Monotherapy Fulvestrant injection is indicated for the treatment of: Hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women not previously treated with endocrine therapy, or HR-positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression following endocrine therapy. Combination Therapy Fulvestrant injection is indicated for the treatment of: HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women in combination with ribociclib as initial endocrine based therapy or following disease progression on endocrine therapy.
HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with palbociclib or abemaciclib in women with disease progression after endocrine therapy. Fulvestrant injection is an estrogen receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of: Hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women not previously treated with endocrine therapy.
( 1 ) HR-positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression following endocrine therapy. ( 1 ) HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women in combination with ribociclib, as initial endocrine based therapy or following disease progression on endocrine therapy. ( 1 ) HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with palbociclib or abemaciclib in women with disease progression after endocrine therapy.
( 1 )
Contraindications
Fulvestrant is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to the drug or to any of its components. Hypersensitivity reactions, including urticaria and angioedema, have been reported in association with fulvestrant injection [see Adverse Reactions (6.2) ]. Hypersensitivity. ( 4 )
Warnings and precautions
Risk of Bleeding: Use with caution in patients with bleeding diatheses, thrombocytopenia, or anticoagulant use. ( 5.1 ) Increased Exposure in Patients with Hepatic Impairment: Use a 250 mg dose for patients with moderate hepatic impairment. ( 2.2 , 5.2 , 8.6 ) Injection Site Reaction: Use caution while administering fulvestrant injection at the dorsogluteal injection site due to the proximity of the underlying sciatic nerve.
( 5.3 ) Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Can cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception. ( 5.4 , 8.1 , 8.3 ) Immunoassay Measurement of Serum Estradiol: Fulvestrant can interfere with estradiol measurement by immunoassay, resulting in falsely elevated estradiol levels. ( 5.5 )
5.1Risk of Bleeding
Because fulvestrant injection is administered intramuscularly, it should be used with caution in patients with bleeding diatheses, thrombocytopenia, or anticoagulant use.
5.2Increased Exposure in Patients with Hepatic Impairment
The safety and pharmacokinetics of fulvestrant were evaluated in a study in seven subjects with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class B) and seven subjects with normal hepatic function. Exposure was increased in patients with moderate hepatic impairment, therefore, a dose of 250 mg is recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) ]. Fulvestrant has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class C) [see U se in Specific Populations (8.6) ].
5.3Injection Site Reaction
Injection site related events including sciatica, neuralgia, neuropathic pain, and peripheral neuropathy have been reported with fulvestrant injection. Caution should be taken while administering fulvestrant at the dorsogluteal injection site due to the proximity of the underlying sciatic nerve [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) and Adverse Reactions (6.1) ].
5.4Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based
on findings from animal studies and its mechanism of action, fulvestrant can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. In animal reproduction studies, administration of fulvestrant to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis resulted in embryo-fetal toxicity at daily doses that are significantly less than the maximum recommended human dose. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with fulvestrant and for one year after the last dose [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1) , ( 8.3 ) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.1) ].
5.5Immunoassay Measurement of Serum Estradiol Due
to structural similarity of fulvestrant and estradiol, fulvestrant can interfere with estradiol measurement by immunoassay, resulting in falsely elevated estradiol levels.
Interactions
There are no known drug-drug interactions. Although, fulvestrant is metabolized by CYP 3A4 in vitro , drug interactions studies with ketoconazole or rifampin did not alter fulvestrant pharmacokinetics. Dose adjustment is not needed in patients co-prescribed CYP 3A4 inhibitors or inducers [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . There are no known drug-drug interactions. ( 7 )
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
8.1Pregnancy Risk Summary Based
on findings from animal studies and its mechanism of action, fulvestrant can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.1) ]. There are no available data in pregnant women to inform the drug-associated risk. In animal reproduction studies, administration of fulvestrant to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis caused embryo-fetal toxicity, including skeletal malformations and fetal loss, at daily doses that were 6% and 30% of the maximum recommended human dose based on mg/m 2 , respectively [ see Data ].
Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. Data Animal Data Administration of fulvestrant to rats prior to and up to implantation caused embryonic loss at daily doses that were 0.6% of the daily maximum recommended human dose based on mg/m 2 .
When fulvestrant was administered to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis, intramuscular doses ≥0.1 mg/kg/day (6% of the human recommended dose based on mg/m 2 ) caused effects on embryo-fetal development consistent with its antiestrogenic activity. Fulvestrant caused an increased incidence of fetal abnormalities in rats (tarsal flexure of the hind paw at 2 mg/kg/day; equivalent to the human dose based on mg/m 2 ) and non-ossification of the odontoid and ventral tubercle of the first cervical vertebra at doses ≥0.1 mg/kg/day.
