1.1 Indication

Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension is indicated for the topical treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris of the scalp in adults 18 years and older.

1.2 Limitations of Use

• Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension should not be used on the face, axillae or groin
• Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension should not be used if there is atrophy at the treatment site

2.1 Usual Dosage and Administration

Apply Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension to affected areas on the scalp once daily for 2 weeks or until cleared. Treatment may be continued for up to 8 weeks. The maximum weekly dose should not exceed 100 g. Patients should shake the bottle prior to using the product. Patients should wash their hands after applying Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension.

Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.

5.1 Effects on Calcium Metabolism

Hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria have been observed with use of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension. If hypercalcemia or hypercalciuria develop, treatment should be discontinued until parameters of calcium metabolism have normalized. The effects of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on calcium metabolism following treatment durations of more than 8 weeks have not been evaluated.

5.2 Effects on Endocrine System

Systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids can produce reversible hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression with the potential for clinical glucocorticosteroid insufficiency. This may occur during treatment or upon withdrawal of the topical corticosteroid.

In a study of 32 subjects treated with Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on the scalp and Taclonex® Ointment on the body, adrenal suppression was identified in 5 of 32 subjects (15.6%) after 4 weeks of treatment and in 2 of 11 subjects (18.2%) who continued treatment for 8 weeks. [See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Pharmacodynamics (12.2)]

Because of the potential for systemic absorption, use of topical corticosteroids may require that patients be periodically evaluated for HPA axis suppression. Factors that predispose a patient using a topical corticosteroid to HPA axis suppression include the use of more potent steroids, use over large surface areas, use over prolonged periods, use under occlusion, use on an altered skin barrier, and use in patients with liver failure.

An ACTH stimulation test may be helpful in evaluating patients for HPA axis suppression. If HPA axis suppression is documented, an attempt should be made to gradually withdraw the drug, to reduce the frequency of application, or to substitute a less potent steroid. Manifestations of adrenal insufficiency may require supplemental systemic corticosteroids. Recovery of HPA axis function is generally prompt and complete upon discontinuation of topical corticosteroids.

Cushing’s syndrome, hyperglycemia, and unmasking of latent diabetes mellitus can also result from systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids.

Use of more than one corticosteroid-containing product at the same time may increase the total systemic corticosteroid exposure.

Pediatric patients may be more susceptible to systemic toxicity from use of topical corticosteroids. [See Use in Specific Populations (8.4)]

5.3 Local Adverse Reactions with Topical Corticosteroids

Local adverse reactions may be more likely to occur with occlusive use, prolonged use or use of higher potency corticosteroids. Reactions may include atrophy, striae, telangiectasias, burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, secondary infection, and miliaria. Some local adverse reactions may be irreversible.

5.4 Allergic Contact Dermatitis with Topical Corticosteroids

Allergic contact dermatitis to any component of topical corticosteroids is usually diagnosed by a failure to heal rather than a clinical exacerbation. Clinical diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis can be confirmed by patch testing.

5.5 Allergic Contact Dermatitis with Topical Calcipotriene

Allergic contact dermatitis has been observed with use of topical calcipotriene. Clinical diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis can be confirmed by patch testing.

5.6 Concomitant Skin Infections

Concomitant skin infections should be treated with an appropriate antimicrobial agent. If the infection persists, Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension should be discontinued until the infection has been adequately treated.

5.7 Unevaluated Uses

The safety and efficacy of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension in patients with known or suspected disorders of calcium metabolism have not been evaluated.

The safety and efficacy of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension in patients with erythrodermic, exfoliative or pustular psoriasis have not been evaluated.

The safety and efficacy of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension in patients with severe renal insufficiency or severe hepatic disorders have not been evaluated.

5.8 Eye Exposures

Avoid eye exposures. Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension may cause eye irritation.

5.9 Ultraviolet Light Exposures

Patients who apply Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension to exposed skin (e.g. a bald scalp) should avoid excessive exposure to either natural or artificial sunlight, including tanning booths, sun lamps, etc. Physicians may wish to limit or avoid use of phototherapy to the scalp in patients who use Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension.

6.1 Clinical Studies Experience

The rates of adverse reactions given below were derived from randomized, multicenter, prospective vehicle- and/or active-controlled clinical studies in subjects with scalp psoriasis. Subjects applied study product once daily for 8 weeks, and the median weekly

dose was 12.6 g.

Adverse reactions that occurred in ≥ 1% of subjects treated with Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension and at a rate higher than in subjects treated with vehicle are presented in Table 1:

Other less common reactions (less than 1% but more than 0.1%) were, in decreasing order of incidence: acne, exacerbation of psoriasis, eye irritation, and pustular rash.

