There is no specific antidote for granisetron overdosage. In the case of overdosage, symptomatic treatment should be given.
Overdosage of up to 38.5 mg of granisetron hydrochloride, as a single intravenous injection, has been reported without symptoms or only the occurrence of a slight headache.
In clinical trials there were no reported cases of overdosage with Sancuso.
Sancuso is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to granisetron or to any of the components of the patch.
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 safety of Sancuso was evaluated in a total of 404 patients undergoing chemotherapy who participated in two double-blind, comparator studies with patch treatment durations of up to 7 days. The control groups included a total of 406 patients who received a daily dose of 2 mg oral granisetron, for 1 to 5 days.
Adverse reactions occurred in 8.7% (35/404) of patients receiving Sancuso and 7.1% (29/406) of patients receiving oral granisetron. The most common adverse reaction was constipation that occurred in 5.4% of patients in the Sancuso group and 3.0% of patients in the oral granisetron group.
Table 1 lists the adverse reactions that occurred in at least 3% of patients treated with Sancuso or oral granisetron.
Table 1: Incidence of Adverse Reactions in
Double-Blind, Active Comparator Controlled Studies in Cancer Patients Receiving
Chemotherapy (Events ≥ 3% in either group)
| Body System Preferred Term | Sancuso TDS N=404 (%) | Oral granisetron N=406 (%) |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | ||
| Constipation | 5.4 | 3.0 |
| Nervous system disorders | ||
| Headache | 0.7 | 3.0 |
5-HT3 receptor antagonists, such as granisetron, may be associated with arrhythmias or ECG abnormalities. Three ECGs were performed on 588 patients in a randomized, parallel group, double-blind, double-dummy study: at baseline before treatment, the first day of chemotherapy, and 5 to 7 days after starting chemotherapy. QTcF prolongation greater than 450 milliseconds was seen in a total of 11 (1.9%) patients after receiving granisetron, 8 (2.7%) on oral granisetron, and 3 (1.1%) on the patch. No new QTcF prolongation greater than 480 milliseconds was observed in any patient in this study. No arrhythmias were detected in this study.
Adverse reactions reported in clinical trials with other formulations of granisetron include the following:
Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, elevation of ALT and AST levels, nausea and vomiting
Cardiovascular: Hypertension, hypotension, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation and syncope have been observed rarely
Central Nervous System: dizziness, insomnia, headache, anxiety, somnolence and asthenia
Hypersensitivity: rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions, sometimes severe (e.g. anaphylaxis, shortness of breath, hypotension, urticaria) have been reported
Other: fever; events often associated with chemotherapy have also been reported: leucopenia, decreased appetite, anemia, alopecia, thrombocytopenia.
Postmarketing ExperienceThe following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of Sancuso. 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.
General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Application site reactions (pain, pruritus, erythema, rash, irritation, vesicles, burn, discoloration, urticaria); patch non-adhesion)
Cardiac Disorders: bradycardia, chest pain, palpitations, sick sinus syndrome
Sancuso® (Granisetron Transdermal System) is indicated for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving moderately and/or highly emetogenic chemotherapy regimens of up to 5 consecutive days duration.
The effect of granisetron on QTc prolongation was evaluated in a randomized, single-blind, positive (moxifloxacin 400 mg) - and placebo controlled parallel study in healthy subjects. A total of 120 subjects were administered Sancuso patch (n=60) or intravenous granisetron (10 mcg/kg over 30 seconds; n=60). In a study with demonstrated ability to detect small effects, the upper bound of the 90% confidence interval for the largest placebo adjusted, baseline corrected QTc based on Fridericia correction method (QTcF) for Sancuso was below 10 ms. This study suggests that Sancuso does not have significant effects on QT prolongation.
No evidence of an effect on plasma prolactin or aldosterone concentrations has been found in studies using granisetron.
