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CLARINEX (desloratadine) Tablets, RediTabs ®, and Oral Solution
HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION
These highlights do not include all the information needed to use CLARINEX safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for CLARINEX.
CLARINEX ® (desloratadine) Tablets, RediTabs ®, and Oral Solution for oral use
Initial U.S. Approval: 2001
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
CLARINEX is an H1-receptor antagonist indicated for:
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Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis: relief of nasal and non-nasal symptoms in patients 2 years of age and older. (1.1)
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Perennial Allergic Rhinitis: relief of nasal and non-nasal symptoms in patients 6 months of age and older. (1.2)
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Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria: symptomatic relief of pruritus, reduction in the number of hives, and size of hives in patients 6 months of age and older. (1.3)
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Dosage (by age):
Adults and Adolescents 12 Years of Age and Over:
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CLARINEX Tablets - one 5 mg tablet once daily or
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CLARINEX RediTabs Tablets - one 5 mg tablet once daily or
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CLARINEX Oral Solution - 2 teaspoonfuls (5 mg in 10 mL) once daily (2)
Children 6 to 11 Years of Age:
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CLARINEX Oral Solution - 1 teaspoonful (2.5 mg in 5 mL) once daily or
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CLARINEX RediTabs Tablets - one 2.5 mg tablet once daily (2)
Children 12 Months to 5 Years of Age:
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CLARINEX Oral Solution - 1/2 teaspoonful (1.25 mg in 2.5 mL) once daily (2)
Children 6 to 11 Months of Age:
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CLARINEX Oral Solution - 2 mL (1 mg) once daily (2)
DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
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CLARINEX Tablets - 5 mg (3)
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CLARINEX Oral Solution - 0.5 mg/1 mL (3)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
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Hypersensitivity (4, 6.2)
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
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Hypersensitivity reactions including rash, pruritus, urticaria, edema, dyspnea, and anaphylaxis have been reported. In such cases, stop CLARINEX at once and consider alternative treatments. (5.1)
ADVERSE REACTIONS
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The most common adverse reactions (reported in ≥2% of adult and adolescent patients with allergic rhinitis and greater than placebo) were pharyngitis, dry mouth, myalgia, fatigue, somnolence, dysmenorrhea. (6.1)
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., at 1-877-888-4231 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
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Renal impairment: dosage adjustment is recommended (2.5, 8.6, 12.3)
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Hepatic impairment: dosage adjustment is recommended (2.5, 8.7, 12.3)
See 17 for PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION and FDA-approved patient labeling.
Revised: 11/2015
FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION: CONTENTS*
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
1.1 Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
CLARINEX® is indicated for the relief of the nasal and non-nasal symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients 2 years of age and older.
1.2 Perennial Allergic Rhinitis
CLARINEX is indicated for the relief of the nasal and non-nasal symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis in patients 6 months of age and older.
1.3 Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
CLARINEX is indicated for the symptomatic relief of pruritus, reduction in the number of hives, and size of hives, in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria 6 months of age and older.
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Although an orally disintegrating tablet formulation of desloratadine may be available in the marketplace, CLARINEX® RediTabs® Tablets are no longer marketed.
CLARINEX Tablets, Oral Solution, or RediTabs Tablets may be taken without regard to meals. Place CLARINEX (desloratadine) RediTabs Tablets on the tongue and allow to disintegrate before swallowing. Tablet disintegration occurs rapidly. Administer with or without water. Take tablet immediately after opening the blister.
The age-appropriate dose of CLARINEX Oral Solution should be administered with a commercially available measuring dropper or syringe that is calibrated to deliver 2 mL and 2.5 mL (½ teaspoon).
2.1 Adults and Adolescents 12 Years of Age and Over
The recommended dose of CLARINEX Tablets or CLARINEX RediTabs Tablets is one 5-mg tablet once daily. The recommended dose of CLARINEX Oral Solution is 2 teaspoonfuls (5 mg in 10 mL) once daily.
2.2 Children 6 to 11 Years of Age
The recommended dose of CLARINEX Oral Solution is 1 teaspoonful (2.5 mg in 5 mL) once daily. The recommended dose of CLARINEX RediTabs Tablets is one 2.5-mg tablet once daily.
2.3 Children 12 Months to 5 Years of Age
The recommended dose of CLARINEX Oral Solution is ½ teaspoonful (1.25 mg in 2.5 mL) once daily.
