FDA批准Actelion公司的Ventavis(R)(伊洛前列素,iloprost)20mg/ml剂型用了治疗纽约心脏病学会归为Ⅲ和Ⅳ类的肺动脉高压(PAH)。
药品说明
商品名:万他维 通用名:吸入用伊洛前列素溶液 英文名:Ventavis 剂型:喷剂 主要成分:伊洛前列素 性状:本品为无色或微黄色的澄清液体,3毫升I型无色玻璃安瓿内含2毫升吸入用伊洛前列素溶液。
适应症:治疗中度原发性肺动脉高压。
用法用量: 成人:每次吸入应从2.5微克开始(吸入装置中口含器所提供的剂量)。可根据不同患者的需要和耐受性逐渐增加伊洛前列素剂量至5.0微克。 根据不同患者的需要和耐受性,每天应吸入伊洛前列素6-9次。 根据口含器与雾化器所需的药物剂量,每次吸入时间大约应为5-10分钟。 肾功能或肝功能不全患者:肝功能异常以及肾功能衰竭需要血液透析的患者,伊洛前列素的清除率是降低的,应考虑减少用药剂量. 儿童以及青少年(18岁以下):目前还没有在儿童或青少年中应用的经验。除非有资料支持,否则本药不能应用于18岁以下的患者. 雾化器的使用:如果某种雾化器能达到下列标准,则认为它适用于本药溶液的雾化: 液滴的中位空气动力学直径(MMAD)或中位直径(MMD)为3-4m; 口含器输出剂量为:每次吸入伊洛前列素2.5或5ug; 一个剂量为2.5或5ug伊洛前列素的雾化时间:大约为4-10分钟(为了避免全身性副作用,4分钟内输出的伊洛前列素不得超过5ug)。
禁忌:以下患者禁用: -对伊洛前列素或任何赋形剂过敏。 -出血危险性增加的疾病(如活动性消化性溃疡,外伤,颅内出血或者其他出血),由于本药对血小板的作用可能会使出血的危险性增加。 -患有心脏病的患者,如:严重心律失常、严重冠状动脉性心脏病、不稳定性心绞痛、发病6个月内的心肌梗塞、未予控制和治疗的或未在严密检测下的非代偿性心力衰竭、先天性或获得性心脏瓣膜疾病伴非肺动脉高压所致的有临床意义的心肌功能异常。 -明显的肺水肿伴呼吸困难。 -近3个月发生过脑血管事件(如短暂性脑缺血发作、中风)或其他脑供血障碍。 -妊娠,哺乳妇女。
不良反应: 除了由于吸入用药的局部不良反应如咳嗽加重外,吸入伊洛前列素的不良反应主要与前列环素药理学特性有关。临床试验中最常见的不良反应包括血管扩张,头疼以及咳嗽加重。
规格:20mcg/ml 5 (个) x 1ml 吸入剂
Ventavis® (iloprost)Inhalation Solution Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
DESCRIPTION Ventavis (iloprost) Inhalation Solution is a clear, colorless, sterile solution containing iloprost formulated for inhalation via either of two pulmonary drug delivery devices: the I-neb® AAD® (Adaptive Aerosol Delivery) System or the Prodose® AAD® System. Ventavis is supplied in 1 mL single-use glass ampules containing either 10 mcg/mL or 20 mcg/mL.
For the 10 mcg/mL solution, one mL of the solution contains 0.01 mg iloprost, 0.81 mg ethanol, 0.121 mg tromethamine, 9.0 mg sodium chloride, and approximately 0.51 mg hydrochloric acid (for pH adjustment to 8.1) in water for injection.
For the 20 mcg/mL solution, each mL of the solution contains 0.02 mg iloprost, 1.62 mg ethanol, 0.242 mg tromethamine, 9.0 mg sodium chloride, and approximately 0.76 mg hydrochloric acid (for pH adjustment to 8.4) in water for injection.
The solution contains no preservatives.
