Adult Patients
The data described below reflect 2914 subjects exposed to 2, 4, or 16 mg/kg sugammadex and 544 to placebo in pooled Phase 1 to 3 studies. The population was 18 to 92 years old, 47% male and 53% female, 34% ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) Class 1, 51% ASA Class 2, and 14% ASA Class 3, and 82% Caucasian. Most subjects received a single dose of sugammadex 2 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg.
Adverse reactions reported in ≥10% of patients at a 2, 4, or 16 mg/kg sugammadex dose with a rate higher than the placebo rate are: vomiting, pain, nausea, hypotension, and headache.
All adverse reactions occurring in ≥2% of subjects treated with sugammadex and more often than placebo for adult subjects who received anesthesia and/or neuromuscular blocking agent in pooled Phase 1 to 3 studies are presented in Table 2.
Table 2: Percent of Subject Exposures in Pooled Phase 1 to 3 Studies with Adverse Reactions Incidence ≥ 2%
| Sugammadex | Placebo |
| Body System Preferred Term | 2 mg/kg (N=895) n (%) | 4 mg/kg (N=1921) n (%) | 16 mg/kg (N=98) n (%) | (N=544) n (%) |
| Injury, poisoning and procedural complications | | | | |
| Incision site pain | 58 (6) | 106 (6) | 4 (4) | 6 (1) |
| Procedural complication | 13 (1) | 27 (1) | 8 (8) | 3 (1) |
| Airway complication of anesthesia | 11 (1) | 13 (1) | 9 (9) | 0 |
| Anesthetic complication | 8 (1) | 14 (1) | 9 (9) | 1 (<1) |
| Wound hemorrhage | 5 (1) | 38 (2) | 0 | 8 (1) |
| Recurrence of neuromuscular blockade | 0 | 1 (<1) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | | | | |
| Nausea* | 208 (23) | 503 (26) | 23 (23) | 127 (23) |
| Vomiting* | 98 (11) | 236 (12) | 15 (15) | 57 (10) |
| Abdominal pain* | 48 (5) | 68 (4) | 6 (6) | 17 (3) |
| Flatulence | 17 (2) | 51 (3) | 1 (1) | 10 (2) |
| Dry mouth | 9 (1) | 5 (<1) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| General disorders and administration site conditions | | | | |
| Pain* | 434 (48) | 993 (52) | 35 (36) | 207 (38) |
| Pyrexia | 77 (9) | 109 (6) | 5 (5) | 17 (3) |
| Chills | 30 (3) | 61 (3) | 7 (7) | 27 (5) |
| Nervous system disorders | | | | |
| Headache | 61 (7) | 99 (5) | 10 (10) | 42 (8) |
| Dizziness | 44 (5) | 67 (3) | 6 (6) | 13 (2) |
| Hypoesthesia | 12 (1) | 24 (1) | 3 (3) | 9 (2) |
| Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders | | | | |
| Oropharyngeal pain | 42 (5) | 66 (3) | 5 (5) | 27 (5) |
| Cough | 13 (1) | 49 (3) | 8 (8) | 11 (2) |
| Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | | | | |
| Pain in extremity | 13 (1) | 35 (2) | 6 (6) | 15 (3) |
| Musculoskeletal pain | 16 (2) | 33 (2) | 1 (1) | 6 (1) |
| Myalgia | 5 (1) | 17 (1) | 2 (2) | 3 (1) |
| Psychiatric disorders | | | | |
| Insomnia | 20 (2) | 103 (5) | 5 (5) | 22 (4) |
| Anxiety | 14 (2) | 19 (1) | 3 (3) | 1 (<1) |
| Restlessness | 3 (<1) | 17 (1) | 2 (2) | 2 (<1) |
| Depression | 2 (<1) | 5 (<1) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Investigations | | | | |
| Red blood cell count decreased* | 13 (1) | 34 (2) | 1 (1) | 2 (<1) |
| Electrocardiogram QT interval abnormal* | 13 (1) | 7 (<1) | 6 (6) | 4 (1) |
| Blood creatine phosphokinase increased | 9 (1) | 14 (1) | 2 (2) | 1 (<1) |
| Vascular disorders | | | | |
| Hypertension* | 48 (5) | 96 (5) | 9 (9) | 38 (7) |
| Hypotension* | 33 (4) | 102 (5) | 13 (13) | 20 (4) |
| Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | | | | |
| Pruritus | 17 (2) | 50 (3) | 2 (2) | 9 (2) |
| Erythema | 5 (1) | 31 (2) | 0 | 6 (1) |
| Metabolism and nutrition disorders | | | | |
| Hypocalcemia | 15 (2) | 12 (1) | 0 | 4 (1) |
| Cardiac disorders | | | | |
| Tachycardia* | 17 (2) | 29 (2) | 5 (5) | 4 (1) |
| Bradycardia* | 9 (1) | 21 (1) | 5 (5) | 6 (1) |
| Surgical and medical procedures | | | | |
| Hysterectomy | 0 | 0 | 2 (2) | 0 |
*Combinations of preferred terms are as follows:
Nausea includes preferred terms nausea and procedural nausea
Vomiting includes preferred terms vomiting and procedural vomiting
