Foscarnet Sodium

Description

DESCRIPTION The chemical name of foscarnet sodium is phosphonoformic acid, trisodium salt. Foscarnet sodium is a white, crystalline powder containing 6 equivalents of water of hydration with an empirical formula of Na 3 CO 5 P

What Is Foscarnet Sodium Used For?

INDICATIONS CMV Retinitis Foscarnet sodium injection is indicated for the treatment of CMV retinitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Combination therapy with foscarnet sodium and ganciclovir is indicated for patients who have relapsed after monotherapy with either drug. SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF FOSCARNET SODIUM HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR TREATMENT OF OTHER CMV INFECTIONS (e.g., PNEUMONITIS, GASTROENTERITIS); CONGENITAL OR NEONATAL CMV DISEASE; OR NONIMMUNOCOMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS. Mucocutaneous Acyclovir Resistant HSV Infections Foscarnet sodium injection is indicated for the treatment of acyclovir-resistant mucocutaneous HSV infections in immunocompromised patients. SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF FOSCARNET SODIUM HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR TREATMENT OF OTHER HSV INFECTIONS (e.g., RETINITIS, ENCEPHALITIS); CONGENITAL OR NEONATAL HSV DISEASE; OR HSV IN NONIMMUNOCOMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS.

Dosage and Administration

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION CAUTION—DO NOT ADMINISTER FOSCARNET SODIUM BY RAPID OR BOLUS INTRAVENOUS INJECTION. THE TOXICITY OF FOSCARNET SODIUM MAY BE INCREASED AS A RESULT OF EXCESSIVE PLASMA LEVELS. CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID UNINTENTIONAL OVERDOSE BY CAREFULLY CONTROLLING THE RATE OF INFUSION. THEREFORE, AN INFUSION PUMP MUST BE USED. IN SPITE OF THE USE OF AN INFUSION PUMP, OVERDOSES HAVE OCCURRED.

Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)

ADVERSE REACTIONS THE MAJOR TOXICITY OF FOSCARNET SODIUM IS RENAL IMPAIRMENT (see WARNINGS section). Approximately 33% of 189 patients with AIDS and CMV retinitis who received foscarnet sodium (60 mg/kg TID), without adequate hydration, developed significant impairment of renal function (serum creatinine ≥ 2.0 mg/dL). The incidence of renal impairment in subsequent clinical trials in which 1000 mL of normal saline or 5% dextrose solution was given with each infusion of foscarnet sodium was 12% (34/280). Foscarnet sodium has been associated with changes in serum electrolytes including hypocalcemia (15-30%), hypophosphatemia (8–26%) and hyperphosphatemia (6%), hypomagnesemia (15–30%), and hypokalemia (16–48%) (see WARNINGS section). The higher percentages were derived from those patients receiving hydration. Foscarnet sodium treatment was associated with seizures in 18/189 (10%) AIDS patients in the initial five controlled studies (see WARNINGS section). Risk factors associated with seizures included impaired baseline renal function, low total serum calcium, and underlying CNS conditions predisposing the patient to seizures. The rate of seizures did not increase with duration of treatment. Three cases were associated with overdoses of foscarnet sodium (see OVERDOSAGE section). In five controlled U.S. clinical trials the most frequently reported adverse events in patients with AIDS and CMV retinitis are shown in Table 9 . These figures were calculated without reference to drug relationship or severity. TABLE 9 Adverse Events Reported in Five Controlled US Clinical Trials n = 189 n = 189 Fever 65% Abnormal Renal Function 27% Nausea 47% Vomiting 26% Anemia 33% Headache 26% Diarrhea 30% Seizures 10% From the same controlled studies, adverse events categorized by investigator as “severe” are shown in Table 10 . Although death was specifically attributed to foscarnet sodium injection in only one case, other complications of foscarnet sodium (i.e., renal impairment, electrolyte abnormalities, and seizures) may have contributed to patient deaths (see WARNINGS section). TABLE 10 Severe Adverse Events n = 189 Death 14% Abnormal Renal Function 14% Marrow Suppression 10% Anemia 9% Seizures 7% From the five initial U.S. controlled trials of foscarnet sodium injection, the following list of adverse events has been compiled regardless of causal relationship to foscarnet sodium. Evaluation of these reports was difficult because of the diverse manifestations of the underlying disease and because most patients received numerous concomitant medications. Incidence of 5% or Greater Body as a Whole: fever, fatigue, rigors, asthenia, malaise, pain, infection, sepsis, death Central and Peripheral Nervous System: headache, paresthesia, dizziness, involuntary muscle contractions, hypoesthesia, neuropathy, seizures including grand mal seizures (see WARNINGS ) Gastrointestinal System: anorexia, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain Hematologic: anemia, granulocytopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia (see PRECAUTIONS ) Metabolic and Nutritional: mineral and electrolyte imbalances (see WARNINGS ) including hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypophosphatemia, hyperphosphatemia Psychiatric: depression, confusion, anxiety Respiratory System: coughing, dyspnea Skin and Appendages: rash, increased sweating Urinary System: alterations in renal function including increased serum creatinine, decreased creatinine clearance, and abnormal renal function (see WARNINGS ) Special Senses: vision abnormalities Incidence between 1% and 5% Application Site: injection site pain, injection site inflammation Body as a Whole: back pain, chest pain (including reports of transient chest pain as part of infusion reactions), edema, influenza-like symptoms, bacterial infections, moniliasis, fungal infections, abscess Cardiovascular: hypertension, palpitations, ECG abnormalities including sinus tachycardia, first degree AV block and non-specific ST-T segment changes,...

