2.1 Patients with Cancer Receiving Myelosuppressive Chemotherapy

The recommended dosage of UDENYCA is a single subcutaneous injection of 6 mg administered once per chemotherapy cycle. For dosing in pediatric patients weighing less than 45 kg, refer to Table 1. Do not administer UDENYCA between 14 days before and 24 hours after administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy.

2.2 Administration

UDENYCA is administered subcutaneously via a single-dose prefilled syringe for manual use.

Prior to use‚ remove the carton from the refrigerator and allow the UDENYCA prefilled syringe to reach room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes. Discard any prefilled syringe left at room temperature for greater than 48 hours.

Visually inspect parenteral drug products (prefilled syringe) for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit. Do not administer UDENYCA if discoloration or particulates are observed.

The needle cap on the prefilled syringe is not made with natural rubber latex.

Pediatric Patients Weighing Less than 45 kg

The UDENYCA prefilled syringe is not designed to allow for direct administration of doses less than 0.6 mL (6 mg). The syringe does not bear graduation marks which are necessary to accurately measure doses of UDENYCA less than 0.6 mL (6 mg) for direct administration to patients. Thus, the direct administration to patients requiring dosing of less than 0.6 mL (6 mg) is not recommended due to the potential for dosing errors. Refer to Table 1.

5.1 Splenic Rupture

Splenic rupture, including fatal cases, can occur following the administration of pegfilgrastim products. Evaluate for an enlarged spleen or splenic rupture in patients who report left upper abdominal or shoulder pain after receiving UDENYCA.

5.2 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can occur in patients receiving pegfilgrastim products. Evaluate patients who develop fever and lung infiltrates or respiratory distress after receiving UDENYCA for ARDS. Discontinue UDENYCA in patients with ARDS.

5.3 Serious Allergic Reactions

Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can occur in patients receiving pegfilgrastim products. The majority of reported events occurred upon initial exposure. Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can recur within days after the discontinuation of initial anti-allergic treatment. Permanently discontinue UDENYCA in patients with serious allergic reactions. Do not administer UDENYCA to patients with a history of serious allergic reactions to pegfilgrastim products or filgrastim products.

5.4 Use in Patients with Sickle Cell Disorders

Severe and sometimes fatal sickle cell crises can occur in patients with sickle cell disorders receiving pegfilgrastim products. Discontinue UDENYCA if sickle cell crisis occurs.

5.5 Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis has occurred in patients receiving pegfilgrastim products. The diagnoses were based upon azotemia, hematuria (microscopic and macroscopic), proteinuria, and renal biopsy. Generally, events of glomerulonephritis resolved after dose reduction or discontinuation of pegfilgrastim products. If glomerulonephritis is suspected, evaluate for cause. If causality is likely, consider dose-reduction or interruption of UDENYCA.

5.6 Leukocytosis

White blood cell (WBC) counts of 100 x 109/L or greater have been observed in patients receiving pegfilgrastim products. Monitoring of complete blood count (CBC) during UDENYCA therapy is recommended.

5.7 Capillary Leak Syndrome

Capillary leak syndrome has been reported after G-CSF administration, including pegfilgrastim products, and is characterized by hypotension, hypoalbuminemia, edema, and hemoconcentration. Episodes vary in frequency, severity and may be life-threatening if treatment is delayed. Patients who develop symptoms of capillary leak syndrome should be closely monitored and receive standard symptomatic treatment, which may include a need for intensive care.

5.8 Potential for Tumor Growth Stimulatory Effects on Malignant Cells

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) receptor through which pegfilgrastim products and filgrastim products act has been found on tumor cell lines. The possibility that pegfilgrastim products act as a growth factor for any tumor type, including myeloid malignancies and myelodysplasia, diseases for which pegfilgrastim products are not approved, cannot be excluded.

5.9 Aortitis

Aortitis has been reported in patients receiving pegfilgrastim products. It may occur as early as the first week after start of therapy. Manifestations may include generalized signs and symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, malaise, back pain, and increased inflammatory markers (e.g., c-reactive protein and white blood cell count). Consider aortitis in patients who develop these signs and symptoms without known etiology. Discontinue UDENYCA if aortitis is suspected.

