experience this symptom should be cautious when driving or using machines.

4.8 Undesirable effects

Summary of the safety profile

In the pooled dataset from the ISEL, INTEREST and IPASS phase III clinical trials (2462 IRESSA-treated patients), the most frequently reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs), occurring in more than 20% of the patients, are diarrhoea and skin reactions (including rash, acne, dry skin and pruritus). ADRs usually occur within the first month of therapy and are generally reversible. Approximately 8% of patients had a severe ADR (common toxicity criteria (CTC) grade 3 or 4). Approximately 3% of patients stopped therapy due to an ADR.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has occurred in 1.3% of patients, often severe (CTC grade 3–4). Cases with fatal outcomes have been reported.

Tabulated list of adverse reactions

The safety profile presented in Table 1 is based on the gefitinib clinical development programme and postmarketed experience. Adverse reactions have been assigned to the frequency categories in Table 1 where possible based on the incidence of comparable adverse event reports in a pooled dataset from the ISEL, INTEREST and IPASS phase III clinical trials (2462 IRESSA-treated patients).

Frequencies of occurrence of undesirable effects are defined as: very common (> 1/10); common (> 1/100 to < 1/10); uncommon (> 1/1,000 to < 1/100); rare (> 1/10,000 to < 1/1,000); very rare (< 1/10,000), not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).

Within each frequency grouping, undesirable effects are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.

Table 1 Adverse reactions

The frequency of adverse drug reactions relating to abnormal laboratory values is based on patients with a change from baseline of 2 or more CTC grades in the relevant laboratory parameters.

*This adverse reaction can occur in association with other dry conditions (mainly skin reactions) seen with gefitinib.

This includes isolated reports of hepatic failure which in some cases led to fatal outcomes.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD)

In the INTEREST trial, the incidence of ILD type events was 1.4% (10) patients in the gefitinib group versus 1.1% (8) patients in the docetaxel group. One ILD-type event was fatal, and this occurred in a patient receiving gefitinib.

In the ISEL trial, the incidence of ILD-type events in the overall population was approximately 1% in both treatment arms. The majority of ILD-type events reported was from patients of Asian ethnicity and the ILD incidence among patients of Asian ethnicity receiving gefitinib therapy and placebo was approximately 3% and 4% respectively. One ILD-type event was fatal, and this occurred in a patient receiving placebo.

In a post-marketing surveillance study in Japan (3350 patients) the reported rate of ILD-type events in patients receiving gefitinib was 5.8%. The proportion of ILD-type events with a fatal outcome was 38.6%.

In a phase III open-label clinical trial (IPASS) in 1217 patients comparing IRESSA to carboplatin/pa­clitaxel doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment in selected patients with advanced NSCLC in Asia, the incidence of ILD-type events was 2.6% on the IRESSA treatment arm versus 1.4% on the carboplatin/pa­clitaxel treatment arm.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions

Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via:

Yellow Card Scheme

Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

4.9 Overdose

5   PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

5.1   Pharmacodynamic properties

5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties

Absorption

Following oral administration of gefitinib, absorption is moderately slow and peak plasma concentrations of gefitinib typically occur at 3 to 7 hours after administration. Mean absolute bioavailability is 59% in cancer patients.

Exposure to gefitinib is not significantly altered by food. In a trial in healthy volunteers where gastric pH was maintained above pH 5, gefitinib exposure was reduced by 47%, likely due to impaired solubility of gefitinib in the stomach (see sections 4.4 and 4.5).

Distribution

Gefitinib has a mean steady-state volume of distribution of 1400 l indicating extensive distribution into tissue. Plasma protein binding is approximately 90%. Gefitinib binds to serum albumin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein.

In vitro data indicate that gefitinib is a substrate for the membrane transport protein Pgp.

Biotransformation

In vitro data indicate that CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 are the major P450 isozyme involved in the oxidative metabolism of gefitinib.

In vitro studies have shown that gefitinib has limited potential to inhibit CYP2D6. Gefitinib shows no enzyme induction effects in animal studies and no significant inhibition (in vitro) of any other cytochrome P450 enzyme.

Gefitinib is extensively metabolised in humans. Five metabolites have been fully identified in excreta and 8 metabolites in plasma. The major metabolite identified was O-desmethyl gefitinib, which is 14-fold less potent than gefitinib at inhibiting EGFR stimulated cell growth and has no inhibitory effect on tumour cell growth in mice. It is therefore considered unlikely that it contributes to the clinical activity of gefitinib.

The formation of O-desmethyl gefitinib has been shown, in vitro, to be via CYP2D6. The role of CYP2D6 in the metabolic clearance of gefitinib has been evaluated in a clinical trial in healthy volunteers genotyped for CYP2D6 status. In poor metabolisers no measurable levels of O-desmethyl gefitinib were produced. The levels of exposure to gefitinib achieved in both the extensive and the poor metaboliser groups were wide and overlapping but the mean exposure to gefitinib was 2-fold higher in the poor metaboliser group. The higher average exposures that could be achieved by individuals with no active CYP2D6 may be clinically relevant since adverse effects are related to dose and exposure.