In a 52-week study, adverse reactions that were reported by greater than 1% of subjects treated with Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension were pruritus (3.6%), psoriasis (2.4%), erythema (2.1%), skin irritation (1.4%), and folliculitis (1.2%). The effects of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on calcium metabolism and the HPA axis were not investigated in the 52-week study.

8.1 Pregnancy

Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category C

Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension. Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension contains calcipotriene that has been shown to be fetotoxic and betamethasone dipropionate that has been shown to be teratogenic in animals when given systemically. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the patient justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

Teratogenicity studies with calcipotriene were performed by the oral route in rats and rabbits. In rabbits, increased maternal and fetal toxicity were noted at a dosage of 12 mcg/kg/day (144 mcg/m2/day); a dosage of 36 mcg/kg/day (432 mcg/m2/day) resulted in a significant increase in the incidence of incomplete ossification of the pubic bones and forelimb phalanges of fetuses. In a rat study, a dosage of 54 mcg/kg/day (324 mcg/m2/day) resulted in a significantly increased incidence of skeletal abnormalities (enlarged fontanelles and extra ribs). The enlarged fontanelles were most likely due to the effect of calcipotriene upon calcium metabolism. The estimated maternal and fetal no-adverse effect levels (NOAEL) in the rat (108 mcg/m2/day) and rabbit (48 mcg/m2/day) derived from oral studies are lower than the maximum topical dose of calcipotriene in man (460 mcg/m2/day).

Corticosteroids are generally teratogenic in laboratory animals when administered systemically at relatively low dosage levels. Betamethasone dipropionate has been shown to be teratogenic in mice and rabbits when given by the subcutaneous route at doses of 156 mcg/kg (468 mcg/m2/day) and 2.5 mcg/kg (30 mcg/m2/day), respectively. Those dose levels are lower than the maximum topical dose in man (about 5,950 mcg/m2/day). The abnormalities observed included umbilical hernia, exencephaly and cleft palate.

Pregnant women were excluded from the clinical studies conducted with Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension.

8.3 Nursing Mothers

Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other untoward effects.

It is not known whether topically administered calcipotriene or corticosteroids could result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in human milk.

Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension is administered to a nursing woman.

8.4 Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness of the use of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension in pediatric patients have not been studied. Because of a higher ratio of skin surface area to body mass, children under the age of 12 years may be at particular risk of systemic adverse effects when they are treated with topical corticosteroids. [See Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]

HPA axis suppression, Cushing’s syndrome, linear growth retardation, delayed weight gain, and intracranial hypertension have been reported in children receiving topical corticosteroids. Manifestations of adrenal suppression in children include low plasma cortisol levels and absence of response to ACTH stimulation. Manifestations of intracranial hypertension include bulging fontanelles, headaches, and bilateral papilledema.

8.5 Geriatric Use

Of the total number of patients in the controlled clinical studies of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension, 334 were 65 years or older, while 84 were 75 years or older.

No overall differences in safety or effectiveness of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension were observed between these patients and younger patients. All other reported clinical experience has not identified any differences in response between elderly and younger

patients.

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension combines the pharmacological effects of calcipotriene hydrate as a synthetic vitamin D3 analogue and betamethasone dipropionate as a synthetic corticosteroid. However, while their pharmacologic and clinical effects are known, the exact mechanisms of their actions in psoriasis vulgaris are unknown.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis Suppression:

HPA axis suppression was evaluated in adult subjects (N=32) with extensive psoriasis involving at least 30% of the scalp and, in total, 15-30% of the body surface area. Treatment consisted of once daily application of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on the scalp in combination with Taclonex® Ointment on the body for 4 to 8 weeks. Adrenal suppression as indicated by a 30-minute post-stimulation cortisol level ≤ 18 mcg/dL was observed in 5 of 32 subjects (15.6%) after 4 weeks of treatment and in 2 of 11 subjects (18.2%) who continued treatment for 8 weeks.

Effects on Calcium Metabolism:

In the study described above, the effects of once daily application of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on the scalp in combination with Taclonex® Ointment on the body for 4 to 8 weeks on calcium metabolism were also examined. Following once daily application of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on the scalp in combination with Taclonex® Ointment on the body, elevated urinary calcium levels outside the normal range were observed in two subjects (one at 4 weeks and one at 8 weeks).

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

Absorption

Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension:

The systemic effect of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension in extensive psoriasis was investigated in the study described above. In this study, the serum levels of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate and their major metabolites were measured after 4 and 8 weeks of once daily application of Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension on the scalp in combination with Taclonex® Ointment on the body. Calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate were below the lower limit of quantification in all serum samples of the 34 subjects evaluated.

However, one major metabolite of calcipotriene (MC1080) was quantifiable in 10 of 34 (29.4%) subjects at week 4 and in five of 12 (41.7%) subjects at week 8. The major metabolite of betamethasone dipropionate, betamethasone 17-propionate (B17P) was also quantifiable in 19 of 34 (55.9%) subjects at week 4 and seven of 12 (58.3%) subjects at week 8. The serum concentrations for MC1080 ranged from 20-75 pg/mL. The clinical significance of this finding is unknown.