5.10 Nuclear Imaging

Increased hematopoietic activity of the bone marrow in response to growth factor therapy has been associated with transient positive bone imaging changes. This should be considered when interpreting bone imaging results.

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 with rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.

Pegfilgrastim clinical trials safety data are based upon 932 patients receiving pegfilgrastim in seven randomized clinical trials. The population was 21 to 88 years of age and 92% female. The ethnicity was 75% Caucasian, 18% Hispanic, 5% Black, and 1% Asian. Patients with breast (n = 823), lung and thoracic tumors (n = 53) and lymphoma (n = 56) received pegfilgrastim after nonmyeloablative cytotoxic chemotherapy. Most patients received a single 100 mcg/kg (n = 259) or a single 6 mg (n = 546) dose per chemotherapy cycle over 4 cycles.

The following adverse reaction data in Table 2 are from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with metastatic or non-metastatic breast cancer receiving docetaxel 100 mg/m2 every 21 days (Study 3). A total of 928 patients were randomized to receive either 6 mg pegfilgrastim (n = 467) or placebo (n = 461). The patients were 21 to 88 years of age and 99% female. The ethnicity was 66% Caucasian, 31% Hispanic, 2% Black, and <1% Asian, Native American or other.

The most common adverse reactions occurring in ≥ 5% of patients and with a between-group difference of ≥ 5% higher in the pegfilgrastim arm in placebo controlled clinical trials are bone pain and pain in extremity.

Leukocytosis

In clinical studies, leukocytosis (WBC counts > 100 x 109/L was observed in less than 1% of 932 patients with non-myeloid malignancies receiving pegfilgrastim. No complications attributable to leukocytosis were reported in clinical studies.

6.2 Immunogenicity

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for immunogenicity. The detection of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. Additionally, the observed incidence of antibody (including neutralizing antibody) positivity in an assay may be influenced by several factors including assay methodology, sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison of the incidence of antibodies in the studies described below with the incidence of antibodies in other studies or to other pegfilgrastim products may be misleading.

Binding antibodies to pegfilgrastim were detected using a BIAcore assay. The approximate limit of detection for this assay is 500 ng/mL. Pre-existing binding antibodies were detected in approximately 6% (51/849) of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Four of 521 pegfilgrastim-treated subjects who were negative at baseline developed binding antibodies to pegfilgrastim following treatment. None of these 4 patients had evidence of neutralizing antibodies detected using a cell-based bioassay.

6.3 Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of pegfilgrastim products. Because these reactions 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.

• Splenic rupture and splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]
• Allergic reactions/hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis, skin rash, urticaria, generalized erythema and flushing [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]
• Sickle cell crisis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]
• Glomerulonephritis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]
• Leukocytosis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)]
• Capillary leak syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]
• Injection site reactions
• Sweet’s syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis), cutaneous vasculitis
• Aortitis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)]
• Alveolar hemorrhage

8.1 Pregnancy

Risk Summary

Although available data with UDENYCA or pegfilgrastim product use in pregnant women are insufficient to establish whether there is a drug associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes, there are available data from published studies in pregnant women exposed to filgrastim products. These studies have not established an association of filgrastim product use during pregnancy with major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes.

In animal studies, no evidence of reproductive/developmental toxicity occurred in the offspring of pregnant rats that received cumulative doses of pegfilgrastim approximately 10 times the recommended human dose (based on body surface area). In pregnant rabbits, increased embryolethality and spontaneous abortions occurred at 4 times the maximum recommended human dose simultaneously with signs of maternal toxicity (see Data).

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Data

Animal Data

Pregnant rabbits were dosed with pegfilgrastim subcutaneously every other day during the period of organogenesis. At cumulative doses ranging from the approximate human dose to approximately 4 times the recommended human dose (based on body surface area), treated rabbits exhibited decreased maternal food consumption, maternal weight loss, as well as reduced fetal body weights and delayed ossification of the fetal skull; however, no structural anomalies were observed in the offspring from either study. Increased incidences of post-implantation losses and spontaneous abortions (more than half the pregnancies) were observed at cumulative doses approximately 4 times the recommended human dose, which were not seen when pregnant rabbits were exposed to the recommended human dose.