The chemical name for iloprost is (E)-(3aS, 4R, 5R, 6aS)-hexahydro-5-hydroxy-4-[(E)-(3S,4RS)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-1-octen-6-ynyl]-Δ2(1H),Δ-pentalenevaleric acid. Iloprost consists of a mixture of the 4R and 4S diastereomers at a ratio of approximately 53:47. Iloprost is an oily substance, which is soluble in methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and pH 7 buffer, sparingly soluble in buffer pH 9, and very slightly soluble in distilled water, buffer pH 3, and buffer pH 5. The molecular formula of iloprost is C22H32O4. Its relative molecular weight is 360.49. The structural formula is shown below:
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
General
Iloprost is a synthetic analogue of prostacyclin PGI2. Iloprost dilates systemic and pulmonary arterial vascular beds. It also affects platelet aggregation but the relevance of this effect to the treatment of pulmonary hypertension is unknown. The two diastereo isomers of iloprost differ in their potency in dilating blood vessels, with the 4S isomer substantially more potent than the 4R isomer.
Pharmacokinetics
General
In pharmacokinetic studies in animals, there was no evidence of interconversion of the two diastereoisomers of iloprost. In human pharmacokinetic studies, the two diastereoisomers were not individually assayed.
Iloprost administered intravenously has linear pharmacokinetics over the dose range of 1 to 3 ng/kg/min. The half-life of iloprost is 20 to 30 minutes. Following inhalation of iloprost (5 mcg) patients with pulmonary hypertension have iloprost peak serum levels of approximately 150 pg/mL. Iloprost was generally not detectable in the plasma 30 minutes to 1 hour after inhalation.
Absorption and Distribution
The absolute bioavailability of inhaled iloprost has not been determined.
Following intravenous infusion, the apparent steady-state volume of distribution was 0.7 to 0.8 L/kg in healthy subjects. Iloprost is approximately 60% protein-bound, mainly to albumin, and this ratio is concentration-independent in the range of 30 to 3000 pg/mL.
Metabolism and Excretion
Clearance in normal subjects was approximately 20 mL/min/kg. Iloprost is metabolized principally via β-oxidation of the carboxyl side chain. The main metabolite is tetranor-iloprost, which is found in the urine in free and conjugated form. In animal experiments, tetranor-iloprost was pharmacologically inactive.
In vitro studies reveal that cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism plays only a minor role in the biotransformation of iloprost.
A mass-balance study using intravenously and orally administered [3H]-iloprost in healthy subjects (n=8) showed recovery of total radioactivity over 14 hours post-dose, was 81%, with 68% and 12% recoveries in urine and feces, respectively.
Special Populations
Liver Function Impairment
Inhaled iloprost has not been evaluated in subjects with impaired hepatic function. However, in an intravenous iloprost study in patients with liver cirrhosis, the mean clearance in Child Pugh Class B subjects (n=5) was approximately 10 mL/min/kg (half that of healthy subjects). Following oral administration, the mean AUC0-8h in Child Pugh Class B subjects (n=3) was 1725 pg*h/mL compared to 117 pg*h/mL in normal subjects (n=4) receiving the same oral iloprost dose. In Child Pugh Class A subjects (n=5), the mean AUC0-8h was 639 pg*h/mL. Although exposure increased with hepatic impairment, there was no effect on half-life.
Renal Function Impairment
Inhaled iloprost has not been evaluated in subjects with impaired renal function. However, in a study with intravenous infusion of iloprost in patients with end-stage renal failure requiring intermittent dialysis treatment (n=7), the mean AUC0-4h was 230 pg*h/mL compared to 54 pg*h/mL inpatients with renal failure (n=8) not requiring intermittent dialysis and 48 pg*h/mL in normals. The half-life was similar in both groups. The effect of dialysis on iloprost exposure has not been evaluated.
Clinical Trials
A randomized, double-blind, multi-center, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 203 adult patients (inhaled iloprost: n=101; placebo: n=102) with NYHA Class III or IV pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group I; idiopathic in 53%, associated with connective tissue disease, including CREST and scleroderma, in 17%, or associated with anorexigen use in 2%) or pulmonary hypertension related to chronic thromboembolic disease (WHO Group IV; 28%). Inhaled iloprost (or placebo) was added to patients' current therapy, which could have included anticoagulants, vasodilators (e.g. calcium channel blockers), diuretics, oxygen, and digitalis, but not PGI2 (prostacyclin or its analogues) or endothelin receptor antagonists. Patients received 2.5 or 5.0 mcg of iloprost by repeated inhalations 6 to 9 times per day during waking hours. The mean age of the entire study population was 52 years and 68% of the patients were female. The majority of patients (59%) were NYHA Class III. The baseline 6-minute walk test values reflected a moderate exercise limitation (the mean was 332 meters for the iloprost group and 315 meters for the placebo group). In the iloprost group, the median daily inhaled dose was 30 mcg (range of 12.5 to 45 mcg/day). The mean number of inhalations per day was 7.3. Ninety percent of patients in the iloprost group never inhaled study medication during the nighttime.
The primary efficacy endpoint was clinical response at 12 weeks, a composite endpoint defined by: a) improvement in exercise capacity (6-minute walk test) by at least 10% versus baseline evaluated 30 minutes after dosing, b) improvement by at least one NYHA class versus baseline, and c) no death or deterioration of pulmonary hypertension. Deterioration required two or more of the following criteria: 1) refractory systolic blood pressure < 85 mmHg, 2) worsening of right heart failure with cardiac edema, ascites, or pleural effusion despite adequate background therapy, 3) rapidly progressive cardiogenic hepatic failure (e.g. leading to an increase of GOT or GPT to > 100 U/L, or total bilirubin ≥5 mg/dL), 4) rapidly progressive cardiogenic renal failure (e.g. decrease of estimated creatinine clearance to ≤ 50% of baseline), 5) decrease in 6-minute walking distance by ≥ 30% of baseline value, 6) new long-term need for i.v. catecholamines or diuretics, 7) cardiac index ≤ 1.3 L/min/m2, 8) CVP ≥ 22 mmHg despite adequate diuretic therapy, and 9) SVO2 ≤45% despite nasal O2 therapy.
Although effectiveness was seen in the full population (response rates for the primary composite endpoint of 17% and 5%; p=0.007), there was inadequate evidence of benefit in patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic thromboembolic disease (WHO Group IV); the results presented are therefore those related to patients with PAH (WHO Group I). The response rate for the primary efficacy endpoint among PAH patients was 19% for the iloprost group, compared with 4% for the placebo group (p=0.0033). All three components of the composite endpoint favored iloprost (Figure 1).
The absolute change in 6-minute walk distance (Figure 2) measured (using all available data and no imputation) 30 minutes after inhalation among patients with PAH was greater in the iloprost group compared to the placebo group at all time points. At Week 12, the placebo-corrected difference was 40 meters (p<0.01). When walk distance was measured immediately prior to inhalation, the improvement compared to placebo was approximately 60% of the effect seen at 30 minutes after inhalation.
Figure 2: Change (Mean ± SEM) in 6-Minute Walk Distance 30 Minutes post Inhalation in PAH Patients (WHO Group I).
The effect of Ventavis in various subgroups is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Treatment Effects by Subgroup among PAH Patients (WHO Group I)
|
Composite Clinical Endpoint |
6-Minute Walk (m)* |
n |
Ventavis n (%) |
n |
Placebo n (%) |
n |
Ventavis (mean ±SD) |
n |
Placebo (mean ±SD) |
|
All Subjects with PAH
|
68 |
13 (19%) |
78 |
3 (4%) |
64 |
31 ± 76 |
65 |
-9 ± 79 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NYHA III |
40 |
7 (18%) |
47 |
2 (4%) |
39 |
24 ± 72 |
43 |
-16 ± 86 |
NYHA IV
|
28 |
6 (21%) |
31 |
1 (3%) |
25 |
43 ± 82 |
22 |
6 ± 63 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
23 |
5 (22%) |
24 |
0 (0%) |
21 |
37 ± 81 |
21 |
-22 ± 77 |
Female
|
45 |
8 (18%) |
54 |
3 (6%) |
43 |
29 ± 74 |
44 |
-2 ± 81 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Age ≤55 |
41 |
6 (15%) |
40 |
2 (5%) |
39 |
24 ± 79 |
32 |
-5 ± 78 |
Age > 55 |
27 |
7 (26%) |
38 |
1 (3%) |
25 |
42 ± 71 |
33 |
-13 ± 81 |
Hemodynamic assessments obtained at week 12 before inhalation in both groups (at least 2 hours after a previous dose, trough) and after inhalation in the iloprost group (approximately 15 minutes after a dose, peak), are shown in Table 2. The relationship between hemodynamic changes and clinical effects is unknown.
