Entresto

     Adult Heart Failure

ENTRESTO is indicated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adult patients with chronic heart failure. Benefits are most clearly evident in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below normal.        

LVEF is a variable measure, so use clinical judgment in deciding whom to treat [see Clinical Studies (14.1)].        

     Pediatric Heart Failure       

         ENTRESTO is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic heart failure with systemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction in pediatric patients aged one year and older. ENTRESTO reduces NT-proBNP and is expected to improve cardiovascular outcomes.        

     General Considerations

ENTRESTO is contraindicated with concomitant use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. If switching from an ACE inhibitor to ENTRESTO allow a washout period of 36 hours between administration of the two drugs [see Contraindications (4) and Drug Interactions (7.1)].

     Adult Heart Failure

The recommended starting dose of ENTRESTO is 49/51 mg orally twice-daily.

Double the dose of ENTRESTO after 2 to 4 weeks to the target maintenance dose of 97/103 mg twice daily, as tolerated by the patient.

     Pediatric Heart Failure

For the recommended dosage for pediatric patients aged 1 year and older, refer to Table 1 if using the tablets, or Table 2 if using the oral pellets.

Take the recommended dose orally twice daily. Adjust pediatric patient doses every 2 weeks, as tolerated by the patient.

     Preparation of Oral Suspension Using Tablets

ENTRESTO oral suspension can be substituted at the recommended tablet dosage in patients unable to swallow tablets.

ENTRESTO 800 mg/200 mL oral suspension can be prepared in a concentration of 4 mg/mL (sacubitril/valsartan 1.96/2.04 mg/mL). Use ENTRESTO 49/51 mg tablets in the preparation of the suspension.

To make an 800 mg/200 mL (4 mg/mL) oral suspension, transfer eight tablets of ENTRESTO 49/51 mg film-coated tablets into a mortar. Crush the tablets into a fine powder using a pestle. Add 60 mL of Ora-Plus® into the mortar and triturate gently with pestle for 10 minutes, to form a uniform suspension. Add 140 mL of Ora-Sweet® SF into mortar and triturate with pestle for another 10 minutes, to form a uniform suspension. Transfer the entire contents from the mortar into a clean 200 mL amber colored PET or glass bottle. Place a press-in bottle adapter and close the bottle with a child resistant cap.

The oral suspension can be stored for up to 15 days. Do not store above 25°C (77°F) and do not refrigerate. Shake before each use.

*Ora-Sweet SF® and Ora-Plus® are registered trademarks of Paddock Laboratories, Inc.

     Preparation and Administration of Oral Pellets

ENTRESTO SPRINKLE are oral pellets contained within capsules. Do not swallow the capsules. Do not chew or crush the oral pellets.

ENTRESTO SPRINKLE can also be substituted in patients unable to swallow tablets.

Use the entire contents of the capsules to achieve the dose.

To administer ENTRESTO oral pellets, open the capsule and sprinkle the full content onto 1 to 2 teaspoons of soft food. Consume the food containing the oral pellets immediately after adding them. Empty capsule shells must be discarded after use and not swallowed. Do not administer ENTRESTO oral pellets via nasogastric, gastrostomy, or other enteral tubes because it may cause obstruction of enteral tubes.

     Dose Adjustment for Patients Not Taking an ACE inhibitor or ARB or Previously Taking Low Doses of These Agents

In patients not currently taking an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) and for patients previously taking low doses of these agents, start ENTRESTO at half the usually recommended starting dose. After initiation, increase the dose every 2 to 4 weeks in adults and every 2 weeks in pediatric patients to follow the recommended dose escalation thereafter [see Dosage and Administration (2.2, 2.3)].

Note: Initiate pediatric patients weighing 40 to 50 kg who meet this criterion at 0.8 mg/kg twice daily using the oral suspension or oral pellets [see Dosage and Administration (2.3, 2.4, 2.5)].

     Dose Adjustment for Severe Renal Impairment

In adults and pediatric patients with severe renal impairment estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2), start ENTRESTO at half the usually recommended starting dose. After initiation, increase the dose to follow the recommended dose escalation thereafter [see Dosage and Administration (2.2, 2.3)].