The effect on oro-cecal transit time following application of Sancuso has not been studied. Granisetron hydrochloride injection exhibited no effect on oro-cecal transit time in healthy subjects given a single intravenous infusion of 50 mcg/kg or 200 mcg/kg. Single and multiple oral doses of granisetron hydrochloride slowed colonic transit in healthy subjects.
Granisetron crosses intact skin into the systemic circulation by a passive diffusion process.
Following a 7-day application of Sancuso in 24 healthy subjects, high inter-subject variability in systemic exposure was observed. Maximal concentration was reached at approximately 48 hours (range: 24-168 hours) following patch application. Mean Cmax was 5.0 ng/mL (CV: 170%) and mean AUC0-168hr was 527 ng-hr/mL (CV:173%).
Mean Plasma Concentration of Granisetron (mean ± SD)
Based on the measure of residual content of the patch after removal, approximately 66% (SD: ± 10.9) of granisetron is delivered following patch application for 7 days.
Following consecutive application of two Sancuso patches, each for seven days, granisetron levels were maintained over the study period with evidence of minimal accumulation. The mean plasma concentration at 24 hours after the second patch application was 1.5-fold higher due to residual granisetron from the first patch. As the plasma concentration increased after the second patch application, the difference decreased and the mean plasma concentration at 48 hours was 1.3-fold higher after the second patch compared to that after the first patch.
In a study designed to assess the effect of heat on the transdermal delivery of granisetron from Sancuso in healthy subjects, a heat pad generating an average temperature of 42°C (107.6°F) was applied over the patch for 4 hours each day over the 5 day period of wear. The application of the heat pad was associated with an increase in plasma granisetron concentrations during the period of heat pad application. The elevated plasma concentration declined after removal of the heat pad. Mean Cmax with intermittent heat exposure was 6% higher than without heat. Mean partial AUCs over 6 hours with 4 hour of heat application (AUC0-6, AUC24-30, and AUC48-54) were 4.9, 1.4, and 1.1 folds higher, respectively, with heat pad than without heat pad. A heat pad should not be applied over or in the near vicinity of the Sancuso patch.
DistributionPlasma protein binding is approximately 65%. Granisetron distributes freely between plasma and red blood cells.
MetabolismGranisetron metabolism involves N-demethylation and aromatic ring oxidation followed by conjugation. In vitro liver microsomal studies show that granisetron's major route of metabolism is inhibited by ketoconazole, suggestive of metabolism mediated by the cytochrome P-450 3A subfamily. Animal studies suggest that some of the metabolites may also have 5-HT3 receptor antagonist activity.
EliminationClearance is predominantly by hepatic metabolism. Based on a study with intravenous injection, approximately 12% of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine of healthy subjects in 48 hours. The remainder of the dose is excreted as metabolites, 49% in the urine, and 34% in the feces.
Reproduction studies with granisetron hydrochloride have been performed in pregnant rats at intravenous doses up to 9 mg/kg/day (54 mg/m²/day, about 24 times the recommended human dose delivered by the Sancuso patch, based on body surface area) and oral doses up to 125 mg/kg/day (750 mg/m²/day, about 326 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso based on body surface area). Reproduction studies have been performed in pregnant rabbits at intravenous doses up to 3 mg/kg/day (36 mg/m²/day, about 16 times the human dose with Sancuso based on body surface area) and at oral doses up to 32 mg/kg/day (384 mg/m²/day, about 167 times the human dose with Sancuso based on body surface area). These studies did not reveal any evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to granisetron. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, Sancuso should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
PRECAUTIONS GastrointestinalThe use of granisetron in patients may mask a progressive ileus and/or gastric distention caused by the underlying condition.
Serotonin SyndromeThe development of serotonin syndrome has been reported with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. Most reports have been associated with concomitant use of serotonergic drugs (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors, mirtazapine, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, and intravenous methylene blue). Some of the reported cases were fatal. Serotonin syndrome occurring with overdose of another 5-HT3 receptor antagonist alone has also been reported. The majority of reports of serotonin syndrome related to 5-HT3 receptor antagonist use occurred in a post-anesthesia care unit or an infusion center.
