Granisetron

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE SANCUSO ® is indicated for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in adults receiving moderately and/or highly emetogenic chemotherapy regimens of up to 5 consecutive days duration. SANCUSO is a serotonin-3 (5-HT 3 ) receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in adults receiving moderately and/or highly emetogenic chemotherapy for up to 5 consecutive days. ( 1 )

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The recommended dosage is a single transdermal system applied to the upper outer arm a minimum of 24 hours, up to a maximum of 48 hours, before chemotherapy. The transdermal system should be worn at minimum, 24 hours after chemotherapy is finished. The transdermal system can be worn for up to 7 days. Application and Removal Instructions Each transdermal system releases 3.1 mg of granisetron per 24 hours for up to 7 days. Each transdermal system is packed in a pouch and should be applied directly after the pouch has been opened. Only wear one transdermal system at any time. Do not cut the transdermal system. Open the pouch and apply the transdermal system to clean, dry, nearly hairless, intact healthy skin on the upper outer arm. Do not place SANCUSO transdermal system on skin that is red, irritated, or damaged. Do not apply a heat pad or heat lamp over or in vicinity of the transdermal system and avoid extended exposure to heat [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] . Cover the application site of the transdermal system with clothing, if there is a risk of exposure to direct natural or artificial sunlight throughout the period of wear and for 10 days following its removal [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] . After the transdermal system is applied, wash hands thoroughly. Remove the transdermal system by peeling off gently from the skin. Upon removal, fold the transdermal system in half with the sticky side together, and discard in the household trash in a manner that prevents accidental contact or ingestion by children, pets or others. SANCUSO contains granisetron. Do not use other granisetron-containing products with SANCUSO. The recommended dosage is a single transdermal system applied to the upper outer arm a minimum of 24 hours, up to a maximum of 48 hours, before chemotherapy. The transdermal system should be worn at minimum, 24 hours after chemotherapy is finished. The transdermal system can be worn for up to 7 days. ( 2 )

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following are serious or otherwise clinically significant adverse reactions reported in other sections of labeling: Progressive ileus and gastric distention [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Serotonin syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Skin reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Increased drug exposure with use of external heat sources [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Phototoxicity with ultraviolet light exposure [se Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] The most common adverse reaction (≥ 3%) is constipation. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. at 1-877-484-2700 (X 225) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, 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. The safety of SANCUSO was evaluated in a total of 404 patients undergoing chemotherapy who participated in two double-blind, comparator studies with transdermal system treatment durations of up to 7 days. The control groups included a total of 406 patients who received a daily dose of 2 mg oral granisetron, for 1 to 5 days. Adverse reactions occurred in 9% (35/404) of patients receiving SANCUSO and 7% (29/406) of patients receiving oral granisetron. The most common adverse reaction was constipation that occurred in 5% of patients in the SANCUSO group and 3% of patients in the oral granisetron group. Table 1 lists the adverse reactions that occurred in at least 3% of patients treated with SANCUSO or oral granisetron. Table 1: Incidence of Adverse Reactions in Double-Blind, Active Comparator Controlled Studies in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy (³ 3% in either group) SANCUSO Transdermal System Oral granisetron Body System N=404 N=406 Preferred Term (%) (%) Gastrointestinal disorders Constipation 5 3 Nervous system disorders Headache 1 3 5-HT 3 receptor antagonists, such as granisetron, may be associated with arrhythmias or ECG abnormalities. Three ECGs were performed on 588 patients in a randomized, parallel group, double-blind, double-dummy study: at baseline before treatment, the first day of chemotherapy, and 5 to 7 days after starting chemotherapy. QTcF prolongation greater than 450 milliseconds was seen in a total of 11 (1.9%) patients after receiving granisetron, 8 (2.7%) on oral granisetron, and 3 (1.1%) on the transdermal system. No new QTcF prolongation greater than 480 milliseconds was observed in any patient in this study. No arrhythmias were detected in this study. Adverse reactions reported in clinical trials with other formulations of granisetron include the following: Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, elevation of ALT and AST levels, nausea and vomiting Cardiovascular: hypertension, hypotension, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation and syncope have been observed rarely Central Nervous System: dizziness, insomnia, headache, anxiety, somnolence and asthenia Hypersensitivity: rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions, sometimes severe (e.g. anaphylaxis, shortness of breath, hypotension, urticaria) have been reported Other: fever; events often associated with chemotherapy have also been reported: leucopenia, decreased appetite, anemia, alopecia, thrombocytopenia. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of SANCUSO. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Application site reactions (pain, pruritus, erythema, rash, irritation, vesicles, burn, discoloration, urticaria) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] ; transdermal system non-adhesion. Cardiac Disorders : bradycardia, chest pain, palpitations, sick sinus syndrome

