Get your patient on Jeuveau (Prabotulinum Toxin Type A)

The potency Units of JEUVEAU (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs) for injection are specific to the preparation and assay method utilized. They are not interchangeable with other preparations of botulinum toxin products and, therefore, units of biological activity of JEUVEAU cannot be compared to nor converted into units of any other botulinum toxin products assessed with any other specific assay method [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.2 ) and Description (11 ) ].

Retreatment of JEUVEAU should be administered no more frequently than every three months. Consideration of the cumulative dose is necessary when treating adult patients with JEUVEAU for glabellar lines if other botulinum toxin products are or have been used to treat other indications approved for those products.

The safe and effective use of JEUVEAU depends upon proper storage of the product, selection of the correct dose, and proper reconstitution and administration techniques. Physicians administering JEUVEAU must understand the relevant neuromuscular and/or orbital anatomy of the area involved and any alterations to the anatomy due to prior surgical procedures [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.4 ) ].

JEUVEAU is supplied in a single-dose 100 Unit vial. Prior to intramuscular injection, reconstitute each vacuum-dried vial of JEUVEAU with only sterile, preservative-free 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP to obtain a reconstituted solution at a concentration of 4 Units/0.1 mL and a total treatment dose of 20 Units in 0.5 mL (see Table 1 ). Slowly inject the diluent into the vial. Discard the vial if a vacuum does not pull the diluent into the vial. Dispose of any unused saline. Gently mix JEUVEAU with 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP by rotating the vial. JEUVEAU should be administered within 24 hours after reconstitution. During this time period, unused reconstituted JEUVEAU should be stored in a refrigerator between 2° to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) in the original carton to protect from light for up to 24 hours until time of use. Do not freeze reconstituted JEUVEAU. JEUVEAU vials are for single-dose only. After reconstitution, JEUVEAU should be used for only one injection session and for only one patient. Discard any remaining solution after administration.

Reconstituted JEUVEAU should be clear, colorless, and free of particulate matter otherwise it should not be injected. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration.

Glabellar facial lines arise from the activity of the corrugator and orbicularis oculi muscles. These muscles move the brow medially and the procerus and depressor supercilii pull the brow inferiorly. This creates a frown or “furrowed brow”. The location, size, and use of the muscles vary markedly among individuals. Lines induced by facial expression occur perpendicular to the direction of action of contracting facial muscles. An effective dose for facial lines is determined by gross observation of the patient’s ability to activate the superficial muscles injected.

In order to reduce the complication of eyelid ptosis the following steps should be taken:

• Avoid injection near the levator palpebrae superioris, particularly in patients with larger brow depressor complexes.
• Lateral corrugator injections should be placed at least 1 cm above the bony supraorbital ridge.
• Ensure the injected volume/dose is accurate and where feasible kept to a minimum.
• Avoid injecting JEUVEAU closer than 1 centimeter above the central eyebrow.

Draw at least 0.5 mL of the properly reconstituted JEUVEAU into a sterile syringe and expel any air bubbles in the syringe barrel. Remove the needle used to reconstitute the product and attach a 30-33 gauge needle. Confirm the patency of the needle. Inject a dose of 0.1 mL (4 Units) intramuscularly into each of five sites: the inferomedial and superior middle of each corrugator, and one in the mid-line of the procerus muscle for a total dose of 20 Units (See Figure 1 ).

There is no information regarding the presence of prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs in human or animal milk, its effects on the breastfed infant, or on milk production.

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

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

The two clinical trials of JEUVEAU included 68 subjects age 65 and greater. Although no differences in safety or efficacy were observed between older and younger subjects, clinical studies of JEUVEAU did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects.

JEUVEAU is contraindicated in individuals with known hypersensitivity to any botulinum toxin preparation or to any of the components in the formulation [ See Warnings and Precautions (5.4 ) ].

JEUVEAU is contraindicated in the presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s).