Symptoms associated with serotonin syndrome may include the following combination of signs and symptoms: mental status changes (e.g., agitation, hallucinations, delirium, and coma), autonomic instability (e.g., tachycardia, labile blood pressure, dizziness, diaphoresis, flushing, hyperthermia), neuromuscular symptoms (e.g., tremor, rigidity, myoclonus, hyperreflexia, incoordination), seizures, with or without gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Patients should be monitored for the emergence of serotonin syndrome, especially with concomitant use of Sancuso and other serotonergic drugs. If symptoms of serotonin syndrome occur, discontinue Sancuso and initiate supportive treatment. Patients should be informed of the increased risk of serotonin syndrome, especially if Sancuso is used concomitantly with other serotonergic drugs..
Skin ReactionsIn clinical trials with Sancuso, application site reactions were reported which were generally mild in intensity and did not lead to discontinuation of use. The incidence of reactions was comparable with placebo.
If severe reactions, or a generalized skin reaction occur (e.g. allergic rash, including erythematous, macular, papular rash or pruritus), the patch must be removed.
External Heat SourcesA heat pad should not be applied over or in vicinity of Sancuso patch. Patients should avoid prolonged exposure to heat as plasma concentration continues increasing during the period of heat exposure.
Exposure To SunlightGranisetron may be affected by direct natural or artificial sunlight. Patients must be advised to cover the patch application site, e.g. with clothing, if there is a risk of exposure to sunlight throughout the period of wear and for 10 days following its removal because of a potential skin reaction.
Patient Counseling InformationAdvise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (PATIENT INFORMATION)
GastrointestinalBecause the use of granisetron may mask a progressive ileus and/or gastric distention caused by the underlying condition, patients should be instructed to tell their physician if they have pain or swelling in their abdomen.
Skin ReactionsPatients should be instructed to remove the patch if they have a severe skin reaction, or a generalized skin reaction (e.g. allergic rash, including erythematous, macular, papular rash or pruritus). When patients remove the patch, they should be instructed to peel it off gently.
Exposure To SunlightGranisetron may be degraded by direct sunlight or exposure to sunlamps. In addition, an in vitro study using Chinese hamster ovary cells suggests that granisetron has the potential for photogenotoxicity.
Patients must be advised to cover the patch application site, e.g. with clothing, if there is a risk of exposure to sunlight or sunlamps throughout the period of wear and for 10 days following its removal.
Serotonin SyndromeAdvise patients of the possibility of serotonin syndrome with concomitant use of Sancuso and another serotonergic agent such as medications to treat depression and migraines. Advise patients to seek immediate medical attention if the following symptoms occur: changes in mental status, autonomic instability, neuromuscular symptoms, with or without gastrointestinal symptoms.
External Heat SourcesPatients should be advised not to apply a heat pad over or near the Sancuso patch. Patients should avoid prolonged exposure to heat as plasma concentration continues increasing during the period of heat exposure.
Nonclinical Toxicology Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of FertilityIn a 24-month carcinogenicity study, rats were treated orally with granisetron 1, 5 or 50 mg/kg/day (6, 30 or 300 mg/m²/day). The 50 mg/kg/day dose was reduced to 25 mg/kg/day (150 mg/m²/day) during week 59 due to toxicity. For a 50 kg person of average height (1.46 m² body surface area), these doses represent about 2.6, 13 and 65 times the recommended clinical dose (3.1 mg/day, 2.3 mg/m²/day, delivered by the Sancuso patch, on a body surface area basis). There was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas and adenomas in males treated with 5 mg/kg/day (30 mg/m²/day, about 13 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso, on a body surface area basis) and above, and in females treated with 25 mg/kg/day (150 mg/m²/day, about 65 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso, on a body surface area basis). No increase in liver tumors was observed at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day (6 mg/m²/day, about 2.6 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso, on a body surface area basis) in males and 5 mg/kg/day (30 mg/m²/day, about 13 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso, on a body surface area basis) in females.
In a 12-month oral toxicity study, treatment with granisetron 100 mg/kg/day (600 mg/m²/day, about 261 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso, on a body surface area basis) produced hepatocellular adenomas in male and female rats while no such tumors were found in the control rats. A 24-month mouse carcinogenicity study of granisetron did not show a statistically significant increase in tumor incidence, but the study was not conclusive.
Because of the tumor findings in rat studies, Sancuso should be prescribed only at the dose and for the indication recommended.
Granisetron was not mutagenic in an in vitro Ames test and mouse lymphoma cell forward mutation assay, and in vivo mouse micronucleus test and in vitro and ex vivo rat hepatocyte UDS assays. It, however, produced a significant increase in UDS in HeLa cells in vitro and a significant increased incidence of cells with polyploidy in an in vitro human lymphocyte chromosomal aberration test.
Granisetron at subcutaneous doses up to 6 mg/kg/day (36 mg/m²/day, about 16 times the recommended human dose of Sancuso, on a body surface area basis), and oral doses up to 100 mg/kg/day (600 mg/m²/day, about 261 times the recommended human dose of Sancuso, on a body surface area basis) was found to have no effect on fertility and reproductive performance of male and female rats.
PhototoxicityWhen tested for potential photogenotoxicity in vitro in a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line, at 200 and 300 mcg/ml, granisetron increased the percentage of cells with chromosomal aberration following photoirradiation.
Granisetron was not phototoxic when tested in vitro in a mouse fibroblast cell line. When tested in vivo in guinea-pigs, Sancuso patches did not show any potential for photoirritation or photosensitivity. No phototoxicity studies have been performed in humans.
Use In Specific Populations Pregnancy Pregnancy Category BReproduction studies with granisetron hydrochloride have been performed in pregnant rats at intravenous doses up to 9 mg/kg/day (54 mg/m²/day, about 24 times the recommended human dose delivered by the Sancuso patch, based on body surface area) and oral doses up to 125 mg/kg/day (750 mg/m²/day, about 326 times the recommended human dose with Sancuso based on body surface area). Reproduction studies have been performed in pregnant rabbits at intravenous doses up to 3 mg/kg/day (36 mg/m²/day, about 16 times the human dose with Sancuso based on body surface area) and at oral doses up to 32 mg/kg/day (384 mg/m²/day, about 167 times the human dose with Sancuso based on body surface area). These studies did not reveal any evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to granisetron. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, Sancuso should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
Nursing MothersIt is not known whether granisetron is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Sancuso is administered to a nursing woman.
Pediatric UseSafety and effectiveness of Sancuso have not been established in pediatric patients.
Geriatric UseClinical studies of Sancuso did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. In general, cautious treatment selection for an elderly patient is prudent because of the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy.
Renal Impairment Or Hepatic ImpairmentAlthough no studies have been performed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of Sancuso in patients with renal or hepatic impairment, pharmacokinetic information is available for intravenous granisetron.
The transdermal system (patch) should be applied to clean, dry, intact healthy skin on the upper outer arm. Sancuso should not be placed on skin that is red, irritated or damaged.
Each patch is packed in a pouch and should be applied directly after the pouch has been opened.
The patch should not be cut into pieces.
AdultsApply a single patch to the upper outer arm a minimum of 24 hours before chemotherapy. The patch may be applied up to a maximum of 48 hours before chemotherapy as appropriate. Remove the patch a minimum of 24 hours after completion of chemotherapy. The patch can be worn for up to 7 days depending on the duration of the chemotherapy regimen.
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 safety of Sancuso was evaluated in a total of 404 patients undergoing chemotherapy who participated in two double-blind, comparator studies with patch treatment durations of up to 7 days. The control groups included a total of 406 patients who received a daily dose of 2 mg oral granisetron, for 1 to 5 days.
Adverse reactions occurred in 8.7% (35/404) of patients receiving Sancuso and 7.1% (29/406) of patients receiving oral granisetron. The most common adverse reaction was constipation that occurred in 5.4% of patients in the Sancuso group and 3.0% of patients in the oral granisetron group.
Table 1 lists the adverse reactions that occurred in at least 3% of patients treated with Sancuso or oral granisetron.
Table 1: Incidence of Adverse Reactions in
Double-Blind, Active Comparator Controlled Studies in Cancer Patients Receiving
Chemotherapy (Events ≥ 3% in either group)
| Body System Preferred Term | Sancuso TDS N=404 (%) | Oral granisetron N=406 (%) |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | ||
| Constipation | 5.4 | 3.0 |
| Nervous system disorders | ||
| Headache | 0.7 | 3.0 |
5-HT3 receptor antagonists, such as granisetron, may be associated with arrhythmias or ECG abnormalities. Three ECGs were performed on 588 patients in a randomized, parallel group, double-blind, double-dummy study: at baseline before treatment, the first day of chemotherapy, and 5 to 7 days after starting chemotherapy. QTcF prolongation greater than 450 milliseconds was seen in a total of 11 (1.9%) patients after receiving granisetron, 8 (2.7%) on oral granisetron, and 3 (1.1%) on the patch. No new QTcF prolongation greater than 480 milliseconds was observed in any patient in this study. No arrhythmias were detected in this study.
Adverse reactions reported in clinical trials with other formulations of granisetron include the following:
Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, elevation of ALT and AST levels, nausea and vomiting
Cardiovascular: Hypertension, hypotension, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation and syncope have been observed rarely
Central Nervous System: dizziness, insomnia, headache, anxiety, somnolence and asthenia
Hypersensitivity: rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions, sometimes severe (e.g. anaphylaxis, shortness of breath, hypotension, urticaria) have been reported
Other: fever; events often associated with chemotherapy have also been reported: leucopenia, decreased appetite, anemia, alopecia, thrombocytopenia.
Postmarketing ExperienceThe following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of Sancuso. 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.
General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Application site reactions (pain, pruritus, erythema, rash, irritation, vesicles, burn, discoloration, urticaria); patch non-adhesion)
Cardiac Disorders: bradycardia, chest pain, palpitations, sick sinus syndrome
DRUG INTERACTIONSGranisetron does not induce or inhibit the cytochrome P-450 drug-metabolizing enzyme system in vitro. There have been no definitive drug-drug interaction studies to examine pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interaction with other drugs. However, in humans, granisetron hydrochloride injection has been safely administered with drugs representing benzodiazepines, neuroleptics and anti-ulcer medications commonly prescribed with antiemetic treatments. Granisetron hydrochloride injection also does not appear to interact with emetogenic cancer therapies. In agreement with these data, no clinically relevant drug interactions have been reported in clinical studies with Sancuso.
Because granisetron is metabolized by hepatic cytochrome P-450 drug-metabolizing enzymes (CYP1A1 and CYP3A4), inducers or inhibitors of these enzymes may change the clearance and hence, the half-life of granisetron. In addition, the activity of the cytochrome P-450 subfamily 3A4 (involved in the metabolism of some of the main narcotic analgesic agents) is not modified by granisetron hydrochloride in vitro. In in vitro human microsomal studies, ketoconazole inhibited ring oxidation of granisetron hydrochloride. However, the clinical significance of in vivo pharmacokinetic interactions with ketoconazole is not known. In a human pharmacokinetic study, hepatic enzyme induction with phenobarbital resulted in a 25% increase in total plasma clearance of intravenous granisetron hydrochloride. The clinical significance of this change is not known.
Serotonin syndrome (including altered mental status, autonomic instability, and neuromuscular symptoms) has been described following the concomitant use of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists and other serotonergic drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
