Use in Patients with Renal Impairment:

Limited data are available on the use of oral itraconazole in patients with renal impairment. Caution should be exercised when ONMEL is administered to patients with renal impairment. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12) and Warnings and Precautions (5).]

Use in Patients with Hepatic Impairment:

Limited data are available on the use of oral itraconazole in patients with hepatic impairment. Caution should be exercised when ONMEL is administered to patients with hepatic impairment. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12) and Warnings and Precautions (5).]

Congestive Heart Failure: Do not administer ONMEL for the treatment of onychomycosis in patients with evidence of ventricular dysfunction such as congestive heart failure (CHF) or a history of CHF. [See Warnings and Precautions (5), Drug Interactions (7), and Clinical Pharmacology (12).]

Drug Interactions: Concomitant administration of ONMEL and certain drugs that are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 3A4 isoenzyme system (CYP3A4) or where gastrointestinal absorption is regulated by P-gp may result in increased plasma concentrations of those drugs, leading to potentially serious and/or life-threatening adverse events.

Co-administration of cisapride, dofetilide, ergot alkaloids such as dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, ergometrine (ergonovine), and methylergometrine (methylergonovine), felodipine, levacetylmethadol (levomethadyl), lovastatin, methadone, oral midazolam, nisoldipine, pimozide, quinidine, simvastatin, and triazolam with ONMEL is contraindicated.

Do not administer ONMEL for the treatment of onychomycosis to pregnant patients or to women contemplating pregnancy.

Anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity have been reported with use of itraconazole. ONMEL is contraindicated for patients who have shown hypersensitivity to itraconazole products.

5.1 Congestive Heart Failure, Peripheral Edema, and Pulmonary Edema

Cases of CHF, peripheral edema, and pulmonary edema have been reported with itraconazole administration among patients being treated for onychomycosis and/or systemic fungal infections. [ See Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5), and Clinical Pharmacology (12).]

5.2 Cardiac Dysrhythmias

Life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias and/or sudden death have occurred in patients using cisapride, pimozide, levacetylmethadol (levomethadyl), methadone, or quinidine concomitantly with itraconazole and/or other CYP3A4 inhibitors. Concomitant administration of these drugs with ONMEL is contraindicated. [See Boxed Warning, Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5), and Drug Interactions (7).]

5.3 Cardiac Disease

ONMEL should not be administered in patients with evidence of ventricular dysfunction such as congestive heart failure (CHF) or a history of CHF.

Itraconazole has been shown to have a negative inotropic effect. When itraconazole was administered intravenously to anesthetized dogs, a dose-related negative inotropic effect was documented. In a healthy volunteer study of itraconazole injection, transient, asymptomatic decreases in left ventricular ejection fraction were observed using gated SPECT imaging; these resolved before the next infusion, 12 hours later.

For patients with risk factors for congestive heart failure, physicians should carefully review the risks and benefits of ONMEL therapy. These risk factors include cardiac disease such as ischemic and valvular disease; significant pulmonary disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and renal failure and other edematous disorders. Such patients should be informed of the signs and symptoms of CHF, should be treated with caution, and should be monitored for signs and symptoms of CHF during treatment. If signs or symptoms of CHF appear during administration of ONMEL, discontinue administration.

5.4 Hepatic Effects

Itraconazole has been associated with rare cases of serious hepatotoxicity, including liver failure and death. Some of these cases had neither pre-existing liver disease nor a serious underlying medical condition, and some of these cases developed within the first week of treatment. If clinical signs or symptoms develop that are consistent with hepatotoxicity, treatment should be discontinued immediately and liver function testing performed.

In patients with elevated or abnormal liver enzymes or active liver disease, or who have experienced liver toxicity with other drugs, treatment with itraconazole is not recommended. Liver function monitoring should be done in patients with pre-existing hepatic function abnormalities or those who have experienced liver toxicity with other medications and should be considered in all patients receiving ONMEL.

5.5 Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers can have negative inotropic effects which may be additive to those of itraconazole. In addition, itraconazole can inhibit the metabolism of calcium channel blockers. Therefore, caution should be used when co-administering itraconazole and calcium channel blockers due to an increased risk of CHF. Concomitant administration of ONMEL and nisoldipine is contraindicated.

5.6 Neuropathy

If neuropathy occurs that may be attributable to ONMEL, the treatment should be discontinued.

