IVRA

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Multiple Myeloma-Palliative Treatment IVRA is indicated for the palliative treatment of patients with multiple myeloma for whom oral therapy is not appropriate. IVRA is an alkylating drug indicated for palliative treatment of patients with multiple myeloma for whom oral therapy is not appropriate. ( 1 )

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Recommended dosage is 16 mg/m 2 administered intravenously over 15 to 20 minutes at 2-week intervals for 4 doses, then, after adequate recovery from toxicity, at 4-week intervals. ( 2.2 ) See full prescribing information for preparation and administration instructions. ( 2.3 ) 2.1 Recommended Dosage The recommended dosage is 16 mg/m 2 intravenously over 15 to 20 minutes at 2-week intervals for 4 doses, then at 4-week intervals until unacceptable toxicity. Administer prophylactic antiemetics [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )]. 2.2 Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reactions See Table 1 for dosage modifications for adverse reactions related to bone marrow suppression [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )]. Table 1. Dosage Modifications for Adverse Reaction: Bone Marrow Suppression Parameter Dosing Recommendations White Blood Cell Count (WBC/mm 3 ) Platelet Count (Per mcL) Greater than or equal to 4,000 Greater than or equal to 100,000 Continue full IVRA dose Greater than or equal to 3,000 Greater than or equal to 75,000 Reduce IVRA to 75% of full dose Greater than or equal to 2,000 Greater than or equal to 50,000 Reduce IVRA to 50% of full dose Less than 2,000 Less than 50,000 Withold IVRA 2.3 Dosage Modifications for Renal Impairment Consider a dosage reduction of up to 50% in patients with renal insufficiency (BUN ≥30 mg/dL) [see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.6 )] . 2.4 Preparation and Administration Preparation IVRA is a hazardous drug. Follow applicable special handling and disposal procedures 1 . Parenteral drug products should be visually inspected for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration whenever solution and container permit. If either occurs, do not use this product. IVRA is light sensitive. After first use, store the partially used vial refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C [36°F to 46°F] in the original carton for use within 28 days and then discard the remaining contents. Retain vial in original carton until contents are used. Do not mix IVRA with other melphalan hydrochloride drug products. Dilution Calculate the required volume of IVRA needed for a patient’s dose and withdraw that volume from the vial(s). Add the required volume of IVRA to the appropriate volume of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection to obtain a solution with a concentration not greater than 0.45 mg/mL. Immediately mix the contents of infusion vigorously by manual rotation. The diluted product is stable for 1 hour at room temperature. Administration Infuse over 15 to 20 minutes via an injection port or central venous catheter. Complete administration within 60 minutes of dilution. IVRA may cause local tissue damage should extravasation occur. Administer IVRA only by injecting slowly into a fast-running intravenous infusion via an injection port or, central venous access line.

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS IVRA is contraindicated in patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity to melphalan. Reactions have included anaphylaxis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )]. History of severe hypersensitivity to melphalan. ( 4 )

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Gastrointestinal toxicity: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or oral mucositis may occur; provide supportive care using antiemetic and antidiarrheal medications as needed. ( 5.2 ) Embryo-fetal toxicity: Can cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential and males with female partners of reproductive potential of potential risk to fetus and to use effective contraception. ( 5.6 , 8.1 ) Infertility: Melphalan may cause ovarian function suppression or testicular suppression. ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Bone Marrow Suppression IVRA causes bone marrow suppression in most patients. Obtain complete blood counts with differential at the start of therapy and prior to each subsequent dose of IVRA. Withhold treatment for grade 3 thrombocytopenia and/ or leukopenia until blood counts have returned to grade 2 [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.2 )] . Consider dose adjustment on the basis of blood counts at the nadir and day of treatment. 5.2 Gastrointestinal Toxicity Gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and oral ulceration can occur with melphalan treatment. Severe mucositis, stomatitis, colitis, diarrhea, and hemorrhage of the gastrointestinal tract occur at high doses (greater than 100 mg/m 2 6 times the recommended approved dose). Use prophylactic antiemetics [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.1 )]. Provide supportive care for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and mucositis. 5.3 Hepatotoxicity Hepatic disorders ranging from abnormal liver function tests to clinical manifestations such as hepatitis and jaundice have been reported during treatment with melphalan. Hepatic veno-occlusive disease has been reported. Monitor liver enzymes as clinically indicated. 5.4 Hypersensitivity Acute hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis were reported in 2.4% of 425 patients receiving melphalan injection for myeloma. These reactions were characterized by urticaria, pruritus, edema, skin rashes, and in some patients, tachycardia, bronchospasm, dyspnea, and hypotension. These patients appeared to respond to antihistamine and corticosteroid therapy. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, intravenous or oral melphalan should not be readministered since hypersensitivity reactions have also been reported with oral melphalan. Cardiac arrest has also been reported in association with such reports. Discontinue treatment with IVRA for serious hypersensitivity reactions. 5.5 Secondary Malignancies Melphalan has been shown to cause chromatid or chromosome damage in humans. Secondary malignancies, including acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, myeloproliferative syndrome, and carcinoma, have been reported in patients with cancer treated with alkylating agents (including melphalan). Some patients also received other chemotherapeutic agents or radiation therapy. The potential benefits from melphalan therapy must be weighed on an individual basis against the possible risk of the induction of a second malignancy. 5.6 Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on its mechanism of action, IVRA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Melphalan is genotoxic, targets actively dividing cells, and was embryolethal and teratogenic in rats. While adequate animal studies have not been conducted with intravenous melphalan, oral (6 to 18 mg/m 2 /day for 10 days) and IP (18 mg/m 2 ) administration in rats was embryolethal and teratogenic. Malformations resulting from melphalan included alterations of the brain (underdevelopment, deformation, meningocele, and encephalocele) and eye (anophthalmia and microphthalmos), reduction of the mandible and tail, as well as hepatocele (exomphaly). If this drug is used during pregnancy or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, advise a pregnant woman of the of potential risk to the fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with IVRA and for 6 months after the last dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with IVRA and for 3 months after the last dose [see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.1 , 8.3 )] . 5.7 Infertility Melphalan causes suppression of ovarian function in premenopausal women, resulting in amenorrhea in a significant number of patients. Reversible and irreversible testicular suppression have also been reported [see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.3 )] .