2.4 Children 6 to 11 Months of Age
The recommended dose of CLARINEX Oral Solution is 2 mL (1 mg) once daily.
2.5 Adults with Hepatic or Renal Impairment
In adult patients with liver or renal impairment, a starting dose of one 5-mg tablet every other day is recommended based on pharmacokinetic data. Dosing recommendation for children with liver or renal impairment cannot be made due to lack of data [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
CLARINEX Tablets are light blue, film-coated tablets embossed with "C5" containing 5 mg desloratadine.
CLARINEX Oral Solution is a clear orange-colored liquid containing 0.5 mg desloratadine/1 mL.
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS
CLARINEX Tablets, RediTabs, and Oral Solution are contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to this medication or to any of its ingredients or to loratadine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Adverse Reactions (6.2)].
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Hypersensitivity Reactions
Hypersensitivity reactions including rash, pruritus, urticaria, edema, dyspnea, and anaphylaxis have been reported after administration of desloratadine. If such a reaction occurs, therapy with CLARINEX should be stopped and alternative treatment should be considered. [See Adverse Reactions (6.2).]
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS
The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the label:
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.
Adults and Adolescents
Allergic Rhinitis: In multiple-dose placebo-controlled trials, 2834 patients ages 12 years or older received CLARINEX Tablets at doses of 2.5 mg to 20 mg daily, of whom 1655 patients received the recommended daily dose of 5 mg. In patients receiving 5 mg daily, the rate of adverse events was similar between CLARINEX and placebo-treated patients. The percent of patients who withdrew prematurely due to adverse events was 2.4% in the CLARINEX group and 2.6% in the placebo group. There were no serious adverse events in these trials in patients receiving desloratadine. All adverse events that were reported by greater than or equal to 2% of patients who received the recommended daily dose of CLARINEX Tablets (5 mg once daily), and that were more common with CLARINEX Tablets than placebo, are listed in Table 1.
The frequency and magnitude of laboratory and electrocardiographic abnormalities were similar in CLARINEX and placebo-treated patients.
There were no differences in adverse events for subgroups of patients as defined by gender, age, or race.
Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria: In multiple-dose, placebo-controlled trials of chronic idiopathic urticaria, 211 patients ages 12 years or older received CLARINEX Tablets and 205 received placebo. Adverse events that were reported by greater than or equal to 2% of patients who received CLARINEX Tablets and that were more common with CLARINEX than placebo were (rates for CLARINEX and placebo, respectively): headache (14%, 13%), nausea (5%, 2%), fatigue (5%, 1%), dizziness (4%, 3%), pharyngitis (3%, 2%), dyspepsia (3%, 1%), and myalgia (3%, 1%).
Pediatrics
Two hundred and forty-six pediatric subjects 6 months to 11 years of age received CLARINEX Oral Solution for 15 days in three placebo-controlled clinical trials. Pediatric subjects aged 6 to 11 years received 2.5 mg once a day, subjects aged 1 to 5 years received 1.25 mg once a day, and subjects 6 to 11 months of age received 1.0 mg once a day.
In subjects 6 to 11 years of age, no individual adverse event was reported by 2 percent or more of the subjects.
In subjects 2 to 5 years of age, adverse events reported for CLARINEX and placebo in at least 2 percent of subjects receiving CLARINEX Oral Solution and at a frequency greater than placebo were fever (5.5%, 5.4%), urinary tract infection (3.6%, 0%) and varicella (3.6%, 0%).
In subjects 12 months to 23 months of age, adverse events reported for the CLARINEX product and placebo in at least 2 percent of subjects receiving CLARINEX Oral Solution and at a frequency greater than placebo were fever (16.9%, 12.9%), diarrhea (15.4%, 11.3%), upper respiratory tract infections (10.8%, 9.7%), coughing (10.8%, 6.5%), appetite increased (3.1%, 1.6%), emotional lability (3.1%, 0%), epistaxis (3.1%, 0%), parasitic infection (3.1%, 0%), pharyngitis (3.1%, 0%), rash maculopapular (3.1%, 0%).
