Entecavir

FDA Drug Information • Also known as: Baraclude, Entecavir

Brand Names
Baraclude, Entecavir
Dosage Form
POWDER
Product Type
BULK INGREDIENT

⚠ Boxed Warning (Black Box)

WARNING: SEVERE ACUTE EXACERBATIONS OF HEPATITIS B, PATIENTS CO-INFECTED WITH HIV AND HBV, and LACTIC ACIDOSIS AND HEPATOMEGALY Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who have discontinued anti-hepatitis B therapy, including entecavir. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in patients who discontinue anti-hepatitis B therapy. If appropriate, initiation of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. Limited clinical experience suggests there is a potential for the development of resistance to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors if BARACLUDE is used to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients with HIV infection that is not being treated. Therapy with BARACLUDE is not recommended for HIV/HBV co-infected patients who are not also receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] . Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogue inhibitors alone or in combination with antiretrovirals [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] . WARNING: SEVERE ACUTE EXACERBATIONS OF HEPATITIS B, PATIENTS CO-INFECTED WITH HIV AND HBV, and LACTIC ACIDOSIS AND HEPATOMEGALY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.

  • Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who have discontinued anti-hepatitis B therapy, including entecavir. Hepatic function should be monitored closely for at least several months after discontinuation. Initiation of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted. (5.1)
  • BARACLUDE is not recommended for patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) who are not also receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), because of the potential for the development of resistance to HIV nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. (5.2)
  • Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogue inhibitors. (5.3)

  • Description

    11 DESCRIPTION BARACLUDE ® is the tradename for entecavir, a guanosine nucleoside analogue with selective activity against HBV. The chemical name for entecavir is 2-amino-1,9-dihydro-9-[( 1S,3R,4S )-4-hydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylenecyclopentyl]-6 H -purin-6-one, monohydrate. Its molecular formula is C 12 H 15 N 5 O 3

  • H 2 O, which corresponds to a molecular weight of 295.3. Entecavir has the following structural formula: Entecavir is a white to off-white powder. It is slightly soluble in water (2.4 mg/mL), and the pH of the saturated solution in water is 7.9 at 25° C ± 0.5° C. BARACLUDE film-coated tablets are available for oral administration in strengths of 0.5 mg and 1 mg of entecavir. BARACLUDE 0.5 mg and 1 mg film-coated tablets contain the following inactive ingredients: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone, povidone, and magnesium stearate. The tablet coating contains titanium dioxide, hypromellose, polyethylene glycol 400, polysorbate 80 (0.5 mg tablet only), and iron oxide red (1 mg tablet only). BARACLUDE Oral Solution is available for oral administration as a ready-to-use solution containing 0.05 mg of entecavir per milliliter. BARACLUDE Oral Solution contains the following inactive ingredients: maltitol, sodium citrate, citric acid, methylparaben, propylparaben, and orange flavor. entecavir structure.jpg

  • What Is Entecavir Used For?

    1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE BARACLUDE ® (entecavir) is indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older with evidence of active viral replication and either evidence of persistent elevations in serum aminotransferases (ALT or AST) or histologically active disease. BARACLUDE is a hepatitis B virus nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults and children at least 2 years of age with evidence of active viral replication and either evidence of persistent elevations in serum aminotransferases (ALT or AST) or histologically active disease. (1)

    Dosage and Administration

    2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

  • Nucleoside-inhibitor-treatment-naïve with compensated liver disease (greater than or equal to 16 years old): 0.5 mg once daily. (2.2)
  • Nucleoside-inhibitor-treatment-naïve and lamivudine-experienced pediatric patients at least 2 years of age and weighing at least 10 kg: dosing is based on weight. (2.3)
  • Lamivudine-refractory or known lamivudine or telbivudine resistance substitutions (greater than or equal to 16 years old): 1 mg once daily. (2.2)
  • Decompensated liver disease (adults): 1 mg once daily. (2.2)
  • Renal impairment: Dosage adjustment is recommended if creatinine clearance is less than 50 mL/min. (2.4)
  • BARACLUDE should be administered on an empty stomach. (2.1) 2.1 Timing of Administration BARACLUDE should be administered on an empty stomach (at least 2 hours after a meal and 2 hours before the next meal). 2.2 Recommended Dosage in Adults Compensated Liver Disease The recommended dose of BARACLUDE for chronic hepatitis B virus infection in nucleoside-inhibitor-treatment-naïve adults and adolescents 16 years of age and older is 0.5 mg once daily. The recommended dose of BARACLUDE in adults and adolescents (at least 16 years of age) with a history of hepatitis B viremia while receiving lamivudine or known lamivudine or telbivudine resistance substitutions rtM204I/V with or without rtL180M, rtL80I/V, or rtV173L is 1 mg once daily. Decompensated Liver Disease The recommended dose of BARACLUDE for chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults with decompensated liver disease is 1 mg once daily. 2.3 Recommended Dosage in Pediatric Patients Table 1 describes the recommended dose of BARACLUDE for pediatric patients 2 years of age or older and weighing at least 10 kg. The oral solution should be used for patients with body weight up to 30 kg. Table 1: Dosing Schedule for Pediatric Patients a Children with body weight greater than 30 kg should receive 10 mL (0.5 mg) of oral solution or one 0.5 mg tablet once daily. b Children with body weight greater than 30 kg should receive 20 mL (1 mg) of oral solution or one 1 mg tablet once daily. Recommended Once-Daily Dose of Oral Solution (mL) Body Weight (kg) Treatment-Naïve Patients a Lamivudine-Experienced Patients b 10 to 11 3 6 greater than 11 to 14 4 8 greater than 14 to 17 5 10 greater than 17 to 20 6 12 greater than 20 to 23 7 14 greater than 23 to 26 8 16 greater than 26 to 30 9 18 greater than 30 10 20 2.4 Renal Impairment In adult subjects with renal impairment, the apparent oral clearance of entecavir decreased as creatinine clearance decreased [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Dosage adjustment is recommended for patients with creatinine clearance less than 50 mL/min, including patients on hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), as shown in Table 2. The once-daily dosing regimens are preferred. Table 2: Recommended Dosage of BARACLUDE in Adult Patients with Renal Impairment a For doses less than 0.5 mg, BARACLUDE Oral Solution...

  • Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)

    6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following adverse reactions are discussed in other sections of the labeling:

  • Exacerbations of hepatitis after discontinuation of treatment [see Boxed Warning , Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].
  • Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis [see Boxed Warning , Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ].
  • In adults, the most common adverse reactions (≥3%, all severity grades) are headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. The adverse reactions observed in pediatric patients were consistent with those observed in adults. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bristol-Myers Squibb at 1-800-721-5072 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trial 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. Clinical Trial Experience in Adults Compensated Liver Disease Assessment of adverse reactions is based on four studies (AI463014, AI463022, AI463026, and AI463027) in which 1720 subjects with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and compensated liver disease received double-blind treatment with BARACLUDE 0.5 mg/day (n=679), BARACLUDE 1 mg/day (n=183), or lamivudine (n=858) for up to 2 years. Median duration of therapy was 69 weeks for BARACLUDE-treated subjects and 63 weeks for lamivudine-treated subjects in Studies AI463022 and AI463027 and 73 weeks for BARACLUDE-treated subjects and 51 weeks for lamivudine-treated subjects in Studies AI463026 and AI463014. The safety profiles of BARACLUDE and lamivudine were comparable in these studies. The most common adverse reactions of any severity (≥3%) with at least a possible relation to study drug for BARACLUDE-treated subjects were headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. The most common adverse reactions among lamivudine-treated subjects were headache, fatigue, and dizziness. One percent of BARACLUDE-treated subjects in these four studies compared with 4% of lamivudine-treated subjects discontinued for adverse events or abnormal laboratory test results. Clinical adverse reactions of moderate-severe intensity and considered at least possibly related to treatment occurring during therapy in four clinical studies in which BARACLUDE was compared with lamivudine are presented in Table 3. Table 3: Clinical Adverse Reactions a of Moderate-Severe Intensity (Grades 2‑4) Reported in Four Entecavir Clinical Trials Through 2 Years a Includes events of possible, probable, certain, or unknown relationship to treatment regimen. b Studies AI463022 and AI463027. c Includes Study AI463026 and the BARACLUDE 1 mg and lamivudine treatment arms of Study AI463014, a Phase 2 multinational, randomized, double-blind study of three doses of BARACLUDE (0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg) once daily versus continued lamivudine 100 mg once daily for up to 52 weeks in subjects who experienced recurrent viremia on lamivudine therapy. Nucleoside-Inhibitor‑Naïve b Lamivudine- Refractory c Body System/ Adverse Reaction BARACLUDE 0.5 mg n=679 Lamivudine 100 mg n=668 BARACLUDE 1 mg n=183 Lamivudine 100 mg n=190 Any Grade 2–4 adverse reaction a 15% 18% 22% 23% Gastrointestinal Diarrhea <1% 0 1% 0 Dyspepsia <1% <1% 1% 0 Nausea <1% <1% <1% 2% Vomiting <1% <1% <1% 0 General Fatigue 1% 1% 3% 3% Nervous System Headache 2% 2% 4% 1% Dizziness <1% <1% 0 1% Somnolence <1% <1% 0 0 Psychiatric Insomnia <1% <1% 0 <1% Laboratory Abnormalities Frequencies of selected treatment-emergent laboratory abnormalities reported during therapy in four clinical trials of BARACLUDE compared with lamivudine are listed in Table 4. Table 4: Selected Treatment-Emergent a Laboratory Abnormalities Reported in Four Entecavir Clinical Trials Through 2 Years a On-treatment value worsened from baseline to Grade 3 or Grade 4 for all parameters except albumin (any on-treatment value <2.5 g/dL),...