Postmarketing safety data from other approved botulinum toxins suggest that botulinum toxin effects may be observed beyond the site of local injection. The symptoms are consistent with the mechanism of action of botulinum toxin and may include asthenia, generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphagia, dysphonia, dysarthria, urinary incontinence, blurred vision, and breathing difficulties. These symptoms have been reported hours to weeks after injection. Swallowing and breathing difficulties can be life threatening and there have been reports of death related to spread of toxin effects. In unapproved uses, including upper limb spasticity in children and approved indications, symptoms consistent with spread of toxin effect have been reported at doses comparable to or lower than the maximum recommended total dose [ see Use in Specific Populations (8.4 ) ]. JEUVEAU is not approved for the treatment of spasticity or any conditions other than glabellar lines. Patients or caregivers should be advised to seek immediate medical care if swallowing, speech, or respiratory difficulties occur.

The potency Units of JEUVEAU are specific to the preparation and assay method utilized. They are not interchangeable with other preparations of botulinum toxin products and, therefore, units of biological activity of JEUVEAU cannot be compared to nor converted into units of any other botulinum toxin products assessed with any other specific assay method [ see Description (11 ) ].

Serious adverse reactions, including excessive weakness, dysphagia, and aspiration pneumonia, with some adverse reactions associated with fatal outcomes, have been reported in patients who received botulinum toxin injections for unapproved uses. In these cases, the adverse reactions were not necessarily related to distant spread of toxin, but may have resulted from the administration of botulinum toxin products to the site of injection and/or adjacent structures. In several of the cases, patients had pre-existing dysphagia or other significant disabilities. There is insufficient information to identify factors associated with an increased risk for adverse reactions associated with the unapproved uses of botulinum toxin products.

Serious and/or immediate hypersensitivity reactions have been reported for botulinum toxin products. These reactions include anaphylaxis, serum sickness, urticaria, soft tissue edema, and dyspnea. If such a reaction occurs, further injection of JEUVEAU should be discontinued and appropriate medical therapy immediately instituted. The use of JEUVEAU in patients with a known hypersensitivity to any botulinum neurotoxin or to any of the components in the formulation could lead to a life threatening allergic reaction [ See Contraindications (4.1 ) ].

There have been reports following administration of botulinum toxins of adverse events involving the cardiovascular system, including arrhythmia and myocardial infarction, some with fatal outcomes. Some of these patients had risk factors including pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Use caution when administering to patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Individuals with peripheral motor neuropathic diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or neuromuscular junction disorders (e.g., myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome) were excluded from the clinical studies of JEUVEAU. Patients with neuromuscular disorders may be at increased risk of clinically significant effects including generalized muscle weakness, diplopia, ptosis, dysphonia, dysarthria, severe dysphagia, and respiratory compromise from typical doses of JEUVEAU.

Treatment with botulinum toxin products, including JEUVEAU, can result in swallowing or breathing difficulties. Patients with preexisting swallowing or breathing difficulties may be more susceptible to these complications. In most cases, this has been a consequence of weakening of muscles in the area of injection that are involved in breathing or oropharyngeal muscles that control swallowing or breathing [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 ) ].

Deaths as a complication of severe dysphagia have been reported after treatment with botulinum toxin. Dysphagia may persist for several months, and require use of a feeding tube to maintain adequate nutrition and hydration. Aspiration may result from severe dysphagia and is a particular risk when treating patients in whom swallowing or respiratory function is already compromised.

Treatment with botulinum toxins, including JEUVEAU, may weaken neck muscles that serve as accessory muscles of ventilation. This may result in a critical loss of breathing capacity in patients with respiratory disorders who may have become dependent upon these accessory muscles. There have been postmarketing reports from other botulinum toxin products of serious breathing difficulties, including respiratory failure.

Patients with smaller neck muscle mass and patients who require bilateral injections into the sternocleidomastoid muscle for the treatment of cervical dystonia have been reported to be at greater risk for dysphagia. Injections into the levator scapulae for the treatment cervical dystonia may be associated with an increased risk of upper respiratory infection and dysphagia. JEUVEAU is not approved for the treatment of cervical dystonia.

Patients treated with botulinum toxin products, including JEUVEAU, may require immediate medical attention should they develop problems with swallowing, speech, or breathing. These reactions can occur within hours to weeks after injection with botulinum toxin [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 ) ].

