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 XELSTRYM for the treatment of ADHD in adults and pediatric patients 6 to 17 years is based on a study with XELSTRYM in pediatric patients (presented below) and adequate and well-controlled studies of lisdexamfetamine in adult and pediatric patients with ADHD.
XELSTRYM was studied in pediatric patients 6 to 17 years with ADHD. The safety data are from a 7-week study including a 5-week open-label dose optimization phase (n=110) followed by a 2-week randomized, parallel-group, crossover, placebo-controlled double-blind treatment phase (n=105) [see CLINICAL TRIALS (14)].
Adverse Reactions Leading to Discontinuation of Treatment
In the dose optimization phase (no placebo comparator in this phase) 2.7% (3/110) of patients treated with XELSTRYM discontinued due to adverse reactions. These adverse reactions reported in one patient each were abdominal pain (0.9%), irritability (0.9%) and decreased appetite (0.9%). There were no discontinuations due to adverse reactions in XELSTRYM and placebo groups during the double blind phase.
Adverse Reactions Occurring at an Incidence of 5% or More in XELSTRYM Treated Pediatric Patients Ages 6 to 17 Years During Dose-optimized Treatment
Adverse reactions (incidence of ≥ 5%) that occurred during the dose-optimization phase of the clinical study include: decreased appetite (54%), insomnia1 (32%), headache (21%), irritability (16%), abdominal pain2 (16%) affect lability3 (16%), application site pain4 (13%), nausea (9%), application site pruritus (7%), and fatigue (5%).
1insomnia includes insomnia, delayed sleep phase, initial insomnia, middle insomnia, and terminal insomnia
2abdominal pain includes abdominal pain and abdominal pain upper
3affect lability includes affect lability, emotional disorder, mood swings, and mood altered
4application site pain includes application site pain and application site burn
Adverse Reactions Occurring at an Incidence of 2% or More of XELSTRYM Treated Pediatric Patients Ages 6 to 17 Years During Double-blind Treatment
Adverse reactions (incidence of ≥ 2% and incidence greater than placebo) that occurred during the double-blind, placebo-controlled phase of the clinical study are shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Adverse Reactions Reported by ≥ 2% of Pediatric Patients 6 to 17 Years with ADHD Receiving XELSTRYM and Greater Incidence Than Placebo in the Double-Blind Phase
*The following terms were combined:
insomnia includes insomnia, delayed sleep phase, initial insomnia, middle insomnia, and terminal insomnia
abdominal pain includes abdominal pain and abdominal pain upper
affect lability includes affect lability, emotional disorder, mood swings, and mood altered
application site pain includes application site pain and application site burn |
System Organ Class Preferred Term | XELSTRYM All Doses (n = 105) % | Placebo
(n = 105) % |
| Metabolism and nutrition disorders |
| Decreased appetite | 12 | 2 |
| Nervous system disorders |
| Headache | 6 | 4 |
| Psychiatric disorders |
| Insomnia | 8 | 6 |
| Affect lability | 3 | 0 |
| Tic | 2 | 0 |
| Gastrointestinal Disorders |
| Vomiting | 4 | 0 |
| Abdominal pain* | 4 | 2 |
| Nausea | 3 | 1 |
| General disorders and administration site conditions |
| Iritability | 2 | 1 |
| Investigations/Cardiac Disorders |
| Blood pressure increased* | 2 | 1 |
| Heart rate increased* | 2 | 0 |
Application Site Reactions
Based on daily patient diaries and dermal reaction scales at clinic assessments, local skin reactions were reported with XELSTRYM. During the wear time or immediately after removal of XELSTRYM, patients experienced pain, pruritus, burning sensation, erythema, discomfort, edema, and swelling.
Patients who experienced discomfort and pain at the application site during the wear time reported resolution within 2 to 4 hours after XELSTRYM application. Most dermal irritation was limited to the site of application. All patients who reported application site reactions in the 7- week pediatric classroom study continued to use XELSTRYM, and there were no discontinuations from the study due to application site reactions.
During the dose-optimization phase of the clinical study, 45% of patients reported application site discomfort associated with the use of XELSTRYM in daily patient diaries; 72% of patients reported discomfort at clinic visit assessments; and 13% of patients reported severe discomfort at clinic visit assessments. XELSTRYM 4.5 mg was the starting dose for all patients undergoing titration during the dose optimization phase and the majority of application site discomfort was reported at this starting dose. During the dose-optimization phase, 73% of patients reported application site irritation.
Application site reactions that occurred during the double-blind phase of the clinical study are presented in Table 2.
Table 2: Summary Application Site Reactions During the Double-Blind Phase
| XELSTRYM n/N | Placebo n/N |
| Discomfort | | |
| Reported in patient diaries | 8/96 (8%) | 8/98 (8%) |
| Clinic assessments | | |
| Any discomfort | 72/104 (69%) | 9/101 (9%) |
| Severe discomfort | 10/104 (10%) | 4/101 (4%) |
| Irritation | | |
| Reported in patient diaries | 64/103 (62%) | 41/105 (39%) |
| Reported at Clinic assessments | 97/103 (94%) | 55/101 (54%) |
Weight Loss and Slowing Growth Rate in Pediatric Patients with ADHD
In a 7-week trial of XELSTRYM with a 5-week dose optimization phase and a 2-week crossover placebo-controlled phase in pediatric patients ages 6 to 17 years, patients had a mean weight loss from baseline of -3.1 pounds after 5 weeks of XELSTRYM.
Leukopenia and Neutropenia
In the 2-week crossover phase of the 7-week trial of XELSTRYM in pediatric patients ages 6 to 17 years, shifts in WBCs from normal to low occurred in 10% of patients treated with XELSTRYM and 2% of patients treated with placebo. Shifts in neutrophils from normal to low occurred in 14% of patients treated with XELSTRYM and 6% of patients treated with placebo.
