Adempas 1.5 mg film-coated tablets

Each film-coated tablet contains 1.5 mg of riociguat.

Excipients with known effect:

Each film-coated tablet contains 36.8 mg lactose (as monohydrate), see section 4.4.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

Film-coated tablet.

Yellow-orange, round, biconvex tablets of 6 mm, marked with the Bayer cross on one side and 1.5 and an “R” on the other side.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)

Adempas is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with WHO Functional Class (FC) II to III with

• inoperable CTEPH,

• persistent or recurrent CTEPH after surgical treatment,

to improve exercise capacity (see section 5.1).

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Adempas, as monotherapy or in combination with endothelin receptor antagonists, is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with WHO Functional Class (FC) II to III to improve exercise capacity.

Efficacy has been shown in a PAH population including aetiologies of idiopathic or heritable PAH or PAH associated with connective tissue disease (see section 5.1).

Treatment should only be initiated and monitored by a physician experienced in the treatment of CTEPH or PAH.

Posology

Dose titration

The recommended starting dose is 1 mg three times daily for 2 weeks. Tablets should be taken three times daily approximately 6 to 8 hours apart (see section 5.2).

Dose should be increased by 0.5 mg three times daily every two weeks to a maximum of 2.5 mg three times daily, if systolic blood pressure is ≥95 mmHg and the patient has no signs or symptoms of hypotension. In some PAH patients, an adequate response on the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) may be reached at a dose of 1.5 mg three times a day (see section 5.1). If systolic blood pressure falls below 95 mmHg, the dose should be maintained provided the patient does not show any signs or symptoms of hypotension. If at any time during the up-titration phase systolic blood pressure decreases below 95 mmHg and the patient shows signs or symptoms of hypotension the current dose should be decreased by 0.5 mg three times daily.

Maintenance dose

The established individual dose should be maintained unless signs and symptoms of hypotension occur. The maximum total daily dose is 7.5 mg i.e., 2.5 mg 3 times daily. If a dose is missed, treatment should be continued with the next dose as planned.

If not tolerated, dose reduction should be considered at any time.

Food

Tablets can generally be taken with or without food. For patients prone to hypotension, as a precautionary measure, switches between fed and fasted Adempas intake are not recommended because of increased peak plasma levels of riociguat in the fasting compared to the fed state (see section 5.2).

Treatment discontinuation

In case treatment has to be interrupted for 3 days or more, restart treatment at 1 mg three times daily for 2 weeks, and continue treatment with the dose titration regimen as described above.

Special populations

Individual dose titration at treatment initiation allows adjustment of the dose to the patient´s needs.

Paediatric population

The safety and efficacy of riociguat in children and adolescents below 18 years have not been established. No clinical data are available. Non-clinical data show an adverse effect on growing bone (see section 5.3). Until more is known about the implications of these findings the use of riociguat in children and in growing adolescents should be avoided (see section 4.4).

Elderly population

In elderly patients (65 years or older) there is a higher risk of hypotension and therefore particular care should be exercised during individual dose titration (see section 5.2).

Hepatic impairment

Patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child Pugh C) have not been studied and therefore use of Adempas is contraindicated in these patients (see section 4.3). Patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child Pugh B) showed a higher exposure to this medicine (see section 5.2). Particular care should be exercised during individual dose titration.

Renal impairment

Data in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min) are limited and there are no data for patients on dialysis. Therefore use of Adempas is not recommended in these patients (see section 4.4).

Patients with moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance <50 - 30 mL/min) showed a higher exposure to this medicine (see section 5.2). There is a higher risk of hypotension in patients with renal impairment, therefore particular care should be exercised during individual dose titration.

Smokers

Current smokers should be advised to stop smoking due to a risk of a lower response. Plasma concentrations of riociguat in smokers are reduced compared to non-smokers. A dose increase to the maximum daily dose of 2.5 mg three times daily may be required in patients who are smoking or start smoking during treatment (see section 4.5 and 5.2).

A dose decrease may be required in patients who stop smoking.

Method of administration

For oral use.

- Co-administration with PDE 5 inhibitors (such as sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) (see section 4.5)

- Severe hepatic impairment (Child Pugh C).

- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.

- Pregnancy (see section 4.6).

- Co-administration with nitrates or nitric oxide donors (such as amyl nitrite) in any form (see section 4.5).

- Patients with systolic blood pressure < 95 mm Hg at treatment initiation.

In pulmonary arterial hypertension, studies with riociguat have been mainly performed in forms related to idiopathic or heritable PAH and PAH associated with connective tissue disease. The use of riociguat in other forms of PAH not studied is not recommended (see section 5.1).

In chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary endarterectomy is the treatment of choice as it is a potentially curative option. According to standard medical practice, expert assessment of operability should be done prior to treatment with riociguat.

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease

Pulmonary vasodilators may significantly worsen the cardiovascular status of patients with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). Therefore, administration of riociguat to such patients is not recommended. Should signs of pulmonary oedema occur, the possibility of associated PVOD should be considered and treatment with riociguat should be discontinued.

Respiratory tract bleeding

In pulmonary hypertension patients there is increased likelihood for respiratory tract bleeding, particularly among patients receiving anticoagulation therapy. A careful monitoring of patients taking anticoagulants according to common medical practice is recommended.

The risk of serious and fatal respiratory tract bleeding may be further increased under treatment with riociguat, especially in the presence of risk factors, such as recent episodes of serious haemoptysis including those managed by bronchial arterial embolisation. Riociguat should be avoided in patients with a history of serious haemoptysis or who have previously undergone bronchial arterial embolisation. In case of respiratory tract bleeding, the prescriber should regularly assess the benefit-risk of treatment continuation.

Serious bleeding occurred in 2.4% (12 /490) of patients taking riociguat compared to 0/214 of placebo patients. Serious haemoptysis occurred in 1% (5/490) patients taking riociguat compared to 0/214 patients taking placebo, including one event with fatal outcome. Serious haemorrhagic events also included 2 patients with vaginal haemorrhage, 2 with catheter site haemorrhage, and 1 each with subdural haematoma, haematemesis, and intra-abdominal haemorrhage.

Hypotension

Riociguat has vasodilatory properties which may result in lowering of blood pressure. Before prescribing riociguat, physicians should carefully consider whether patients with certain underlying conditions, could be adversely affected by vasodilatory effects (e.g. patients on antihypertensive therapy or with resting hypotension, hypovolaemia, severe left ventricular outflow obstruction or autonomic dysfunction).

Riociguat must not be used in patients with a systolic blood pressure below 95 mmHg (see section 4.3). Patients older than 65 years are at increased risk of hypotension. Therefore, caution should be exercised when administering riociguat in these patients.

Renal impairment

Data in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min) are limited and there are no data for patients on dialysis, therefore riociguat is not recommended in these patients. Patients with mild and moderate renal impairment were included in the pivotal studies. There is increased riociguat exposure in these patients (see section 5.2). There is a higher risk of hypotension in these patients, particular care should be exercised during individual dose titration.

Hepatic impairment

There is no experience in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child Pugh C); riociguat is contraindicated in these patients (see section 4.3). PK data show that higher riociguat exposure was observed in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child Pugh B) (see section 5.2). Particular care should be exercised during individual dose titration.

There is no clinical experience with riociguat in patients with elevated liver aminotransferases (> 3 x Upper Limit of Normal (ULN)) or with elevated direct bilirubin (> 2 x ULN) prior to initiation of treatment; riociguat is not recommended in these patients.

Smokers

Plasma concentrations of riociguat in smokers are reduced compared to non-smokers. Dose adjustment may be necessary in patients who start or stop smoking during treatment with riociguat (see sections 4.2 and 5.2).

Concomitant use with other medicinal products

• The concomitant use of riociguat with strong multi pathway cytochrome P450 (CYP) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) / breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) inhibitors such as azole antimycotics (e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole) or HIV protease inhibitors (e.g. ritonavir) is not recommended, due to the pronounced increase in riociguat exposure (see section 4.5 and 5.2).

• The concomitant use of riociguat with strong CYP1A1 inhibitors, such as the tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib, and strong P-glycoprotein (P-gp) / breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) inhibitors, such as the immuno-suppressive agent cyclosporine A, may increase riociguat exposure (see section 4.5 and 5.2). These medicinal products should be used with caution. Blood pressure should be monitored and dose reduction of riociguat be considered.

Paediatric population

The safety and efficacy of riociguat in children and adolescents below 18 years have not been established. No clinical data are available. Non-clinical data show an adverse effect on growing bone (see section 5.3). Until more is known about the implications of these findings the use of riociguat in children and in growing adolescents should be avoided.

Information about excipients

Each 1.5 mg film coated tablet contains 36.8 mg lactose.

Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicinal product.

Pharmacodynamic interactions

Nitrates

In a clinical study the highest dose of Adempas (2.5 mg tablets three times daily) potentiated the blood pressure lowering effect of sublingual nitroglycerin (0.4 mg) taken 4 and 8 hours after intake. Therefore co-administration of Adempas with nitrates or nit