Table 2: Hemodynamic Parameters Before and After Iloprost Inhalation: Change from Baseline to Week 12
|
Baseline |
Mean (± SD) change from baseline at Week 12 |
Parameter |
Iloprost |
Placebo |
Iloprost |
Placebo |
|
|
|
Before Inhalation |
After Inhalation |
|
PVR (dyn∙s∙cm–5) |
1029 ± 390 |
1041 ± 493 |
-9 ± 275 (n=76) |
-239 ± 279 (n=70) |
+96 ± 323 (n=77) |
mPAP (mmHg) |
53 ± 12 |
54 ± 14 |
-0.2 ± 7.3 (n=93) |
-4.6 ± 9.3 (n=90) |
-0.1 ± 6.9 (n=82) |
CO (L/min) |
3.8 ± 1.1 |
3.8 ± 0.9 |
+0.1 ± 0.9 (n=91) |
+0.5 ± 1.1 (n=89) |
-0.2 ± 0.8 (n=80) |
SVO2 (%)
|
60 ± 8 |
60±8 |
-1.1 ± 7.6 (n=72) |
+1.8 ± 8.3 (n=70) |
-3.2 ± 6.7 (n=63) |
In a small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (the STEP trial), 34 patients treated with bosentan 125 mg bid for at least 16 weeks tolerated the addition of inhaled iloprost (up to 5 mcg 6 to 9 times per day during waking hours). The mean daily inhaled dose was 27 mcg and the mean number of inhalations per day was 5.6.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Ventavis is indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (WHO Group I) in patients with NYHA Class III or IV symptoms. In controlled trials, it improved a composite endpoint consisting of exercise tolerance, symptoms (NYHA Class), and lack of deterioration (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Clinical Trials).
CONTRAINDICATIONS
There are no known contraindications.
WARNINGS
Ventavis is intended for inhalation administration only via either of two pulmonary drug delivery devices: the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). It has not been studied with any other nebulizers.
Vital signs should be monitored while initiating Ventavis. In patients with low systemic blood pressure, care should be taken to avoid further hypotension. Ventavis should not be initiated in patients with systolic blood pressure less than 85 mmHg. Physicians should be alert to the presence of concomitant conditions or drugs that might increase the risk of syncope. Syncope can also occur in association with pulmonary arterial hypertension, particularly in association with physical exertion. The occurrence of exertional syncope may reflect a therapeutic gap or insufficient efficacy, and the need to adjust dose or change therapy should be considered.
Should signs of pulmonary edema occur when inhaled iloprost is administered in patients with pulmonary hypertension, the treatment should be stopped immediately. This may be a sign of pulmonary venous hypertension.
PRECAUTIONS
General
Ventavis solution should not be allowed to come into contact with the skin or eyes; oral ingestion of Ventavis solution should be avoided.
Direct mixing of Ventavis with other medications in the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System has not been evaluated.
Ventavis inhalation can induce bronchospasm, especially in susceptible patients with hyperreactive airways. Ventavis has not been evaluated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe asthma, or with acute pulmonary infections. Such patients should be carefully monitored during therapy with Ventavis.
Information for Patients
Patients receiving Ventavis should be advised to use the drug only as prescribed with either of two pulmonary drug delivery devices: the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System, following the manufacturer's instructions (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). Patients should be trained in proper administration techniques including dosing frequency, ampule dispensing, I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System operation, and equipment cleaning.
Patients should be advised that they may have a fall in blood pressure with Ventavis, so they may become dizzy or even faint. They should stand up slowly when they get out of a chair or bed. If fainting gets worse, patients should consult their physicians about dose adjustment.
Patients should be advised that Ventavis should be inhaled at intervals of not less than 2 hours and that the acute benefits of Ventavis may not last 2 hours. Thus patients may want to adjust times of administration to cover planned activities.