Fulvestrant administered at 2 mg/kg/day caused fetal loss. When administered to pregnant rabbits during the period of organogenesis, fulvestrant caused pregnancy loss at an intramuscular dose of 1 mg/kg/day (equivalent to the human dose based on mg/m 2 ). Further, at 0.25 mg/kg/day (30% the human dose based on mg/m 2 ), fulvestrant caused increases in placental weight and post-implantation loss in rabbits. Fulvestrant was associated with an increased incidence of fetal variations in rabbits (backwards displacement of the pelvic girdle, and 27 pre-sacral vertebrae at 0.25 mg/kg/day; 30% the human dose based on mg/m 2 ) when administered during the period of organogenesis.
Adverse reactions
The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling: Risk of Bleeding [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Increased Exposure in Patients with Hepatic Impairment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Injection Site Reaction [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Embryo-Fetal Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] The most common adverse reactions occurring in ≥5% of patients receiving fulvestrant injection 500 mg were: injection site pain, nausea, bone pain, arthralgia, headache, back pain, fatigue, pain in extremity, hot flash, vomiting, anorexia, asthenia, musculoskeletal pain, cough, dyspnea, and constipation.
( 6.1 ) Increased hepatic enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) occurred in >15% of fulvestrant injection patients and were not dose-dependent. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-866-210-9797 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
6.1Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, the adverse reaction rates observed cannot be directly compared to rates in other trials and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. Monotherapy Comparison of fulvestrant 500 mg and fulvestrant 250 mg (CONFIRM) The following adverse reactions (ARs) were calculated based on the safety analysis of CONFIRM comparing the administration of fulvestrant 500 mg intramuscularly once a month with fulvestrant 250 mg intramuscularly once a month.
The most frequently reported adverse reactions in the fulvestrant 500 mg group were injection site pain (11.6% of patients), nausea (9.7% of patients) and bone pain (9.4% of patients); the most frequently reported adverse reactions in the fulvestrant 250 mg group were nausea (13.6% of patients), back pain (10.7% of patients), and injection site pain (9.1% of patients). Table 1 lists adverse reactions reported with an incidence of 5% or greater, regardless of assessed causality, from CONFIRM.
Table 1: Adverse Reactions in CONFIRM (≥5% in Either Treatment Group) Fulvestrant 500 mg N=361 % Fulvestrant 250 mg N=374 % Body as a Whole Injection Site Pain 1 12 9 Headache 8 7 Back Pain 8 11 Fatigue 8 6 Pain in Extremity 7 7 Asthenia 6 6 Vascular System Hot Flash 7 6 Digestive System Nausea 10 14 Vomiting 6 6 Anorexia 6 4 Constipation 5 4 Musculoskeletal System Bone Pain 9 8 Arthralgia 8 8 Musculoskeletal Pain 6 3 Respiratory System Cough 5 5 Dyspnea 4 5 1 Including more severe injection site related sciatica, neuralgia, neuropathic pain, and peripheral neuropathy.
In the pooled safety population (N=1127) from clinical trials comparing fulvestrant 500 mg to fulvestrant 250 mg, post-baseline increases of ≥1 CTC grade in either AST, ALT, or alkaline phosphatase were observed in >15% of patients receiving fulvestrant injection. Grade 3 to 4 increases were observed in 1 to 2% of patients. The incidence and severity of increased hepatic enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) did not differ between the 250 mg and the 500 mg fulvestrant arms.
Comparison of Fulvestrant 500 mg and Anastrozole 1 mg (FALCON) The safety of fulvestrant 500 mg versus anastrozole 1 mg was evaluated in FALCON. The data described below reflect exposure to fulvestrant in 228 out of 460 patients with HR-positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women not previously treated with endocrine therapy who received at least one (1) dose of treatment in FALCON. Permanent discontinuation associated with an adverse reaction occurred in 4 of 228 (1.8%) patients receiving fulvestrant injection, and in 3 of 232 (1.3%) patients receiving anastrozole.
Adverse reactions leading to discontinuation for those patients receiving fulvestrant included drug hypersensitivity (0.9%), injection site hypersensitivity (0.4%), and elevated liver enzymes (0.4%). The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) of any grade reported in patients in the fulvestrant arm were arthralgia, hot flash, fatigue, and nausea. Adverse reactions reported in patients who received fulvestrant in FALCON at an incidence of ≥5% in either treatment arm are listed in Table 2, and laboratory abnormalities are listed in Table 3.
