TAMFREX XL 400 MICROGRAMSCAPSULES - summary of medicine characteristics

TAMFREX XL 400 microgram capsules

2 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION

Each prolonged-release capsule, hard contains 0.4 mg of tamsulosin hydrochloride.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

Prolonged-release capsule, hard

Olive green opaque/ Orange opaque size ‘1EL’ hard gelatin capsules imprinted with ‘D’ on cap and ‘53’ on body with black edible ink filled with white to off-white beadlets.

4.1 Therapeutic indications

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

4.2 Posology and method of administration

Oral use

One capsule daily, to be taken after breakfast or the first meal of the day.

The capsule must be swallowed whole and must not be crunched or chewed, as this interferes with the modified release of the active ingredient.

No dose adjustment is warranted in renal impairment. No dose adjustment is warranted in patients with mild to moderate hepatic insufficiency (see also 4.3 Contraindi­cations).

Paediatric population

There is no relevant indication for use of tamsulosine in children.

The safety and efficacy of tamsulosine in children < 18 years have not been established. Currently available data are described in section 5.1.

4.3 Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to tamsulosin hydrochloride, including drug-induced angio-oedema, or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.

A history of orthostatic hypotension

Severe hepatic insufficiency.

4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use

As with other a 1-adrenoceptors antagonists, a reduction in blood pressure can occur in individual cases during treatment with tamsulosin as a result of which, rarely, syncope can occur. At the first signs of orthostatic hypotension (dizziness, weakness), the patient should sit or lie down until the symptoms have disappeared.

Before therapy with tamsulosin is initiated, the patient should be examined in order to exclude the presence of other conditions, which can cause the same symptoms as benign prostatic hyperplasia. Digital rectal examination and, when necessary, determination of prostate specific antigen (PSA) should be performed before treatment and at regular intervals afterwards.

The treatment of patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance of < 10 ml/min) should be approached with caution, as these patients have not been studied.

The ‘Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome’ (IFIS, a variant of small pupil syndrome) has been observed during cataract and glaucoma surgery in some patients on or previously treated with tamsulosin hydrochloride. IFIS may increase the risk of eye complications during and after the operation.

Discontinuing tamsulosin hydrochloride 1–2 weeks prior to cataract or glaucoma surgery is anecdotally considered helpful, but the benefit of treatment discontinuation has not yet been established. IFIS has also been reported in patients who had discontinued tamsulosin for a longer period prior to the cataract surgery.

Concurrent administration of other a 1-adrenoceptor antagonists could lead to hypotensive effects.

4.6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

Tamsulosin Aurobindo is not indicated for use in women Ejaculation disorders have been observed in short and long term clinical studies with tamsulosin. Events of ejaculation disorder, retrograde ejaculation and ejaculation failure have been reported in the post authorization pha­se.

4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines

No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. However, patients should be aware of the fact that dizziness can occur.

4.8 Undesirable effects

* Observed post-marketing.

During cataract and glaucoma surgery a small pupil situation, known as Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS), has been associated with therapy of tamsulosin during post-marketing surveillance (see also section 4.4).

Post-marketing experience: In addition to the adverse events listed above, atrial fibrillation, arrhythmia, tachycardia and dyspnoea have been reported in association with tamsulosin use. Because these spontaneously reported events are from the worldwide post marketing experience, the frequency of events and the role of tamsulosin in their causation cannot be reliably determined.

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

4.9 OverdoseSymptoms

Overdosage with tamsulosin hydrochloride can potentially result in severe hypotensive effects. Severe hypotensive effects have been observed at different levels of overdosing.

Treatment

In case of acute hypotension occurring after overdosage cardiovascular support should be given. Blood pressure can be restored and heart rate brought back to normal by lying the patient down. If this does not help then volume expanders and, when necessary, vasopressors could be employed. Renal function should be monitored and general supportive measures applied. Dialysis is unlikely to be of help as tamsulosin is very highly bound to plasma proteins.

Measures, such as emesis, can be taken to impede absorption. When large quantities are involved, gastric lavage can be applied and activated charcoal and an osmotic laxative, such as sodium sulphate, can be administered.

5.1 Pharmacodynamic properties

Pharmacotherapeutic group: a 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, ATC code: GO4C AO2. Preparations for the exclusive treatment of prostatic disease.

Mechanism of action

Tamsulosin binds selectively and competitively to postsynaptic a 1adrenoreceptors, in particular to subtypes a 1A and a 1D. It brings about relaxation of prostatic and urethral smooth muscle.

Pharmacodynamic effects

Tamsulosin increases the maximum urinary flow rate. It relieves obstruction by relaxing smooth muscle in prostate and urethra thereby improving voiding symptoms..

