Fycompa

1.1 Partial-Onset Seizures

FYCOMPA is indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondarily generalized seizures in patients with epilepsy 4 years of age and older.

1.2 Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures

FYCOMPA is indicated as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older. 

2.1 Dosage for Partial-Onset Seizures

Monotherapy or Adjunctive Therapy

The recommended starting dosage of FYCOMPA in adults and pediatric patients 4 years of age and older is 2 mg once daily taken orally at bedtime. Increase dosage no more frequently than at weekly intervals by increments of 2 mg once daily based on individual clinical response and tolerability.

The recommended maintenance dose range is 8 mg to 12 mg once daily, although some patients may respond to a dose of 4 mg daily. A dose of 12 mg once daily resulted in somewhat greater reductions in seizure rates than the dose of 8 mg once daily, but with a substantial increase in adverse reactions. 

Dosage adjustment is recommended with concomitant use of moderate or strong CYP3A4 enzyme inducing drugs, which include certain antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) [see Dosage and Administration (2.3)].

2.2 Dosage for Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures

Adjunctive Therapy

The recommended starting dosage of FYCOMPA in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older is 2 mg once daily taken orally at bedtime. Increase dosage no more frequently than at weekly intervals by increments of 2 mg once daily based on individual clinical response and tolerability.

The recommended maintenance dose is 8 mg once daily taken at bedtime. Patients who are tolerating FYCOMPA at 8 mg once daily and require further reduction of seizures may benefit from a dose increase up to 12 mg once daily if tolerated.

Dosage adjustment is recommended with concomitant use of moderate or strong CYP3A4 enzyme inducing drugs, which include certain AEDs [see Dosage and Administration (2.3)].

2.3 Dosage Modifications with Concomitant Use of Moderate or Strong CYP3A4 Enzyme Inducers 

Moderate and strong CYP3A4 inducers, including enzyme-inducing AEDs such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, and oxcarbazepine, cause a reduction in FYCOMPA plasma levels [see Drug Interactions (7.2), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. Therefore, in adults and pediatric patients 4 years of age and older receiving these concomitant enzyme-inducing drugs, the recommended starting dosage of FYCOMPA is 4 mg once daily taken orally at bedtime.

Increase dosage by increments of 2 mg once daily based on individual clinical response and tolerability, no more frequently than at weekly intervals. A maintenance dose has not been established in clinical trials. The highest dose studied in patients on concomitant enzyme-inducing AEDs was 12 mg once daily. 

When moderate or strong CYP3A4 inducers are introduced or withdrawn from a patient’s treatment regimen, the patient should be closely monitored for clinical response and tolerability. Dose adjustment of FYCOMPA may be necessary.  

2.4 Dosage Adjustment in Patients with Hepatic Impairment

In patients with mild and moderate hepatic impairment, the starting dose of FYCOMPA is 2 mg once daily. Increase dosage by increments of 2 mg once daily no more frequently than every 2 weeks. The maximum recommended daily dose is 6 mg for patients with mild hepatic impairment and 4 mg for patients with moderate hepatic impairment. FYCOMPA is not recommended for use in patients with severe hepatic impairment [see  Use in Specific Populations (8.6), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

2.5 Dosage Information for Patients with Renal Impairment

FYCOMPA can be used in patients with moderate renal impairment with close monitoring. A slower titration may be considered, based on clinical response and tolerability. FYCOMPA is not recommended in patients with severe renal impairment or patients undergoing hemodialysis [see Use in Specific Populations (8.7), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

2.6 Dosage Information for Elderly Patients

In elderly patients, increase dosage no more frequently than every 2 weeks during titration [see Use in Specific Populations (8.5)].

2.7 Administration of Oral Suspension

FYCOMPA oral suspension, 0.5 mg/mL, should be shaken well before every administration.  The provided adapter and graduated oral dosing syringe should be used to administer the oral suspension. A household teaspoon or tablespoon is not an adequate measuring device. The adapter, which is supplied in the product carton, should be inserted firmly into the neck of the bottle before use and remain in place for the duration of the usage of the bottle. The dosing syringe should be inserted into the adapter and the dose withdrawn from the inverted bottle. The cap should be replaced after each use. The cap fits properly when the adapter is in place [see Instructions for Use].

Discard any unused FYCOMPA oral suspension remaining 90 days after first opening the bottle.

8.1 Pregnancy

Pregnancy Exposure Registry

There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), such as FYCOMPA, during pregnancy. Encourage women who are taking FYCOMPA during pregnancy to enroll in the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry by calling 1-888-233-2334 or visiting http://www.aedpregnancyregistry.org.

Risk Summary

There are no adequate data on the developmental risk associated with use in pregnant women.  In animal studies, perampanel induced developmental toxicity in pregnant rat and rabbit at clinically relevant doses [see Data]. In the U.S. general population the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown.