Drug Interactions

Drug Interactions A possible drug interaction of foscarnet sodium and intravenous pentamidine has been described. Concomitant treatment of four patients in the United Kingdom with foscarnet sodium and intravenous pentamidine may have caused hypocalcemia; one patient died with severe hypocalcemia. Toxicity associated with concomitant use of aerosolized pentamidine has not been reported. Because foscarnet can reduce serum levels of ionized calcium, extreme caution is advised when used concurrently with other drugs known to influence serum calcium levels (e.g., intravenous pentamidine). Renal impairment and symptomatic hypocalcemia have been observed during concurrent treatment with foscarnet and intravenous pentamidine. Because of foscarnet's tendency to cause renal impairment, the use of foscarnet sodium should be avoided in combination with potentially nephrotoxic drugs such as aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, cyclosporine, acyclovir, methotrexate, tacrolimus and intravenous pentamidine (see above) unless the potential benefits outweigh the risks to the patient. When diuretics are indicated, thiazides are recommended over loop diuretics because the latter inhibit renal tubular secretion, and may impair elimination of foscarnet, potentially leading to toxicity. Abnormal renal function has been observed in clinical practice during the use of foscarnet sodium and ritonavir, or foscarnet sodium, ritonavir, and saquinavir. (See DOSAGE and ADMINISTRATION. ) Because of the risk of QT prolongation and the potential for torsades de pointes, the use of foscarnet sodium should be avoided in combination with agents known to prolong the QT interval including Class IA (e.g., quinidine or procainamide) or Class III (e.g., dofetilide, amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic agents, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, and certain macrolides and fluoroquinolones.

Contraindications

CONTRAINDICATIONS Foscarnet sodium injection is contraindicated in patients with clinically significant hypersensitivity to foscarnet sodium.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy ​There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of foscarnet sodium in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. Animal Data: Foscarnet did not adversely affect fertility and general reproductive performance in rats. The results of peri- and post-natal studies in rats were also negative. However, these studies used exposures that are inadequate to define the potential for impairment of fertility at human drug exposure levels. Daily subcutaneous doses up to 75 mg/kg administered to female rats prior to and during mating, during gestation, and 21 days post-partum caused a slight increase (< 5%) in the number of skeletal anomalies compared with the control group. Daily subcutaneous doses up to 75 mg/kg administered to rabbits and 150 mg/kg administered to rats during gestation caused an increase in the frequency of skeletal anomalies/variations. On the basis of estimated drug exposure (as measured by AUC), the 150 mg/kg dose in rats and 75 mg/kg dose in rabbits were approximately one-eighth (rat) and one-third (rabbit) the estimated maximal daily human exposure. These studies are inadequate to define the potential teratogenicity at levels to which women will be exposed.

Nursing Mothers It is not known whether foscarnet sodium is excreted in human milk; however, in lactating rats administered 75 mg/kg, foscarnet sodium was excreted in maternal milk at concentrations three times higher than peak maternal blood concentrations. Because of the potential for serious adverse events in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue drug, taking into consideration the importance of the drug to the mother. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that HIV-infected mothers not breast-feed their infants to avoid risking postnatal transmission of HIV.

Overdosage

OVERDOSAGE In controlled clinical trials performed in the United States, overdosage with foscarnet sodium injection was reported in 10 out of 189 patients. All 10 patients experienced adverse events and all except one made a complete recovery. One patient died after receiving a total daily dose of 12.5 g for three days instead of the intended 10.9 g. The patient suffered a grand mal seizure and became comatose. Three days later the patient expired with the cause of death listed as respiratory/cardiac arrest. The other nine patients received doses ranging from 1.14 times to 8 times their recommended doses with an average of 4 times their recommended doses. Overall, three patients had seizures, three patients had renal function impairment, four patients had paresthesias either in limbs or periorally, and five patients had documented electrolyte disturbances primarily involving calcium and phosphate. Overdose (up to 20 times the recommended dose) has been reported in post-marketing use of foscarnet sodium. Some of these post-marketing reports were relative overdoses in that the dose of foscarnet sodium had not been adjusted in patients with a reduced renal function. The pattern of adverse events associated with a foscarnet sodium overdose is consistent with the known adverse event profile of the drug. There is no specific antidote for foscarnet sodium overdose. Hemodialysis and hydration may be of benefit in reducing drug plasma levels in patients who receive an overdosage of foscarnet sodium, but the effectiveness of these interventions has not been evaluated. The patient should be observed for signs and symptoms of renal impairment and electrolyte imbalance. Medical treatment should be instituted if clinically warranted.

How Supplied

HOW SUPPLIED Foscarnet sodium injection, 24 mg/mL for intravenous infusion, is supplied in 250 mL glass bottles containing 6000 mg foscarnet sodium (24 mg/mL) as follows: NDC 0143-9192-01 250 mL bottles, cases of 10 Single-dose. Discard unused portion. Store between 20° and 25°C (68° and 77°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from excessive heat (above 40°C) and from freezing. If refrigerated or exposed to temperatures below the freezing point, precipitation may occur. By keeping the bottle at room temperature with repeated shaking, the precipitate can be brought into solution again. Foscarnet sodium injection should be used only if the bottle and seal are intact, a vacuum is present, and the solution is clear and colorless. Manufactured by: Beijing Sciecure Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Zhongbei Industrial Park, Beishicao Town, Shunyi District, Beijing 101301, China Distributed by: Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 Date of revision: January 2024 logo