2.1 Administration Instructions

Administer only enterally (e.g., oral, nasogastric tube, or gastric tube route). Do not administer intravenously or by other parenteral routes. For all routes of administration, begin NYMALIZE within 96 hours of the onset of SAH. Administer one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal for all routes of administration [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

2.2 Administration by Oral Route

The recommended oral dosage is 10 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days.

2.3 Administration Via Nasogastric or Gastric Tube

Using the supplied prefilled oral syringe labeled "For Oral Use Only", administer 10 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours into a nasogastric or gastric tube for 21 consecutive days. For each dose, refill the syringe with 10 mL of 0.9% saline solution and then flush any remaining contents from nasogastric or gastric tube into the stomach.

2.4 Dosage Adjustments in Patients with Cirrhosis

In patients with cirrhosis, reduce the dosage to 5 mL (30 mg) every 4 hours [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

5.1 Hypotension

Blood pressure should be carefully monitored during treatment with NYMALIZE. In clinical studies of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, about 5% of nimodipine-treated patients compared to 1% of placebo-treated patients had hypotension and about 1% of nimodipine-treated patients left the study because of this [see Adverse Reactions (6)].

5.2 Possible Increased Risk of Adverse Reactions in Patients with Cirrhosis

Given that the plasma levels of nimodipine are increased in patients with cirrhosis, these patients are at higher risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, monitor blood pressure and pulse rate closely and administer a lower dosage [see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

5.3 Possible Increased Risk of Hypotension with Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors

Concomitant use of strong inhibitors of CYP3A4, such as some macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, telithromycin), some HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir), some HCV protease inhibitors (e.g., boceprevir, telaprevir), some azole antimycotics (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole), conivaptan, delavirdine, and nefazodone with nimodipine should generally be avoided because of a risk of significant hypotension [see Drug Interactions (7.2)].

5.4 Possible Reduced Efficacy with Strong CYP3A4 Inducers

Concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampin, St. John's wort) and nimodipine should generally be avoided, as nimodipine plasma concentration and efficacy may be significantly reduced [see Drug Interactions (7.3)].

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

In clinical trials of nimodipine oral capsules in patients with SAH, eleven percent (92 of 823) of nimodipine-treated patients reported adverse events compared to six percent (29 of 479) of placebo-treated patients. The most common adverse event was decreased blood pressure in 4.4% of nimodipine-treated patients. The events reported with a frequency greater than 1% are displayed in Table 1 by dose.

SAH is frequently accompanied by alterations in consciousness that may lead to an under-reporting of adverse experiences. As a calcium channel blocker, nimodipine may have the potential to exacerbate heart failure in susceptible patients or to interfere with A-V conduction, but these events were not observed in SAH trials.

7.1 Blood Pressure Lowering Drugs

Nimodipine may increase the blood pressure lowering effect of concomitantly administered anti-hypertensives such as diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, other calcium channel blockers, α-adrenergic blockers, PDE5 inhibitors, and α-methyldopa. In Europe, nimodipine was observed to occasionally intensify the effect of antihypertensive drugs taken concomitantly by hypertensive patients; this phenomenon was not observed in North American clinical trials. Blood pressure should be carefully monitored, and dose adjustment of the blood pressure lowering drug(s) may be necessary.

7.2 CYP3A4 Inhibitors

Nimodipine plasma concentration can be significantly increased when concomitantly administered with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. As a consequence, the blood pressure lowering effect may be increased. Therefore, the concomitant administration of NYMALIZE and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors should generally be avoided [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]. Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors include some members of the following classes:

-

macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, telithromycin),

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HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir),

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HCV protease inhibitors (e.g., boceprevir, telaprevir),

-

azole antimycotics (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole),

-

conivaptan, delavirdine, nefazodone

Nimodipine plasma concentration can also be increased in the presence of moderate and weak inhibitors of CYP3A4. If nimodipine is concomitantly administered with these drugs, blood pressure should be monitored, and a reduction of the nimodipine dose may be necessary. Moderate and weak CYP3A4 inhibitors include alprozalam, ameprenavir, amiodarone, aprepitant, atazanavir, cimetidine, cyclosporine, diltiazem, erythromycin, fluconazole, fluoxetine, isoniazid, oral contraceptives, quinuprestin/dalfopristin, valproic acid, and verapamil.

A study in eight healthy volunteers has shown a 50% increase in mean peak nimodipine plasma concentrations and a 90% increase in mean area under the curve, after a one-week course of cimetidine at 1,000 mg/day and nimodipine at 90 mg/day. This effect may be mediated by the known inhibition of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP) by cimetidine, which could decrease first-pass metabolism of nimodipine.

Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP3A4. Ingestion of grapefruit/grapefruit juice is not recommended while taking nimodipine.

7.3 CYP3A4 Inducers

Nimodipine plasma concentration and efficacy may be significantly reduced when concomitantly administered with strong CYP3A4 inducers. Therefore, concomitant use of NYMALIZE with strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampin, St. John's wort) should generally be avoided [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

Moderate and weak inducers of CYP3A4 may also reduce the efficacy of nimodipine. Patients on these should be closely monitored for lack of effectiveness, and a nimodipine dosage increase may be required. Moderate and weak CYP3A4 inducers include, for example: amprenavir, aprepitant, armodafinil, bosentan, efavirnenz, etravirine, Echinacea, modafinil, nafcillin, pioglitazone, prednisone, rufinamide, and vemurafenib.

8.1 Pregnancy

8.2 Lactation

8.4 Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

8.5 Geriatric Use

Clinical studies of nimodipine did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they had a different clinical response than younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. In general, dosing in elderly patients should be cautious, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Nimodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. The contractile processes of smooth muscle cells are dependent upon calcium ions, which enter these cells during depolarization as slow ionic transmembrane currents. Nimodipine inhibits calcium ion transfer into these cells and thus inhibits contractions of vascular smooth muscle. In animal experiments, nimodipine had a greater effect on cerebral arteries than on arteries elsewhere in the body perhaps because it is highly lipophilic, allowing it to cross the blood-brain barrier; concentrations of nimodipine as high as 12.5 ng/mL have been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of nimodipine-treated SAH patients.

The precise mechanism of action of nimodipine in reducing the incidence and severity of ischemic deficits in adult patients with SAH from ruptured intracranial berry aneurysms is unknown. Although the clinical studies demonstrate a favorable effect of nimodipine on the severity of neurological deficits caused by cerebral vasospasm following SAH, there is no arteriographic evidence that nimodipine either prevents or relieves the spasm of these arteries. However, whether or not the arteriographic methodology utilized was adequate to detect a clinically meaningful effect, if any, on vasospasm is unknown.

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

After a single 60 mg oral dose of NYMALIZE, mean (CV%) Cmax was 69.9 ng/mL (36.1%), AUCinf was 151 h∙ng/mL (36.0%) and within subject variability (CV%) was 21.7% and 12.4%, respectively. There were no signs of accumulation when nimodipine was given three times a day for seven days.

13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

Store between 20ºC to 25ºC (68ºF to 77ºF); excursions permitted to 15ºC to 30ºC (59ºF to 86ºF) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature].

Protect from light.

Do not refrigerate.