Meropenem

12.1 Mechanism of Action Meropenem is an antibacterial drug [see Microbiology (12.4) ].

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Meropenem for Injection, USP is a penem antibacterial indicated for the treatment of: Complicated skin and skin structure infections (adult patients and pediatric patients 3 months of age and older only). ( 1.1 ) Complicated intra-abdominal infections (adult and pediatric patients). ( 1.2 ) Bacterial meningitis (pediatric patients 3 months of age and older only). ( 1.3 ) To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Meropenem for Injection, USP and other antibacterial drugs, Meropenem for Injection, USP should only be used to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. 1.1 Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections (Adult Patients and Pediatric Patients 3 Months of Age and Older Only) Meropenem for Injection, USP is indicated for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) due to Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-susceptible isolates only), Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae , viridans group streptococci, Enterococcus faecalis (vancomycin-susceptible isolates only), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Bacteroides fragilis, and Peptostreptococcus species. 1.2 Complicated Intra-abdominal Infections (Adult and Pediatric Patients) Meropenem for Injection, USP is indicated for the treatment of complicated appendicitis and peritonitis caused by viridans group streptococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacteroides fragilis, B. thetaiotaomicron, and Peptostreptococcus species. 1.3 Bacterial Meningitis (Pediatric Patients 3 Months of Age and Older Only) Meropenem for Injection, USP is indicated for the treatment of bacterial meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis and penicillin-susceptible isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Meropenem for Injection, USP has been found to be effective in eliminating concurrent bacter

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION 500 mg every 8 hours by intravenous infusion over 15 to 30 minutes for complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) for adult patients. When treating infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a dose of 1 gram every 8 hours is recommended. ( 2.1 ) 1 gram every 8 hours by intravenous infusion over 15 minutes to 30 minutes for intra-abdominal infections for adult patients. ( 2.1 ) 1 gram every 8 hours by intravenous bolus injection (5 mL to 20 mL) over 3 minutes to 5 minutes for adult patients. ( 2.1 ) Dosage should be reduced in adult patients with renal impairment. ( 2.2 ) Recommended Meropenem for Injection, USP Dosage Schedule for Adult Patients with Renal Impairment Creatinine Clearance (mL/min) Dose (dependent on type of infection) Dosing Interval Greater than 50 Recommended dose (500 mg cSSSI and 1 gram Intra-abdominal) Every 8 hours 26 to 50 Recommended dose Every 12 hours 10 to 25 One-half recommended dose Every 12 hours Less than 10 One-half recommended dose Every 24 hours Pediatric patients 3 months of age and older Recommended Meropenem for Injection, USP Dosage Schedule for Pediatric Patients 3 Months of Age and Older with Normal Renal Function ( 2.3 ) Type of Infection Dose (mg/kg) Up to a Maximum Dose Dosing Interval - Intravenous infusion is to be given over approximately 15 minutes to 30 minutes. - Intravenous bolus injection (5 mL to 20 mL) is to be given over approximately 3 minutes to 5 minutes. - There is no experience in pediatric patients with renal impairment. Complicated skin and skin structure 20 mg/kg (or 1 gram for pediatric patients weighing over 50 kg) every 8 hours is recommended when treating complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by P. aeruginosa. ( 2.3 ) 10 500 mg Every 8 hours Intra-abdominal 20 1 gram Every 8 hours Meningitis 40 2 gram Every 8 hours Pediatric patients less than 3 months of age Recommended Meropenem for Injection, USP Dosage Schedule for Pediatric Patients Less Than 3 Months of Age with Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections and Normal Renal Function ( 2.3 ) Age Group Dose (mg/kg) Dose Interval - Intravenous infusion is to be given over 30 minutes. - There is no experience in pediatric patients with renal impairment. GA: gestational age and PNA: postnatal age Infants less than 32 weeks GA and PNA less than 2 weeks 20 Every 12 hours Infants less than 32 weeks GA and PNA 2 weeks and older 20 Every 8 hours Infants 32 weeks and older GA and PNA less than 2 weeks 20 Every 8 hours Infants 32 weeks and older GA and PNA 2 weeks and older 30 Every 8 hours 2.1 Adult Patients The recommended dose of Meropenem for Injection, USP is 500 mg given every 8 hours for skin and skin structure infections and 1 gram given every 8 hours for intra-abdominal infections. When treating complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by P. aeruginosa , a dose of 1 gram every 8 hours is recommended. Meropenem for Injection, USP should be administered by intravenous infusion over approximately 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Doses of 1 gram may also be administered as an intravenous bolus injection (5 mL to 20 mL) over approximately 3 minutes to 5 minutes. 2.2 Use in Adult Patients with Renal Impairment Dosage should be reduced in patients with creatinine clearance of 50 mL/min or less. (See dosing table below.) When only serum creatinine is available, the following formula (Cockcroft and Gault equation) 1 may be used to estimate creatinine clearance. Males: Creatinine Clearance (mL/min) = Weight (kg) × (140 - age) 72 × serum creatinine (mg/dL) Females: 0.85 × above value Table 1: Recommended Meropenem for Injection, USP Dosage Schedule for Adult Patients with Renal Impairment Creatinine Clearance (mL/min) Dose (dependent on type of infection) Dosing Interval Greater than 50 Recommended dose (500 mg cSSSI and 1 gram Intra-abdominal) Every 8 hours 26 to 50 Recommended dose Every 12 hours 10 to 25 One-half recommended dose Every 12 hours Less than 10 One-half recommended dose Every 24 hours There is inadequate information regarding the use of Meropenem for Injection, USP in patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. 2.3 Use in Pediatric Patients Pediatric Patients 3 Months of Age and Older For pediatric patients 3 months of age and older, the Meropenem for Injection, USP dose is 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg every 8 hours (maximum dose is 2 grams every 8 hours), depending on the type of infection (cSSSI, cIAI, intra-abdominal infection or meningitis). See dosing table 2 below. For pediatric patients weighing over 50 kg administer Meropenem for Injection, USP at a dose of 500 mg every 8 hours for cSSSI, 1 gram every 8 hours for cIAI and 2 grams every 8 hours for meningitis. Administer Meropenem for Injection, USP as an intravenous infusion over approximately 15 minutes to 30 minutes or as an intravenous bolus injection (5 mL to 20 mL) over approximately 3 minutes to 5 minutes. There is limited safety data available to support t

