Drug Detail:Pegintron (Peginterferon alfa-2b [ peg-in-ter-feer-on-al-fa-too-bee ])
Generic Name: Peginterferon alfa-2b 50ug in 0.5mL
Dosage Form: injection, powder, lyophilized, for solution
Drug Class: Antineoplastic interferons Antiviral interferons
PEGINTRON Combination Therapy
Adults
The recommended dose of PEGINTRON is 1.5 mcg/kg/week. The volume of PEGINTRON to be injected depends on the strength of PEGINTRON and patient's body weight (see Table 1).
PEGINTRON is used in combination with other products including ribavirin and HCV direct acting antivirals. For further information on dosing and administration, refer to the respective prescribing information.
Duration of Treatment – Treatment with PEGINTRON/Ribavirin in Interferon Alpha-Naïve Patients
The treatment duration for patients with genotype 1 is 48 weeks. Discontinuation of therapy should be considered in patients who do not achieve at least a 2 log10 drop or loss of HCV-RNA at 12 weeks, or if HCV-RNA remains detectable after 24 weeks of therapy. Patients with genotype 2 and 3 should be treated for 24 weeks.
Duration of Treatment – Re-treatment with PEGINTRON/Ribavirin of Prior Treatment Failures
For patients with genotype 1 infection, PEGINTRON and ribavirin without an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor should only be used if there are contraindications, significant intolerance or other clinical factors that would not warrant use of an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor. The treatment duration for patients who previously failed therapy is 48 weeks, regardless of HCV genotype. Re-treated patients who fail to achieve undetectable HCV-RNA at Week 12 of therapy, or whose HCV-RNA remains detectable after 24 weeks of therapy, are highly unlikely to achieve SVR and discontinuation of therapy should be considered [see Clinical Studies (14.1)].
Body Weight kg (lbs) |
PEGINTRON REDIPEN Pre-filled pen or Vial Strength to Use | Amount of PEGINTRON to Administer (mcg) |
Volume* of PEGINTRON to Administer (mL) |
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
<40 (<88) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 50 | 0.5 |
40-50 (88-111) |
80 mcg per 0.5 mL | 64 | 0.4 |
51-60 (112-133) |
80 | 0.5 | |
61-65 (134-144) |
120 mcg per 0.5 mL | 96 | 0.4 |
66-75 (145-166) |
|||
76-80 (167-177) |
120 | 0.5 | |
81-85 (178-187) |
|||
86-105 (188-231) |
150 mcg per 0.5 mL | 150 | 0.5 |
>105 (>231) |
† | † | † |
Pediatric Patients
Dosing for pediatric patients is determined by body surface area for PEGINTRON and by body weight for ribavirin. For information on ribavirin dosing, refer to the ribavirin prescribing information. The recommended dose of PEGINTRON is 60 mcg/m2/week subcutaneously for pediatric patients aged 3 to 17 years. Patients who reach their 18th birthday while receiving PEGINTRON/ribavirin should remain on the pediatric dosing regimen. The treatment duration for patients with genotype 1 is 48 weeks. Patients with genotype 2 and 3 should be treated for 24 weeks.
PEGINTRON Monotherapy
The recommended dose of PEGINTRON regimen is 1 mcg/kg/week subcutaneously for 1 year administered on the same day of the week. Discontinuation of therapy should be considered in patients who do not achieve at least a 2 log10 drop or loss of HCV-RNA at 12 weeks of therapy, or whose HCV-RNA levels remain detectable after 24 weeks of therapy. The volume of PEGINTRON to be injected depends on patient weight (see Table 2).
Body Weight kg (lbs) |
PEGINTRON REDIPEN Pre-filled pen or Vial Strength to Use | Amount of PEGINTRON to Administer (mcg) |
Volume of PEGINTRON to Administer (mL)* |
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
≤45 (≤100) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 40 | 0.4 |
46-56 (101-124) |
50 | 0.5 | |
57-72 (125-159) |
80 mcg per 0.5 mL | 64 | 0.4 |
73-88 (160-195) |
80 | 0.5 | |
89-106 (196-234) |
120 mcg per 0.5 mL | 96 | 0.4 |
107-136 (235-300) |
120 | 0.5 | |
137-160 (301-353) |
150 mcg per 0.5 mL | 150 | 0.5 |
Dosage Modifications
If a serious adverse reaction develops during the course of treatment, discontinue or modify the dosage of PEGINTRON and ribavirin until the adverse event abates or decreases in severity [see Warnings and Precautions (5)]. If persistent or recurrent serious adverse events develop despite adequate dosage adjustment, discontinue treatment. For guidelines for dose modifications and discontinuation based on depression or laboratory parameters see Tables 3 and 4. Dose reduction of PEGINTRON in adult patients on PEGINTRON/ribavirin combination therapy is accomplished in a two-step process from the original starting dose of 1.5 mcg/kg/week, to 1 mcg/kg/week, then to 0.5 mcg/kg/week, if needed. Dose reduction in patients on PEGINTRON monotherapy is accomplished by reducing the original starting dose of 1 mcg/kg/week to 0.5 mcg/kg/week. Instructions for dose reductions in adults are outlined in Tables 5 (Monotherapy: REDIPEN/Vial) and 6 (Combination therapy: REDIPEN/Vial).
Dose reduction in pediatric patients is accomplished by modifying the recommended dose in a 2-step process from the original starting dose of 60 mcg/m2/week, to 40 mcg/m2/week, then to 20 mcg/m2/week, if needed (see Tables 3 and 4).
