Aphexda

Important Dosing Information

• ​Premedicate all patients before each dose of APHEXDA to reduce the risk of hypersensitivity and injection site reactions: 
  • Administer diphenhydramine (12.5 mg intravenously or 25 mg to 50 mg orally, or another H1-antihistamine), an H2 blocker (e.g., famotidine), and a leukotriene inhibitor (e.g., montelukast) approximately 30 to 60 minutes before injection of APHEXDA.
• The addition of an analgesic medication (e.g., acetaminophen) to the premedication regimen is recommended.
• Administer filgrastim 10 mcg/kg subcutaneously once daily for 4 days prior to the first dose of APHEXDA and on each day prior to each apheresis.

Recommended Dosage

The recommended dosage of APHEXDA is 1.25 mg/kg administered via slow (approximately 2 minutes) subcutaneous injection 10 to 14 hours prior to the initiation of the first apheresis. Dosing is based on actual body weight.

A second dose of APHEXDA can be administered 10 to 14 hours before a third apheresis, if necessary.

Preparation and Administration

Use aseptic technique to prepare and administer APHEXDA:

• More than one vial may be needed for a full dose. Calculate the dose, the total volume of reconstituted APHEXDA solution required, and number of APHEXDA vials required based on patient’s actual body weight.
• Remove the APHEXDA vial(s) from the refrigerator and allow to reach room temperature at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F) for at least 30 minutes.
• Reconstitute each vial with 2 mL of 0.45% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP at room temperature (20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F)) resulting in a concentration of 36.5 mg/mL of APHEXDA and permitting withdrawal of up to 1.7 mL (62 mg). Alternatively, you can reconstitute each vial with 1 mL of Sterile Water for Injection, USP and 1 mL of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP.
• Gently swirl and invert for up to 3 minutes slowly until completely dissolved.
• Inspect the reconstituted solution for discoloration and particulate matter. The reconstituted solution should appear clear and colorless. Do not use if the reconstituted solution is discolored, is cloudy, or contains visible particulates.
• If needed, store the reconstituted APHEXDA solution refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) or at room temperature at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F) for up to 24 hours protected from light.
• Withdraw the required injection volume of APHEXDA from the vial(s) into an appropriately sized syringe.
• Each injection volume should not exceed 2 mL. Divide doses requiring greater than 2 mL into multiple syringes to allow different injection sites.

Administration

• Administer injection into the abdomen, the back or side of the upper arms, or the thighs. Rotate injection sites. An injection should never be given into scar tissue or areas that are reddened, inflamed, or swollen. If injecting into the abdomen, avoid a 5 cm diameter circle around the navel. If more than one injection is needed for a single dose of APHEXDA, the injection sites should be at least 2 cm apart from previous injection locations. Discard unused portion of the drug.
• Monitor patients for one hour after administration [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1) ].

Pregnancy

Risk Summary

Based on its mechanism of action, APHEXDA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.1)]. There are no available data with APHEXDA use in pregnant women informing the risk of embryo-fetal toxicity. Animal models link dysfunction in CXCR4/SDF-1 signaling to adverse outcomes in mammalian embryo-fetal development and suggest risk to normal placental development (see Data). No animal studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of motixafortide on reproduction and fetal development. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus.

The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriages for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively.

Data

Animal Data

Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with motixafortide to evaluate its effect on reproduction and embryo-fetal development. Disruption of CXCR4/SDF-1 signaling in mice and other models caused increased embryo-fetal lethality, and impairment of vascularization, cardiac anomalies, reduced hematopoiesis, impaired bone marrow myelopoiesis, disorganized neural layers in cerebellum, and reduced neural innervation of limbs. CXCR4/SDF-1 levels have been shown to play a key role in stimulating trophoblast proliferation and differentiation necessary for appropriate placental growth and function in humans.

Lactation

Risk Summary

There are no data on the presence of motixafortide in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential serious adverse reactions in the breastfed child, advise females that breastfeeding is not recommended during the APHEXDA treatment and for 8 days after the final dose.

Females and Males of Reproductive Potential

Pregnancy Testing

Verify pregnancy status in females of reproductive potential prior to initiating APHEXDA.

Contraception

Females

APHEXDA can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1)]. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with APHEXDA and for 8 days after the final dose [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1)].

Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of APHEXDA have not been established in pediatric patients.

Geriatric Use

Of the total number of patients in the GENESIS study, 33.8% were ≥65 years old, while 1.25% were ≥75 years old in the APHEXDA arm. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these patients and younger patients.

Anaphylactic Shock and Hypersensitivity Reactions

Anaphylactic shock occurred in 0.7% of APHEXDA-treated patients in clinical studies (n=407). The time to anaphylactic shock was between 5 minutes and 30 minutes after drug administration. Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 7.6% of APHEXDA-treated patients in the GENESIS study. In addition, pruritus, flushing, urticaria, rash, erythema, vomiting, nausea and chills have been reported.

Premedicate all patients prior to each dose of APHEXDA 30-60 minutes prior to administration with a triple-drug premedication regimen that includes an H1-antihistamine, an H2 blocker, and a leukotriene inhibitor [see Dosage and Administration (2.1)]. Patients receiving concomitant negative chronotropic drugs (e.g., beta blockers) may be more at risk for hypotension in case of hypersensitivity reaction. When appropriate, beta blockers should be replaced with non-chronotropic drugs.

Administer APHEXDA only in a setting where personnel and therapies are immediately available for the treatment of anaphylaxis and other systemic reactions. Monitor patients for signs or symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions for one hour following administration of APHEXDA and manage reactions promptly.

Injection Site Reactions

Injection site reactions were reported in 73% of patients receiving APHEXDA in the GENESIS trial. Symptoms of injection site reactions included pain, erythema, pruritus, bruising, discomfort, induration, mass, nodule, rash, swelling, and urticaria. Among 92 patients treated with APHEXDA, the highest severity of the reactions was severe in 9%.

Premedicate with an analgesic medication (e.g., acetaminophen) prior to each APHEXDA dose. Use analgesic medication and local treatments postdose, as needed.

Tumor Cell Mobilization in Patients with Leukemia

For the purpose of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization, APHEXDA may cause mobilization of leukemic cells and subsequent contamination of the apheresis product. Therefore, APHEXDA is not intended for HSC mobilization and harvest in patients with leukemia.

Leukocytosis

Administration of APHEXDA in conjunction with filgrastim increases circulating leukocytes as well as HSC populations. Monitor white blood cell counts during APHEXDA use.

Potential for Tumor Cell Mobilization

When APHEXDA is used in combination with filgrastim for HSC mobilization, tumor cells may be released from the marrow and subsequently collected in the leukapheresis product. The effect of potential reinfusion of tumor cells has not been well-studied.

Embryo-fetal Toxicity

Based on its mechanism of action, APHEXDA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Animal models link dysfunction in CXCR4/SDF-1 signaling to adverse outcomes in mammalian embryo-fetal development and suggest risks to normal placental development.

Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to the fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with APHEXDA and for 8 days after the final dose [ see Use in Specific Populations (8.1, 8.3 )].