5.7 Hearing Loss

Transient or permanent hearing loss has been reported in patients receiving treatment with itraconazole. Several of these reports included concurrent administration of quinidine which is contraindicated. [See Boxed Warning, Warnings and Precautions (5), and Drug Interactions (7).] The hearing loss usually resolves when treatment is stopped, but can persist in some patients.

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, the adverse reaction rate 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.

Patients in the trial for toenail onychomycosis were treated with a dosing regimen of 200 mg once daily for 12 consecutive weeks.

The most commonly reported adverse reaction leading to discontinuation of ONMEL was increased hepatic enzyme (6 subjects, 1.0%), followed by dizziness (3 subjects, 0.5%). No other adverse reaction leading to discontinuation occurred in more than one subject.

The table below lists all adverse reactions reported by at least 1% of patients who received ONMEL during 12 weeks of treatment:

6.2 Post Marketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of itraconazole (all formulations) and are listed in Table 2 below. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establishing a causal relationship to drug exposure.

7.1 Effects of ONMEL on Other Drugs

Itraconazole and its major metabolite, hydroxy-itraconazole, are strong inhibitors of the cytochrome P450 3A4 isoenzyme system (CYP3A4). Therefore, concomitant administration of ONMEL and certain drugs metabolized by the cytochrome CYP3A4 may result in increased plasma concentrations of those drugs due to decreased elimination, leading to potentially serious and/or life-threatening adverse events. Itraconazole is also an inhibitor of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transporter and may result in increased plasma concentrations of drugs whose gastrointestinal absorption is regulated by P-gp. Whenever possible, plasma concentrations of these drugs should be monitored, and dosage adjustments made after concomitant ONMEL therapy is initiated. When appropriate, clinical monitoring for signs or symptoms of increased or prolonged pharmacologic effects is advised. Upon discontinuation, itraconazole plasma concentrations decline gradually (especially in patients with hepatic cirrhosis or in those receiving CYP3A4 inhibitors). This is particularly important when initiating therapy with drugs whose metabolism is affected by itraconazole.

7.2 Effects of Other Drugs on ONMEL

Inducers of CYP3A4 may decrease the plasma concentrations of itraconazole. ONMEL may not be effective in patients concomitantly taking ONMEL and one of these drugs. Therefore, administration of these drugs with ONMEL is not recommended.

Inhibitors of CYP3A4 may increase the plasma concentrations of itraconazole. Patients who must take ONMEL concomitantly with one of these drugs should be monitored closely for signs or symptoms of increased or prolonged pharmacologic effects of ONMEL.

8.1 Pregnancy

8.3 Nursing Mothers

Itraconazole is excreted in human milk; therefore, the expected benefits of ONMEL therapy for the mother should be weighed against the potential risk from exposure of itraconazole to the infant.

8.4 Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of ONMEL in pediatric patients have not been established. No pharmacokinetic data on ONMEL are available in children.

8.5 Geriatric Use

ONMEL was evaluated in 42 of 593 subjects (7.1%) greater than 65 years of age.

Transient or permanent hearing loss has been reported in elderly patients receiving treatment with itraconazole. Several of these reports included concurrent administration of quinidine which is contraindicated. [See Boxed Warning, Contraindications (4), Drug Interactions (7), and Warnings and Precautions (5).] Itraconazole should be used with care in elderly patients. [See Warnings and Precautions (5).]

8.6 Renal Impairment

Limited data are available on the use of oral itraconazole in patients with renal impairment. Caution should be exercised when ONMEL is administered to patients with renal impairment. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.5) and Dosage and Administration (2).]

8.7 Hepatic Impairment

Limited data are available on the use of oral itraconazole in patients with hepatic impairment. Caution should be exercised when ONMEL is administered to patients with hepatic impairment. [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.5) and Dosage and Administration (2).]

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Itraconazole, an azole, is an antifungal agent [ See Clinical Pharmacology (12) and Microbiology (12.4)].