Depression Severity* | Initial Management (4-8 weeks) | Depression Status | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dose Modification | Visit Schedule | Remains Stable | Improves | Worsens | |
|
|||||
Mild | No change | Evaluate once weekly by visit or phone | Continue weekly visit schedule | Resume normal visit schedule | See moderate or severe depression |
Moderate | Adults: Adjust Dose* Pediatrics: Decrease dose to 40 mcg/m2/week, then to 20 mcg/m2/week, if needed |
Evaluate once weekly (office visit at least every other week) | Consider psychiatric consultation. Continue reduced dosing | If symptoms improve and are stable for 4 weeks, may resume normal visit schedule. Continue reduced dosing or return to normal dose | See severe depression |
Severe | Discontinue PEGINTRON/ribavirin permanently | Obtain immediate psychiatric consultation | Psychiatric therapy as necessary |
Body Weight kg (lbs) |
PEGINTRON REDIPEN/Vial |
||
---|---|---|---|
Strength to Use | Amount to Administer (mcg) |
Volume* to Administer (mL) |
|
|
|||
≤45 (≤100) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL† | 20 | 0.2 |
46-56 (101-124) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL† | 25 | 0.25 |
57-72 (125-159) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 30 | 0.3 |
73-88 (160-195) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 40 | 0.4 |
89-106 (196-234) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 50 | 0.5 |
107-136 (235-300) |
80 mcg per 0.5 mL | 64 | 0.4 |
≥137 (≥301) |
80 mcg per 0.5 mL | 80 | 0.5 |
First Dose Reduction to PEGINTRON 1 mcg/kg | Second Dose Reduction to PEGINTRON 0.5 mcg/kg | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Body weight kg (lbs) |
PEGINTRON REDIPEN/Vial Strength to Use | Amount of PEGINTRON (mcg) to Administer | Volume (mL) * of PEGINTRON to Administer | Body weight kg (lbs) |
PEGINTRON REDIPEN/Vial Strength to Use | Amount of PEGINTRON (mcg) to Administer | Volume (mL) * of PEGINTRON to Administer |
|
|||||||
<40 (<88) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 35 | 0.35 | <40 (<88) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL† | 20 | 0.2 |
40-50 (88-111) |
45 | 0.45 | 40-50 (88-111) |
25 | 0.25 | ||
51-60 (112-133) |
50 | 0.5 | 51-60 (112-133) |
50 mcg per 0.5 mL | 30 | 0.3 | |
61-75 (134-166) |
80 mcg per 0.5 mL | 64 | 0.4 | 61-75 (134-166) |
35 | 0.35 | |
76-85 (167-187) |
80 | 0.5 | 76-85 (167-187) |
45 | 0.45 | ||
86-104 (188-230) |
120 mcg per 0.5 mL | 96 | 0.4 | 86-104 (188-230) |
50 | 0.5 | |
105-125 (231-275) |
108 | 0.45 | 105-125 (231-275) |
80 mcg per 0.5 mL | 64 | 0.4 | |
>125 (>275) |
150 mcg per 0.5 mL | 135 | 0.45 | >125 (>275) |
72 | 0.45 |
Discontinuation of Dosing
Adults
See labeling of the specific HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor for information regarding discontinuation of dosing based on treatment futility.
In HCV genotype 1, interferon-alfa-naïve patients receiving PEGINTRON, alone or in combination with ribavirin, discontinuation of therapy is recommended if there is not at least a 2 log10 drop or loss of HCV-RNA at 12 weeks of therapy, or if HCV-RNA levels remain detectable after 24 weeks of therapy. Regardless of genotype, previously treated patients who have detectable HCV-RNA at Week 12 or 24, are highly unlikely to achieve SVR and discontinuation of therapy is recommended.
Pediatrics (3-17 years of age)
Discontinue PEGINTRON/ribavirin combination treatment in pediatric patients (excluding those with HCV genotype 2 and 3) at 12 weeks if their treatment Week 12 HCV-RNA has dropped less than 2 log10 compared to pretreatment or at 24 weeks if they have detectable HCV-RNA at treatment Week 24.
Renal Function
In patients with moderate renal dysfunction (creatinine clearance 30-50 mL/min), the PEGINTRON dose should be reduced by 25%. Patients with severe renal dysfunction (creatinine clearance 10-29 mL/min), including those on hemodialysis, should have the PEGINTRON dose reduced by 50%. If renal function decreases during treatment, PEGINTRON therapy should be discontinued. When PEGINTRON is administered in combination with ribavirin, subjects with impaired renal function or those over the age of 50 should be more carefully monitored with respect to the development of anemia. PEGINTRON/ribavirin should not be used in patients with creatinine clearance less than 50 mL/min.
Preparation and Administration
A patient should self-inject PEGINTRON only if a healthcare provider determines that it is appropriate and the patient agrees to medical follow-up as necessary and has been trained in proper injection technique [see illustrated FDA-approved Medication Guide and Instructions for Use for directions on injection site preparation and injection instructions].
Reconstitute PEGINTRON Powder for Solution with 0.7 mL of Sterile Water for Injection, USP. The Sterile Water for Injection supplied contains 5 mL and is intended for single dose only. Discard the unused portion. The reconstituted solution should be visually inspected for discoloration and particulate matter prior to administration. Do not use the solution if it is discolored or not clear, or if particulates are present.
DO NOT REUSE THE VIAL OR PRE-FILLED PEN; DISCARD THE UNUSED PORTION. Pooling of unused portions of some medications has been linked to bacterial contamination and morbidity.