  • Drug Interactions

    7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Since entecavir is primarily eliminated by the kidneys [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] , coadministration of BARACLUDE with drugs that reduce renal function or compete for active tubular secretion may increase serum concentrations of either entecavir or the coadministered drug. Coadministration of entecavir with lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil, or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate did not result in significant drug interactions. The effects of coadministration of BARACLUDE with other drugs that are renally eliminated or are known to affect renal function have not been evaluated, and patients should be monitored closely for adverse events when BARACLUDE is coadministered with such drugs. Drug Interactions The metabolism of entecavir was evaluated in in vitro and in vivo studies. Entecavir is not a substrate, inhibitor, or inducer of the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme system. At concentrations up to approximately 10,000-fold higher than those obtained in humans, entecavir inhibited none of the major human CYP450 enzymes 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4, 2B6, and 2E1. At concentrations up to approximately 340-fold higher than those observed in humans, entecavir did not induce the human CYP450 enzymes 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 3A4, 3A5, and 2B6. The pharmacokinetics of entecavir are unlikely to be affected by coadministration with agents that are either metabolized by, inhibit, or induce the CYP450 system. Likewise, the pharmacokinetics of known CYP substrates are unlikely to be affected by coadministration of entecavir. The steady-state pharmacokinetics of entecavir and coadministered drug were not altered in interaction studies of entecavir with lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate [see Drug Interactions (7) ].

    Contraindications

    4 CONTRAINDICATIONS None.

  • None. (4)

  • Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

    8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Exposure Registry There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to BARACLUDE during pregnancy. Healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry (APR) at 1-800-258-4263. Risk Summary Prospective pregnancy data from the APR are not sufficient to adequately assess the risk of birth defects, miscarriage or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Entecavir use during pregnancy has been evaluated in a limited number of individuals reported to the APR and the number of exposures to entecavir is insufficient to make a risk assessment compared to a reference population. The estimated background rate for major birth defects is 2.7% in the U.S. reference population of the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP). The rate of miscarriage is not reported in the APR. 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 miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 15–20%. In animal reproduction studies, no adverse developmental effects were observed with entecavir at clinically relevant exposures. No developmental toxicities were observed at systemic exposures (AUC) approximately 25 (rats) and 200 (rabbits) times the exposure at the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 1 mg/day (see Data). Data Animal Data Entecavir was administered orally to pregnant rats (at 2, 20, and 200 mg per kg per day) and rabbits (at 1, 4, and 16 mg per kg per day) during organogenesis (on gestation Days 6 through 15 [rat] and 6 through 18 [rabbit]). In rats, embryofetal toxicity including post-implantation loss, resorptions, tail and vertebral malformations, skeletal variations including reduced ossification (vertebrate, sternebrae, and phalanges) and extra lumbar vertebrae and ribs, and lower fetal body weights were observed at systemic exposures (AUC) 3,100...

    Overdosage

    10 OVERDOSAGE There is limited experience of entecavir overdosage reported in patients. Healthy subjects who received single entecavir doses up to 40 mg or multiple doses up to 20 mg/day for up to 14 days had no increase in or unexpected adverse events. If overdose occurs, the patient must be monitored for evidence of toxicity, and standard supportive treatment applied as necessary. Following a single 1 mg dose of entecavir, a 4-hour hemodialysis session removed approximately 13% of the entecavir dose.

    How Supplied

    16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING BARACLUDE ® (entecavir) Tablets and Oral Solution are available in the following strengths and configurations of plastic bottles with child-resistant closures: Product Strength and Dosage Form Description Quantity NDC Number 0.5 mg film-coated tablet White to off-white, triangular-shaped tablet, debossed with “BMS” on one side and “1611” on the other side. 30 tablets 0003-1611-12 1 mg film-coated tablet Pink, triangular-shaped tablet, debossed with “BMS” on one side and “1612” on the other side. 30 tablets 0003-1612-12 0.05 mg/mL oral solution Ready-to-use, orange-flavored, clear, colorless to pale yellow, aqueous solution in a 260 mL bottle. 210 mL 0003-1614-12 BARACLUDE Oral Solution is a ready-to-use product; dilution or mixing with water or any other solvent or liquid product is not recommended. Each bottle of the oral solution is accompanied by a dosing spoon that is calibrated in 0.5 mL increments up to 10 mL. Storage BARACLUDE Tablets should be stored in a tightly closed container at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Store in the outer carton to protect from light. BARACLUDE Oral Solution should be stored in the outer carton at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light. After opening, the oral solution can be used up to the expiration date on the bottle. The bottle and its contents should be discarded after the expiration date.

    About This Information

    This drug information is sourced from FDA-approved labeling via the openFDA database. It is intended for educational and reference purposes only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions about medication. Drug information may be updated by the FDA; check with your pharmacist for the most current information.

    What are side effects?

    Side effects are unwanted reactions that can occur when taking a medication. They range from mild (headache, nausea) to severe (allergic reactions, organ damage). Not everyone experiences side effects, and severity varies. Report any concerning side effects to your doctor.

    What are drug interactions?

    Drug interactions occur when a medication is affected by another drug, food, or supplement. Interactions can make medications less effective or cause dangerous side effects. Always tell your doctor about all medications and supplements you take.