HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION
These HIGHLIGHTS do not include all the information needed to use ULORIC safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for ULORIC.
ULORIC (febuxostat) tablet for oral use
Initial U.S. Approval: 2009
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
ULORIC is a xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor indicated for the chronic management of hyperuricemia in patients with gout. (1)
ULORIC is not recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia. (1)
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
ULORIC is recommended at 40 mg or 80 mg once daily. The recommended starting dose of ULORIC is 40 mg once daily. For patients who do not achieve a serum uric acid (sUA) less than 6 mg per dL after 2 weeks with 40 mg, ULORIC 80 mg is recommended. (2.1)
ULORIC can be administered without regard to food or antacid use. (2.1)
No dose adjustment is necessary when administering ULORIC to patients with mild to moderate renal or hepatic impairment. (2.2)
DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
Tablet: 40 mg, 80 mg. (3)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
ULORIC is contraindicated in patients being treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine. (4)
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Gout Flare: An increase in gout flares is frequently observed during initiation of anti-hyperuricemic agents, including ULORIC. If a gout flare occurs during treatment, ULORIC need not be discontinued. Prophylactic therapy (i.e., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or colchicine upon initiation of treatment) may be beneficial for up to six months. (2.4, 5.1)
Cardiovascular Events: A higher rate of cardiovascular thromboembolic events was observed in patients treated with ULORIC than allopurinol in clinical trials. Monitor for signs and symptoms of MI and stroke. (5.2)
Liver Enzyme Elevation: Transaminase elevations have been observed in ULORIC-treated patients. Monitor liver function tests periodically. (5.3)
ADVERSE REACTIONS
Adverse reactions occurring in at least 1% of ULORIC-treated patients, and, at least 0.5% greater than placebo, are liver function abnormalities, nausea, arthralgia, and rash. (6.1)
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Takeda Pharmaceuticals at 1-877-TAKEDA-7 (1-877-825-3327) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Concomitant administration of ULORIC with XO substrate drugs, azathioprine or mercaptopurine could increase plasma concentrations of these drugs resulting in severe toxicity. (7)
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
There is insufficient data in patients with severe renal impairment. No studies have been conducted in patients with severe hepatic impairment. Caution should be exercised in these patients. (8.6, 8.7)
No studies have been conducted in patients with secondary hyperuricemia (including patients being treated for Lesch-Nyhan syndrome or malignant disease, or in organ transplant recipients); therefore, ULORIC is not recommended for use in these patients. (8.8)
See 17 for PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION and FDA-approved patient labeling
Revised: 01/2011
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Back to Highlights and TabsFULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION: CONTENTS*
*Sections or subsections omitted from the full prescribing information are not listed
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
2.1 Recommended Dose
2.2 Special Populations
2.3 Uric Acid Level
2.4 Gout Flares
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Gout Flare
5.2 Cardiovascular Events
5.3 Liver Enzyme Elevations
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS
6.1 Clinical Trials Experience
6.2 Postmarketing Experience
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS
7.1 Xanthine Oxidase Substrate Drugs
7.2 Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Drugs
7.3 In Vivo Drug Interaction Studies
8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
8.1 Pregnancy
8.3 Nursing Mothers
8.4 Pediatric Use
8.5 Geriatric Use
8.6 Renal Impairment
8.7 Hepatic Impairment
8.8 Secondary Hyperuricemia
10 OVERDOSAGE
11 DESCRIPTION
12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
12.1 Mechanism of Action
12.2 Pharmacodynamics
12.3 Pharmacokinetics
13 NONCLINICAL TOXICOLOGY
13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
13.2 Animal Toxicology
14 CLINICAL STUDIES
14.1 Management of Hyperuricemia in Gout
16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING
17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION
17.1 General Information
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FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
ULORIC is a xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor indicated for the chronic management of hyperuricemia in patients with gout.
ULORIC is not recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia.
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
2.1 Recommended Dose
For treatment of hyperuricemia in patients with gout, ULORIC is recommended at 40 mg or 80 mg once daily.
The recommended starting dose of ULORIC is 40 mg once daily. For patients who do not achieve a serum uric acid (sUA) less than 6 mg per dL after 2 weeks with 40 mg, ULORIC 80 mg is recommended.
ULORIC can be taken without regard to food or antacid use [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
2.2 Special Populations
No dose adjustment is necessary when administering ULORIC in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. The recommended starting dose of ULORIC is 40 mg once daily. For patients who do not achieve a sUA less than 6 mg per dL after 2 weeks with 40 mg, ULORIC 80 mg is recommended.
No dose adjustment is necessary in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment [see Use in Specific Populations (8.7) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
2.3 Uric Acid Level
Testing for the target serum uric acid level of less than 6 mg per dL may be performed as early as 2 weeks after initiating ULORIC therapy.
2.4 Gout Flares
Gout flares may occur after initiation of ULORIC due to changing serum uric acid levels resulting in mobilization of urate from tissue deposits. Flare prophylaxis with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or colchicine is recommended upon initiation of ULORIC. Prophylactic therapy may be beneficial for up to six months [see Clinical Studies (14.1)].
If a gout flare occurs during ULORIC treatment, ULORIC need not be discontinued. The gout flare should be managed concurrently, as appropriate for the individual patient [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
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40 mg tablets, light green to green, round shaped, debossed with "TAP" and "40"
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80 mg tablets, light green to green, teardrop shaped, debossed with "TAP" and "80"
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS
ULORIC is contraindicated in patients being treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine [see Drug Interactions (7)].