Elimination

Gefitinib is excreted mainly as metabolites via the faeces, with renal elimination of gefitinib and metabolites accounting for less than 4% of the administered dose.

Gefitinib total plasma clearance is approximately 500 ml/min and the mean terminal half-life is 41 hours in cancer patients. Administration of gefitinib once daily results in 2– to 8-fold accumulation, with steady-state exposures achieved after 7 to 10 doses. At steady-state, circulating plasma concentrations are typically maintained within a 2– to 3-fold range over the 24-hour dosing interval.

Special populations

From analyses of population pharmacokinetic data in cancer patients, no relationships were identified between predicted steady-state trough concentration and patient age, body weight, gender, ethnicity or creatinine clearance (above 20 ml/min).

Hepatic impairment

In a phase I open-label study of single dose gefitinib 250 mg in patients with mild, moderate or severe hepatic impairment due to cirrhosis (according to Child-Pugh classification), there was an increase in exposure in all groups compared with healthy controls. An average 3.1-fold increase in exposure to gefitinib in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment was observed. None of the patients had cancer, all had cirrhosis and some had hepatitis. This increase in exposure may be of clinical relevance since adverse experiences are related to dose and exposure to gefitinib.

Gefitinib has been evaluated in a clinical trial conducted in 41 patients with solid tumours and normal hepatic function, or moderate or severe hepatic impairment (classified according to baseline Common Toxicity Criteria grades for AST, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin) due to liver metastases. It was shown that following daily administration of 250 mg gefitinib, time to steadystate, total plasma clearance (CmaxSS) and steady-state exposure (AUC24SS) were similar for the groups with normal and moderately impaired hepatic function. Data from 4 patients with severe hepatic impairment due to liver metastases suggested that steady-state exposures in these patients are also similar to those in patients with normal hepatic function.

5.3 Preclinical safety data

Adverse reactions not observed in clinical studies, but seen in animals at exposure levels similar to the clinical exposure levels and with possible relevance to clinical use were as follows:

– Corneal epithelia atrophy and corneal translucencies

– Renal papillary necrosis

– Hepatocellular necrosis and eosinophilic sinusoidal macrophage infiltration

Data from non-clinical (in vitro) studies indicate that gefitinib has the potential to inhibit the cardiac action potential repolarisation process (e.g. QT interval). Clinical experience has not shown a causal association between QT prolongation and gefitinib.

A reduction in female fertility was observed in the rat at a dose of

20 mg/kg/day.

Published studies have shown that genetically modified mice, lacking expression of EGFR, exhibit developmental defects, related to epithelial immaturity in a variety of organs including the skin, gastrointestinal tract and lung. When gefitinib was administered to rats during organogenesis, there were no effects on embryofoetal development at the highest dose

(30 mg/kg/day). However, in the rabbit, there were reduced foetal weights at 20 mg/kg/day and above. There were no compound-induced malformations in either species. When administered to the rat throughout gestation and parturition, there was a reduction in pup survival at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day.

Following oral administration of C-14 labelled gefitinib to lactating rats 14 days post-partum, concentrations of radioactivity in milk were 11–19 fold higher than in blood.

Gefitinib showed no genotoxic potential.

A 2-year carcinogenicity study in rats resulted in a small but statistically significant increased incidence of hepatocellular adenomas in both male and female rats and mesenteric lymph node haemangiosarcomas in female rats at the highest dose (10 mg/kg/day) only. The hepatocellular adenomas were also seen in a 2-year carcinogenicity study in mice, which demonstrated a small increased incidence of this finding in male mice at the mid dose, and in both male and female mice at the highest dose. The effects reached statistical significance for the female mice, but not for the males. At no-effect levels in both mice and rats there was no margin in clinical exposure. The clinical relevance of these findings is unknown.

The results of an in vitro phototoxicity study demonstrated that gefitinib may have phototoxicity potential.

6 PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS

6.1 List of excipients

Tablet core

Lactose monohydrate

Microcrystalline cellulose (E460) Croscarmellose sodium

Povidone (K29–32) (E1201) Sodium laurilsulfate

Magnesium stearate

Tablet coating

Hypromellose (E464)

Macrogol 300

Titanium dioxide (E171)

Yellow iron oxide (E172)

Red iron oxide (E172)

6.2 Incompatibilities

Not applicable.

6.3 Shelf life

4 years.

6.4 Special precautions for storage

Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture.

6.5 Nature and contents of container

PVC/Aluminium perforated blister containing 10 tablets or PVC/Aluminium non-perforated blister containing 10 tablets.

Three blisters are combined with an aluminium foil laminate over-wrap-in a carton.

Pack size of 30 film-coated tablets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

6.6 Special precautions for disposal

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.

7 MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca UK Limited

600 Capability Green

Luton

LU1 3LU

UK