It also improves the storage symptoms in which bladder instability plays an important role.

These effects on storage and voiding symptoms are maintained during long -term therapy. The need for surgery or catheterization is significantly delayed.

a 1adrenoceptors antagonists can reduce blood pressure by lowering peripheral resistance. No reduction in blood pressure of any clinical significance was observed during studies with tamsulosin.

Paediatric population

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose ranging study was performed in children with neuropathic bladder. A total of 161 children (with an age of 2 to 16 years) were randomized and treated at 1 of 3 dose levels of tamsulosin (low [0.001 to 0.002 mg/kg], medium [0.002 to 0.004 mg/kg], and high [0.004 to 0.008 mg/kg]), or placebo. The primary endpoint was number of patients who decreased their detrusor leak point pressure (LPP) to <40 cm H2O based upon two evaluations on the same day. Secondary endpoints were: Actual and percent change from baseline in detrusor leak point pressure, improvement or stabilization of hydronephrosis and hydroureter and change in urine volumes obtained by catheterisation and number of times wet at time of catheterisation as recorded in catheterisation diaries. No statistically significant difference was found between the placebo group and any of the 3 tamsulosin dose groups for either the primary or any secondary endpoints. No dose response was observed for any dose level.

5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties

Absorption

Tamsulosin is rapidly absorbed from the intestines and its bioavailability is almost complete. Absorption is slowed down if a meal has been eaten before taking the medicinal product. Uniformity of absorption can be assured by always taking tamsulosin after breakfast.

Tamsulosin shows linear kinetics.

Peak plasma levels are achieved at approximately six hours after a single dose of tamsulosin taken after a full meal. The steady state is reached by day five of multiple dosing, when Cmax in patients is about two-thirds higher than that reached after a single dose. Although this has been demonstrated only in the elderly, the same result would also be expected in younger patients.

There are huge inter-patient variations in plasma levels of tamsulosin, both after single as well as multiple dosing.

Distribution

In humans, tamsulosin is more than 99% bound to plasma proteins and the volume of distribution is small (about 0.2 l/kg).

Biotransformation

Tamsulosin has a low first pass metabolic effect. Most tamsulosin is found unaltered in plasma. The substance is metabolised in the liver.

In studies on rats, tamsulosin was found to cause only a slight induction of microsomal liver enzymes.

In vitro Results suggest that CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 are involved in metabolism, with possible minor contribution of other CYP isoenzymes in the metabolism of tamsulosin hydrochloride. Inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 enzymes that metabolize drugs may lead to increased exposure to tamsulosin hydrochloride (see sections 4.4 and 4.5).

The metabolites are not as effective and toxic as the active medicinal product itself.

Excretion

Tamsulosin and its metabolites are mainly excreted in the urine with about 9% of the dose being present in unchanged form.

The elimination half-life of tamsulosin in patients is approximately 10 hours (when taken after a meal) and 13 hours in the steady state.

5.3 Preclinical safety data

Toxicity after a single dose and multiple dosing has been investigated in mice, rats and dogs. Reproductive toxicity has also been investigated in rats, carcinogenicity in mice and rats, and genotoxicity in vivo and in vitro.

The common toxicity profile found with large doses of tamsulosin is equivalent to the pharmacological effect associated with alpha adrenergic antagonists. Changes in ECG readings were found with very large doses in dogs. This is not, however, assumed to be of any clinical significance.

Tamsulosin has not been found to have any significant genotoxic properties.

Greater proliferative changes in the mammary glands of female rats and mice have been discovered on exposure to tamsulosin. These findings, which are probably indirectly linked to hyperprolactinaemia and only occur as a result of large doses having been taken, are considered clinically insignificant.

6 PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS

6.1 List of excipientsCapsule Content

Cellulose, microcrystalline

Talc

Methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Polysorbate 80

Triacetin

Calcium stearate

Indigo carmine (E132)

Iron oxide red (E172)

Iron oxide yellow (E172)

Titanium dioxide (E171)

Gelatin

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Printing Ink

Shellac

Propylene glycol

Black iron oxide (E172)

Potassium hydroxide

6.2 Incompatibilities

Not applicable

6.3 Shelf life

2 years

6.4 Special precautions for storage

This medicinal product does not require any special temperature storage conditions

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

6.5 Nature and contents of container

PVC/PE/PVDC/A­luminium blister packs

Blister: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 15, 20, 28, 30, 50, 56, 60, 90, 98, 100 & 200 hard, capsules.

White opaque round HDPE bottle with white opaque polypropylene closure: 10 & 250 hard, capsules.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed

6.6 Special precautions for disposal No special requirements.