ot recommended for use in patients with moderate or severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) [see Contraindications (4) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
8.7 Renal Impairment
In twelve subjects with severe renal impairment administered a single dose of 500 mcg roflumilast, the AUCs of roflumilast and roflumilast N-oxide were decreased by 21% and 7%, respectively and Cmax were reduced by 16% and 12%, respectively. No dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with renal impairment [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
10 OVERDOSAGE
10.1 Human Experience
No case of overdose has been reported in clinical studies with DALIRESP. During the Phase I studies of DALIRESP, the following symptoms were observed at an increased rate after a single oral dose of 2500 mcg and a single dose of 5000 mcg: headache, gastrointestinal disorders, dizziness, palpitations, lightheadedness, clamminess and arterial hypotension.
10.2 Management of Overdose
In case of overdose, patients should seek immediate medical help. Appropriate supportive medical care should be provided. Since roflumilast is highly protein bound, hemodialysis is not likely to be an efficient method of drug removal. It is not known whether roflumilast is dialyzable by peritoneal dialysis.
11 DESCRIPTION
The active ingredient in DALIRESP tablets is roflumilast. Roflumilast and its active metabolite (roflumilast N-oxide) are selective phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors. The chemical name of roflumilast is N-(3,5-dichloropyridin-4-yl)-3-cyclopropylmethoxy-4-difluoromethoxy-benzamide. Its empirical formula is C17H14Cl2F2N2O3 and the molecular weight is 403.22.
The chemical structure is:
The drug substance is a white to off-white non-hygroscopic powder with a melting point of 160°C. It is practically insoluble in water and hexane, sparingly soluble in ethanol and freely soluble in acetone.
DALIRESP is supplied as white to off-white, round tablets, embossed with “D” on one side and “500” on the other side. Each tablet contains 500 mcg of roflumilast.
Each tablet of DALIRESP for oral administration contains the following inactive ingredients: lactose monohydrate, corn starch, povidone and magnesium stearate.
12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
12.1 Mechanism of Action
Roflumilast and its active metabolite (roflumilast N-oxide) are selective inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4). Roflumilast and roflumilast N-oxide inhibition of PDE4 (a major cyclic-3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP)-metabolizing enzyme in lung tissue) activity leads to accumulation of intracellular cyclic AMP. While the specific mechanism(s) by which DALIRESP exerts its therapeutic action in COPD patients is not well defined, it is thought to be related to the effects of increased intracellular cyclic AMP in lung cells.
12.2 Pharmacodynamics
In COPD patients, 4 week treatment with DALIRESP 500 mcg oral once daily reduced sputum neutrophils and eosinophils by 31%, and 42%, respectively. In a pharmacodynamic study in healthy volunteers, DALIRESP 500 mcg once daily reduced the number of total cells, neutrophils and eosinophils found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid following segmental pulmonary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge by 35%, 38% and 73%, respectively. The clinical significance of these findings is unknown.
12.3 Pharmacokinetics
Absorption
The absolute bioavailab