Metabolism

Calcipotriene:

Calcipotriene metabolism following systemic uptake is rapid and occurs in the liver. The primary metabolites of calcipotriene are less potent than the parent compound.

Calcipotriene is metabolized to MC1046 (the α,ß-unsaturated ketone analog of calcipotriene), which is metabolized further to MC1080 (a saturated ketone analog). MC1080 is the major metabolite in plasma. MC1080 is slowly metabolized to calcitroic acid.

Betamethasone dipropionate:

Betamethasone dipropionate is metabolized to betamethasone 17-propionate and betamethasone, including the 6ß-hydroxy derivatives of those compounds by hydrolysis. Betamethasone 17-propionate (B17P) is the primary metabolite.

13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

When calcipotriene was applied topically for up to 24 months at dosages of 3, 10 and 30 mcg/kg/day (corresponding to 9, 30 and 90 mcg/m2/day), no biologically significant changes in tumor incidence were observed when compared to control. In a study in which albino hairless mice were exposed to both ultra-violet radiation (UVR) and topically applied calcipotriene, a reduction in the time required for UVR to induce the formation of skin tumors was observed (statistically significant in males only), suggesting that calcipotriene may enhance the effect of UVR to induce skin tumors.

Long-term animal studies have not been performed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of betamethasone dipropionate.

Calcipotriene did not elicit any genotoxic effects in the Ames mutagenicity assay, the mouse lymphoma TK locus assay, the human lymphocyte chromosome aberration test, or the mouse micronucleus test.

Betamethasone dipropionate did not elicit any genotoxic effect in the Ames mutagenicity assay, the mouse lymphoma TK locus assay, or in the rat micronucleus test.

Studies in rats at doses of up to 54 mcg/kg/day (324 mcg/m2/day) of calcipotriene indicated no impairment of fertility or general reproductive performance.

Studies in male rats at oral doses of up to 200 mcg/kg/day (1,200 mcg/m2/day), and in female rats at oral doses of up to 1,000 mcg/kg/day (6,000 mcg/m2/day) of betamethasone dipropionate indicated no impairment of fertility.

14.1 Controlled Clinical Studies

Two multicenter, randomized, double-blind studies were conducted. In Study One, 1,407 subjects were randomized to one of four treatment groups: Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension, betamethasone dipropionate in the same vehicle, calcipotriene hydrate in the same vehicle, or the vehicle alone. Study Two did not include a vehicle arm; 1,280 subjects were randomized to one of three treatment groups: Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension, betamethasone dipropionate in the same vehicle, or calcipotriene hydrate in the same vehicle. Both studies enrolled subjects with moderate to very severe scalp psoriasis. The majority of subjects had disease of moderate severity at baseline. Subjects were treated once daily for 8 weeks.

Efficacy was assessed as the proportion of patients at Week 8 with absent or very mild disease according to an Investigator’s Global Assessment of Disease Severity. "Clear" was defined as no evidence of redness, thickness or scaling. "Almost clear" was defined as an overall clinical picture of lesions with the presence of minimal erythema. Table 2 contains the response rates in each of these two trials.

16.1 How Supplied

Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension is available in bottles of:

16.2 Storage

Store between 20-25°C (68-77°F); excursions permitted between 15-30°C (59-86°F).

Do not refrigerate. Keep the bottle in the outer carton when not in use.

The product should be used within three months after it has been opened.

16.3 Handling

Keep out of reach of children.

Shake before use.

Rx only.

17.1 Instructions for Use

This medication is to be used as directed by the physician. It is for external use only. Avoid contact with the face or eyes. As with any topical medication, patients should wash hands after application. This medication should not be used for any disorder other than that for which it has been prescribed. The treated skin area should not be bandaged or otherwise covered as to be occlusive, unless directed by the physician.

17.2 Adverse Reactions

Patients should report any signs of adverse reactions to their physician.

17.3 Concomitant Use of other Corticosteroids

Other products containing calcipotriene or a corticosteroid should not be used with Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension without first talking to the physician.

17.4 Excessive Exposure to Light

Patients who use Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension should avoid excessive exposure to either natural or artificial sunlight (including tanning booths, sun lamps, etc.). Physicians may wish to limit or avoid use of phototherapy in patients who use Taclonex Scalp® Topical Suspension.

Manufactured by:

LEO Pharmaceutical Products Ltd.,
Ballerup, Denmark

LEO®              

Distributed by:

LEO Pharma Inc.
1 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054, USA
1-877-494-4536

U.S. Patent Nos. RE39,706 E, 6,753,013 and 6,787,529.

024580-00

December 2009

Relabeling of "Additional Barcode" label by:

Physicians Total Care, Inc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma    74146