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Gout Flare
After initiation of ULORIC, an increase in gout flares is frequently observed. This increase is due to reduction in serum uric acid levels resulting in mobilization of urate from tissue deposits.
In order to prevent gout flares when ULORIC is initiated, concurrent prophylactic treatment with an NSAID or colchicine is recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.4)].
5.2 Cardiovascular Events
In the randomized controlled studies, there was a higher rate of cardiovascular thromboembolic events (cardiovascular deaths, non-fatal myocardial infarctions, and non-fatal strokes) in patients treated with ULORIC [0.74 per 100 P-Y (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.36-1.37)] than allopurinol [0.60 per 100 P-Y (95% CI 0.16-1.53)] [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. A causal relationship with ULORIC has not been established. Monitor for signs and symptoms of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.
5.3 Liver Enzyme Elevations
During randomized controlled studies, transaminase elevations greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were observed (AST: 2%, 2%, and ALT: 3%, 2% in ULORIC and allopurinol-treated patients, respectively). No dose-effect relationship for these transaminase elevations was noted. Laboratory assessment of liver function is recommended at, for example, 2 and 4 months following initiation of ULORIC and periodically thereafter.
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS
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 practice.
A total of 2757 subjects with hyperuricemia and gout were treated with ULORIC 40 mg or 80 mg daily in clinical studies. For ULORIC 40 mg, 559 patients were treated for ≥ 6 months. For ULORIC 80 mg, 1377 subjects were treated for ≥ 6 months, 674 patients were treated for ≥ 1 year and 515 patients were treated for ≥ 2 years.
Most Common Adverse Reactions
In three randomized, controlled clinical studies (Studies 1, 2 and 3), which were 6 to 12 months in duration, the following adverse reactions were reported by the treating physician as related to study drug. Table 1 summarizes adverse reactions reported at a rate of at least 1% in ULORIC treatment groups and at least 0.5% greater than placebo.
Table 1: Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥ 1% of ULORIC-Treated Patients and at Least 0.5% Greater than Seen in Patients Receiving Placebo in Controlled Studies |
Adverse Reactions |
Placebo |
ULORIC |
allopurinol* |
(N=134) |
40 mg daily
(N=757) |
80 mg daily
(N=1279) |
(N=1277) |
|
Liver Function Abnormalities |
0.7% |
6.6% |
4.6% |
4.2% |
Nausea |
0.7% |
1.1% |
1.3% |
0.8% |
Arthralgia |
0% |
1.1% |
0.7% |
0.7% |
Rash |
0.7% |
0.5% |
1.6% |
1.6% |
The most common adverse reaction leading to discontinuation from therapy was liver function abnormalities in 1.8% of ULORIC 40 mg, 1.2% of ULORIC 80 mg, and in 0.9% of allopurinol-treated subjects.
In addition to the adverse reactions presented in Table 1, dizziness was reported in more than 1% of ULORIC-treated subjects although not at a rate more than 0.5% greater than placebo.
Less Common Adverse Reactions
In Phase 2 and 3 clinical studies the following adverse reactions occurred in less than 1% of subjects and in more than one subject treated with doses ranging from 40 mg to 240 mg of ULORIC. This list also includes adverse reactions (less than 1% of subjects) associated with organ systems from Warnings and Precautions.
Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, leukocytosis/leukopenia, neutropenia, pancytopenia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia.
Cardiac Disorders: angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation/flutter, cardiac murmur, ECG abnormal, palpitations, sinus bradycardia, tachycardia.
Ear and Labyrinth Disorders: deafness, tinnitus, vertigo.
Eye Disorders: vision blurred.
Gastrointestinal Disorders: abdominal distention, abdominal pain, constipation, dry mouth, dyspepsia, flatulence, frequent stools, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastrointestinal discomfort, gingival pain, haematemesis, hyperchlorhydria, hematochezia, mouth ulceration, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, vomiting.
General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: asthenia, chest pain/discomfort, edema, fatigue, feeling abnormal, gait disturbance, influenza-like symptoms, mass, pain, thirst.
Hepatobiliary Disorders: cholelithiasis/cholecystitis, hepatic steatosis, hepatitis, hepatomegaly.
Immune System Disorder: hypersensitivity.
Infections and Infestations: herpes zoster.
Procedural Complications: contusion.
Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders: anorexia, appetite decreased/increased, dehydration, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypokalemia, weight decreased/increased.
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: arthritis, joint stiffness, joint swelling, muscle spasms/twitching/tightness/weakness, musculoskeletal pain/stiffness, myalgia.
Nervous System Disorders: altered taste, balance disorder, cerebrovascular accident, Guillain-Barré syndrome, headache, hemiparesis, hypoesthesia, hyposmia, lacunar infarction, lethargy, mental impairment, migraine, paresthesia, somnolence, transient ischemic attack, tremor.
Psychiatric Disorders: agitation, anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability, libido decreased, nervousness, panic attack, personality change.
Renal and Urinary Disorders: hematuria, nephrolithiasis, pollakiuria, proteinuria, renal failure, renal insufficiency, urgency, incontinence.
Reproductive System and Breast Changes: breast pain, erectile dysfunction, gynecomastia.
Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders: bronchitis, cough, dyspnea, epistaxis, nasal dryness, paranasal sinus hypersecretion, pharyngeal edema, respiratory tract congestion, sneezing, throat irritation, upper respiratory tract infection.<