Kepivance

Overdose

No data are available regarding overdosage with Kepivance.

Contraindications

None

Undesirable effects

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 clinical practice.

The data described in Table 1 and the discussion below reflect exposure to Kepivance in 409 patients with hematologic malignancies who were enrolled in 3 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials and a pharmacokinetic study. Patients received Kepivance either before, or before and after, regimens of myelotoxic chemotherapy, with or without total body irradiation (TBI), followed by hematopoietic stem cell support. Kepivance was administered in daily doses ranging from 5 to 80 mcg/kg/day. The total dose of Kepivance ranged from 15 to 480 mcg/kg with a median of 360 mcg/kg. The population had a median age of 48 years (range: 41 to 60 years), 62% were male and 83% were White with 7.4 % Black and 6.2 % Hispanic. Non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was the most common malignancy followed by Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, and leukemia.

The most common adverse reactions attributed to Kepivance were skin toxicities (rash, erythema, edema, pruritus), oral toxicities (dysesthesia, tongue discoloration, tongue thickening, alteration of taste), pain, arthralgias, and dysesthesia. The median time to onset of cutaneous toxicity was 6 days following the first of 3 consecutive daily doses of Kepivance, with a median duration of 5 days. In patients receiving Kepivance, dysesthesia (including hyperesthesia, hypoesthesia, and paresthesia) was usually localized to the perioral region, whereas in patients receiving placebo dysesthesias were more likely to occur in extremities.

The most common serious adverse reaction attributed to Kepivance was skin rash, reported in less than 1% (3/409) of patients treated. Grade 3 skin rashes occurred in 3% of patients (9/409) receiving Kepivance and 2% (5/241) receiving placebo.

Table 1. Incidence of Adverse Reactions Occurring with a Between-Group Difference of ≥ 5%

In a postmarketing safety study, the incidence of cataracts was numerically higher among patients receiving Kepivance than in the control population. (See Clinical Studies).

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled post-approval study designed to determine the efficacy of Kepivance with a high-dose melphalan preparative regimen, the incidence of treatment-emergent infections was significantly greater in patients treated with Kepivance compared to placebo. A total of 281 patients were randomized to 3 arms: Kepivance before melphalan on days -6, -5, -4 and after melphalan on days 0, 1, and 2 (pre-post) (n=115); Kepivance before melphalan on days -6, -5, -4 (pre) (n=109); or placebo (n=57). The incidence of reported infections were pre-post - 50%; pre - 47%; and placebo - 25%.

Reversible elevations in serum lipase and amylase, which did not require treatment, were reported in 28% and 62% of patients receiving Kepivance and 23% and 54%of patients receiving placebo. In general, peak increases were observed during the period of cytotoxic therapy and returned to baseline by the day of hematopoietic stem cell infusion. Amylase was mainly salivary in origin.

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for immunogenicity. The clinical significance of antibodies to Kepivance is unknown but may include decreased activity and/or cross reactivity with other members of the FGF family of growth factors.

In clinical trials, serum samples from patients treated with Kepivance were tested for antibodies to Kepivance using an electrochemiluminescence-based binding assay. Twelve of 645 patients (2%) tested positive; none had evidence of neutralizing activity in a cell-based assay.

The incidence of antibody positivity is highly dependent on the specific assay and its sensitivity. Additionally, the observed incidence of antibody positivity in an assay may be influenced by several factors including sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison of the incidence of antibodies to Kepivance with the incidence of antibodies to other products may be misleading.

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of Kepivance in the stem cell transplant setting. 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.

• Vaginal edema and erythema;
• Palmar-plantar Erythrodysaesthesia Syndrome (also known as “hand-foot syndrome”)

Therapeutic indications

Kepivance is a mucocutaneous epithelial human growth factor indicated to decrease the incidence and duration of severe oral mucositis in patients with hematologic malignancies receiving myelotoxic therapy in the setting of autologous hematopoietic stem cell support. Kepivance is indicated as supportive care for preparative regimens predicted to result in ≥ WHO Grade 3 mucositis in the majority of patients.

The safety and efficacy of Kepivance have not been established in patients with non-hematologic malignancies.

Kepivance was not effective in decreasing the incidence of severe mucositis in patients with hematologic malignancies receiving myelotoxic therapy in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell support.

Kepivance is not recommended for use with melphalan 200 mg/m2 as a conditioning regimen.