Drug Interactions
In studies in normal volunteers, there was no pharmacodynamic interaction between intravenous iloprost and either nifedipine, diltiazem, or captopril. However, iloprost has the potential to increase the hypotensive effect of vasodilators and antihypertensive agents. Since iloprost inhibits platelet function, there is a potential for increased risk of bleeding, particularly in patients maintained on anticoagulants. During clinical trials, iloprost was used concurrently with anticoagulants, diuretics, cardiac glycosides, calcium channel blockers, analgesics, antipyretics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, and other medications. Intravenous infusion of iloprost had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of digoxin. Acetylsalicylic acid did not alter the clearance (pharmacokinetics) of iloprost. Although clinical studies have not been conducted, in vitro studies of iloprost indicate that no relevant inhibition of cytochrome P450 drug metabolism would be expected.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
Iloprost was not mutagenic in bacterial and mammalian cells in the presence or absence of extrinsic metabolic activation. Iloprost did not cause chromosomal aberrations in vitro in human lymphocytes and was not clastogenic in vivo in NMRI/SPF mice. There was no evidence of a tumorigenic effect of iloprost clathrate (13% iloprost by weight) in Sprague-Dawley rats dosed orally for up to 8 months at doses of up to 125 mg/kg/day (Cmax of 45 ng/mL serum), followed by 16 months at 100 mg/kg/day, or in Crl:CD-1®(ICR)BR albino mice dosed orally for up to 24 months at doses of up to 125 mg/kg/day (Cmax of 156 ng/mL serum). The recommended clinical dosage regimen for iloprost (5 mcg) affords a serum Cmax of 0.16 ng/mL. Fertility of males or females was not impaired in Han-Wistar rats at intravenous doses up to 1 mg/kg/day.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Category C
In developmental toxicity studies in pregnant Han-Wistar rats, continuous intravenous administration of iloprost at a dosage of 0.01 mg/kg daily (serum levels not available) led to shortened digits of the thoracic extremity in fetuses and pups. In comparable studies in pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats which received iloprost clathrate (13% iloprost by weight) orally at dosages of up to 50 mg/kg/day (Cmax of 90 ng/mL), in pregnant rabbits at intravenous dosages of up to 0.5 mg/kg/day (Cmax of 86 ng/mL), and in pregnant monkeys at dosages of up to 0.04 mg/kg/day (serum levels of 1 ng/mL), no such digital anomalies or other gross-structural abnormalities were observed in the fetuses/pups. However, in gravid Sprague-Dawley rats, iloprost clathrate (13% iloprost) significantly increased the number of non-viable fetuses at a maternally toxic oral dosage of 250 mg/kg/day and in Han-Wistar rats was found to be embryolethal in 15 of 44 litters at an intravenous dosage of 1 mg/kg/day. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Ventavis should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Nursing Mothers
It is not known whether Ventavis is excreted in human milk. In studies with Han-Wistar rats, higher mortality was observed in pups of lactating dams receiving iloprost intravenously at 1 mg/kg daily. In Sprague-Dawley rats, higher mortality was also observed in nursing pups at a maternally toxic oral dose of 250 mg/kg/day of iloprost clathrate (13% iloprost by weight). It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from Ventavis, a decision to discontinue nursing should be made, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Pediatric Use
Safety and efficacy in pediatric patients have not been established.
Geriatric Use
Clinical studies of Ventavis did not include sufficient numbers of subjects age 65 and older to determine whether they respond differently than younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy.
Hepatic or Renal Impairment
Ventavis has not been studied in patients with pulmonary hypertension and hepatic or renal impairment, both of which increase mean AUC in otherwise normal subjects (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Special Populations).
ADVERSE REACTIONS
Pre-marketing experiences
Pre-marketing safety data on Ventavis were obtained from 215 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension receiving iloprost in two 12-week clinical trials and two long-term extensions. Patients received inhaled Ventavis for periods of from 1 day to more than 3 years. The median number of weeks of exposure was 15 weeks. Forty patients completed 12 months of open-label treatment with iloprost.
The following table shows adverse events reported by at least 4 iloprost patients and reported at least 3% more frequently for iloprost patients than placebo patients in the 12-week placebo-controlled study.