In subjects 6 months to 11 months of age, adverse events reported for CLARINEX and placebo in at least 2 percent of subjects receiving CLARINEX Oral Solution and at a frequency greater than placebo were upper respiratory tract infections (21.2%, 12.9%), diarrhea (19.7%, 8.1%), fever (12.1%, 1.6%), irritability (12.1%, 11.3%), coughing (10.6%, 9.7%), somnolence (9.1%, 8.1%), bronchitis (6.1%, 0%), otitis media (6.1%, 1.6%), vomiting (6.1%, 3.2%), anorexia (4.5%, 1.6%), pharyngitis (4.5%, 1.6%), insomnia (4.5%, 0%), rhinorrhea (4.5%, 3.2%), erythema (3.0%, 1.6%), and nausea (3.0%, 0%).
There were no clinically meaningful changes in any electrocardiographic parameter, including the QTc interval. Only one of the 246 pediatric subjects receiving CLARINEX Oral Solution in the clinical trials discontinued treatment because of an adverse event.
6.2 Post-Marketing Experience
Because adverse events 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. The following spontaneous adverse events have been reported during the marketing of desloratadine: tachycardia, palpitations, rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions (such as rash, pruritus, urticaria, edema, dyspnea, and anaphylaxis), psychomotor hyperactivity, movement disorders (including dystonia, tics, and extrapyramidal symptoms), seizures, and elevated liver enzymes including bilirubin, and very rarely, hepatitis.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS
7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4
In controlled clinical studies co-administration of desloratadine with ketoconazole, erythromycin, or azithromycin resulted in increased plasma concentrations of desloratadine and 3 hydroxydesloratadine, but there were no clinically relevant changes in the safety profile of desloratadine. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3).]
7.2 Fluoxetine
In controlled clinical studies co-administration of desloratadine with fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), resulted in increased plasma concentrations of desloratadine and 3 hydroxydesloratadine, but there were no clinically relevant changes in the safety profile of desloratadine. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3).]
7.3 Cimetidine
In controlled clinical studies co-administration of desloratadine with cimetidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, resulted in increased plasma concentrations of desloratadine and 3 hydroxydesloratadine, but there were no clinically relevant changes in the safety profile of desloratadine. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3).]
8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
8.1 Pregnancy
Pregnancy Category C: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, desloratadine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
Desloratadine was not teratogenic in rats or rabbits at approximately 210 and 230 times, respectively, the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) in humans at the recommended daily oral dose. An increase in pre-implantation loss and a decreased number of implantations and fetuses were noted, however, in a separate study in female rats at approximately 120 times the AUC in humans at the recommended daily oral dose. Reduced body weight and slow righting reflex were reported in pups at approximately 50 times or greater than the AUC in humans at the recommended daily oral dose. Desloratadine had no effect on pup development at approximately 7 times the AUC in humans at the recommended daily oral dose. The AUCs in comparison referred to the desloratadine exposure in rabbits and the sum of desloratadine and its metabolites exposures in rats, respectively. [See Nonclinical Toxicology (13.2).]
8.3 Nursing Mothers
Desloratadine passes into breast milk; therefore, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue desloratadine, taking into account the benefit of the drug to the nursing mother and the possible risk to the child.
8.4 Pediatric Use
The recommended dose of CLARINEX Oral Solution in the pediatric population is based on cross-study comparison of the plasma concentration of CLARINEX in adults and pediatric subjects. The safety of CLARINEX Oral Solution has been established in 246 pediatric subjects aged 6 months to 11 years in three placebo-controlled clinical studies. Since the course of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria and the effects of CLARINEX are sufficiently similar in the pediatric and adult populations, it allows extrapolation from the adult efficacy data to pediatric patients. The effectiveness of CLARINEX Oral Solution in these age groups is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies of CLARINEX Tablets in adults. The safety and effectiveness of CLARINEX Tablets or CLARINEX Oral Solution have not been demonstrated in pediatric patients less than 6 months of age. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3).]
The CLARINEX RediTabs 2.5-mg tablet has not been eva luated in pediatric patients. Bioequivalence of the CLARINEX RediTabs Tablet and the previously marketed RediTabs Tablet was established in adults. In conjunction with the dose-finding studies in pediatrics described, the pharmacokinetic data for CLARINEX RediTabs supports the use of the 2.5-mg dose strength in pediatric patients 6 to 11 years of age.
8.5 Geriatric Use
Clinical studies of desloratadine did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences between the elderly and younger patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3).]