Pharmacodynamic properties

Epithelial cell proliferation was assessed by Ki67 immunohistochemical staining in healthy subjects. A 3-fold or greater increase in Ki67 staining was observed in buccal biopsies from 3 of 6 healthy subjects given Kepivance at 40 mcg/kg/day intravenously for 3 days, when measured 24 hours after the third dose. Dose-dependent epithelial cell proliferation was observed in healthy subjects given single intravenous doses of 120 to 250 mcg/kg 48 hours post-dosing.

Pharmacokinetic properties

The pharmacokinetics of Kepivance were studied in healthy subjects and patients with hematologic malignancies. After single intravenous doses of 20 to 250 mcg/kg in healthy subjects and 60 mcg/kg in cancer patients, Kepivance concentrations declined over 95% in the first 30 minutes post-dose. A slight increase or plateau in concentration occurred at approximately 1 to 4 hours, followed by a terminal decline phase. Kepivance exhibited linear pharmacokinetics with extravascular distribution. In cancer patients compared with healthy subjects, after a 60 mcg/kg single dose of Kepivance the average total body clearance (CL) was 2- to 4-fold higher, and volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) was 2-fold higher. The elimination half-life was similar between healthy subjects and cancer patients (average 4.5 hours with a range of 3.3 to 5.7 hours). No accumulation of Kepivance occurred after 3 consecutive daily doses of 20 and 40 mcg/kg in healthy subjects or 60 mcg/kg in cancer patients. Age (1 to 16 years) did not affect the pharmacokinetics of palifermin over the dose range of 40 to 80 mcg/kg.

Date of revision of the text

Name of the medicinal product

Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Kepivance in pregnant woman. Palifermin is embryotoxic in rabbits and rats. In reproductive toxicology studies, increased post-implantation loss and decrease in fetal body weight were observed in both rabbit (2.5 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD], adjusted for body weight) and rat (8 times the MRHD, on a mcg/kg basis). Kepivance should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the mother justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

Qualitative and quantitative composition

For injection: 6.25 mg lyophilized powder in single-dose vials.

Kepivance is supplied as a lyophilized powder in single-dose vials containing 6.25 mg of palifermin.

Kepivance vials are supplied in:

• a dispensing pack containing 3 vials (NDC 66658-112-03)
• a dispensing pack containing 6 vials (NDC 66658-112-06)

Store Kepivance vials in the dispensing pack in its carton refrigerated at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F) until time of use. Protect from light.

Manufactured by: Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ), SE-112 76 Stockholm, Sweden, U.S. Revised: July 2016

Special warnings and precautions for use

Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section

The safety and efficacy of Kepivance have not been established in patients with non-hematologic malignancies. The effects of Kepivance on stimulation of KGF receptor-expressing, non-hematopoietic tumors in patients are not known. Kepivance has been shown to enhance the growth of human epithelial tumor cell lines in vitro and to increase the rate of tumor cell line growth in a human carcinoma xenograft model.

No treatment-related increase in the incidence of neoplastic lesions occurred in transgenic rasH2 mice treated with 9 weekly intravenous doses of palifermin, at 167-fold higher than the recommended human dose (on a mcg/kg basis).

No clastogenic or mutagenic effects of palifermin were observed in mammalian chromosomal aberration or Ames genotoxicity assays.

Reproductive performance, fertility, and sperm assessment parameters were not affected when palifermin was administered intravenously to male and female rats prior to and during mating at doses up to 100 mcg/kg/day. Decreased epididymal sperm counts, and increased postimplantation losses were observed at doses ≥ 300 mcg/kg/day (5-fold higher than the recommended human dose, on a mcg/kg basis). Increased pre-implantation loss and a decreased fertility index were observed at a palifermin dose of 1000 mcg/kg/day.

No gender-related differences were observed in the pharmacokinetics of Kepivance at doses ≤ 60 mcg/kg.

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Kepivance in pregnant woman. Palifermin is embryotoxic in rabbits and rats. In reproductive toxicology studies, increased post-implantation loss and decrease in fetal body weight were observed in both rabbit (2.5 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD], adjusted for body weight) and rat (8 times the MRHD, on a mcg/kg basis). Kepivance should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the mother justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

It is not known whether Kepivance is secreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from Kepivance, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

