Epoprostenol Sodium

FDA Drug Information • Also known as: Flolan

Brand Names: Flolan
Dosage Form: POWDER
Product Type: BULK INGREDIENT

Description

11 DESCRIPTION FLOLAN (epoprostenol sodium) for injection is sterile sodium salt that is a white or off-white powder formulated for intravenous (IV) administration. Each vial of FLOLAN contains epoprostenol sodium equivalent to either 0.5 mg (500,000 ng) or 1.5 mg (1,500,000 ng) epoprostenol, 3.76 mg glycine, 50 mg mannitol, and 2.93 mg sodium chloride. Sodium hydroxide may have been added to adjust pH. Epoprostenol (PGI 2 , PGX, prostacyclin), a metabolite of arachidonic acid, is a naturally occurring prostaglandin with potent vasodilatory activity and inhibitory activity of platelet aggregation. The chemical name of epoprostenol is (5Z,9α,11α,13 E ,15 S )-6,9-epoxy-11,15-dihydroxyprosta-5,13-dien-1-oic acid. Epoprostenol sodium has a molecular weight of 374.45 and a molecular formula of C 20 H 31 NaO 5 . The structural formula is: FLOLAN must be reconstituted with pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN. pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN is supplied in plastic vials each containing 50 mL of 94 mg glycine, 73.3 mg sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide (added to adjust the pH to 11.7 to 12.3), and Water for Injection. The stability of reconstituted solutions of FLOLAN is pH-dependent and is greater at higher pH. epoprostenol sodium chemical structure

What Is Epoprostenol Sodium Used For?

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE FLOLAN is indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group I) to improve exercise capacity. Trials establishing effectiveness included predominantly (97%) patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class III-IV symptoms and etiologies of idiopathic or heritable PAH (49%) or PAH associated with connective tissue diseases (51%). FLOLAN is a prostacyclin vasodilator indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group I) to improve exercise capacity. Studies establishing effectiveness included predominantly (97%) patients with NYHA Functional Class III-IV symptoms and etiologies of idiopathic or heritable PAH (49%) or PAH associated with connective tissue diseases (51%). ( 1 )

Dosage and Administration

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Initiate intravenous infusion through a central venous catheter at 2 ng/kg/min. ( 2.2 , 2.3 )

Change dose in 1- to 2-ng/kg/min increments at intervals of at least 15 minutes based on clinical response. ( 2.2 )

Avoid sudden large dose reductions. ( 2.2 , 5.2 ) 2.1 Reconstitution Each vial is for single use only; discard any unused diluent or unused reconstituted solution. Select a concentration for the solution of FLOLAN that is compatible with the infusion pump being used with respect to minimum and maximum flow rates, reservoir capacity, and the infusion pump criteria listed below [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.3 )] . Using aseptic technique, reconstitute FLOLAN only with pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN. Table 1 gives directions for preparing several different concentrations of FLOLAN. See storage and administration time limits for the reconstituted FLOLAN below. Table 1. Reconstitution and Dilution Instructions for FLOLAN Using pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN. a Higher concentrations may be prepared for patients who receive FLOLAN long-term. To make 100 mL of solution with final concentration of: Directions: 3,000 ng/mL Dissolve contents of one 0.5 ‑ mg vial with 5 mL of sterile diluent. Withdraw 3 mL and add to sufficient sterile diluent to make a total of 100 mL. 5,000 ng/mL Dissolve contents of one 0.5 ‑ mg vial with 5 mL of sterile diluent. Withdraw entire vial contents and add sufficient sterile diluent to make a total of 100 mL. 10,000 ng/mL Dissolve contents of two 0.5 ‑ mg vials each with 5 mL of sterile diluent. Withdraw entire vial contents and add sufficient sterile diluent to make a total of 100 mL. 15,000 ng/mL a Dissolve contents of one 1.5 ‑ mg vial with 5 mL of sterile diluent. Withdraw entire vial contents and add sufficient sterile diluent to make a total of 100 mL. Storage and Administration Limits for Reconstituted FLOLAN

Freshly prepared reconstituted solutions or reconstituted solutions that have been stored at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) for no longer than 8 days can be administered up to:

48 hours at up to 25°C (77°F). o 36 hours at up to 30°C (86°F). o 24 hours at up to 35°C (95°F). o 12 hours at up to 40°C (104°F). Discard any unused solution after these times.

Reconstituted solutions can be used immediately. Refrigerate at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) if not used immediately.

Protect from light.

Do not freeze reconstituted solutions. 2.2 Dosage Initiate intravenous infusions of FLOLAN at 2 ng/kg/min. Alter the infusion by 1- to 2-ng/kg/min increments at intervals sufficient to allow assessment of clinical response. These intervals should be at least 15 minutes. During dose initiation, asymptomatic increases in pulmonary artery pressure coincident with increases in cardiac output may occur. In such cases, consider dose reduction, but such an increase does not imply that chronic treatment is contraindicated. Base changes in the chronic infusion rate on persistence,...

Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions are dizziness, jaw pain, headache, musculoskeletal pain, and nausea/vomiting, and are generally associated with vasodilation. ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact GlaxoSmithKline at 1-888-825-5249 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 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 practice. Adverse reactions are shown in Table 2 and are generally related to vasodilatory effects. Table 2. Adverse Reactions Occurring in Patients with Idiopathic or Heritable PAH and with PAH Associated with Scleroderma Spectrum of Diseases (PAH/SSD) Occurring ≥10% More Frequently on FLOLAN than Conventional Therapy Adverse Reaction Idiopathic or Heritable PAH PAH/SSD FLOLAN Conventional Therapy FLOLAN Conventional Therapy (n = 52) (n = 54) (n = 56) (n = 55) Body as a whole Jaw pain 54% 0% 75% 0% Nonspecific musculoskeletal pain 35% 15% 84% 65% Headache 83% 33% 46% 5% Chills/fever/sepsis/flu-like symptoms 25% 11% 13% 11% Cardiovascular system Flushing 42% 2% 23% 0% Hypotension 27% 31% 13% 0% Tachycardia 35% 24% 43% 42% Digestive system Anorexia 25% 30% 66% 47% Nausea/Vomiting 67% 48% 41% 16% Diarrhea 37% 6% 50% 5% Skin and Appendages Skin ulcer - - 39% 24% Eczema/rash/urticaria 10% 13% 25% 4% Musculoskeletal System Myalgia 44% 31% - - Nervous system Anxiety/hyperkinesias/nervousness/tremor 21% 9% 7% 5% Hyperesthesia/hypesthesia/paresthesia 12% 2% 5% 0% Dizziness 83% 70% 59% 76% PAH = Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, SSD = Scleroderma Spectrum of Diseases. Adverse Events Attributable to the Drug Delivery System Chronic infusions of FLOLAN are delivered using a small, portable infusion pump through an indwelling central venous catheter. During controlled PAH trials of up to 12 weeks’ duration, the local infection rate was about 18% and the rate for pain was about 11%. During long‑term follow‑up, sepsis was reported at a rate of 0.3 infections/patient per year in patients treated with FLOLAN. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following events have been identified during postapproval use of FLOLAN. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate reliably their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Blood and Lymphatic Anemia, hypersplenism, pancytopenia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia. Cardiac High output cardiac failure. Endocrine and Metabolic Hyperthyroidism. Gastrointestinal Hepatic failure. Respiratory, Thoracic, and Mediastinal Pulmonary embolism.

Contraindications

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS FLOLAN is contraindicated in patients with heart failure caused by reduced left ventricular ejection fraction [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] . FLOLAN is contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to the drug or any of its ingredients.

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. ( 4 )

Hypersensitivity to FLOLAN or any of its ingredients. ( 4 )

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Limited published data from case series and case reports have not established an association with FLOLAN and major birth defects, miscarriage or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes when FLOLAN is used during pregnancy. There are risks to the mother and fetus from untreated pulmonary arterial hypertension (see Clinical Considerations) . In animal reproduction studies, pregnant rats and rabbits received epoprostenol sodium during organogenesis at exposures of 2.5 and 4.8 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD), respectively, and there was no effect on the fetus (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% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. Clinical Considerations Disease-Associated Maternal and/or Embryo/Fetal Risk: Pregnant women with untreated pulmonary arterial hypertension are at risk for heart failure, stroke, preterm delivery, and maternal and fetal death. Data Animal Data: Embryo-fetal development studies have been performed in rats and rabbits during organogenesis. Epoprostenol sodium doses up to 100 mcg/kg/day, a dose that was maternally toxic in rabbits but not in rats (600 mcg/m 2 /day in rats, 2.5 times the MRHD, and 1,180 mcg/m 2 /day in rabbits, 4.8 times the MRHD based on body surface area), had no effect on the fetus. In a postnatal development study, epoprostenol sodium was administered subcutaneously to female rats for 2 weeks prior to mating through weaning and to male rats for 60 days prior to and through mating at a male and female toxic dose of up to 100 mcg/kg/day (600 mcg/m 2 /day, 2.5 times the MRHD based on body surface area). There was no effect on growth and development of the offspring.

Overdosage

10 OVERDOSAGE Signs and Symptoms Hypoxemia, hypotension, and respiratory arrest leading to death have been reported in clinical practice following overdosage of FLOLAN. Excessive doses of FLOLAN were associated with flushing, headache, hypotension, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea during clinical trials. One patient with PAH/SSD accidentally received 50 mL of an unspecified concentration of FLOLAN. The patient vomited and became unconscious with an initially unrecordable blood pressure. FLOLAN was discontinued and the patient regained consciousness within seconds. Single intravenous doses of FLOLAN at 10 and 50 mg/kg (2,703 and 27,027 times the recommended acute phase human dose based on body surface area) were lethal to mice and rats, respectively. Symptoms of acute toxicity were hypoactivity, ataxia, loss of righting reflex, deep slow breathing, and hypothermia. Treatment Discontinue or reduce dose of FLOLAN.

How Supplied

16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING 16.1 How Supplied FLOLAN for injection is supplied as a sterile freeze‑dried powder in 17‑mL flint glass vials with gray butyl rubber closures. pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN is supplied in plastic vials containing 50‑mL diluent with fluororesin‑faced butyl rubber closures with aluminum overseal and lavender plastic flip-off cap. FLOLAN for injection 0.5-mg (500,000 ng) per vial, carton of 1 NDC 0173-0517-00 1.5-mg (1,500,000 ng) per vial, carton of 1 NDC 0173-0519-00 pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN 50 mL per vial (NDC 0173-0857-01), carton of 2 NDC 0173-0857-02 16.2 Storage and Handling Proper storage and handling are essential to maintain the potency of FLOLAN for injection. Unopened vials of FLOLAN powder are stable until the date indicated on the package when stored at room temperature, 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F) and protected from light in the carton. Unopened vials of pH 12 STERILE DILUENT for FLOLAN are stable until the date indicated on the package when stored at room temperature, 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F). DO NOT FREEZE.

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.