Weight Loss and Slowing Growth Rate in Pediatric Patients with ADHD with Lisdexamfetamine and Other Stimulants
Lisdexamfetamine
The long-term safety of XELSTRYM for the treatment of ADHD relies on information from adequate and well-controlled studies of lisdexamfetamine. In a controlled trial of lisdexamfetamine in pediatric patients 6 to 12 years, mean weight loss from baseline after 4 weeks of therapy was -0.9, -1.9, and -2.5 pounds, respectively, for patients receiving 30 mg, 50 mg, and 70 mg of lisdexamfetamine, compared to 1 pound weight gain for patients receiving placebo. Higher doses were associated with greater weight loss with 4 weeks of treatment. Careful follow-up for weight in pediatric patients 6 to 12 years who received lisdexamfetamine over 12 months suggests that consistently medicated pediatric patients (i.e., treatment for 7 days per week throughout the year) have a slowing in growth rate, measured by body weight as demonstrated by an age- and sex-normalized mean change from baseline in percentile, of -13.4 over 1 year (average percentiles at baseline and 12 months were 60.9 and 47.2, respectively). In a 4-week controlled trial of lisdexamfetamine in pediatric patients 13 to 17 years, mean weight loss from baseline to endpoint was -2.7, -4.3, and -4.8 pounds, respectively, for patients receiving 30 mg, 50 mg, and 70 mg of lisdexamfetamine, compared to a 2 pound weight gain for patients receiving placebo.
Other CNS stimulants
Careful follow-up of weight and height in pediatric patients 7 to 10 years who were randomized to either methylphenidate or non-medication treatment groups over 14 months, as well as in naturalistic subgroups of newly methylphenidate-treated and non-medication treated pediatric patients over 36 months (to the ages of 10 to 13 years), suggests that consistently medicated pediatric patients 7 to 13 years (i.e., treatment for 7 days per week throughout the year) have a temporary slowing in growth rate (on average, a total of about 2 cm less growth in height and 2.7 kg less growth in weight over 3 years), without evidence of growth rebound during this period of development. In a controlled trial of amphetamine (d- and l-enantiomer ration of 3:1) in pediatric patients 13 to 17 years, mean weight change from baseline within the initial 4 weeks of therapy was -1.1 pounds and -2.8 pounds, respectively, for patients receiving 10 mg and 20 mg of amphetamine. Higher doses were associated with greater weight loss within the initial 4 weeks of treatment [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS (5.5)].
Clinical Trials Experience in Adult Patients with ADHD Treated with Lisdexamfetamine
Adverse Reactions Associated with Discontinuation of Treatment in Adult ADHD Clinical Trials
In a controlled trial of lisdexamfetamine in adults with ADHD, 6% (21/358) of lisdexamfetamine-treated patients discontinued due to adverse reactions compared to 2% (1/62) of placebo-treated patients. The most frequently reported adverse reactions (1% or more and twice rate of placebo) were insomnia (8/358; 2%), tachycardia (3/358; 1%), irritability (2/358; 1%), hypertension (4/358; 1%), headache (2/358; 1%), anxiety (2/358; 1%), and dyspnea (3/358; 1%). Less frequently reported adverse reactions (less than 1% or less than twice rate of placebo) included palpitations, diarrhea, nausea, decreased appetite, dizziness, agitation, depression, paranoia and restlessness.
Adverse Reactions Occurring at an Incidence of ≥5% or More Among Lisdexamfetamine-Treated Patients with ADHD in Clinical Trials
The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥5% and at a rate at least twice placebo) were: Decreased appetite, insomnia, dry mouth, diarrhea, nausea, and anxiety.
In addition, in the adult population, erectile dysfunction was observed in 2.6% of males on lisdexamfetamine and 0% on placebo; decreased libido was observed in 1.4% of subjects on lisdexamfetamine and 0% on placebo.
Weight Loss in Adults with ADHD
In a controlled adult trial of lisdexamfetamine, mean weight loss after 4 weeks of therapy was 2.8 pounds, 3.1 pounds, and 4.3 pounds, for patients receiving final doses of 30 mg, 50 mg, and 70 mg of lisdexamfetamine, respectively, compared to a mean weight gain of 0.5 pounds for patients receiving placebo.
Adverse Reactions with Other Amphetamine Products in Pediatric Patients and Adults with ADHD
Cardiac Disorders: Palpitations, tachycardia, and chest pain.
Gastrointestinal Disorders: Dry mouth, abdominal pain upper, dyspepsia, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, nausea, and tooth disorder (e.g., teeth clenching, tooth infection).
General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Asthenia, fatigue, pyrexia, and feeling jittery.
Infections and Infestations: Infection, urinary tract infection.
Injury, Poisoning, and Procedural Complications: Accidental injury.
Investigations: Weight decreased, blood pressure increased, and ECG voltage criteria for ventricular hypertrophy.
Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders: Loss of appetite.
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: Muscle twitching, growth retardation.
Nervous System Disorders: Somnolence, insomnia, tremor, dizziness, headache, tics, speech disorder (e.g., stuttering, excessive speech), psychomotor hyperactivity, and agitation.
Psychiatric Disorders: Depression, anxiety, dermatillomania, mood swings, anger, affect lability, logorrhea, irritability, nervousness, paranoia, and restlessness.
Reproductive System and Breast Disorders: Impotence, libido decreased, erectile dysfunction, and dysmenorrhea.
Respiratory, Thoracic, and Mediastinal Disorders: Dyspnea, rhinitis allergic.
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: Rash, photosensitivity reaction, and hyperhidrosis.
Vascular Disorders: Hypertension, epistaxis.