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

The oral bioavailability of itraconazole is increased when ONMEL is taken with a FDA standard high-fat meal. The pharmacokinetic parameters of itraconazole and hydroxy-itraconazole after administration of one ONMEL to 9 male and 9 female healthy subjects in fasting and in fed conditions are presented in the table below:

The steady-state pharmacokinetics of itraconazole and hydroxy-itraconazole were analyzed after oral dosing of 16 healthy volunteers with one ONMEL following a moderate-fat breakfast once daily for 14 days in an open-label study. Mean maximum plasma levels of itraconazole and hydroxy-itraconazole increased from Day 1 to Day 14 by approximately 6- and 4-fold, respectively. The respective pharmacokinetic parameters from this study are reflected in the table below:

In a 2-period, open-label, randomized, cross-over, pivotal bioequivalence study to assess the comparative bioavailability of the ONMEL and a marketed 100-mg itraconazole capsule, 28 male and 28 female healthy subjects were given as a single dose, 200 mg of itraconazole immediately after a moderate-fat breakfast ( same caloric and fat contents as in the table above). Fifty-two subjects were included in the final analysis.

The C max of the ONMEL was comparable to that of the 2 itraconazole 100-mg capsules while AUC t and AUC ∞ were about 15% higher with the ONMEL.

In another 2-period, open-label, randomized, cross-over, pivotal bioequivalence study, 28 male and 28 female healthy subjects were given one ONMEL or two 100-mg itraconazole capsules following the FDA standard high-fat breakfast. The C max and AUC ∞ of the ONMEL were 20 and 30% lower, respectively, than those of two itraconazole 100-mg capsules. Overall, the inter-subject variability was high and coefficient of variances (CV) for AUCs in the above two studies were 44-66%.

Itraconazole is metabolized predominately by the cytochrome P450 3A4 isoenzyme system (CYP3A4), resulting in the formation of several metabolites. Hydroxyitraconazole, the major metabolite, has in vitro antifungal activity comparable to itraconazole. Results of a pharmacokinetics study suggest that itraconazole may undergo saturable metabolism with multiple dosing. Based on an oral dose, fecal excretion of the parent drug varies between 3-18% of the dose. Itraconazole is excreted mainly as inactive metabolites in the urine (35%) and feces (54%) within one week of an oral dose. No single excreted metabolite represents more than 5% of a dose. The plasma protein binding of itraconazole has been reported to be 99.8% and that of hydroxy-itraconazole is 99.5%. [See Contraindications (4).]

12.4 Microbiology

13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

No carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, or impairment of fertility studies were conducted with ONMEL.

Itraconazole did not exhibit any carcinogenic potential in mice receiving oral doses up to 80 mg/kg/day (2 times MRHD, based on mg/m 2/day comparisons) for 23 months. A slightly increased incidence of soft tissue sarcoma was observed in male rats administered 25 mg/kg/day (1.3 times MRHD, based on mg/m 2/day comparisons). These tumors may have been related to hypercholesterolemia caused by chronic treatment with itraconazole in rats; hypercholesterolemia is not observed with such treatment in dogs or humans. Compared to untreated controls, female rats receiving 50 mg/kg/day (2.5 times MRHD, based on mg/m 2/day comparisons) had a statistically insignificant increase in squamous cell carcinoma in lungs (2/50), an uncommon tumor in rats.

Itraconazole did not exhibit any mutagenic or genotoxic effects when evaluated in a DNA repair test (unscheduled DNA synthesis) in primary rat hepatocytes, in Ames tests (6 Salmonella strains and E. coli), in the mouse lymphoma gene mutation test, in a sex-linked recessive lethal mutation ( Drosophila melanogaster) test, in chromosome aberration test (human lymphocytes), in a cell transformation assay (C3H/10T ½ C18 mouse embryo fibroblasts), in a dominant lethal mutation test in male and female mice, and in micronucleus tests in mice and rats.

Itraconazole did not affect the fertility in male or female rats treated with oral doses up to 40 mg/kg/day (2 times MRHD, based on mg/m 2/day comparisons); however, parental toxicity occurred at this dosage. More severe parental toxicity was observed at 160 mg/kg/day (10 times MRHD, based on mg/m 2/day comparisons).

How Supplied

ONMEL is available containing 200 mg of itraconazole, as a white to slightly grey, oblong, biconvex tablet engraved with "BARRIER" on one side and "It 200" on the other side. Each carton (NDC 0259-1420-28) contains two blister cards of 14 tablets each (NDC 0259-1420-14).

Storage

Store at controlled room temperature 15° to 25°C (59° to 77°F). Excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). Protect from light and moisture. Keep out of reach of children.

17.1 Information for Patients

• Instruct patients that hearing loss can occur with the use of itraconazole. The hearing loss usually resolves when treatment is stopped, but can persist in some patients. Advise patients to inform their physicians if any hearing loss occurs.