Abdominal pain includes preferred terms abdominal pain, abdominal pain upper, abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain lower, and epigastric discomfort
Pain includes preferred terms pain and procedural pain
Red blood cell count decreased includes preferred terms red blood cell count decreased, hemoglobin decreased, and hematocrit decreased
Electrocardiogram QT interval abnormal includes preferred terms electrocardiogram QT interval abnormal and electrocardiogram QT interval prolonged
Hypertension includes preferred terms hypertension, procedural hypertension, and blood pressure increased
Hypotension includes preferred terms hypotension, procedural hypotension, and blood pressure decreased
Tachycardia includes preferred terms tachycardia and heart rate increased
Bradycardia includes preferred terms bradycardia and heart rate decreased
Pediatric Patients
2 to <17 years of age
The safety of sugammadex injection has been assessed in a randomized, active-controlled study of pediatric patients 2 to <17 years of age, with 242 receiving treatment with sugammadex injection. Adverse events occurring in ≥5% of pediatric patients are presented in Table 3. The safety profile was generally consistent with that observed in adults.
Table 3: Pediatric Patients (2 to <17 years of age) with Adverse Events Incidence ≥5% in One or More Treatment Groups Up to 7 Days Post-Treatment
| Sugammadex 2 mg/kg | Sugammadex 4 mg/kg |
| n | (%) | n | (%) |
| Subjects in population | 51 | | 191 | |
| with one or more specific adverse events | 40 | (78) | 143 | (75) |
| with no specific adverse events | 11 | (22) | 48 | (25) |
| Cardiac disorders | 5 | (10) | 16 | (8) |
| Bradycardia* | 5 | (10) | 13 | (7) |
| Eye disorders | 3 | (6) | 1 | (1) |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | 8 | (16) | 35 | (18) |
| Nausea | 1 | (2) | 12 | (6) |
| Vomiting | 4 | (8) | 20 | (10) |
| Injury, poisoning and procedural complications | 34 | (67) | 121 | (63) |
| Incision site pain | 3 | (6) | 6 | (3) |
| Procedural nausea | 4 | (8) | 9 | (5) |
| Procedural pain | 30 | (59) | 111 | (58) |
| Procedural vomiting | 3 | (6) | 5 | (3) |
∗Combines preferred terms of bradycardia and sinus bradycardia
Every subject is counted a single time for each applicable row and column.
A system organ class or specific adverse event appears in this table only if its incidence in one or more of the columns meets the incidence criterion in the table title, after rounding.
Anaphylaxis and Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have occurred in both premarketing clinical trials and in post-marketing spontaneous reports. In a dedicated hypersensitivity study in healthy volunteers, the frequency of anaphylaxis was 0.3% [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. These reactions varied from isolated skin reactions to serious systemic reactions (i.e., anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock) and have occurred in patients with no prior exposure to sugammadex.
Symptoms associated with these reactions can include: flushing, urticaria, erythematous rash, (severe) hypotension, tachycardia, swelling of tongue, swelling of pharynx, bronchospasm and pulmonary obstructive events. Severe hypersensitivity reactions can be fatal.
A randomized, double-blind study examined the incidence of drug hypersensitivity reactions in healthy volunteers given up to 3 doses of placebo (N=76), sugammadex 4 mg/kg (N=151) or sugammadex 16 mg/kg (N=148). Reports of suspected hypersensitivity were adjudicated by a blinded committee. The incidence of adjudicated hypersensitivity was 1%, 7% and 9% in the placebo, sugammadex 4 mg/kg and sugammadex 16 mg/kg groups, respectively. There were no reports of anaphylaxis after placebo or sugammadex 4 mg/kg. There was a single case of adjudicated anaphylaxis after the first dose of sugammadex 16 mg/kg. The frequency of anaphylaxis for the 299 healthy volunteers treated with intravenous sugammadex was 0.3%. There was no evidence of increased frequency or severity of hypersensitivity with repeat dosing.
In a previous study of similar design, there were three adjudicated cases of anaphylaxis, all after sugammadex 16 mg/kg (incidence 1% in the 298 healthy volunteers treated with sugammadex).
Recurrence of Neuromuscular Blockade
In clinical studies with subjects treated with rocuronium or vecuronium, where sugammadex injection was administered using a dose labeled for the depth of neuromuscular blockade (N=2022), an incidence of <1% was observed for recurrence of neuromuscular blockade as based on neuromuscular monitoring or clinical evidence [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)].
Bronchospasm
In one dedicated clinical trial and in post-marketing data, in patients with a history of pulmonary complications [see Use in Specific Populations (8.9)], bronchospasm was reported as a possibly related adverse event.
Additional pediatric use information is approved for Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC’s BRIDION®(sugammadex) injection. However, due to Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information.
Carcinogenesis
Long-term animal studies to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of sugammadex have not been conducted.
Mutagenesis
Sugammadex and its mono OH-derivative tested negatively in in vitro bacterial reverse mutation assays (Ames test), in vitro chromosomal aberration assays in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, and in vivo micronucleus assays in mice and rats.
Impairment of Fertility
A fertility and early embryonic development study in Sprague-Dawley rats in which male rats were treated daily for 29 days prior to mating and through the mating period and female rats were treated daily for 14 days prior to mating to Day 5 post-coitum via intravenous administration of sugammadex at 20, 100, and 500 mg/kg (0.2, 1, and 6 times the MRHD of 16 mg/kg, respectively, based on AUC comparison) did not show adverse effects on fertility.
Comparative Study of Sugammadex versus Neostigmine as a Reversal Agent for Neuromuscular Blockade Induced by Rocuronium or Vecuronium at Reappearance of T2 (Moderate Blockade)
A multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, active-controlled, safety-assessor blinded study comparing sugammadex and neostigmine enrolled 189 patients (87 women and 102 men, 95% were ASA class 1 and 2 and 99% were Caucasian, median weights were 72 kg and 76 kg and median ages were 50 years and 51 years in the rocuronium and vecuronium groups, respectively). Patients were randomly assigned to the rocuronium or vecuronium group and underwent elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia that required endotracheal intubation and maintenance of neuromuscular blockade. The surgical procedures were mainly endocrine, ocular, ENT, abdominal (gynecological, colorectal, urological), orthopedic, vascular, or dermatological. At the reappearance of T2, after the last dose of rocuronium or vecuronium, 2 mg/kg sugammadex or 50 mcg/kg neostigmine was administered in a randomized order as a single bolus injection. The time from start of administration of sugammadex or neostigmine to recovery of the TOF (T4/T1) ratio to 0.9 was assessed. Generally, a T4/T1 ratio ≥0.9 correlates with recovery from neuromuscular blockade.
Return of the T4/T1 ratio to 0.9 after the reappearance of T2 was overall faster with sugammadex 2 mg/kg as compared to neostigmine 50 mcg/kg in the setting of rocuronium or vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade (Figures 1 and 2).
| Figure 1: Time (Minutes) from Administration of Sugammadex or Neostigmine at the Reappearance of T2 after Rocuronium to Recovery of the T4/T1 Ratio to 0.9 |
|
| Figure 2: Time (Minutes) from Administration of Sugammadex or Neostigmine at the Reappearance of T2 after Vecuronium to Recovery of the T4/T1 Ratio to 0.9 |
|
Comparative Study of Sugammadex versus Neostigmine as a Reversal Agent for Neuromuscular Blockade Induced by Rocuronium or Vecuronium at 1 to 2 PTCs (Deep Blockade)
A multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, active-controlled, safety-assessor blinded study comparing sugammadex and neostigmine enrolled 157 patients (86 women and 71 men; 8% ASA class 1, 71% class 2, and 21% class 3; 79% Caucasian; median weights of 81 kg and 84 kg, and median ages of 54 years and 56 years in the rocuronium and vecuronium groups, respectively). Patients were randomly assigned to the rocuronium or vecuronium group and underwent elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia that required endotracheal intubation and maintenance of neuromuscular blockade. The surgical procedures were mainly abdominal (gynecological, colorectal, urological), orthopedic, reconstructive, or neurological. At 1 to 2 PTCs, after the last dose of rocuronium or vecuronium, 4 mg/kg sugammadex or 70 mcg/kg neostigmine was administered in a randomized order as a single bolus injection. The time from start of administration of sugammadex or neostigmine to recovery of the TOF (T4/T1) ratio to 0.9 was assessed, although neostigmine was not expected to reverse neuromuscular blockade at a depth of 1 to 2 PTCs. Generally, a T4/T1 ratio ≥ 0.9 correlates with recovery from neuromuscular blockade.
