Pregnancy Category X.
Risk Summary
OPSUMIT may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman and is contraindicated during pregnancy. Macitentan was teratogenic in rabbits and rats at all doses tested. A no-effect dose was not established in either species. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, advise the patient of the potential hazard to a fetus [see Contraindications (4.1)].
Animal Data
In both rabbits and rats, there were cardiovascular and mandibular arch fusion abnormalities. Administration of macitentan to female rats from late pregnancy through lactation caused reduced pup survival and impairment of the male fertility of the offspring at all dose levels tested.
Females
Pregnancy Testing: Female patients of reproductive potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to starting treatment with OPSUMIT and monthly pregnancy tests during treatment with OPSUMIT. Advise patients to contact their health care provider if they become pregnant or suspect they may be pregnant. Perform a pregnancy test if pregnancy is suspected for any reason. For positive pregnancy tests, counsel patients on the potential risk to the fetus [see Boxed Warning and Dosage and Administration (2.2)].
Contraception: Female patients of reproductive potential must use acceptable methods of contraception during treatment with OPSUMIT and for 1 month after treatment with OPSUMIT. Patients may choose one highly effective form of contraception (intrauterine devices (IUD), contraceptive implants or tubal sterilization) or a combination of methods (hormone method with a barrier method or two barrier methods). If a partner's vasectomy is the chosen method of contraception, a hormone or barrier method must be used along with this method. Counsel patients on pregnancy planning and prevention, including emergency contraception, or designate counseling by another healthcare provider trained in contraceptive counseling [see Boxed Warning].
Males
Testicular effects: Like other endothelin receptor antagonists, OPSUMIT may have an adverse effect on spermatogenesis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) and Nonclinical Toxicology (13.1)].
Cardiac Electrophysiology: In a randomized, placebo-controlled four-way crossover study with a positive control in healthy subjects, repeated doses of macitentan 10 and 30 mg (3 times the recommended dosage) had no significant effect on the QTc interval.
Absorption and Distribution
The maximum plasma concentration of macitentan is achieved about 8 hours after oral administration. The absolute bioavailability after oral administration is not known. In a study in healthy subjects, the exposure to macitentan and its active metabolite were unchanged after a high fat breakfast. Macitentan may therefore be taken with or without food.
Macitentan and its active metabolite are highly bound to plasma proteins (>99%), primarily to albumin and to a lesser extent to alpha-1-acid glycoprotein. The apparent volumes of distribution (Vss/F) of macitentan and its active metabolite were about 50 L and 40 L respectively in healthy subjects.
Metabolism and Elimination
Following oral administration, the apparent elimination half-lives of macitentan and its active metabolite are approximately 16 hours and 48 hours, respectively. Macitentan is metabolized primarily by oxidative depropylation of the sulfamide to form the pharmacologically active metabolite. This reaction is dependent on the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system, mainly CYP3A4 with a minor contribution of CYP2C19. At steady state in PAH patients, the systemic exposure to the active metabolite is 3-times the exposure to macitentan and is expected to contribute approximately 40% of the total pharmacologic activity. In a study in healthy subjects with radiolabeled macitentan, approximately 50% of radioactive drug material was eliminated in urine but none was in the form of unchanged drug or the active metabolite. About 24% of the radioactive drug material was recovered from feces.
Special Populations
There are no clinically relevant effects of age, sex, or race on the pharmacokinetics of macitentan and its active metabolite.
Renal impairment: Exposure to macitentan and its active metabolite in patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl 15-29 mL/min) compared to healthy subjects was increased by 30% and 60%, respectively. This increase is not considered clinically relevant.
Hepatic impairment: Exposure to macitentan was decreased by 21%, 34%, and 6% and exposure to the active metabolite was decreased by 20%, 25%, and 25% in subjects with mild, moderate, or severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class A, B, and C), respectively. This decrease is not considered clinically relevant.