12.3 Pharmacokinetics Absorption Granisetron crosses intact skin into the systemic circulation by a passive diffusion process. Following a 7-day application of SANCUSO transdermal system in 24 healthy subjects, high inter- subject variability in systemic exposure was observed. Maximal concentration was reached at approximately 48 hours (range: 24-168 hours) following application. Mean C max was 5 ng/mL (CV: 170%) and mean AUC 0-168hr was 527 ng-hr/mL (CV: 173%). Mean Plasma Concentration of Granisetron (mean ± SD) Based on the measure of residual content of the transdermal system after removal, approximately 66% (SD: ± 10.9) of granisetron is delivered following transdermal system application for 7 days. Following consecutive application of two SANCUSO transdermal systems, each for seven days, granisetron plasma concentrations were maintained over the study period with evidence of minimal accumulation. The mean plasma concentration at 24 hours after the second transdermal system application was 1.5-fold higher due to residual granisetron from the first transdermal system. As the plasma concentration increased after the second transdermal system application, the difference decreased and the mean plasma concentration at 48 hours was 1.3-fold higher after application of the second transdermal system compared to that after application of the first transdermal system. In a study designed to assess the effect of heat on the transdermal delivery of granisetron from SANCUSO in healthy subjects, a heat pad generating an average temperature of 42°C (107.6°F) was applied over the transdermal system for 4 hours each day over the 5 day period of wear. The application of the heat pad was associated with an increase in plasma granisetron concentrations during the period of heat pad application. The elevated plasma concentration declined after removal of the heat pad. Mean C max with intermittent heat exposure was 6% higher than without heat. Mean partial AUCs over 6 hours with 4 hour of heat application (AUC 0-6 , AUC 24-30 , and AUC 48-54 ) were 4.9, 1.4, and 1.1 fold higher, respectively, with heat pad than without heat pad [see Dosage and Administration ( 2 ), Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] . Figure Distribution Plasma protein binding is approximately 65%. Granisetron distributes freely between plasma and red blood cells. Elimination Metabolism Granisetron metabolism involves N-demethylation and aromatic ring oxidation followed by conjugation. In vitro liver microsomal studies show that granisetron's major route of metabolism is inhibited by ketoconazole, suggestive of metabolism mediated by the cytochrome P-450 3A subfamily. Animal studies suggest that some of the metabolites may also have 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist activity. Excretion Clearance is predominantly by hepatic metabolism. Based on a study with intravenous injection, approximately 12% of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine of healthy subjects in 48 hours. The remainder of the dose is excreted as metabolites, 49% in the urine, and 34% in the feces. Use in Specific Populations Geriatric Patients Following application of SANCUSO transdermal system in healthy subjects, mean AUC 0-z , C max , and C avg were 17%, 15%, and 16% higher, respectively in male and female elderly subjects (≥ 65 years) compared to younger subjects (aged 18-45 years inclusive). These pharmacokinetic parameters were largely overlapped between the two age groups with high variability (CV: >50%). Following a single 40 mcg/kg intravenous dose of granisetron hydrochloride in elderly subjects (mean age 71 years), lower clearance and longer half-life were observed compared to younger healthy subjects. Male and Female Patients There is evidence to suggest that female subjects had higher granisetron concentrations than males following transdermal system application. However, no statistically significant difference in clinical efficacy outcome was observed between males and females. Racial or Ethnic Groups The pharmacokinetic profile of granisetron from SANCUSO was assessed in healthy Japanese males. Following the application of a single 6-day SANCUSO 52 cm 2 transdermal system, in healthy male Japanese subjects, mean C max , AUC (0-144) , and AUC (0-∞) values were 5.02 ng/mL (CV: 66%), 492 ng.hr/mL (CV: 72%), and 562 ng.hr/mL (CV: 60%), respectively, and a median t max value was 48 hours. Patients with Renal Impairment Total clearance of granisetron was not affected in patients with severe renal failure who received a single 40 mcg/kg intravenous dose of granisetron hydrochloride. Patients with Hepatic Impairment In patients with hepatic impairment due to neoplastic liver involvement, total plasma clearance following a single 40 mcg/kg intravenous dose of granisetron hydrochloride was approximately halved compared to patients without hepatic impairment. Given the wide variability in pharmacokinetic parameters of granisetron and the good tolerance of doses well above the recommended dose, dose adjustment in patients with hepatic functional impairment is not necessary. Body Mass Index In a clinical study designed to assess granisetron exposure from SANCUSO in subjects with differing levels of body fat, using body mass index (BMI) as a surrogate measure for subcutaneous fat, no significant differences were seen in the plasma pharmacokinetics of SANCUSO in male and female subjects with low BMI [<19.5 kg/m 2 (males), <18.5 kg/m 2 (females)] and high BMI (30.0 to 39.9 kg/m 2 inclusive) compared to a control group (BMI 20.0 to 24.9 kg/m 2 inclusive). Drug Interaction Studies Because granisetron is metabolized by hepatic cytochrome P-450 drug-metabolizing enzymes (CYP1A1 and CYP3A4), inducers or inhibitors of these enzymes may change the clearance and hence, the half-life of granisetron. In addition, the activity of the cytochrome P-450 subfamily 3A4 (involved in the metabolism of some of the main narcotic analgesic agents) is not modified by granisetron hydrochloride in vitro . In in vitro human microsomal studies, ketoconazole inhibited ring oxidation of granisetron hydrochloride. However, the clinical significance of in vivo pharmacokinetic interactions with ketoconazole is not known. In a human pharmacokinetic study, hepatic enzyme induction with phenobarbital resulted in a 25% increase in total plasma clearance of intravenous granisetron hydrochloride. The clinical significance of this change is not known.