besponsa

Important safety information

Myelosuppression: Monitor complete blood counts; for signs and symptoms of infection; bleeding/hemorrhage; or other effects of myelosuppression during treatment; manage appropriately. ( 5.3 ) • Infusion related reactions: Monitor for infusion related reactions during and for at least 1 hour after infusion ends. ( 5.4 ) • QT interval prolongation: Obtain electrocardiograms (ECGs) and electrolytes at baseline and monitor during treatment. Monitor more frequently when using concomitant mediations known to prolong QT interval. ( 5.5 ) • Embryo-fetal toxicity: Can cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception. ( 5.6 , 8.1 , 8.3 ) 5.1 Hepatotoxicity, Including Hepatic Veno-occlusive Disease (VOD) (also known as Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome) BESPONSA can cause hepatotoxicity, including VOD. In adult patients in the INO-VATE ALL trial, hepatotoxicity, including severe, life-threatening, and sometimes fatal hepatic VOD occurred in 23/164 patients (14%) in the BESPONSA arm during or following treatment or following a HSCT after completion of treatment. VOD occurred up to 56 days after the final dose during treatment or during follow-up without an intervening HSCT. The median time from subsequent HSCT to onset of VOD was 15 days (range: 3-57 days). In the BESPONSA arm, among the 79 patients who proceeded to a subsequent HSCT, VOD occurred in 18/79 patients (23%), and among all 164 patients treated, VOD occurred in 5/164 patients (3%) during study therapy or in follow-up without an intervening HSCT. The risk of VOD was greater in patients who underwent HSCT after BESPONSA treatment; use of HSCT conditioning regimens containing 2 alkylating agents (e.g., busulfan in combination with other alkylating agents) and last total bilirubin level greater than or equal to the ULN before HSCT are significantly associated with an increased risk of VOD. Other risk factors for VOD in patients treated with BESPONSA included ongoing or prior liver disease, prior HSCT, increased age, later salvage lines, and a greater number of BESPONSA treatment cycles. Patients who have experienced prior VOD or have serious ongoing hepatic liver disease (e.g., cirrhosis, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, active hepatitis) are at an increased risk for worsening of liver disease, including developing VOD, following treatment with BESPONSA. In Study WI203581 (ITCC-059) VOD occurred in 8/53 (15%) of pediatric patients treated with single agent BESPONSA. Among the 26 pediatric patients who underwent HSCT, VOD occurred in 5 (19%) patients [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . Monitor closely for signs and symptoms of VOD including elevations in total bilirubin, hepatomegaly (which may be painful), rapid weight gain, and ascites. Due to the risk of VOD, for patients proceeding to HSCT, the recommended duration of treatment with BESPONSA is 2 cycles; a third cycle may be considered for those patients who do not achieve a CR or CRi and MRD negativity after 2 cycles [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) ] . For patients who proceed to HSCT, monitor liver tests at least weekly during the first month post-HSCT, then less frequently thereafter, according to standard medical practice. In adult patients in the INO-VATE ALL trial, increases in liver test abnormalities occurred. Grade 3 or 4 AST, ALT, and total bilirubin abnormal liver tests occurred in 7/160 (4%), 7/161 (4%), and 8/161 patients (5%), respectively. In pediatric patients in Study WI203581 (ITCC-059), liver test abnormalities occurred, with Grade 3 or 4 increases in AST, ALT, and blood bilirubin in 11/53 (21%), 11/53 (21%), and 5/53 (9%) of patients, respectively [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . In all patients, monitor liver tests, including ALT, AST, total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase, prior to and following each dose of BESPONSA. Based on elevations of liver tests withhold, reduce dose, or permanently discontinue BESPONSA [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ] . 5.2 Increased Risk of Post-Transplant Non-Relapse Mortality In adult patients in the INO-VATE ALL trial, a higher post-HSCT non-relapse mortality rate was observed in patients receiving BESPONSA compared to the Investigator's choice of chemotherapy arm, resulting in a higher Day 100 post-HSCT mortality rate. Overall, 79/164 patients (48%) in the BESPONSA arm and 35/162 patients (22%) in the Investigator's choice of chemotherapy arm had a follow-up HSCT. The post-HSCT non-relapse mortality rate was 31/79 (39%) and 8/35 (23%) in the BESPONSA arm compared to the Investigator's choice of chemotherapy arm, respectively. In the BESPONSA arm, the most common causes of post-HSCT non-relapse mortality included VOD and infections. Five of the 18 VOD events that occurred post-HSCT were fatal. In the BESPONSA arm, among patients with ongoing VOD at time of death, 6 patients died due to multiorgan failure (MOF) or infection (3 patients died due to MOF, 2 patients died due to infection, and 1 patient died due to MOF and infection). In pediatric patients in Study WI203581 (ITCC-059), 26/53 patients (49%) had a follow-up HSCT. The post-HSCT non-relapse mortality rate was 7/26 (27%). Monitor for toxicities post-HSCT, including signs and symptoms of infection and VOD [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1 , 5.3) ] . 5.3 Myelosuppression BESPONSA can cause myelosuppression, including thrombocytopenia and neutropenia [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . In adult patients in the INO-VATE ALL trial, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia occurred in 83/164 patients (51%) and 81/164 patients (49%), respectively. Grade 3 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia occurred in 23/164 patients (14%) and 33/164 patients (20%), respectively. Grade 4 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia occurred in 46/164 patients (28%) and 45/164 patients (27%), respectively. Febrile neutropenia, which may be life-threatening, occurred in 43/164 patients (26%). For patients who were in CR or CRi at the end of treatment, the recovery of platelet counts to > 50,000/mm 3 was later than 45 days after the final dose in 15/164 patients (9%) who received BESPONSA and 3/162 patients (2%) who received Investigator's choice of chemotherapy. Complications associated with myelosuppression (including infections and bleeding/hemorrhage) occurred in patients receiving BESPONSA [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . Infections, including serious infections, some of which were life-threatening or fatal, occurred in 79/164 patients (48%). Fatal infections, including pneumonia, neutropenic sepsis, sepsis, septic shock, and pseudomonal sepsis, occurred in 8/164 patients (5%). Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections occurred. Hemorrhage occurred in 54/164 patients (33%). Grade 3 or 4 hemorrhage occurred in 8/164 patients (5%), including a fatality in 1/164 patients (1%) (intra-abdominal hemorrhage). The most common type of hemorrhage was epistaxis which occurred in 24/164 patients (15%). In pediatric patients in Study WI203581 (ITCC-059), Grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 24/53 (45%) patients. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 21/53 (40%) patients. Infections occurred in 23/53 (43%) patients, and hemorrhage occurred in 22/53 (42%) patients. The most common types of hemorrhage were hematoma in 8/53 (15%), mouth hemorrhage in 6/53 (11%), and epistaxis in 6/53 (11%) patients [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . Monitor complete blood counts prior to each dose of BESPONSA and monitor for signs and symptoms of infection, bleeding/hemorrhage, or other effects of myelosuppression during treatment with BESPONSA. As appropriate, administer prophylactic anti-infectives and employ surveillance testing during and after treatment with BESPONSA. Based on the severity of myelosuppression, reduce dose, temporarily withhold, or permanently discontinue BESPONSA [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. 5.4 Infusion Related Reactions BESPONSA can cause infusion related reactions. In…