betaseron

Important safety information

Hepatic Injury: Monitor liver function tests and signs and symptoms of hepatic injury; consider discontinuing BETASERON if serious hepatic injury occurs. ( 5.1 , 5.11 ) • Anaphylaxis and Other Allergic Reactions: Discontinue if anaphylaxis occurs. ( 5.2 ) • Depression and Suicide: Advise patients to immediately report any symptom of depression and/or suicidal ideation; consider discontinuation of BETASERON if depression occurs. ( 5.3 ) • Congestive Heart Failure (CHF): Monitor patients with CHF for worsening of cardiac symptoms; consider discontinuation of BETASERON if worsening of CHF occurs. ( 5.4 ) • Injection Site Reactions Including Necrosis: Do not administer BETASERON into affected area until fully healed; if multiple lesions occur, change injection site or discontinue BETASERON until healing of skin lesions. ( 5.5 ) • Leukopenia: Monitor complete blood count. ( 5.6 , 5.12 ) • Thrombotic Microangiopathy: Cases of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) have been reported. Discontinue BETASERON if clinical symptoms and laboratory findings consistent with TMA occur and a relationship to BETASERON is suspected. ( 5.7 ) • Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have been reported in patients treated with interferon beta products, including BETASERON. Discontinue BETASERON if PAH is diagnosed. ( 5.8 ) • Flu-like Symptom Complex: Consider analgesics and/or antipyretics on injection days. ( 5.9 ) • Drug-induced Lupus Erythematosus: Cases of drug-induced lupus erythematosus have been reported. Discontinue BETASERON if patients develop new characteristic signs and symptoms. ( 5.11 ) 5.1 Hepatic Injury Severe hepatic injury including cases of hepatic failure, some of which have been due to autoimmune hepatitis, has been rarely reported in patients taking BETASERON. In some cases, these events have occurred in the presence of other drugs or comorbid medical conditions that have been associated with hepatic injury. Consider the potential risk of BETASERON used in combination with known hepatotoxic drugs or other products (eg, alcohol) prior to BETASERON administration, or when adding new agents to the regimen of patients already on BETASERON. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hepatic injury. Consider discontinuing BETASERON if serum transaminase levels significantly increase, or if they are associated with clinical symptoms such as jaundice. Asymptomatic elevation of serum transaminases is common in patients treated with BETASERON. In controlled clinical trials, elevations of SGPT to greater than five times baseline value were reported in 12% of patients receiving BETASERON (compared to 4% on placebo), and increases of SGOT to greater than five times baseline value were reported in 4% of patients receiving BETASERON (compared to 1% on placebo), leading to dose-reduction or discontinuation of treatment in some patients [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Monitor liver function tests [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.12 )]. 5.2 Anaphylaxis and Other Allergic Reactions Anaphylaxis has been reported as a rare complication of BETASERON use. Other allergic reactions have included dyspnea, bronchospasm, tongue edema, skin rash and urticaria [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Discontinue BETASERON if anaphylaxis occurs. 5.3 Depression and Suicide Depression and suicide have been reported to occur with increased frequency in patients receiving interferon beta products, including BETASERON. Advise patients to report any symptom of depression and/or suicidal ideation to their healthcare provider. If a patient develops depression, discontinuation of BETASERON therapy should be considered. In randomized controlled clinical trials, there were three suicides and eight suicide attempts among the 1532 patients on BETASERON compared to one suicide and four suicide attempts among 965 patients on placebo. 5.4 Congestive Heart Failure Monitor patients with pre-existing congestive heart failure (CHF) for worsening of their cardiac condition during initiation of and continued treatment with BETASERON. While beta interferons do not have any known direct-acting cardiac toxicity, cases of CHF, cardiomyopathy, and cardiomyopathy with CHF have been reported in patients without known predisposition to these events, and without other known etiologies being established. In some cases, these events have been temporally related to the administration of BETASERON. Recurrence upon rechallenge was observed in some patients. Consider discontinuation of BETASERON if worsening of CHF occurs with no other etiology. 5.5 Injection Site Reactions Including Necrosis Injection site reactions, including injection site necrosis, can occur with the use of interferon beta products, including BETASERON. Injection site necrosis (ISN) was reported in 4% of BETASERON-treated patients in controlled clinical trials (compared to 0% on placebo) [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )]. Typically, ISN occurs within the first four months of therapy, although postmarketing reports have been received of ISN occurring over one year after initiation of therapy. The necrotic lesions are typically 3 cm or less in diameter, but larger areas have been reported. Generally the necrosis has extended only to subcutaneous fat, but has extended to the fascia overlying muscle. In some lesions where biopsy results are available, vasculitis has been reported. For some lesions, debridement, and/or skin grafting have been required. In most cases healing was associated with scarring. In controlled clinical trials, injection site reactions occurred in 78% of patients receiving BETASERON with injection site necrosis in 4%. Injection site inflammation (42%), injection site pain (16%), injection site hypersensitivity (4%), injection site necrosis (4%), injection site mass (2%), injection site edema (2%), and nonspecific reactions were significantly associated with BETASERON treatment. The incidence of injection site reactions tended to decrease over time. Approximately 69% of patients experienced injection site reactions during the first three months of treatment, compared to approximately 40% at the end of the studies. Injection site abscesses and cellulitis have been reported in the postmarketing setting with use of interferon beta products including BETASERON. Some cases required treatment with hospitalization for surgical drainage and intravenous antibiotics. Periodically evaluate patient understanding and use of aseptic self-injection techniques and procedures, particularly if injection site necrosis has occurred. Patients should be advised of the importance of rotating injection sites with each dose. Whether to discontinue therapy following a single site of necrosis is dependent on the extent of necrosis. For patients who continue therapy with BETASERON after injection site necrosis has occurred, avoid administration of BETASERON into the affected area until it is fully healed. If multiple lesions occur, change injection site or discontinue therapy until healing occurs. 5.6 Leukopenia In controlled clinical trials, leukopenia was reported in 18% of patients receiving BETASERON (compared to 6% on placebo), leading to a reduction of the dose of BETASERON in some patients [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Monitoring of complete blood and differential white blood cell counts is recommended. Patients with myelosuppression may require more intensive monitoring of complete blood cell counts, with differential and platelet counts. 5.7 Thrombotic Microangiopathy Cases of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome, some fatal, have been reported with interferon beta products, including BETASERON. Cases have been reported several weeks to years after starting interferon beta products. If clinical symptoms and laboratory findings consistent with TMA occur and a relationship to BETASERON is suspected, discontinue treatment and manage as…