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Belatacept

Also sold as: Nulojix

CD80-directed Antibody InteractionsPrescription OnlyGeneric Available

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Drug Information

Mechanism of Action

12.1 Mechanism of Action Belatacept, a selective T cell (lymphocyte) costimulation blocker, binds to CD80 and CD86 on antigen-presenting cells thereby blocking CD28 mediated costimulation of T lymphocytes. In vitro, belatacept inhibits T lymphocyte proliferation and the production of the cytokines interleukin-2, interferon-γ, interleukin-4, and TNF-α. Activated T lymphocytes are the predominant mediators of immunologic rejection. In non-human primate models of renal transplantation, belatacept monotherapy prolonged graft survival and decreased the production of anti-donor antibodies, compared to vehicle.

Indications & Uses

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE • NULOJIX is a selective T cell costimulation blocker indicated for prophylaxis of organ rejection in adult patients receiving a kidney transplant. (1.1) • Use in combination with basiliximab induction, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids. (1.1) Limitations of Use : • Use only in patients who are EBV seropositive. (1.2 , 4 , 5.1) • Use has not been established for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in transplanted organs other than the kidney. (1.2 , 5.6) 1.1 Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients NULOJIX ® (belatacept) is indicated for prophylaxis of organ rejection in adult patients receiving a kidney transplant. NULOJIX is to be used in combination with basiliximab induction, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids. 1.2 Limitations of Use Use NULOJIX only in patients who are EBV seropositive [see Contraindications (4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Use of NULOJIX for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in transplanted organs other than kidney has not been established [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] .

Dosage & Administration

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION • Use of higher than recommended or more frequent dosing is not recommended due to increased risk of serious infections and malignancy. (5.1 , 5.4 , 6.1) • For complete dosing instructions, see full prescribing information. (2.1) Dosing of NULOJIX for Kidney Transplant Recipients (2.1) Dosing for Initial Phase Dose Day 1 (day of transplantation, prior to implantation) and Day 5 (approximately 96 hours after Day 1 dose) 10 mg per kg End of Week 2 and Week 4 after transplantation 10 mg per kg End of Week 8 and Week 12 after transplantation 10 mg per kg Dosing for Maintenance Phase Dose End of Week 16 after transplantation and every 4 weeks (plus or minus 3 days) thereafter 5 mg per kg • For intravenous infusion only; administer over 30 minutes. (2.1 , 2.2) • Only use the enclosed silicone-free disposable syringe to prepare for administration. (2.2) 2.1 Dosage in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients NULOJIX should be administered in combination with basiliximab induction, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and corticosteroids. In clinical trials the median (25 th to 75 th percentile) corticosteroid doses were tapered to approximately 15 mg (10 to 20 mg) per day by the first 6 weeks and remained at approximately 10 mg (5 to 10 mg) per day for the first 6 months post-transplant. Corticosteroid utilization should be consistent with the NULOJIX clinical trial experience [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) and Clinical Studies (14.1) ] . Due to an increased risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) predominantly involving the central nervous system (CNS), progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), and serious CNS infections, administration of higher than the recommended doses or more frequent dosing of NULOJIX is not recommended [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 , 5.4 , 5.5) and Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . NULOJIX is for intravenous infusion only. Patients do not require premedication prior to administration of NULOJIX. Dosing instructions are provided in Table 1. • The total infusion dose of NULOJIX should be based on the actual body weight of the patient at the time of transplantation, and should not be modified during the course of therapy, unless there is a change in body weight of greater than 10%. • The prescribed dose of NULOJIX must be evenly divisible by 12.5 mg in order for the dose to be prepared accurately using the reconstituted solution and the silicone-free disposable syringe provided. Evenly divisible increments are 0, 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50, 62.5, 75, 87.5, and 100. For example: - A patient weighs 64 kg. The dose is 10 mg per kg. - Calculated Dose: 64 kg × 10 mg per kg = 640 mg - The closest doses evenly divisible by 12.5 mg below and above 640 mg are 637.5 mg and 650 mg. - The nearest dose to 640 mg is 637.5 mg. - Therefore, the actual prescribed dose for the patient should be 637.5 mg. Table 1: Dosing a,b of NULOJIX for Kidney Transplant Recipients a [See Clinical Studies (14.1) ] b The dose prescribed for the patient must be evenly divisible by 12.5 mg (see instructions above; eg, evenly divisible increments are 0, 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50, 62.5, 75, 87.5, and 100). Dosing for Initial Phase Dose Day 1 (day of transplantation, prior to implantation) and Day 5 (approximately 96 hours after Day 1 dose) 10 mg per kg End of Week 2 and Week 4 after transplantation 10 mg per kg End of Week 8 and Week 12 after transplantation 10 mg per kg Dosing for Maintenance Phase Dose End of Week 16 after transplantation and every 4 weeks (plus or minus 3 days) thereafter 5 mg per kg 2.2 Preparation and Administration Instructions NULOJIX is for intravenous infusion only. Caution: NULOJIX must be reconstituted/prepared using only the silicone-free disposable syringe provided with each vial. If the silicone-free disposable syringe is dropped or becomes contaminated, use a new silicone-free disposable syringe from inventory. Preparation for Administration 1. Calculate the number of NULOJIX vials required to provide the total infusion dose. Each vial contains 250 mg of belatacept lyophilized powder. 2. Reconstitute the contents of each vial of NULOJIX with 10.5 mL of a suitable diluent using the silicone-free disposable syringe provided with each vial and an 18- to 21-gauge needle. Suitable diluents include: sterile water for injection (SWFI), 0.9% sodium chloride (NS), or 5% dextrose in water (D5W). Note: If the NULOJIX powder is accidentally reconstituted using a different syringe than the one provided, the solution may develop a few translucent particles. Discard any solutions prepared using siliconized syringes. 3. To reconstitute the NULOJIX powder, remove the flip-top from the vial and wipe the top with an alcohol swab. Insert the syringe needle into the vial through the center of the rubber stopper and direct the stream of diluent (10.5 mL of SWFI, NS, or D5W) to the glass wall of the vial. 4. To minimize foam formation, rotate the vial and invert with gentle swirling until th

Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The most serious adverse reactions reported with NULOJIX are: • PTLD, predominantly CNS PTLD, and other malignancies [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1 , 5.3) ] • Serious infections, including JC virus-associated PML and polyoma virus nephropathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4 , 5.5 , 5.6) ] Most common adverse reactions (≥20% on NULOJIX treatment) are anemia, diarrhea, urinary tract infection, peripheral edema, constipation, hypertension, pyrexia, graft dysfunction, cough, nausea, vomiting, headache, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, and leukopenia. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bristol-Myers Squibb at 1-800-721-5072 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Studies Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, the adverse reaction rates observed cannot be directly compared to rates in other trials and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. The data described below primarily derive from two randomized, active-controlled three-year trials of NULOJIX in de novo kidney transplant patients. In Study 1 and Study 2, NULOJIX was studied at the recommended dose and frequency [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) ] in a total of 401 patients compared to a cyclosporine control regimen in a total of 405 patients. These two trials also included a total of 403 patients treated with a NULOJIX regimen of higher cumulative dose and more frequent dosing than recommended [see Clinical Studies (14.1) ] . All patients also received basiliximab induction, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids. Patients were treated and followed for three years. CNS PTLD, PML, and other CNS infections were more frequently observed in association with a NULOJIX regimen of higher cumulative dose and more frequent dosing compared to the recommended regimen; therefore, administration of higher than the recommended doses and/or more frequent dosing of NULOJIX is not recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) , Clinical Studies (14.2) ] . The average age of patients in Studies 1 and 2 in the NULOJIX recommended dose and cyclosporine control regimens was 49 years, ranging from 18 to 79 years. Approximately 70% of patients were male; 67% were white, 11% were black, and 22% other races. About 25% of patients were from the United States and 75% from other countries. The most commonly reported adverse reactions occurring in ≥20% of patients treated with the recommended dose and frequency of NULOJIX were anemia, diarrhea, urinary tract infection, peripheral edema, constipation, hypertension, pyrexia, graft dysfunction, cough, nausea, vomiting, headache, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, and leukopenia. The proportion of patients who discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions was 13% for the recommended NULOJIX regimen and 19% for the cyclosporine control arm through three years of treatment. The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation in NULOJIX-treated patients were cytomegalovirus infection (1.5%) and complications of transplanted kidney (1.5%). Information on selected significant adverse reactions observed during clinical trials is summarized below. Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Reported cases of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) up to 36 months post-transplant were obtained for NULOJIX by pooling both dosage regimens of NULOJIX in Studies 1 and 2 (804 patients) with data from a third study in kidney transplantation (Study 3, 145 patients) which evaluated two NULOJIX dosage regimens similar, but slightly different, from those of Studies 1 and 2 (see Table 2). The total number of NULOJIX patients from these three studies (949) was compared to the pooled cyclosporine control groups from all three studies (476 patients). Among 401 patients in Studies 1 and 2 treated with the recommended regimen of NULOJIX and the 71 patients in Study 3 treated with a very similar (but non-identical) NULOJIX regimen, there were 5 cases of PTLD: 3 in EBV seropositive patients and 2 in EBV seronegative patients. Two of the 5 cases presented with CNS involvement. Among the 477 patients in Studies 1, 2, and 3 treated with the NULOJIX regimen of higher cumulative dose and more frequent dosing than recommended, there were 8 cases of PTLD: 2 in EBV seropositive patients and 6 in EBV seronegative or serostatus unknown patients. Six of the 8 cases presented with CNS involvement. Therefore, administration of higher than the recommended doses or more frequent dosing of NULOJIX is not recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . One of the 476 patients treated with cyclosporine developed PTLD, without CNS involvement. All cases of PTLD reported up to 36 months post-transplant in NULOJIX- or cyclosporine-treated patients presented within 18 months of transplantation. Overall, the rate of PTLD in 949 patients treated with any of the NULOJIX regimens was 9-f

Drug Interactions

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) Monitor for a need to adjust concomitant mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) dosage when a patient’s therapy is switched between cyclosporine and NULOJIX, as cyclosporine decreases mycophenolic acid (MPA) exposure by preventing enterohepatic recirculation of MPA while NULOJIX does not [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] : • A higher MMF dosage may be needed after switching from NULOJIX to cyclosporine, since this may result in lower MPA concentrations and increase the risk of graft rejection. • A lower MMF dosage may be needed after switching from cyclosporine to NULOJIX, since this may result in higher MPA concentrations and increase the risk for adverse reactions related to MPA (review the Full Prescribing Information for MMF). 7.2 Cytochrome P450 Substrates No dosage adjustments are needed for drugs metabolized via CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP3A, and CYP2C19 when coadministered with NULOJIX [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . 7.3 Anti-Thymocyte Globulin Coadministration (at the same or nearly the same time) of anti-thymocyte globulin (or any other cell-depleting induction treatment) and belatacept in de novo kidney transplant recipients, especially those with other predisposing risk factors for venous thrombosis of the renal allograft, may pose a risk for venous thrombosis of the renal allograft [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] .

Contraindications

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS NULOJIX is contraindicated in transplant recipients who are Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seronegative or with unknown EBV serostatus due to the risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), predominantly involving the central nervous system (CNS) [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Patients who are EBV seronegative or with unknown EBV serostatus. (4)

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