Clinical medicine profile
Leuprolide
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- SUBCUTANEOUS
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Hypersensitivity VABRINTY is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to GnRH, GnRH agonist analogs or any of the components of VABRINTY.
- Anaphylactic reactions to synthetic GnRH or GnRH agonist analogs have been reported in the literature.
- Known hypersensitivity to GnRH, GnRH agonist analogs or any of the components of VABRINTY ( 4 )
Precautions
- 5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Tumor Flare: Transient increase in serum levels of testosterone during treatment may result in worsening of symptoms or onset of new signs and symptoms during the first few weeks of treatment, including bone pain, neuropathy, hematuria, bladder outlet obstruction, ureteral obstruction, or spinal cord compression.
- Monitor patients at risk closely and manage as appropriate.
- ( 5.1 , 5.7 ) Hyperglycemia and diabetes: Hyperglycemia and an increased risk of developing diabetes have been reported in men receiving GnRH analogs.
- Monitor blood glucose level and manage according to current clinical practice.
- ( 5.2 ) Cardiovascular diseases: Increased risk of myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death and stroke has been reported in men.
- Monitor for cardiovascular disease and manage according to current clinical practice.
- ( 5.3 ) Effect on QT/QTc Interval: Androgen deprivation therapy may prolong the QT interval.
- Consider risks and benefits.
- ( 5.4 ) Convulsions have been observed in patients with or without a history of predisposing factors.
- Manage convulsions according to the current clinical practice.
- (5.5) Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (SCARs), including Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, occurred in patients treated with VABRINTY.
- Interrupt VABRINTY if signs or symptoms of SCARs develop.
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
schedule: 7.5 mg subcutaneously every month ( 2.1 ) 22.5 mg subcutaneously every 3 months ( 2.1 ) 30 mg subcutaneously every 4 months ( 2.1 ) 45 mg subcutaneously every 6 months ( 2.1 ) See Full Prescribing Information for preparation and administration instructions. ( 2.2 , 2.3 ) 2.1 Recommended Dosage VABRINTY is administered subcutaneously and provides continuous release of leuprolide acetate over a one-, three-, four-, or six-month treatment period (Table 1). VABRINTY must be administered by a healthcare provider. The injection delivers the dose of leuprolide acetate incorporated in a polymer formulation. Table 1. VABRINTY Recommended Dosing Dosage 7.5 mg 22.5 mg 30 mg 45 mg Recommended dose 1 injection every month 1 injection every 3 months 1 injection every 4 months 1 injection every 6 months As with other drugs administered by subcutaneous injection, the injection site should vary periodically. The specific injection location should be an area with sufficient soft or loose subcutaneous tissue. In clinical trials, the injections were administered in the upper- or mid-abdominal area. Avoid areas with brawny or fibrous subcutaneous tissue or locations that could be rubbed or compressed (i.e., with a belt or clothing waistband). In patients treated with GnRH analogues for prostate cancer, treatment is usually continued upon development of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. 2.2 Preparation Instructions Use aseptic technique throughout the procedure. As with other similar agents, the use of gloves is recommended during mixing and administration. Allow the product to reach room temperature before mixing. Once mixed, the product must be administered within 30 minutes or it should be discarded. VABRINTY is packaged in a carton containing: Tray containing pre-connected syringe system and desiccant pack Prescribing information Sterile safety needle and cap (located under the tray in carton) Follow the detailed instructions below to ensure correct preparation of VABRINTY prior to administration: Step 1 On a clean field open the tray by tearing off the foil from the corner and remove the contents. Discard the desiccant pack. Remove the pre-connected syringe system from the tray. Open the sterile safety needle package by peeling back the paper tab. Note: Syringe A and Syringe B should not be lined-up yet. The product should only be administered with the co-packaged, sterile safety needle. Step 2 Grasp the latching button on the coupling device with your finger and thumb and press until you hear a snapping sound. The two syringes will be aligned. Do not bend the pre-connected syringe system. Step 3 Holding the syringes in a horizontal position, transfer the liquid contents of Syringe A into the leuprolide acetate powder contained in Syringe B. Thoroughly mix the product for 60 cycles by pushing the contents back and forth between both syringes to obtain a uniform suspension. A cycle is one push of the Syringe A plunger and one push of the Syringe B plunger. When thoroughly mixed, the suspension will appear light tan to tan (VABRINTY 7.5 mg) or colorless to pale yellow (VABRINTY 22.5 mg, 30 mg, and 45 mg). Note: Product must be mixed as described; shaking will NOT provide adequate mixing. Do not