Drug Interactions
In vitro studies
At plasma levels obtained with dosing at 10 mg once daily, macitentan has no relevant inhibitory or inducing effects on CYP enzymes, and is neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of the multi-drug resistance protein (P-gp, MDR-1). Macitentan and its active metabolite are neither substrates nor inhibitors of the organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP1B1 and OATP1B3) and do not significantly interact with proteins involved in hepatic bile salt transport, i.e., the bile salt export pump (BSEP) and the sodium-dependent taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP).
In vivo studies
Effect of other drugs on macitentan: The effect of other drugs on macitentan and its active metabolite are studied in healthy subjects and are shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1
Effects of other strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ritonavir on macitentan were not studied, but are likely to result in an increase in macitentan exposure at steady state similar to that seen with ketoconazole [see Drug Interactions (7.2)].
Effect of macitentan on other drugs
Warfarin: Macitentan once daily dosing did not alter the exposure to R- and S-warfarin or their effect on international normalized ratio (INR).
Sildenafil: At steady-state, the exposure to sildenafil 20 mg t.i.d. increased by 15% during concomitant administration of macitentan 10 mg once daily. This change is not considered clinically relevant.
Carcinogenesis: Carcinogenicity studies of 2 years' duration did not reveal any carcinogenic potential at exposures 75-fold and 140-fold the human exposure (based on AUC) in male and female mice, respectively, and 8.3- and 42-fold in male and female rats, respectively.
Mutagenesis: Macitentan was not genotoxic in a standard battery of in vitro and in vivo assays that included a bacterial reverse mutation assay, an assay for gene mutations in mouse lymphoma cells, a chromosome aberration test in human lymphocytes, and an in vivo micronucleus test in rats.
Impairment of Fertility: Treatment of juvenile rats from postnatal Day 4 to Day 114 led to reduced body weight gain and testicular tubular atrophy at exposures 7-fold the human exposure. Fertility was not affected.
Reversible testicular tubular dilatation was observed in chronic toxicity studies at exposures greater than 7-fold and 23-fold the human exposure in rats and dogs, respectively. After 2 years of treatment, tubular atrophy was seen in rats at 4-fold the human exposure. Macitentan did not affect male or female fertility at exposures ranging from 19- to 44-fold the human exposure, respectively, and had no effect on sperm count, motility, and morphology in male rats. No testicular findings were noted in mice after treatment up to 2 years.
Embryo-Fetal Toxicity
Instruct patients on the risk of fetal harm when OPSUMIT is used in pregnancy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Use in Specific Populations (8.1)]. Instruct females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception and to contact her physician if they suspect they may be pregnant. Female patients must enroll in the OPSUMIT REMS program.
OPSUMIT REMS Program
For female patients, OPSUMIT is available only through a restricted program called the OPSUMIT REMS Program [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. Male patients are not enrolled in the OPSUMIT REMS.
Inform female patients (and their guardians, if applicable) of the following notable requirements.
- Female patients must sign an enrollment form.
- Female patients of reproductive potential must comply with the pregnancy testing and contraception requirements [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].
Educate and counsel females of reproductive potential on the use of emergency contraception in the event of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.
Advise pre-pubertal females to report any changes in their reproductive status immediately to her prescriber.
Review the Medication Guide and REMS educational materials with female patients.
Decrease in Hemoglobin
Advise patients on the importance of hemoglobin testing.
Hepatotoxicity
Some members of this pharmacological class are hepatotoxic. Educate patients on signs of hepatotoxicity. Advise patients that they should contact their doctor if they have unexplained nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant pain, fatigue, anorexia, jaundice, dark urine, fever, or itching.
Fluid Retention
Educate patients on signs of fluid retention. Advise patients that they should contact their doctor if they have unusual weight increase or swelling of the ankles or legs.
Administration
Patients should be advised not to split, crush, or chew tablets.
Manufactured for:
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
5000 Shoreline Court, Ste. 200
South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
© 2017 Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. All rights reserved.
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