9 DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
There is no information to indicate that abuse or dependency occurs with CLARINEX Tablets.
10 OVERDOSAGE
In the event of overdose, consider standard measures to remove any unabsorbed drug. Symptomatic and supportive treatment is recommended. Desloratadine and 3-hydroxydesloratadine are not eliminated by hemodialysis.
Information regarding acute overdosage is limited to experience from post-marketing adverse event reports and from clinical trials conducted during the development of the CLARINEX product. In a dose-ranging trial, at doses of 10 mg and 20 mg/day somnolence was reported.
In another study, no clinically relevant adverse events were reported in normal male and female volunteers who were given single daily doses of CLARINEX 45 mg for 10 days [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)].
Lethality occurred in rats at oral doses of 250 mg/kg or greater (estimated desloratadine and desloratadine metabolite exposures were approximately 120 times the AUC in humans at the recommended daily oral dose). The oral median lethal dose in mice was 353 mg/kg (estimated desloratadine exposures were approximately 290 times the human daily oral dose on a mg/m2 basis). No deaths occurred at oral doses up to 250 mg/kg in monkeys (estimated desloratadine exposures were approximately 810 times the human daily oral dose on a mg/m2 basis).
11 DESCRIPTION
CLARINEX (desloratadine) Tablets are light blue, round, film-coated tablets containing 5 mg desloratadine, an antihistamine, to be administered orally. CLARINEX Tablets also contain the following excipients: dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate USP, microcrystalline cellulose NF, corn starch NF, talc USP, carnauba wax NF, white wax NF, coating material consisting of lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, and FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake.
CLARINEX Oral Solution is a clear orange-colored liquid containing 0.5 mg/1 mL desloratadine. The Oral Solution contains the following inactive ingredients: propylene glycol USP, sorbitol solution USP, citric acid (anhydrous) USP, sodium citrate dihydrate USP, sodium benzoate NF, disodium edetate USP, purified water USP. It also contains granulated sugar, natural and artificial flavor for bubble gum, and FDC Yellow #6 dye.
Desloratadine is a white to off-white powder that is slightly soluble in water, but very soluble in ethanol and propylene glycol. It has an empirical formula: C19H19ClN2 and a molecular weight of 310.8. The chemical name is 8-chloro-6,11-dihydro-11-(4-piperdinylidene)-5H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridine and has the following structure:
12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
12.1 Mechanism of Action
Desloratadine is a long-acting tricyclic histamine antagonist with selective H1-receptor histamine antagonist activity. Receptor binding data indicates that at a concentration of 2–3 ng/mL (7 nanomolar), desloratadine shows significant interaction with the human histamine H1-receptor. Desloratadine inhibited histamine release from human mast cells in vitro. Results of a radiolabeled tissue distribution study in rats and a radioligand H1-receptor binding study in guinea pigs showed that desloratadine did not readily cross the blood brain barrier. The clinical significance of this finding is unknown.
12.2 Pharmacodynamics
Wheal and Flare: Human histamine skin wheal studies following single and repeated 5-mg doses of desloratadine have shown that the drug exhibits an antihistaminic effect by 1 hour; this activity may persist for as long as 24 hours. There was no evidence of histamine-induced skin wheal tachyphylaxis within the desloratadine 5-mg group over the 28-day treatment period. The clinical relevance of histamine wheal skin testing is unknown.
Effects on QTc: Single daily doses of 45 mg were given to normal male and female volunteers for 10 days. All ECGs obtained in this study were manually read in a blinded fashion by a cardiologist. In CLARINEX-treated subjects, there was an increase in mean heart rate of 9.2 bpm relative to placebo. The QT interval was corrected for heart rate (QTc) by both the Bazett and Fridericia methods. Using the QTc (Bazett) there was a mean increase of 8.1 msec in CLARINEX-treated subjects relative to placebo. Using QTc (Fridericia) there was a mean increase of 0.4 msec in CLARINEX-treated subjects relative to placebo. No clinically relevant adverse events were reported.
12.3 Pharmacokinetics
Absorption
Following oral administration of a desloratadine 5-mg tablet once daily for 10 days to normal healthy volunteers, the mean time to maximum plasma concentrations (Tmax) occurred at approximately 3 hours post dose and mean steady state peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) and AUC of 4 ng/mL and 56.9 ng∙hr/mL were observed, respectively. Neither food nor grapefruit juice had an effect on the bioavailability (Cmax and AUC) of desloratadine.
