The use of Neulasta to increase survival in pediatric patients acutely exposed to myelosuppressive doses of radiation is based on efficacy studies conducted in animals and clinical data supporting the use of Neulasta in patients with cancer receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Efficacy studies of Neulasta could not be conducted in humans with acute radiation syndrome for ethical and feasibility reasons. Results from population modeling and simulation indicate that two doses of Neulasta (Table 1), administered one week apart provide pediatric patients with exposures comparable to that in adults receiving two 6 mg doses one week apart [see Dosage and Administration (2.3), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) and Clinical Studies (14.2)].

8.5 Geriatric Use Of the 932 patients with cancer who received Neulasta in clinical studies, 139 (15%) were aged 65 and over, and 18 (2%) were aged 75 and over. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between patients aged 65 and older and younger patients.

8.6 Renal Impairment Renal dysfunction had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of pegfilgrastim. Therefore, pegfilgrastim dose adjustment in patients with renal dysfunction is not necessary [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
 
10       OVERDOSAGE

The maximum amount of Neulasta that can be safely administered in single or multiple doses has not been determined. Single subcutaneous doses of 300 mcg/kg have been administered to 8 healthy volunteers and 3 patients with non-small cell lung cancer without serious adverse effects. These patients experienced a mean maximum absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 55 x 109/L, with a corresponding mean maximum WBC of 67 x 109/L. The absolute maximum ANC observed was 96 x 109/L with a corresponding absolute maximum WBC observed of 120 x 109/L. The duration of leukocytosis ranged from 6 to 13 days. The effectiveness of leukapheresis in the management of symptomatic individuals with Neulasta-induced leukocytosis has not been studied.

11       DESCRIPTION

Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) is a covalent conjugate of recombinant methionyl human G-CSF (filgrastim) and monomethoxypolyethylene glycol. Filgrastim is a water-soluble 175 amino acid protein with a molecular weight of approximately 19 kilodaltons (kD). Filgrastim is obtained from the bacterial fermentation of a strain of E coli transformed with a genetically engineered plasmid containing the human G-CSF gene. To produce pegfilgrastim, a 20 kD monomethoxypolyethylene glycol molecule is covalently bound to the N-terminal methionyl residue of filgrastim. The average molecular weight of pegfilgrastim is approximately 39 kD.

Neulasta is provided in two presentations:

Neulasta for manual subcutaneous injection is supplied in 0.6 mL prefilled syringes.  The prefilled syringe does not bear graduation marks and is designed to deliver the entire contents of the syringe (6 mg/0.6 mL).

On-body Injector for Neulasta is supplied with a prefilled syringe containing 0.64 mL of Neulasta in solution that delivers 0.6 mL of Neulasta in solution when used with the On-body Injector for Neulasta. The syringe does not bear graduation marks and is only to be used with the On-body Injector for Neulasta.
The delivered 0.6 mL dose from either the prefilled syringe for ma