Caution should be used when JEUVEAU treatment is used in the presence of inflammation at the proposed injection site(s) or when excessive weakness or atrophy is present in the target muscle(s).

Caution should be used when JEUVEAU treatment is used in patients who have marked facial asymmetry, ptosis, excessive dermatochalasis, deep dermal scarring, thick sebaceous skin, or when subjects do not respond to 20 Units of botulinum toxin (e.g., the inability to substantially lessen glabellar lines even by physically spreading them apart). Do not exceed the recommended dosage and frequency of administration of JEUVEAU.

Dry eye has been reported with the use of botulinum toxin products in the treatment of glabellar lines. Reduced tear production, reduced blinking, and corneal disorders may occur with use of botulinum toxins, including JEUVEAU. If symptoms of dry eye (e.g., eye irritation, photophobia, or visual changes) persist, consider referring patients to an ophthalmologist [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 ) ].

This product contains albumin, a derivative of human blood. Based on effective donor screening and product manufacturing processes, it carries an extremely remote risk for transmission of viral diseases and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). There is a theoretical risk for transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), but if that risk actually exists, the risk of transmission would also be considered extremely remote. No cases of transmission of viral diseases, CJD, or vCJD have ever been identified for licensed albumin or albumin contained in other licensed products.

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, the 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 clinical practice.

In general, most adverse reactions occur within the first week following injection of JEUVEAU and while generally transient, may have a duration of several months or longer. Localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, erythema, and/or bleeding/bruising may be associated with the injection. Needle-related pain and/or anxiety may result in vasovagal responses, including syncope and hypotension, which may require appropriate medical therapy.

Local weakness of the injected muscle(s) represents the expected pharmacological action of botulinum toxin. However, weakness of nearby muscles may also occur due to spread of toxin effect [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 ) ].

Glabellar Lines

The adverse reactions below reflect exposure to JEUVEAU in the treatment of glabellar lines in placebo-controlled trials [ See Clinical Studies (14 ) ].

Two multi-center, open label, 1-year repeat dose safety trials, EV-004 [NCT02184988] and EV-006 [NCT02428608], were also conducted with JEUVEAU. Both trials evaluated repeat treatments of 20 units of JEUVEAU, up to a maximum total of 80 units, for the treatment of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adult subjects. Of the 922 subjects enrolled, the median number of treatments was three. The adverse events profile was similar to that reported in single dose trials.

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for immunogenicity. The detection of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. Additionally, the observed incidence of antibody (including neutralizing antibody) positivity in an assay may be influenced by several factors including assay methodology, sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison of the incidence of antibodies to prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs in the studies described below, with the incidence of antibodies in other studies, or to other products may be misleading.

Treatment with botulinum toxins may result in the formation of antibodies that may reduce the effectiveness of subsequent treatments by inactivating biological activity of the toxin. Among 1,414 subjects treated with prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs, 2 subjects were found to have pre-existing antibodies and 2 subjects had treatment-emergent antibodies.

JEUVEAU blocks neuromuscular transmission by binding to acceptor sites on motor nerve terminals, entering the nerve terminals, and inhibiting the release of acetylcholine. This inhibition occurs as the neurotoxin cleaves SNAP-25, a protein integral to the successful docking and release of acetylcholine from vesicles situated within nerve endings. When injected intramuscularly at therapeutic doses, JEUVEAU produces partial chemical denervation of the muscle resulting in a localized reduction in muscle activity. In addition, the muscle may atrophy, axonal sprouting may occur, and extrajunctional acetylcholine receptors may develop. There is evidence that reinnervation of the muscle may occur, thus slowly reversing muscle denervation produced by JEUVEAU.

No formal pharmacodynamic studies have been conducted with JEUVEAU.

Using currently available analytical technology, it is not possible to detect JEUVEAU in the peripheral blood following intramuscular injection at the recommended doses.

No drug interaction studies have been conducted with JEUVEAU.

Animal studies have not been conducted to evaluate the carcinogenic, mutagenic, or impairment of fertility potential of JEUVEAU.