Information on the dosing and safety of Kepivance in the pediatric population is limited. However, use of Kepivance in pediatric patients ages 1 to 16 years is supported by evidence from adequate and wellcontrolled studies of Kepivance in adults and a phase 1 study that included 27 pediatric patients with acute leukemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Three age groups were studied: ages 1 to 2 (n=9), ages 3 to 11 (n=9), and ages 12 to 16 (n=9); 56% were male, 26% were Caucasian, 63% Hispanic; 81% ALL, 19% AML. The patients received high-dose cytotoxic therapy consisting of fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) (12 Gy total dose), high dose etoposide (1500 mg/m2), and high dose cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell support. The dose intensity of this preparative regimen is comparable to the dose intensity of the Study 1 preparative regimen. See Clinical Studies. Kepivance was administered as a daily intravenous injection for 3 consecutive days prior to initiation of cytotoxic therapy and for 3 consecutive days following infusion of hematopoietic stem cells. Three dose levels, 40, 60, and 80 mcg/kg/dose, were evaluated. There was no dose limiting toxicity identified at any dose level. Adverse events were similar to those reported in adult studies. The incidence of palifermin related adverse events was highest in the 80 μg/kg cohort. The overall incidence of WHO grade 3 and 4 oral mucositis was 10/27 (37%).

The pharmacokinetics of Kepivance was evaluated in the phase 1 study. Age (1 to 16 years) did not affect the pharmacokinetics of palifermin over the dose range (40 to 80 mcg/kg). Palifermin concentrations declined in the first 30 minutes after dosing. An increase in palifermin concentrations occurred at around 2 to 4 hours post-dose for some subjects, which was followed by a second, slow decline phase. A similar trend has been observed in adult patients. The mean half-life range was 2.6 to 5.6 hours in pediatric patients following the first 60 mcg/kg dose of Kepivance. No accumulation was observed following 3 consecutive doses of Kepivance. Palifermin exposure did not increase linearly with increasing doses. The first dose AUC0-inf (mean) of Kepivance 60 mcg/kg/day in adult patients (18 to 63 years) was 38.2 ng*hr/mL compared to 46.1 ng*hr/mL (range of means: 22.8 to 81.6) for pediatric patients (1 to 16 years). The mean clearance was 1730 mL/hr/kg for adults and 2481 mL/hr/kg (range of means: 1700 to 3460) in pediatric patients.

Clinical studies of Kepivance did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 years and older to determine whether they responded differently from younger subjects..

Dosage (Posology) and method of administration

The recommended dose of Kepivance is 60 mcg/kg/day, administered as an intravenous bolus injection for 3 consecutive days before and 3 consecutive days after myelotoxic therapy, for a total of 6 doses.

Administer the first 3 doses prior to myelotoxic therapy. Administer the third dose 24 to 48 hours prior to beginning myelotoxic therapy.

Administer the last 3 doses after myelotoxic therapy is complete; Administer the first of these doses on the day of hematopoietic stem cell infusion after the infusion is completed, and at least 7 days after the most recent administration of Kepivance.

Prepare the solution for infusion, using aseptic technique, as follows:

• Reconstitute Kepivance lyophilized powder with Sterile Water for Injection, USP (not supplied) by slowly injecting 1.2 mL of Sterile Water for Injection, USP to yield a final concentration of 5 mg/mL.
• Swirl the contents gently during dissolution. Do not shake or vigorously agitate the vial. Dissolution of Kepivance can take up to 3 minutes.
• Visually inspect the solution for discoloration and particulate matter before administration. The reconstituted solution should be clear and colorless. Do not administer Kepivance if discoloration or particulates are observed. Do not filter the reconstituted solution during preparation or administration. Do not freeze the reconstituted solution. Protect from light.

• Administer Kepivance by intravenous bolus injection. If heparin is used to maintain an intravenous line, rinse the line with saline prior to and after Kepivance administration.
• The reconstituted solution contains no preservatives and is intended for single use only. Discard any unused portion.
• Following reconstitution, it is recommended that the product be used immediately. If not used immediately, the reconstituted solution of Kepivance may be stored refrigerated in its carton at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F) for up to 24 hours.
• Prior to injection, allow Kepivance to reach room temperature for a maximum of 1 hour protected from light. Discard Kepivance left at room temperature for more than 1 hour.

Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

The potential pharmacokinetic interaction between palifermin and heparin was evaluated in a single-dose study in 27 healthy subjects receiving palifermin (60 mcg/kg) co-administered with and without therapeutic levels of unfractionated heparin. This co-administration resulted in a 5-fold increase in palifermin AUC and an 80% decrease in the mean CL. There was no significant effect of palifermin on heparin activity with respect to activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). A second study was conducted in 31 evaluable healthy subjects receiving palifermin (40 mcg/kg/day for 3 days) coadministered with and without therapeutic levels of unfractionated heparin. In this study, coadministration of heparin and palifermin resulted in a 425% increase in palifermin AUC and a 76.5, 73.1, and 38.8% decrease in palifermin CL, volume of distribution, and half-life, respectively. These changes in palifermin PK did not have a noticeable effect on Ki67 expression in buccal biopsies, used as a marker of epithelial cell proliferation.