Note: Initiate pediatric patients weighing 40 to 50 kg who meet this criterion at 0.8 mg/kg twice daily using the oral suspension or oral pellets [see Dosage and Administration (2.3, 2.4, 2.5)].

No starting dose adjustment is needed for mild or moderate renal impairment.

     Dose Adjustment for Hepatic Impairment

In adults and pediatric patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B classification), start ENTRESTO at half the usually recommended starting dose. After initiation, increase the dose to follow the recommended dose escalation thereafter [see Dosage and Administration (2.2, 2.3)].

Note: Initiate pediatric patients weighing 40 to 50 kg who meet this criterion at 0.8 mg/kg twice daily using the oral suspension or oral pellets [see Dosage and Administration (2.3, 2.4, 2.5)].

No starting dose adjustment is needed for mild hepatic impairment.

Use in patients with severe hepatic impairment is not recommended.

     Pregnancy

Risk Summary

ENTRESTO can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Use of drugs that act on the renin-angiotensin system during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy reduces fetal renal function and increases fetal and neonatal morbidity and death (see Clinical Considerations). Most epidemiologic studies examining fetal abnormalities after exposure to antihypertensive use in the first trimester have not distinguished drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system from other antihypertensive agents. In animal reproduction studies, ENTRESTO treatment during organogenesis resulted in increased embryo-fetal lethality in rats and rabbits and teratogenicity in rabbits (see Data). When pregnancy is detected, consider alternative drug treatment and discontinue ENTRESTO. However, if there is no appropriate alternative to therapy with drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system, and if the drug is considered lifesaving for the mother, advise a pregnant woman of the potential risk to the fetus.

The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. 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.

Clinical Considerations

Fetal/Neonatal Adverse Reactions

Oligohydramnios in pregnant women who use drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy can result in the following: reduced fetal renal function leading to anuria and renal failure, fetal lung hypoplasia, skeletal deformations, including skull hypoplasia, hypotension, and death.        

Perform serial ultrasound examinations to assess the intra-amniotic environment. Fetal testing may be appropriate, based on the week of gestation. Patients and physicians should be aware, however, that oligohydramnios may not appear until after the fetus has sustained irreversible injury. If oligohydramnios is observed, consider alternative drug treatment. Closely observe neonates with histories of in utero exposure to ENTRESTO for hypotension, oliguria, and hyperkalemia. In neonates with a history of in utero exposure to ENTRESTO, if oliguria or hypotension occurs, support blood pressure and renal perfusion. Exchange transfusions or dialysis may be required as a means of reversing hypotension and replacing renal function.

Data

Animal Data

ENTRESTO treatment during organogenesis resulted in increased embryo-fetal lethality in rats at doses greater than or equal to 49 mg sacubitril/51 mg valsartan/kg/day (less than or equal to 0.06 [LBQ657, the active metabolite] and 0.72 [valsartan]-fold the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] of 97/103 mg twice-daily on the basis of the area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve [AUC]) and rabbits at doses greater than or equal to 5 mg sacubitril/5 mg valsartan/kg/day (2-fold and 0.03-fold the MRHD on the basis of valsartan and LBQ657 AUC, respectively). ENTRESTO is teratogenic based on a low incidence of fetal hydrocephaly, associated with maternally toxic doses, which was observed in rabbits at an ENTRESTO dose of greater than or equal to 5 mg sacubitril/5 mg valsartan/kg/day. The adverse embryo-fetal effects of ENTRESTO are attributed to the angiotensin receptor antagonist activity.

Pre- and postnatal development studies in rats at sacubitril doses up to 750 mg/kg/day (2.2-fold the MRHD on the basis of LBQ657 AUC) and valsartan at doses up to 600 mg/kg/day (0.86-fold the MRHD on the basis of AUC) indicate that treatment with ENTRESTO during organogenesis, gestation and lactation may affect pup development and survival.

     Lactation

Risk Summary

There is no information regarding the presence of sacubitril/valsartan in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Sacubitril/valsartan is present in rat milk (see Data). Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants from exposure to sacubitril/valsartan, advise a nursing woman that breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with ENTRESTO.

