Rowasa

Overdose

There have been no documented reports of serious toxicity in man resulting from massive overdosing with mesalamine. Under ordinary circumstances, mesalamine absorption from the colon is limited.

Rowasa price

Contraindications

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema is contraindicated for patients known to have hypersensitivity to the drug or any component of this medication.

Undesirable effects

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema is usually well tolerated. Most adverse effects have been mild and transient.

ADVERSE REACTIONS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN 0.1% OF ROWASA® (MESALAMINE) RECTAL SUSPENSION
ENEMA TREATED PATIENTS (COMPARISON TO PLACEBO)

In addition, the following adverse events have been identified during post approval use of products which contain (or are metabolized to) mesalamine in clinical practice: nephrotoxicity, pancreatitis, fibrosing alveolitis and elevated liver enzymes. Cases of pancreatitis and fibrosing alveolitis have been reported as manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease as well. Published case reports and/or spontaneous post marketing surveillance have described rare instances of aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, pancytopenia, neutropenia, oligospermia, and infertility in men. Anemia, leukocytosis, and thrombocytosis can be part of the clinical presentation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Mild hair loss characterized by "more hair in the comb" but no withdrawal from clinical trials has been observed in 7 of 815 mesalamine patients but none of the placebo-treated patients. In the literature there are at least six additional patients with mild hair loss who received either mesalamine or sulfasalazine. Retreatment is not always associated with repeated hair loss.

Therapeutic indications

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema is indicated for the treatment of active mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis or proctitis.

Pharmacokinetic properties

Mesalamine administered rectally as ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema is poorly absorbed from the colon and is excreted principally in the feces during subsequent bowel movements. The extent of absorption is dependent upon the retention time of the drug product, and there is considerable individual variation. At steady state, approximately 10 to 30% of the daily 4-gram dose can be recovered in cumulative 24-hour urine collections. Other than the kidney, the organ distribution and other bioavailability characteristics of absorbed mesalamine in man are not known. It is known that the compound undergoes acetylation but whether this process takes place at colonic or systemic sites has not been elucidated.

Whatever the metabolic site, most of the absorbed mesalamine is excreted in the urine as the N-acetyl-5-ASA metabolite. The poor colonic absorption of rectally administered mesalamine is substantiated by the low serum concentration of 5-ASA and N-acetyl-5-ASA seen in ulcerative colitis patients after dosage with mesalamine. Under clinical conditions patients demonstrated plasma levels 10 to 12 hours post mesalamine administration of 2 pg/mL, about two-thirds of which was the N-acetyl metabolite. While the elimination half-life of mesalamine is short (0.5 to 1.5 h), the acetylated metabolite exhibits a half-life of 5 to 10 hours [U. Klotz, Clin. Pharmacokin. 10:285-302 (1985)]. In addition, steady state plasma levels demonstrated a lack of accumulation of either free or metabolized drug during repeated daily administrations.

In a placebo-controlled, international, multicenter trial of 153 patients with active distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis or proctitis, ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema reduced the overall disease activity index (DAI) and individual components as follows:

EFFECT OF TREATMENT ON SEVERITY OF DISEASE
DATA FROM U.S.-CANADA TRIAL
COMBINED RESULTS OF EIGHT CENTERS
Activity Indices, mean

Differences between ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema and placebo were also statistically different in subgroups of patients on concurrent sulfasalazine and in those having an upper disease boundary between 5 and 20 or 20 and 40 cm. Significant differences between ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema and placebo were not achieved in those subgroups of patients on concurrent prednisone or with an upper disease boundary between 40 and 50 cm.

Name of the medicinal product

Qualitative and quantitative composition

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema for rectal administration is an off-white to tan colored suspension. Each disposable enema bottle contains 4.0 grams of mesalamine in 60 mL aqueous suspension. Enema bottles are supplied in boxed, foil-wrapped trays as follows:.

NDC 68220-066-01   ..................   Professional Sample

NDC 68220-066-07   ..................   Carton of 7 Bottles

NDC 68220-066-14   ..................   Carton of 14 Bottles

NDC 68220-066-28   ..................   Carton of 28 Bottles

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enemas are for rectal use only.

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

Patient instructions are included.

Store at controlled room temperature 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F); excusions permitted, please refer to current USP. Once the foilwrapped unit of seven bottles is opened, all enemas should be used promptly as directed by your physician. Contents of enemas removed from the foil pouch may darken with time. Slight darkening will not affect potency, however, enemas with dark brown contents should be discarded.

NOTE: ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema will cause staining of direct contact surfaces, including but not limited to fabrics, flooring, painted surfaces, marble, granite, vinyl, and enamel. Take care in choosing a suitable location for administration of this product.

Rev. 05/08. ALAVEN® Pharmaceutical LLC., 2260 Northwest Parkway, Suite A Marietta, GA 30067. For Medical Inquiries, Call Toll Free: 1-888-317-0001. www.rowasa (mesalamine rectal suspension enema).com. FDA rev date: 6/20/2008

Special warnings and precautions for use

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema contains potassium metabisulfite, a sulfite that may cause allergic-type reactions including anaphylactic symptoms and life-threatening or less severe asthmatic episodes in certain susceptible people. The overall prevalence of sulfite sensitivity in the general population is unknown but probably low. Sulfite sensitivity is seen more frequently in asthmatic or in atopic nonasthmatic persons.