Data

Animal Data

Oral administration of perampanel (1, 3, or 10 mg/kg/day) to pregnant rats throughout organogenesis resulted in an increase in visceral abnormalities (diverticulum of the intestine) at all doses tested; maternal toxicity was observed at the mid and high doses. In a dose-ranging study at higher oral doses (10, 30, or 60 mg/kg/day), embryo lethality and reduced fetal body weight were observed at the mid and high doses tested. The lowest dose tested (1 mg/kg/day) is similar to a human dose of 8 mg/day based on body surface area (mg/m2).

Upon oral administration of perampanel (1, 3, or 10 mg/kg/day) to pregnant rabbits throughout organogenesis, embryo lethality and maternal toxicity were observed at the mid and high doses tested; the no-effect dose for embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rabbit (1 mg/kg/day) is approximately 2 times a human dose of 8 mg/day based on body surface area (mg/m2).

Oral administration of perampanel (1, 3, or 10 mg/kg/day) to rats throughout gestation and lactation resulted in fetal and pup deaths at the mid and high doses (associated with maternal toxicity) and delayed sexual maturation in males and females at the highest dose tested. No effects were observed on measures of neurobehavioral or reproductive function in the offspring. The no-effect dose for pre- and postnatal developmental toxicity in rat (1 mg/kg/day) is similar to a human dose of 8 mg/day based on body surface area (mg/m2).

8.2 Lactation

Risk Summary

There are no data on the presence of perampanel in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects of the drug on milk production.  Perampanel and/or its metabolites are present in rat milk, and are detected at concentrations higher than that in maternal plasma.

The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for FYCOMPA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from FYCOMPA or from the underlying maternal condition.

8.3 Females and Males of Reproductive Potential

Contraception

Use of FYCOMPA may reduce the efficacy of hormonal contraceptives containing levonorgestrel. Advise women taking FYCOMPA who are using a levonorgestrel-containing contraceptive to use an additional non-hormonal form of contraception while using FYCOMPA and for a month after discontinuation [see Drug Interactions (7.1),  Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

8.4 Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness of FYCOMPA for the treatment of partial-onset seizures have been established in pediatric patients 4 years of age and older.

The safety and effectiveness of FYCOMPA in patients 12 years of age and older was established by three randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies, which included 72 pediatric patients between 12 and 16 years of age exposed to FYCOMPA [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) and  Clinical Studies (14.1)].  Use of FYCOMPA for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in pediatric patients 4 years to less than 12 years of age is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies of FYCOMPA in patients 12 years of age and older with partial onset seizures, pharmacokinetic data from adult and pediatric patients, and safety data in 225 pediatric patients 4 years to less than 12 years of age treated with FYCOMPA [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

The safety and efficacy of FYCOMPA for the adjunctive therapy of primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in pediatric patients 12 years of age and older was established in a single randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial (n=164), which included 11 pediatric patients 12 to 16 years of age exposed to FYCOMPA; an additional 6 patients were treated with FYCOMPA in the open-label extension of the study [see  Clinical Studies (14.2)]. 

The safety and effectiveness of FYCOMPA for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in pediatric patients less than 4 years of age or for the treatment of primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in pediatric patients less than 12 years of age have not been established.

Juvenile Animal Data

Oral administration of perampanel (1, 3, 3/10/30 mg/kg/day; high dose increased on postnatal days [PND] 28 and 56) to young rats for 12 weeks starting on PND 7 resulted in reduced body weight, reduced growth, neurobehavioral impairment (water maze performance and auditory startle habituation) at the mid and high doses, and delayed sexual maturation at the high doses. CNS signs (reduced activity, incoordination, excessive grooming/scratching), pup death, decreased hindlimb splay, and decreased hindlimb grip strength were observed at all doses. Effects on pup body weight, pup growth, hindlimb splay, impairment in the water maze performance, and auditory startle persisted after dosing was stopped. A no-effect dose for postnatal developmental toxicity was not identified in this study.

Oral administration of perampanel (1, 5, 5/10 mg/kg/day; high dose increased on PND 56) to juvenile dogs for 33 weeks, starting on PND 42, resulted in CNS signs (incoordination, excessive grooming/licking/scratching, spatial disorientation, and/or ataxic gait) at all doses tested.

8.5 Geriatric Use

Clinical studies of FYCOMPA did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 and over to determine the safety and efficacy of FYCOMPA in the elderly population. Because of increased likelihood for adverse reactions in the elderly, dosing titration should proceed slowly in patients aged 65 years and older [see Dosage and Administration (2.5)].

8.6 Hepatic Impairment

Use of FYCOMPA in patients with severe hepatic impairment is not recommended, and dosage adjustments are recommended in patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment [see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

8.7 Renal Impairment

Dose adjustment is not required in patients with mild renal impairment. FYCOMPA should be used with caution in patients with moderate renal impairment, and slower titration may be considered. Use in patients with severe renal impairment or patients undergoing hemodialysis is not recommended [see  Dosage and Administration (2.5), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].