Three studies were conducted in pregnant rats dosed with pegfilgrastim at cumulative doses up to approximately 10 times the recommended human dose at the following stages of gestation: during the period of organogenesis, from mating through the first half of pregnancy, and from the first trimester through delivery and lactation. No evidence of fetal loss or structural malformations was observed in any study. Cumulative doses equivalent to approximately 3 and 10 times the recommended human dose resulted in transient evidence of wavy ribs in fetuses of treated mothers (detected at the end of gestation but no longer present in pups evaluated at the end of lactation).

8.2 Lactation

Risk Summary

There are no data on the presence of pegfilgrastim products in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Other filgrastim products are secreted poorly into breast milk, and filgrastim products are not orally absorbed by neonates. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for UDENYCA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from UDENYCA or from the underlying maternal condition.

8.4 Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of pegfilgrastim have been established in pediatric patients. No overall differences in safety were identified between adult and pediatric patients with pegfilgrastim based on postmarketing surveillance and review of the scientific literature.

Use of pegfilgrastim in pediatric patients for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is based on adequate and well controlled studies in adults with additional pharmacokinetic and safety data in pediatric patients with sarcoma [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) and Clinical Studies (14)].

8.5 Geriatric Use

Of the 932 patients with cancer who received pegfilgrastim in clinical studies, 139 (15%) were age 65 and over, and 18 (2%) were age 75 and over. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between patients age 65 and older and younger patients.

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Pegfilgrastim products are colony-stimulating factors that act on hematopoietic cells by binding to specific cell surface receptors, thereby stimulating proliferation, differentiation, commitment, and end cell functional activation.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics

Animal data and clinical data in humans suggest a correlation between pegfilgrastim products exposure and the duration of severe neutropenia as a predictor of efficacy. Selection of the dosing regimen of UDENYCA is based on reducing the duration of severe neutropenia.

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

The pharmacokinetics of pegfilgrastim were studied in 379 patients with cancer. The pharmacokinetics of pegfilgrastim were nonlinear, and clearance decreased with increases in dose. Neutrophil receptor binding is an important component of the clearance of pegfilgrastim, and serum clearance is directly related to the number of neutrophils. In addition to numbers of neutrophils, body weight appeared to be a factor. Patients with higher body weights experienced higher systemic exposure to pegfilgrastim after receiving a dose normalized for body weight. A large variability in the pharmacokinetics of pegfilgrastim was observed. The half-life of pegfilgrastim ranged from 15 to 80 hours after subcutaneous injection.

Specific Populations

No gender-related differences were observed in the pharmacokinetics of pegfilgrastim, and no differences were observed in the pharmacokinetics of geriatric patients (≥ 65 years of age) compared with younger patients (< 65 years of age) [see Use in Specific Populations (8.5)].

Renal Impairment

In a study of 30 subjects with varying degrees of renal dysfunction, including end stage renal disease, renal dysfunction had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of pegfilgrastim.

Pediatric Patients with Cancer Receiving Myelosuppressive Chemotherapy

The pharmacokinetics and safety of pegfilgrastim were studied in 37 pediatric patients with sarcoma in Study 4 [see Clinical Studies 14.1]. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) systemic exposure (AUC0-inf) of pegfilgrastim after subcutaneous administration at 100 mcg/kg was 47.9 (± 22.5) mcg·hr/mL in the youngest age group (0 to 5 years, n = 11), 22.0 (± 13.1) mcg·hr/mL in the 6 to 11 years age group (n = 10), and 29.3 (± 23.2) mcg·hr/mL in the 12 to 21 years age group (n = 13). The terminal elimination half-lives of the corresponding age groups were 30.1 (± 38.2) hours, 20.2 (± 11.3) hours, and 21.2 (± 16.0) hours, respectively.