Epinephrine is the preferred treatment for serious allergic or emergency situations even though epinephrine injection contains sodium or potassium metabisulfite with the above-mentioned potential liabilities. The alternatives to using epinephrine in a life-threatening situation may not be satisfactory. The presence of a sulfite(s) in epinephrine injection should not deter the administration of the drug for treatment of serious allergic or other emergency situations.

Mesalamine has been implicated in the production of an acute intolerance syndrome characterized by cramping, acute abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea, sometimes fever, headache and a rash; in such cases prompt withdrawal is required. The patient's history of sulfasalazine intolerance, if any should be re-evaluated. If a rechallenge is performed later in order to validate the hypersensitivity it should be carried out under close supervision and only if clearly needed, giving consideration to reduced dosage. In the literature one patient previously sensitive to sulfasalazine was rechallenged with 400 mg oral mesalamine; within eight hours she experienced headache, fever, intensive abdominal colic, profuse diarrhea and was readmitted as an emergency. She responded poorly to steroid therapy and two weeks later a pancolectomy was required.

Although renal abnormalities were not noted in the clinical trials with ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema, the possibility of increased absorption of mesalamine and concomitant renal tubular damage as noted in the preclinical studies must be kept in mind. Patients on ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema, especially those on concurrent oral products which liberate mesalamine and those with preexisting renal disease, should be carefully monitored with urinalysis, BUN (blood urea nitrogen), and creatinine studies.

In a clinical trial most patients who were hypersensitive to sulfasalazine were able to take mesalamine enemas without evidence of any allergic reaction. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when mesalamine is initially used in patients known to be allergic to sulfasalazine. These patients should be instructed to discontinue therapy if signs of rash or fever become apparent.

While using ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema, some patients have developed pancolitis. However, extension of upper disease boundary and/or flare-ups occurred less often in the ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema treated group than in the placebo-treated group.

Worsening of colitis or symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, including melena and hematochezia, may occur after commencing mesalamine.

Rare instances of pericarditis have been reported with mesalamine containing products including sulfasalazine. Cases of pericarditis have also been reported as manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. In the cases reported with ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema, there have been positive rechallenges with mesalamine or mesalamine containing products. In one of these cases, however, a second rechallenge with sulfasalazine was negative throughout a 2-month follow-up. Chest pain or dyspnea in patients treated with ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema should be investigated with this information in mind. Discontinuation of ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema may be warranted in some cases, but rechallenge with mesalamine can be performed under careful clinical observation should the continued therapeutic need for mesalamine be present.

Mesalamine caused no increase in the incidence of neoplastic lesions over controls in a 2-year study of Wistar rats fed up to 320 mg/kg/day of mesalamine admixed with diet. Mesalamine is not mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537, TA1538. There were no reverse mutations in an assay using E. coli strain WP2UVRA. There were no effects in an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay at 600 mg/kg and in an in vivo sister chromatid exchange at doses up to 610 mg/kg. No effects on fertility were observed in rats receiving up to 320 mg/kg/day. The oligospermia and infertility in men associated with sulfasalazine has very rarely been reported among patients treated with mesalamine.

Teratologic studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at oral doses up to five and eight times respectively, the maximum recommended human dose, and have revealed no evidence of harm to the embryo or the fetus. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women for either sulfasalazine or 5-ASA. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, 5-ASA should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

It is not known whether mesalamine or its metabolite(s) are excreted in human milk. As a general rule, nursing should not be undertaken while a patient is on a drug since many drugs are excreted in human milk.

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Dosage (Posology) and method of administration

The usual dosage of ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema in 60 ml_ units is one rectal instillation (4 grams) once a day, preferably at bedtime, and retained for approximately eight hours. While the effect of ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema may be seen within 3 to 21 days, the usual course of therapy would be from 3 to 6 weeks depending on symptoms and sigmoidoscopic findings. Studies available to date have not assessed if ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema will modify relapse rates after the 6-week short-term treatment. ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema is for rectal use only.

Patients should be instructed to shake the bottle well to make sure the suspension is homogeneous. The patient should remove the protective sheath from the applicator tip. Holding the bottle at the neck will not cause any of the medication to be discharged. The position most often used is obtained by lying on the left side (to facilitate migration into the sigmoid colon); with the lower leg extended and the upper right leg flexed forward for balance. An alternative is the knee- chest position. The applicator tip should be gently inserted in the rectum pointing toward the umbilicus. A steady squeezing of the bottle will discharge most of the preparation. The preparation should be taken at bedtime with the objective of retaining it all night. Patient instructions are included with every seven units.

Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

ROWASA® (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension Enema is usually well tolerated. Most adverse effects have been mild and transient.

ADVERSE REACTIONS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN 0.1% OF ROWASA® (MESALAMINE) RECTAL SUSPENSION
ENEMA TREATED PATIENTS (COMPARISON TO PLACEBO)

In addition, the following adverse events have been identified during post approval use of products which contain (or are metabolized to) mesalamine in clinical practice: nephrotoxicity, pancreatitis, fibrosing alveolitis and elevated liver enzymes. Cases of pancreatitis and fibrosing alveolitis have been reported as manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease as well. Published case reports and/or spontaneous post marketing surveillance have described rare instances of aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, pancytopenia, neutropenia, oligospermia, and infertility in men. Anemia, leukocytosis, and thrombocytosis can be part of the clinical presentation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Mild hair loss characterized by "more hair in the comb" but no withdrawal from clinical trials has been observed in 7 of 815 mesalamine patients but none of the placebo-treated patients. In the literature there are at least six additional patients with mild hair loss who received either mesalamine or sulfasalazine. Retreatment is not always associated with repeated hair loss.

No information provided.