The pharmacokinetic profile of CLARINEX Oral Solution was eva luated in a three-way crossover study in 30 adult volunteers. A single dose of 10 mL of CLARINEX Oral Solution containing 5 mg of desloratadine was bioequivalent to a single dose of 5-mg CLARINEX Tablet. Food had no effect on the bioavailability (AUC and Cmax) of CLARINEX Oral Solution.
The pharmacokinetic profile of CLARINEX RediTabs Tablets was eva luated in a three-way crossover study in 24 adult volunteers. A single CLARINEX RediTabs Tablet containing 5 mg of desloratadine was bioequivalent to a single 5-mg CLARINEX RediTabs Tablet (original formulation) for both desloratadine and 3-hydroxydesloratadine. Food and water had no effect on the bioavailability (AUC and Cmax) of CLARINEX RediTabs Tablets.
Distribution
Desloratadine and 3-hydroxydesloratadine are approximately 82% to 87% and 85% to 89% bound to plasma proteins, respectively. Protein binding of desloratadine and 3-hydroxydesloratadine was unaltered in subjects with impaired renal function.
Metabolism
Desloratadine (a major metabolite of loratadine) is extensively metabolized to 3-hydroxydesloratadine, an active metabolite, which is subsequently glucuronidated. The enzyme(s) responsible for the formation of 3-hydroxydesloratadine have not been identified. Data from clinical trials indicate that a subset of the general population has a decreased ability to form 3-hydroxydesloratadine, and are poor metabolizers of desloratadine. In pharmacokinetic studies (n=3748), approximately 6% of subjects were poor metabolizers of desloratadine (defined as a subject with an AUC ratio of 3-hydroxydesloratadine to desloratadine less than 0.1, or a subject with a desloratadine half-life exceeding 50 hours). These pharmacokinetic studies included subjects between the ages of 2 and 70 years, including 977 subjects aged 2 to 5 years, 1575 subjects aged 6 to 11 years, and 1196 subjects aged 12 to 70 years. There was no difference in the preva lence of poor metabolizers across age groups. The frequency of poor metabolizers was higher in Blacks (17%, n=988) as compared to Caucasians (2%, n=1,462) and Hispanics (2%, n=1,063). The median exposure (AUC) to desloratadine in the poor metabolizers was approximately 6-fold greater than in the subjects who are not poor metabolizers. Subjects who are poor metabolizers of desloratadine cannot be prospectively identified and will be exposed to higher levels of desloratadine following dosing with the recommended dose of desloratadine. In multidose clinical safety studies, where metabolizer status was identified, a total of 94 poor metabolizers and 123 normal metabolizers were enrolled and treated with CLARINEX Oral Solution for 15–35 days. In these studies, no overall differences in safety were observed between poor metabolizers and normal metabolizers. Although not seen in these studies, an increased risk of exposure-related adverse events in patients who are poor metabolizers cannot be ruled out.
Elimination
The mean plasma elimination half-life of desloratadine was approximately 27 hours. Cmax and AUC values increased in a dose proportional manner following single oral doses between 5 and 20 mg. The degree of accumulation after 14 days of dosing was consistent with the half-life and dosing frequency. A human mass balance study documented a recovery of approximately 87% of the 14C-desloratadine dose, which was equally distributed in urine and feces as metabolic products. Analysis of plasma 3-hydroxydesloratadine showed similar Tmax and half-life values compared to desloratadine.
Special Populations
Geriatric Subjects: In older subjects (≥65 years old; n=17) following multiple-dose administration of CLARINEX Tablets, the mean Cmax and AUC values for desloratadine were 20% greater than in younger subjects (<65 years old). The oral total body clearance (CL/F) when normalized for body weight was similar between the two age groups. The mean plasma elimination half-life of desloratadine was 33.7 hr in subjects ≥65 years old. The pharmacokinetics for 3-hydroxydesloratadine appeared unchanged in older versus younger subjects. These age-related differences are unlikely to be clinically relevant and no dosage adjustment is recommended in elderly subjects.
Pediatric Subjects: In subjects 6 to 11 years old, a single dose of 5 mL of CLARINEX Oral Solution containing 2.5 mg of desloratadine, resulted in desloratadine plasma concentrations similar to those achieved in adults adm |
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