Table 2: Adverse Reactions in FALCON Adverse Reactions Fulvestrant 500 mg N=228 Anastrozole 1mg N=232 All Grades % Grade 3 or 4 % All Grades % Grade 3 or 4 % Vascular Disorders Hot flash 11 0 10 0 Gastrointestinal Disorders Nausea 11 0 10 <1 Diarrhea 6 0 6 <1 Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders Arthralgia 17 0 10 0 Myalgia 7 0 3 0 Pain in extremity 6 0 4 0 Back pain 9 <1 6 0 General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions Fatigue 11 <1 7 <1 Table 3: Laboratory Abnormalities in FALCON 1 Laboratory Parameters Fulvestrant 500 mg N=228 Anastrozole 1mg N=232 All Grades % Grade 3 or 4 % All Grades % Grade 3 or 4 % Alanine aminotransferase increased (ALT) 7 1 3 0 Aspartate aminotransferase increased (AST) 5 1 3 <1 1 In FALCON, post-baseline increases of ≥1 CTC grade in either AST, ALT, or alkaline phosphatase were observed in >10% of patients receiving fulvestrant.
Grade 3 to 4 increases were observed in 1% to 3% of patients. Comparison of Fulvestrant 250 mg and Anastrozole 1 mg in Combined Trials (Studies 0020 and 0021) The most commonly reported adverse reactions in the fulvestrant and anastrozole treatment groups were gastrointestinal symptoms (including nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea and abdominal pain), headache, back pain, vasodilatation (hot flashes), and pharyngitis.
Injection site reactions with mild transient pain and inflammation were seen with fulvestrant and occurred in 7% of patients given the single 5 mL injection (Study 0020) and in 27% of patients given the 2 x 2.5 mL injections (Study 0021) in the two clinical trials that compared fulvestrant 250 mg and anastrozole 1 mg. Table 4 lists adverse reactions reported with an incidence of 5% or greater, regardless of assessed causality, from the two controlled clinical trials comparing the administration of fulvestrant 250 mg intramuscularly once a month with anastrozole 1 mg orally once a day.
Table 4: Adverse Reactions in Studies 0020 and 0021 (≥5% from Combined Data) Adverse Reaction Fulvestrant 250 mg N=423 (%) Anastrozole 1 mg N=423 (%) Body as a Whole 68 68 Asthenia 23 27 Pain 19 20 Headache 15 17 Back Pain 14 13 Abdominal Pain 12 12 Injection Site Pain 1 11 7 Pelvic Pain 10 9 Chest Pain 7 5 Flu Syndrome 7 6 Fever 6 6 Accidental Injury 5 6 Cardiovascular System 30 28 Vasodilatation 18 17 Digestive System 52 48 Nausea 26 25 Vomiting 13 12 Constipation 13 11 Diarrhea 12 13 Anorexia 9 11 Hemic and Lymphatic Systems 14 14 Anemia 5 5 Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders 18 18 Peripheral Edema 9 10 Musculoskeletal System 26 28 Bone Pain 16 14 Arthritis 3 6 Nervous System 34 34 Dizziness 7 7 Insomnia 7 9 Paresthesia 6 8 Depression 6 7 Anxiety 5 4 Respiratory System 39 34 Pharyngitis 16 12 Dyspnea 15 12 Cough Increased 10 10 Skin and Appendages 22 23 Rash 7 8 Sweating 5 5 Urogenital System 18 15 Urinary Tract Infection 6 4 1 Including more severe injection site related sciatica, neuralgia, neuropathic pain, and peripheral neuropathy.
All patients on fulvestrant received injections, but only those anastrozole patients who were in Study 0021 received placebo injections. Combination Therapy Combination Therapy with Palbociclib (PALOMA-3) The safety of fulvestrant 500 mg plus palbociclib 125 mg/day versus fulvestrant plus placebo was evaluated in PALOMA-3. The data described below reflect exposure to fulvestrant plus palbociclib in 345 out of 517 patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer who received at least 1 dose of treatment in PALOMA-3.The median duration of treatment for fulvestrant plus palbociclib was 10.8 months while the median duration of treatment for fulvestrant plus placebo arm was 4.8 months.
No dose reduction was allowed for fulvestrant in PALOMA-3. Dose reductions of palbociclib due to an adverse reaction
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Composition
Active ingredients
FULVESTRANT 250MG/5ML (50MG/ML)
Strengths and forms
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