Return of the T4/T1 ratio to 0.9 in patients with 1 to 2 PTCs with sugammadex 4 mg/kg had a wider range of recovery times but the median time to recovery was comparable to the study of reversal at T2 (2.7 minutes with 25th and 75th percentiles of 2.1 and 4.3 minutes for rocuronium [N=37], and 3.3 minutes with 25th and 75th percentiles of 2.3 and 6.6 minutes for vecuronium [N=47]). There were 7 and 6 censored observations in the rocuronium and vecuronium groups, respectively.
Reversal of Neuromuscular Blockade 3 Minutes after Rocuronium 1.2 mg/kg
Time to recovery from neuromuscular blockade induced by succinylcholine compared with recovery from neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium followed 3 minutes later with sugammadex was assessed in a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, active-controlled, safety-assessor blinded study. The study was conducted in 110 patients (64 women and 46 men, ASA class 1 and 2, 78% were Caucasian, median weight was 70 kg, median age was 43 years). Patients underwent elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia that required endotracheal intubation and a short duration of neuromuscular relaxation.
The laparoscopic or open surgical procedures were mainly gynecological, orthopedic, or reconstructive. Return of the first twitch in a TOF (T1) to 10% of baseline was compared between sugammadex 16 mg/kg for reversal of rocuronium 1.2 mg/kg versus spontaneous recovery from succinylcholine 1 mg/kg.
Recovery to T1 of 10% of baseline (relative to the time of administration of rocuronium or succinylcholine) was overall faster in the rocuronium/sugammadex group compared with succinylcholine alone (Table 5).
Table 5: Time (minutes) from Start of Administration of Rocuronium or Succinylcholine to Recovery of T1 to 10% of Baseline | Treatment Regimen |
|---|
| Rocuronium (1.2 mg/kg) and Sugammadex (16 mg/kg) | Succinylcholine (1 mg/kg) |
|---|
| N | 55 | 55 |
| Mean (SD) | 4.4 (0.7) | 7.1 (1.6) |
| Median (Range) | 4.2 (3.5 – 7.7) | 7.1 (3.8 – 10.5) |
Comparative Studies of Sugammadex versus Neostigmine as a Reversal Agent for Neuromuscular
Blockade Induced by Rocuronium or Vecuronium in Pediatric Patients
2 to <17 Years of Age
Time to recovery from neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium or vecuronium followed by administration of sugammadex or neostigmine was assessed in a randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled study. The study was conducted in 288 randomized pediatric patients 2 to <17 years of age, of which 276 patients received treatment (153 boys and 123 girls; ASA class 1, 2, and 3; 89.5% were Caucasian; median weight was 25 kg; median age was 7 years). The primary efficacy objective was to evaluate the effect of sugammadex compared to neostigmine for reversal of moderate neuromuscular blockade as measured by time to recovery to a TOF ratio of ≥0.9.
Recovery to a TOF ratio of ≥0.9 was statistically significantly faster in pediatric patients 2 to <17 years of age dosed with sugammadex 2 mg/kg (N=33) compared with neostigmine (N=34) for reversal of moderate block based on a geometric mean of 1.7 minutes for sugammadex 2 mg/kg and 7.4 minutes for neostigmine (ratio of geometric means was 0.22, 95% CI (0.16, 0.32)). These effects were consistent across age cohorts studied (2 to <6; 6 to <12; 12 to <17 years of age) and neuromuscular blocking agent (rocuronium and vecuronium).
Additional pediatric use information is approved for Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC’s BRIDION® (sugammadex) injection. However, due to Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information.
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Issued: 2/2026