bend. Step 4 After mixing, hold the syringes vertically (upright) with Syringe B (wide syringe) on the bottom. The syringes should remain securely coupled. Transfer all of the mixed product into Syringe B by depressing the Syringe A plunger and slightly withdrawing the Syringe B plunger. Step 5 While ensuring the Syringe A plunger is fully pushed down, hold the coupling device and unscrew Syringe B. This will disconnect Syringe B from the coupling device. Syringe A will remain attached to the coupling device. Note: Small air bubbles will remain in the formulation – this is acceptable. Do not purge the air bubbles from Syringe B as product may be lost! Step 6 Continue to hold Syringe B upright with the open end at the top. Hold back the white plunger on Syringe B to prevent loss of the product, and attach the safety needle and cap (the safety needle is located under the tray). Gently screw clockwise with approximately a three-quarter turn until the safety needle and cap are secure. Do not overtighten, as the needle hub may become damaged which could result in leakage of the product during injection. The safety shield may also be damaged if the safety needle and cap are screwed with too much force. Step 7 Move the safety shield away from the needle and towards the syringe. Pull off the cap immediately prior to administration. Note: Should the needle hub appear to be damaged, or leak, the product should NOT be used. The damaged safety needle and cap should NOT be replaced and the product should NOT be injected. In the event of damage to the needle hub, use a new replacement VABRINTY carton. mixing step2 step3 step4 step5 step6 step7 2.3 Administration Instructions 1. Select an injection site on the abdomen, upper buttocks, or another location with adequate amounts of subcutaneous tissue that does not have excessive pigment, nodules, lesions, or hair and hasn’t recently been used. 2. Cleanse the injection-site area with an alcohol swab (not enclosed). 3. Using the thumb and forefinger, grab and bunch the area of skin around the injection site. 4. Using your dominant hand, insert the needle quickly at a 90° angle to the skin surface. The depth of penetration will depend on the amount and fullness of the subcutaneous tissue and the length of the needle. After the needle is inserted, release the skin. 5. Inject the drug using a slow, steady push and press down on the plunger until the syringe is empty. Make sure all the drug has been injected before removing the needle. 6. Withdraw the needle quickly at the same 90° angle used for insertion. 7. Immediately following the withdrawal of the needle, activate the safety shield using a finger/thumb or flat surface and push until it completely covers the needle tip and locks into place. 8. An audible and tactile “click” verifies a locked position. 9. Check to confirm the safety shield is fully engaged. Discard all components safely in an appropriate biohazard container. admin1 admin admin
8.4 Pediatric Use The safety and effectiveness of VABRINTY in pediatric patients have not been established.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE VABRINTY is indicated for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
- VABRINTY is a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist indicated for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Adverse effects
- labeling: Tumor Flare [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Hyperglycemia and Diabetes [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Cardiovascular Disease [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Effect on QT/QTc Interval [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Convulsions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5. 6 )] Most common adverse reactions in clinical studies (incidence ≥ 5%): Malaise, fatigue, hot flashes/sweats, and testicular atrophy.
- ( 6.1 ) As with other GnRH agonists, other adverse reactions, including decreased bone density and rare cases of pituitary apoplexy have been reported.
- ( 6.1 , 6.2 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Uronova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 877-712-4575 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trial Experience 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 practice.
- The safety of all VABRINTY formulations was evaluated in clinical trials involving patients with advanced prostate cancer.
- In addition, the safety of VABRINTY 7.5 mg was evaluated in 8 surgically castrated males (Table 4).
- VABRINTY, like other GnRH analogs, caused a transient increase in serum testosterone concentrations during the first one to two weeks of treatment.
- Therefore, potential exacerbations of signs and symptoms of the disease during the first weeks of treatment are of concern in patients with vertebral metastases and/or urinary obstruction or hematuria.
- If these conditions are aggravated, it may lead to neurological problems such as weakness and/or paresthesia of the lower limbs or worsening of urinary symptoms [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 )] .
- During the clinical trials, injection sites were closely monitored.
- Refer to Table 3 for a summary of reported injection site adverse reactions.
- Table 3.
- Reported Injection Site Adverse Reactions VABRINTY 7.5 mg 22.5 mg 30 mg 45 mg Study number AGL9904 AGL9909 AGL0001 AGL0205 Number of patients 120 117 90 111 Treatment 1 injection every month up to 6 months 1 injection every 3 months up to 6 months 1 injection every 4 months up to 8 months 1 injection every 6 months up to 12 months Number of injections 716 230 175 217 Transient burning/ stinging 248 (34.6%) injections
- 84% reported as mild 50 (21.7%) injections
- 86% reported as mild 35 (20%) injections
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
acetate, a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, acts as an inhibitor of gonadotropin secretion when given continuously in therapeutic doses.
Read complete mechanism
acetate, a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, acts as an inhibitor of gonadotropin secretion when given continuously in therapeutic doses. Animal and human studies indicate that after an initial stimulation, chronic administration of leuprolide acetate results in suppression of testicular and ovarian steroidogenesis. This effect is reversible upon discontinuation of drug therapy.
Product-specific
Product-specific
SUBCUTANEOUS
VABRINTY 7.5 mg Following a single injection of VABRINTY 7.5 mg for 1-month administration in patients, the mean peak plasma concentration was 25.3 ng/mL (C max ) at 5 hours;at the end of the 4 week dosing interval the mean concentration declined to 0.42 ng/mL. VABRINTY 22.5 mg F...
The mean steady-state volume of distribution of leuprolide following intravenous bolus administration to healthy male volunteers was 27 L. In vitro binding to human plasma proteins ranged from 43% to 49%.
No drug metabolism study was conducted with VABRINTY. Upon administration with different leuprolide acetate formulations, the major metabolite of leuprolide acetate is a pentapeptide (M-1) metabolite.
After the initial increase following each subcutaneous injection, serum concentration range was 0.1 – 2.00 ng/mL. In healthy male volunteers, a 1-mg bolus of leuprolide administered intravenously revealed that the mean systemic clearance was 8.34 L/h, with a terminal elimination
of approximately 3 hours based on a two compartment model.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Based on findings in animal studies and mechanism of action, VABRINTY may 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. Expected hormonal changes that occur with VABRINTY treatment increase the risk for pregnancy loss. In animal developmental and reproductive studies, major fetal abnormalities were observed after administration of leuprolide acetate throughout gestation in rats. Advise pregnant patients and females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to the fetus (see Data) . Data Animal Data In animal developmental and reproductive studies, major fetal abnormalities were observed after administration of leuprolide acetate throughout gestation. There were increased fetal mortality and decreased fetal weights in rats and rabbits. The effects of fetal mortality are expected consequences of the alterations in hormonal levels brought about by this drug.
potential: VABRINTY may impair fertility. ( 8.3 ) Pediatric: Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. ( 8.4 ) Geriatric: This label reflects clinical trials for VABRINTY in prostate cancer where the majority of subjects were at least 65 years of age ( 8.5 ). 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Based on findings in animal studies and mechanism of action, VABRINTY may 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. Expected hormonal changes that occur with VABRINTY treatment increase the risk for pregnancy loss. In animal developmental and reproductive studies, major fetal abnormalities were observed after administration of leuprolide acetate throughout gestation in rats. Advise pregnant patients and females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to the fetus (see Data) . Data Animal Data In animal developmental and reproductive studies, major fetal abnormalities were observed after administration of leuprolide acetate throughout gestation. There were increased fetal mortality and decreased fetal weights in rats and rabbits. The effects of fetal mortality are expected consequences of the alterations in hormonal levels brought about by this drug. 8.2 Lactation The safety and efficacy of VABRINTY have not been established in females. There is no information regarding the presence of VABRINTY in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child from VABRINTY, a decision should be made to discontinue breastfeeding or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. 8.3 Females and Males of Reproductive Potential Infertility Males Based on mechanism of action, VABRINTY may impair fertility in males of reproductive potential [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.1 )] . 8.4 Pediatric Use The safety and effectiveness of VABRINTY in pediatric patients have not been established. 8.5 Geriatric Use The majority of the patients (approximately 70%) studied in the clinical trials were age 70 and older. Clinical studies of VABRINTY did not include sufficient numbers of younger adult patients to determine if patients 65 years of age and older respond differently than younger adult patients.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| No reviewed brand listings are linked yet. | |||
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.