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following are discussed in greater detail in other sections of labeling: Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Seizure Potential [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Risk of Breakthrough Seizures Due to Drug Interaction with Valproic Acid [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Clostridium difficile – associated Diarrhea [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Development of Drug-Resistant Bacteria [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Overgrowth of Nonsusceptible Organisms [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] Thrombocytopenia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] Potential for Neuromotor Impairment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] Most common adverse reactions (2% or less) are: headache, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, anemia, vomiting, and rash. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Xellia Pharmaceuticals USA, LLC at safety@xellia.com or 1-833-295-6953, or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Adverse Reactions from Clinical Trials Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reactions 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 practice. Adult Patients During clinical investigations, 2904 immunocompetent adult patients were treated for non-CNS infections with Meropenem for Injection, USP (500 mg or 1 gram every 8 hours). Deaths in 5 patients were assessed as possibly related to meropenem; 36 (1.2%) patients had meropenem discontinued because of adverse events. Many patients in these trials were severely ill and had multiple background diseases, physiological impairments and were receiving multiple other drug therapies. In the seriously ill patient population, it was not possible to determine the relationship between observed adverse events and therapy with Meropenem for Injection, USP. The following adverse reaction frequencies were derived from the clinical trials in the 2904 patients treated with Meropenem for Injection, USP. Local Adverse Reactions Local adverse events that were reported with Meropenem for Injection, USP were as follows: Inflammation at the injection site 2.4% Injection site reaction 0.9% Phlebitis/thrombophlebitis 0.8% Pain at the injection site 0.4% Edema at the injection site 0.2% Systemic Adverse Reactions Systemic adverse events that were reported with Meropenem for Injection, USP occurring in greater than 1.0% of the patients were diarrhea (4.8%), nausea/vomiting (3.6%), headache (2.3%), rash (1.9%), sepsis (1.6%), constipation (1.4%), apnea (1.3%), shock (1.2%), and pruritus (1.2%). Additional systemic adverse events that were reported with Meropenem for Injection, USP and occurring in less than or equal to 1.0% but greater than 0.1% of the patients are listed below within each body system in order of decreasing frequency: Bleeding events were seen as follows: gastrointestinal hemorrhage (0.5%), melena (0.3%), epistaxis (0.2%), hemoperitoneum (0.2%). Body as a Whole: pain, abdominal pain, chest pain, fever, back pain, abdominal enlargement, chills, pelvic pain Cardiovascular: heart failure, heart arrest, tachycardia, hypertension, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolus, bradycardia, hypotension, syncope Digestive System: oral moniliasis, anorexia, cholestatic jaundice/jaundice, flatulence, ileus, hepatic failure, dyspepsia, intestinal obstruction Hemic/Lymphatic: anemia, hypochromic anemia, hypervolemia Metabolic/Nutritional: peripheral edema, hypoxia Nervous System: insomnia, agitation, delirium, confusion, dizziness, seizure, nervousness, paresthesia, hallucinations, somnolence, anxiety, depression, asthenia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) and (5.9) ] Respiratory: respiratory disorder, dyspnea, pleural effusion, asthma, cough increased, lung edema Skin and Appendages: urticaria, sweating, skin ulcer Urogenital System: dysuria, kidney failure, vaginal moniliasis, urinary incontinence Adverse Laboratory Changes Adverse laboratory changes that were reported and occurring in greater than 0.2% of the patients were as follows: Hepatic: increased alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and bilirubin Hematologic: increased platelets, increased eosinophils, decreased platelets, decreased hemoglobin, decreased hematocrit, decreased white blood cell (WBC), shortened prothrombin time and shortened partial thromboplastin time, leukocytosis, hypokalemia Renal: increased creatinine and increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) Urinalysis: presence of red blood cells Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections In a study of complicated skin and skin structure infections, the adverse reactions were similar to those listed above. The most common adverse events occurring in greater than 5% of the patients were: hea

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Co-administration of Meropenem for Injection, USP with probenecid inhibits renal excretion of meropenem and is therefore not recommended. ( 7.1 ) The concomitant use of Meropenem for Injection, USP and valproic acid or divalproex sodium is generally not recommended. Antibacterial drugs other than carbapenems should be considered to treat infections in patients whose seizures are well controlled on valproic acid or divalproex sodium. ( 5.4 , 7.2 ) 7.1 Probenecid Probenecid competes with meropenem for active tubular secretion, resulting in increased plasma concentrations of meropenem. Co-administration of probenecid with meropenem is not recommended. 7.2 Valproic Acid Case reports in the literature have shown that co-administration of carbapenems, including meropenem, to patients receiving valproic acid or divalproex sodium results in a reduction in valproic acid concentrations. The valproic acid concentrations may drop below the therapeutic range as a result of this interaction, therefore increasing the risk of breakthrough seizures. Although the mechanism of this interaction is unknown, data from in vitro and animal studies suggest that carbapenems may inhibit the hydrolysis of valproic acid's glucuronide metabolite (VPA-g) back to valproic acid, thus decreasing the serum concentrations of valproic acid. If administration of Meropenem for Injection, USP is necessary, then supplemental anti-convulsant therapy should be considered [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ].