EXJADE® 125 mg dispersible tablets
EXJADE® 250 mg dispersible tablets
EXJADE® 500 mg dispersible tablets
EXJADE 125 mg dispersible tablets
Each dispersible tablet contains 125 mg deferasirox.
Excipient with known effect:
Each dispersible tablet contains 136 mg lactose.
EXJADE 250 mg dispersible tablets
Each dispersible tablet contains 250 mg deferasirox.
Excipient with known effect:
Each dispersible tablet contains 272 mg lactose.
EXJADE 500 mg dispersible tablets
Each dispersible tablet contains 500 mg deferasirox.
Excipient with known effect:
Each dispersible tablet contains 544 mg lactose.
For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.
Dispersible tablet
EXJADE 125 mg dispersible tablets
Off-white, round, flat tablets with bevelled edges and imprints (NVR on one face and J 125 on the other). Approximate tablet dimensions 12 mm x 3.6 mm.
EXJADE 250 mg dispersible tablets
Off-white, round, flat tablets with bevelled edges and imprints (NVR on one face and J 250 on the other). Approximate tablet dimensions 15 mm x 4.7 mm.
EXJADE 500 mg dispersible tablets
Off-white, round, flat tablets with bevelled edges and imprints (NVR on one face and J 500 on the other). Approximate tablet dimensions 20 mm x 5.6 mm.
EXJADE is indicated for the treatment of chronic iron overload due to frequent blood transfusions (≥7 ml/kg/month of packed red blood cells) in patients with beta thalassaemia major aged 6 years and older.
EXJADE is also indicated for the treatment of chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions when deferoxamine therapy is contraindicated or inadequate in the following patient groups:
- in paediatric patients with beta thalassaemia major with iron overload due to frequent blood transfusions (≥7 ml/kg/month of packed red blood cells) aged 2 to 5 years,
- in adult and paediatric patients with beta thalassaemia major with iron overload due to infrequent blood transfusions (<7 ml/kg/month of packed red blood cells) aged 2 years and older,
- in adult and paediatric patients with other anaemias aged 2 years and older.
EXJADE is also indicated for the treatment of chronic iron overload requiring chelation therapy when deferoxamine therapy is contraindicated or inadequate in patients with non-transfusion-dependent thalassaemia syndromes aged 10 years and older.
Treatment with EXJADE should be initiated and maintained by physicians experienced in the treatment of chronic iron overload.
Posology
Transfusional iron overload
It is recommended that treatment be started after the transfusion of approximately 20 units (about 100 ml/kg) of packed red blood cells (PRBC) or when there is evidence from clinical monitoring that chronic iron overload is present (e.g. serum ferritin >1,000 µg/l). Doses (in mg/kg) must be calculated and rounded to the nearest whole tablet size.
The goals of iron chelation therapy are to remove the amount of iron administered in transfusions and, as required, to reduce the existing iron burden.
In case of switching from film-coated tablets to dispersible tablets, the dose of dispersible tablets should be 40% higher than the dose of film-coated tablets, rounded to the nearest whole tablet.
The corresponding doses for both formulations are shown in the table below.
Table 1 Recommended doses for transfusional iron overload
|
|
Film-coated tablets
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Dispersible tablets
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Transfusions
|
|
Serum ferritin
|
|
Starting dose
|
14 mg/kg/day
|
20 mg/kg/day
|
After 20 units (about 100 ml/kg) of PRBC
|
or
|
>1,000 µg/l
|
|
Alternative starting doses
|
21 mg/kg/day
|
30 mg/kg/day
|
>14 ml/kg/month of PRBC (approx. >4 units/month for an adult)
|
|
|
|
|
7 mg/kg/day
|
10 mg/kg/day
|
<7 ml/kg/month of PRBC (approx. <2 units/month for an adult)
|
|
|
|
For patients well managed on deferoxamine
|
One third of deferoxamine dose
|
Half of deferoxamine dose
|
|
|
|
|
Monitoring
|
Monthly
|
|
Target range
|
500-1,000 µg/l
|
|
Adjustment steps
(every 3-6 months)
|
Increase
|
|
>2,500 µg/l
|
|
3.5 - 7 mg/kg/day
Up to 28 mg/kg/day
|
5-10 mg/kg/day
Up to 40 mg/kg/day
|
|
|
|
Decrease
|
|
|
|
3.5 - 7 mg/kg/day
|
5-10 mg/kg/day
|
|
<2,500 µg/l
|
|
In patients treated with doses >21 mg/kg/day
|
In patients treated with doses >30 mg/kg/day
|
|
|
|
- When target is reached
|
|
500-1,000 µg/l
|
|
Maximum dose
|
28 mg/kg/day
|
40 mg/kg/day
|
|
|
|
Consider interruption
|
<500 µg/l
|
Starting dose
The recommended initial daily dose of EXJADE dispersible tablets is 20 mg/kg body weight.
An initial daily dose of 30 mg/kg may be considered for patients who require reduction of elevated body iron levels and who are also receiving more than 14 ml/kg/month of packed red blood cells (approximately >4 units/month for an adult).
An initial daily dose of 10 mg/kg may be considered for patients who do not require reduction of body iron levels and who are also receiving less than 7 ml/kg/month of packed red blood cells (approximately <2 units/month for an adult). The patient's response must be monitored and a dose increase should be considered if sufficient efficacy is not obtained (see section 5.1).
For patients already well managed on treatment with deferoxamine, a starting dose of EXJADE dispersible tablets that is numerically half that of the deferoxamine dose could be considered (e.g. a patient receiving 40 mg/kg/day of deferoxamine for 5 days per week (or equivalent) could be transferred to a starting daily dose of 20 mg/kg/day of EXJADE dispersible tablets). When this results in a daily dose less than 20 mg/kg body weight, the patient's response must be monitored and a dose increase should be considered if sufficient efficacy is not obtained (see section 5.1).
Dose adjustment
It is recommended that serum ferritin be monitored every month and that the dose of EXJADE be adjusted, if necessary, every 3 to 6 months based on the trends in serum ferritin. Dose adjustments may be made in steps of 5 to 10 mg/kg and are to be tailored to the individual patient's response and therapeutic goals (maintenance or reduction of iron burden). In patients not adequately controlled with doses of 30 mg/kg (e.g. serum ferritin levels persistently above 2,500 µg/l and not showing a decreasing trend over time), doses of up to 40 mg/kg may be considered. The availability of long-term efficacy and safety data with EXJADE dispersible tablets used at doses above 30 mg/kg is currently limited (264 patients followed for an average of 1 year after dose escalation). If only very poor haemosiderosis control is achieved at doses up to 30 mg/kg, a further increase (to a maximum of 40 mg/kg) may not achieve satisfactory control, and alternative treatment options may be considered. If no satisfactory control is achieved at doses above 30 mg/kg, treatment at such doses should not be maintained and alternative treatment options should be considered whenever possible. Doses above 40 mg/kg are not recommended because there is only limited experience with doses above this level.
In patients treated with doses greater than 30 mg/kg, dose reductions in steps of 5 to 10 mg/kg should be considered when control has been achieved (e.g. serum ferritin levels persistently below 2,500 µg/l and showing a decreasing trend over time). In patients whose serum ferritin level has reached the target (usually between 500 and 1,000 µg/l), dose reductions in steps of 5 to 10 mg/kg should be considered to maintain serum ferritin levels within the target range. If serum ferritin falls consistently below
