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Byetta (Exenatide Injection) - Warnings and Precautions

 
 



WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Acute Pancreatitis

Based on postmarketing data BYETTA has been associated with acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis. After initiation of BYETTA, and after dose increases, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis (including persistent severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back, which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting). If pancreatitis is suspected, BYETTA should promptly be discontinued and appropriate management should be initiated. If pancreatitis is confirmed, BYETTA should not be restarted. Consider antidiabetic therapies other than BYETTA in patients with a history of pancreatitis.

Use with Medications Known to Cause Hypoglycemia

The risk of hypoglycemia is increased when BYETTA is used in combination with a sulfonylurea. Therefore, patients receiving BYETTA and a sulfonylurea may require a lower dose of the sulfonylurea to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.

When BYETTA is used in combination with insulin, the dose of insulin should be evaluated. In patients at increased risk of hypoglycemia consider reducing the dose of insulin [see Adverse Reactions]. The concurrent use of BYETTA with prandial insulin has not been studied and cannot be recommended. It is also possible that the use of BYETTA with other glucose-independent insulin secretagogues (e.g. meglitinides) could increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

For additional information on glucose dependent effects see Mechanism of Action .

Renal Impairment

BYETTA should not be used in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min) or end-stage renal disease and should be used with caution in patients with renal transplantation [see Use in Specific Populations]. In patients with end-stage renal disease receiving dialysis, single doses of BYETTA 5 mcg were not well-tolerated due to gastrointestinal side effects. Because BYETTA may induce nausea and vomiting with transient hypovolemia, treatment may worsen renal function. Caution should be applied when initiating or escalating doses of BYETTA from 5 mcg to 10 mcg in patients with moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance 30 to 50 mL/min).

There have been postmarketing reports of altered renal function, including increased serum creatinine, renal impairment, worsened chronic renal failure and acute renal failure, sometimes requiring hemodialysis or kidney transplantation. Some of these events occurred in patients receiving one or more pharmacologic agents known to affect renal function or hydration status, such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or diuretics. Some events occurred in patients who had been experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, with or without dehydration. Reversibility of altered renal function has been observed in many cases with supportive treatment and discontinuation of potentially causative agents, including BYETTA. Exenatide has not been found to be directly nephrotoxic in preclinical or clinical studies.

Gastrointestinal Disease

BYETTA has not been studied in patients with severe gastrointestinal disease, including gastroparesis. Because BYETTA is commonly associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, the use of BYETTA is not recommended in patients with severe gastrointestinal disease.

Immunogenicity

Patients may develop antibodies to exenatide following treatment with BYETTA. Antibody levels were measured in 90% of subjects in the 30-week, 24-week and 16-week studies of BYETTA. In 3%, 4% and 1% of these patients, respectively, antibody formation was associated with an attenuated glycemic response. If there is worsening glycemic control or failure to achieve targeted glycemic control, alternative antidiabetic therapy should be considered [see Adverse Reactions].

Hypersensitivity

There have been postmarketing reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis and angioedema) in patients treated with BYETTA. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, the patient should discontinue BYETTA and other suspect medications and promptly seek medical advice [see Adverse Reactions].

Macrovascular Outcomes

There have been no clinical studies establishing conclusive evidence of macrovascular risk reduction with BYETTA or any other antidiabetic drug.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Category C

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of BYETTA use in pregnant women. In animal studies, exenatide caused cleft palate, irregular skeletal ossification and an increased number of neonatal deaths. BYETTA should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

Female mice given SC doses of 6, 68, or 760 mcg/kg/day beginning 2 weeks prior to and throughout mating until gestation day 7 had no adverse fetal effects. At the maximal dose, 760 mcg/kg/day, systemic exposures were up to 390 times the human exposure resulting from the maximum recommended dose of 20 mcg/day, based on AUC [see Nonclinical Toxicology].

In developmental toxicity studies, pregnant animals received exenatide subcutaneously during organogenesis. Specifically, fetuses from pregnant rabbits given SC doses of 0.2, 2, 22, 156, or 260 mcg/kg/day from gestation day 6 through 18 experienced irregular skeletal ossifications from exposures 12 times the human exposure resulting from the maximum recommended dose of 20 mcg/day, based on AUC. Moreover, fetuses from pregnant mice given SC doses of 6, 68, 460, or 760 mcg/kg/day from gestation day 6 through 15 demonstrated reduced fetal and neonatal growth, cleft palate and skeletal effects at systemic exposure 3 times the human exposure resulting from the maximum recommended dose of 20 mcg/day, based on AUC [see Nonclinical Toxicology].

Lactating mice given SC doses of 6, 68, or 760 mcg/kg/day from gestation day 6 through lactation day 20 (weaning), experienced an increased number of neonatal deaths. Deaths were observed on postpartum days 2-4 in dams given 6 mcg/kg/day, a systemic exposure 3 times the human exposure resulting from the maximum recommended dose of 20 mcg/day, based on AUC [see Nonclinical Toxicology].

Pregnancy Registry

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. maintains a Pregnancy Registry to monitor pregnancy outcomes of women exposed to exenatide during pregnancy. Physicians are encouraged to register patients by calling 1-800-633-9081.

Nursing Mothers

It is not known whether exenatide is excreted in human milk. However, exenatide is present at low concentrations (less than or equal to 2.5% of the concentration in maternal plasma following subcutaneous dosing) in the milk of lactating mice. Many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for clinically significant adverse reactions in nursing infants from exenatide, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account these potential risks against the glycemic benefits to the lactating woman. Caution should be exercised when BYETTA is administered to a nursing woman.

Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness of BYETTA have not been established in pediatric patients.

Geriatric Use

Population pharmacokinetic analysis of patients ranging from 22 to 73 years of age suggests that age does not influence the pharmacokinetic properties of exenatide [see Clinical Pharmacology]. BYETTA was studied in 282 patients 65 years of age or older and in 16 patients 75 years of age or older. No differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these patients and younger patients. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection in the elderly based on renal function.

Renal Impairment

BYETTA is not recommended for use in patients with end-stage renal disease or severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min) and should be used with caution in patients with renal transplantation. No dosage adjustment of BYETTA is required in patients with mild renal impairment (creatinine clearance 50 to 80 mL/min). Caution should be applied when initiating or escalating doses of BYETTA from 5 mcg to 10 mcg in patients with moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance 30 to 50 mL/min) [see Clinical Pharmacology].

Hepatic Impairment

No pharmacokinetic study has been performed in patients with a diagnosis of acute or chronic hepatic impairment. Because exenatide is cleared primarily by the kidney, hepatic dysfunction is not expected to affect blood concentrations of exenatide [see Clinical Pharmacology].

Page last updated: 2012-03-12

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