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Effect of Other Drugs on IVRA Cisplatin Concomitant use with cisplatin may alter melphalan clearance by inducing renal dysfunction. Consider intravenous IVRA dosage reduction in patients with renal insufficiency following concomitant use with cisplatin [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.2 )] . 7.2 Effect of IVRA on Other Drugs BCNU Concomitant use with BCNU may reduce the threshold for lung toxicity. Monitor for increased lung toxicity. 7.3 Cyclosporine Concomitant use with cyclosporine may increase the risk of developing severe renal failure [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 ) ]. Consider intravenous IVRA dosage reduction in patients with renal insufficiency following concomitant use with cyclosporine [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.2 )] .

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Bone Marrow Suppression [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Gastrointestinal Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Hepatotoxicity [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Hypersensitivity [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Secondary Malignancies [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] Most common adverse reactions (≥50%) are neutrophil count decreased, white blood cell count decreased, lymphocyte count decreased, platelet count decreased, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, hypokalemia, anemia, and vomiting. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Apotex Corp. at 1-800-706-5575 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . ­ 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of melphalan may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The most common adverse reactions observed in at least 50% of patients with multiple myeloma treated with melphalan were neutrophil count decreased, white blood cell count decreased, lymphocyte count decreased, platelet count decreased, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, hypokalemia, anemia, and vomiting. Palliative Treatment of Patients with Multiple Myeloma The safety of melphalan was evaluated in 295 patients with multiple myeloma in the randomized clinical trial [see Clinical Studies ( 14 )]. One hundred and ninety-five patients were administered intravenous melphalan at a dosage of 16 mg/m 2 q 2 weeks x 4 (over 6 weeks) followed by the same dose every 4 weeks. One hundred patients were administered oral melphalan at a dosage of 0.15 mg/kg/day x 7 followed by 0.05 mg/kg/day when WBC counts began to rise. Severe myelotoxicity (WBC ≤1,000 and/or platelets ≤25,000) was more common in the intravenous melphalan arm (28%) than in the oral melphalan arm (11%).

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Based on its mechanism of action and findings from animal studies, IVRA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. There are no available data on IVRA use in pregnant women to evaluate for a drug-associated risk. In rats, melphalan was embryolethal and teratogenic at doses lower than the highest recommended clinical dose (see Data). If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential risk to the fetus. The background risk in the U.S. general population of major birth defects is 2 to 4% and of miscarriage is 15 to 20% of clinically recognized pregnancies. Data Animal Data Adequate animal studies have not been conducted with intravenous melphalan. Melphalan was embryolethal and teratogenic in rats following oral administration of 6 to 18 mg/m 2 /day for 10 days (0.06 to 0.18 times the highest recommended clinical dose of 100 mg/m 2 /day) and intraperitoneal administration of 18 mg/m 2 (0.18 times the highest recommended clinical dose). Malformations resulting from melphalan administration included alterations of the brain (underdevelopment, deformation, meningocele, and encephalocele) and eye (anophthalmia and microphthalmos), reduction of the mandible and tail, and hepatocele (exomphaly).