Table 3: Adverse Events in Phase 3 Clinical Trial
Adverse Event |
Iloprost n = 101 |
Placebo n = 102 |
Placebo subtracted % |
Vasodilation (flushing) |
27 |
9 |
18 |
Cough increased |
39 |
26 |
13 |
Headache |
30 |
20 |
10 |
Trismus |
12 |
3 |
9 |
Insomnia |
8 |
2 |
6 |
Nausea |
13 |
8 |
5 |
Hypotension |
11 |
6 |
5 |
Vomiting |
7 |
2 |
5 |
Alk phos increased |
6 |
1 |
5 |
Flu syndrome |
14 |
10 |
4 |
Back pain |
7 |
3 |
4 |
Abnormal lab test |
7 |
3 |
4 |
Tongue pain |
4 |
0 |
4 |
Palpitations |
7 |
4 |
3 |
Syncope |
8 |
5 |
3 |
GGT increased |
6 |
3 |
3 |
Muscle cramps |
6 |
3 |
3 |
Hemoptysis |
5 |
2 |
3 |
Pneumonia |
4 |
1 |
3 |
Pre-marketing serious adverse events reported with the use of inhaled iloprost and not shown in Table 3 include congestive heart failure, chest pain, supraventricular tachycardia, dyspnea, peripheral edema, and kidney failure.
In a small clinical trial (the STEP trial, see CLINICAL TRIALS), safety trends in patients receiving concomitant bosentan and iloprost were consistent with those observed in the larger experience of the Phase 3 study in patients receiving only iloprost.
Adverse events with higher doses
In a study in healthy volunteers (n=160), inhaled doses of iloprost solution were given every 2 hours, beginning with 5 mcg and increasing up to 20 mcg for a total of 6 dose inhalations (total cumulative dose of 70 mcg) or up to the highest dose tolerated in a subgroup of 40 volunteers. There were 13 subjects (32%) who failed to reach the highest scheduled dose (20 mcg). Five were unable to increase the dose because of (mild to moderate) transient chest pain/discomfort/tightness, usually accompanied by headache, nausea, and dizziness. The remaining 8 subjects discontinued for other reasons.
POSTMARKETING EXPERIENCE
The following adverse reactions have been identified during the postapproval use of Ventavis. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Cases of bronchospasm and wheezing have been reported, particularly in susceptible patients with hyperreactive airways, such as patients with comorbid diseases affecting the airways (see PRECAUTIONS). Cases of epistaxis and gingival bleeding have been reported within one month of starting iloprost treatment. Cases of dizziness and diarrhea have also been reported with the use of Ventavis.
OVERDOSAGE
In clinical trials of Ventavis, no case of overdose was reported. Signs and symptoms to be anticipated are extensions of the dose-limiting pharmacological effects, including hypotension, headache, flushing, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. A specific antidote is not known. Interruption of the inhalation session, monitoring, and symptomatic measures are recommended.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Ventavis is intended to be inhaled using either of two pulmonary drug delivery devices: the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System. The first inhaled dose should be 2.5 mcg (as delivered at the mouthpiece). If this dose is well tolerated, dosing should be increased to 5.0 mcg and maintained at that dose; otherwise maintain the dose at 2.5 mcg. Ventavis should be taken 6 to 9 times per day (no more than once every 2 hours) during waking hours, according to individual need and tolerability. The maximum daily dose evaluated in clinical studies was 45 mcg (5 mcg 9 times per day).
Direct mixing of Ventavis with other medications in the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System has not been evaluated. To avoid potential interruptions in drug delivery due to equipment malfunctions, the patient should have easy access to a back-up I-neb®AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System.
Ventavis is supplied in 1 mL ampules in two concentrations: 10 mcg/mL and 20 mcg/mL.
|
Delivered dose from ampule of : |
Nebulizer |
10 mcg/mL |
20 mcg/mL |
I-neb® AAD® |
2.5 or 5 mcg from one ampule |
5 mcg from one ampule |
Prodose® AAD® |
2.5 or 5 mcg from two ampules |
N/A |
The 20 mcg/mL concentration is intended for patients who are maintained at the 5 mcg dose and who have repeatedly experienced extended treatment times which could result in incomplete dosing. Transitioning patients to the 20 mcg/mL concentration using the I-neb®AAD® System will decrease treatment times to help maintain patient compliance.
For each inhalation session, the entire contents of each opened ampule of Ventavis should be transferred into either the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System medication chamber immediately before use. After each inhalation session, any solution remaining in the medication chamber should be discarded. Use of the remaining solution will result in unpredictable dosing. Patients should follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning the I-neb® AAD® System or the Prodose® AAD® System components after each dose administration.
|