Data

Following an oral dose (15 mg sacubitril/15 mg valsartan/kg) of [14C] ENTRESTO to lactating rats, transfer of LBQ657 into milk was observed. After a single oral administration of 3 mg/kg [14C] valsartan to lactating rats, transfer of valsartan into milk was observed.

     Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of ENTRESTO have been established for the treatment of heart failure in pediatric patients 1 year to less than 18 years. Use of ENTRESTO was evaluated in a multinational, randomized, double-blind trial comparing ENTRESTO and enalapril in 375 patients aged 1 month to less than 18 years (ENTRESTO n = 187; Enalapril n = 188) (PANORAMA-HF) [see Clinical Studies (14.2)]. The safety profile in pediatric patients (1 year to less than 18 years) receiving ENTRESTO was similar to that seen in adult patients.

Limited safety and efficacy data in patients aged 1 month to less than 1 year were inadequate to support conclusions on safety and efficacy in this age group.

Juvenile Animal Toxicity Data

Sacubitril given orally to juvenile rats from postnatal day (PND) 7 to PND 35 or PND 70 (an age approximately equivalent to neonatal through pre-pubertal development or adulthood in humans) at doses greater than or equal to 400 mg/kg/day (approximately 2-fold the AUC exposure to the active metabolite of sacubitril, LBQ657, at an ENTRESTO pediatric clinical dose of 3.1 mg/kg twice daily) resulted in decreases in body weight, bone length, and bone mass. The decrease in body weight was transient from PND 10 to PND 20 and the effects for most bone parameters were reversible after treatment stopped. Exposure at the No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) of 100 mg/kg/day was approximately 0.5-fold the AUC exposure to LBQ657 at the 3.1 mg/kg twice daily dose of ENTRESTO. The mechanism underlying bone effects in rats and the translatability to pediatric patients are unknown.

Valsartan given orally to juvenile rats from PND 7 to PND 70 (an age approximately equivalent to neonatal through adulthood in humans) produced persistent, irreversible kidney damage at all dose levels. Exposure at the lowest tested dose of 1 mg/kg/day was approximately 0.2-fold the exposure at 3.1 mg/kg twice daily dose of ENTRESTO based on AUC. These kidney effects in neonatal rats represent expected exaggerated pharmacological effects that are observed if rats are treated during the first 13 days of life. This period coincides with 36 weeks of gestation in humans, which could occasionally extend up to 44 weeks after conception in humans. In humans, nephrogenesis is thought to be complete around birth; however, maturation of other aspects of kidney function (such as glomerular filtration and tubular function) may continue until approximately 2 years of age. It is unknown whether post-natal use of valsartan before maturation of renal function is complete has long-term deleterious effects on the kidney.

     Geriatric Use       

There were 4,143 and 3,971 heart failure patients 65 years of age and older in PARADIGM-HF and PARAGON-HF, respectively [see Clinical Studies (14)]. Of the total number of ENTRESTO-treated patients, 2,087 (49.6%) and 1,995 (82.9%) were 65 years of age and older, while 786 (18.7%) and 1,100 (45.7%) were 75 years of age and older in PARADIGM-HF and PARAGON-HF, respectively. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness of ENTRESTO have been observed between patients 65 years of age and older and younger adult patients in either study.

No relevant pharmacokinetic differences have been observed in elderly (≥ 65 years) or very elderly (≥ 75 years) patients compared to the overall population [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

     Hepatic Impairment

No dose adjustment is required when administering ENTRESTO to patients with mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A classification). Half of the starting dose is recommended in adult and pediatric patients with heart failure and with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B classification). The use of ENTRESTO in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh C classification) is not recommended, as no studies have been conducted in these patients [see Dosage and Administration (2.8) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

     Renal Impairment

No dose adjustment is required in patients with mild (eGFR 60 to 90 mL/min/1.73 m2) to moderate (eGFR 30 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) renal impairment. Half of the starting dose is recommended in adult and pediatric patients with heart failure and with severe renal impairment (eGFR less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2). [see Dosage and Administration (2.7), Warnings and Precautions (5.4) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].