BUPRENORPHINE HYDROCHLORIDE and NALOXONE HYDROCHLORIDE DIHYDRATE

Product Type: HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG

Route: SUBLINGUAL

Dosage Form:

NDC: 71335-1858

Application: ANDA209069

Effective: 20231116

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets are indicated for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence. Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets should be used as part of a complete treatment plan that includes counseling and psychosocial support. Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets contain buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, and naloxone, an opioid antagonist, and are indicated for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence. (1) Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets should be used as a part of a complete treatment plan that includes counseling and psychosocial support. (1)

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Prescription use of this product is limited under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act. ( 2.1 ) Administer buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets sublingually as a single daily dose. ( 2.2 ) Strongly consider prescribing naloxone at the time Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets is initiated or renewed because patients being treated for opioid use disorder have the potential for relapse, putting them at risk for opioid overdose ( 2.3 ) To avoid precipitating withdrawal, induction with buprenorphine sublingual tablets should be undertaken when objective and clear signs of withdrawal are evident. After induction, doses of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets should be progressively adjusted to a level that holds the patient in treatment and suppresses opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms. (2.3) The recommended target dosage of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets for maintenance is 16/4 mg. ( 2.4 ) Administer buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets as directed in the Full Prescribing Information. ( 2.4 , 2.5 ) When discontinuing treatment, gradually taper to avoid signs and symptoms of withdrawal. ( 2.8 ) 2.1 Drug Addiction and Treatment Act Under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) codified at 21 U.S.C. 823(g), prescription use of this product in the treatment of opioid dependence is limited to healthcare providers who meet certain qualifying requirements, and who have notified the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) of their intent to prescribe this product for the treatment of opioid dependence and have been assigned a unique identification number that must be included on every prescription. 2.2 Important Dosage and Administration Information Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets are administered sublingually as a single daily dose. Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets should be used in patients who have been initially inducted using buprenorphine sublingual tablets. Medication should be prescribed in consideration of the frequency of visits. Provision of multiple refills is not advised early in treatment or without appropriate patient follow-up visits. 2.3 Patient Access to Naloxone for the Emergency Treatment of Opioid Overdose Discuss the availability of naloxone for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose with the patient and caregiver. Because patients being treated for opioid use disorder have the potential for relapse, putting them at risk for opioid overdose, strongly consider prescribing naloxone for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose, both when initiating and renewing treatment with Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets. Also consider prescribing naloxone if the patient has household members (including children) or other close contacts at risk for accidental ingestion or opioid overdose [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] . Advise patients and caregivers that naloxone may also be administered for a known or suspected overdose with buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets itself. Higher than normal doses and repeated administration of naloxone may be necessary due to the long duration of action of Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets and its affinity for the mu receptor [see Overdosage ( 10 )]. Inform patients and caregivers of their options for obtaining naloxone as permitted by individual state naloxone dispensing and prescribing requirements or guidelines (e.g., by prescription, directly from a pharmacist, or as part of a community-based program) [see Patient Counseling Information ( 17 )]. 2.4 Maintenance The dosage of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets should be progressively adjusted in increments/decrements of 2 mg/0.5 mg or 4 mg/1 mg buprenorphine/naloxone to a level that holds the patient in treatment and suppresses opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms The maintenance dose of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets are generally in the range of 4 mg/1 mg buprenorphine/naloxone to 24 mg/6 mg buprenorphine/naloxone per day depending on the individual patient. The recommended target dosage of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets are 16 mg/4 mg buprenorphine/naloxone/day as a single daily dose. Dosages higher than 24 mg/6 mg have not been demonstrated to provide any clinical advantage When determining the prescription quantity for unsupervised administration, consider the patient’s level of stability, the security of his or her home situation, and other factors likely to affect the ability to manage supplies of take-home medication. There is no maximum recommended duration of maintenance treatment. Patients may require treatment indefinitely and should continue for as long as patients are benefiting and the use of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablet contributes to the intended treatment goals. 2.5 Method of Administration Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets must be administered whole. Do not cut, chew, or swallow buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets. Advise patients not to eat or drink anything until the tablet is completely dissolved. Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablet should be placed under the tongue until it is dissolved. For doses requiring the use of more than two tablets, patients are advised to either place all the tablets at once or alternatively (if they cannot fit in more than two tablets comfortably), place two tablets at a time under the tongue. Either way, the patients should continue to hold the tablets under the tongue until they dissolve; swallowing the tablets reduces the bioavailability of the drug. To ensure consistency in bioavailability, patients should follow the same manner of dosing with continued use of the product. Proper administration technique should be demonstrated to the patient. 2.6 Clinical Supervision Treatment should be initiated with supervised administration, progressing to unsupervised administration as the patient’s clinical stability permits. Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets are subject to diversion and abuse. When determining the prescription quantity for unsupervised administration, consider the patient’s level of stability, the security of his or her home situation, and other factors likely to affect the ability to manage supplies of take-home medication. Ideally patients should be seen at reasonable intervals (e.g., at least weekly during the first month of treatment) based upon the individual circumstances of the patient. Medication should be prescribed in consideration of the frequency of visits. Provision of multiple refills is not advised early in treatment or without appropriate patient follow-up visits. Periodic assessment is necessary to determine compliance with the dosing regimen, effectiveness of the treatment plan, and overall patient progress. Once a stable dosage has been achieved and patient assessment (e.g., urine drug screening) does not indicate illicit drug use, less frequent follow-up visits may be appropriate. A once-monthly visit schedule may be reasonable for patients on a stable dosage of medication who are making progress toward their treatment objectives. Continuation or modification of pharmacotherapy should be based on the healthcare provider’s evaluation of treatment outcomes and objectives such as: Absence of medication toxicity Absence of medical or behavioral adverse effects Responsible handling of medications by the patient Patient’s compliance with all elements of the treatment plan (including recovery-oriented activities, psychotherapy, and/or other psychosocial modalities) Abstinence from illicit drug use (including problematic alcohol and/or benzodiazepine use) If treatment goals are not being achieved, the healthcare provider should re-evaluate the appropriateness of continuing the current treatment. 2.7 Unstable Patients Healthcare providers will need to decide when they cannot appropriately provide further management for particular patients. For example, some patients may be abusing or dependent on various drugs, or unresponsive to psychosocial intervention such that the healthcare provider does not feel that he/she has the expertise to manage the patient. In such cases, the healthcare provider may want to assess whether to refer the patient to a specialist or more intensive behavioral treatment environment. Decisions should be based on a treatment plan established and agreed upon with the patient at the beginning of treatment. Patients who continue to misuse, abuse, or divert buprenorphine products or other opioids should be provided with, or referred to, more intensive and structured treatment. 2.8 Discontinuing Treatment The decision to discontinue therapy with buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets after a period of maintenance should be made as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Advise patients of the potential to relapse to illicit drug use following discontinuation of opioid agonist/partial agonist medication-assisted treatment. Taper patients to reduce the occurrence of withdrawal signs and symptoms [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ]. 2.9 Switching between Buprenorphine and Naloxone Sublingual Film and Buprenorphine and Naloxone Sublingual Tablets Patients being switched between buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets and buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film should be started on the same dosage as the previously administered product. However, dosage adjustments may be necessary when switching between products. Because of the potentially greater relative bioavailability of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film compared to buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets, patients switching from buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets to buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film should be monitored for over-medication. Those switching from buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film to buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets should be monitored for withdrawal or other indications of under dosing. In clinical studies, pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film was similar to the respective dosage strengths of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets, although not all doses and dose combinations met bioequivalence criteria.

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets are contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to buprenorphine or naloxone as serious adverse reactions, including anaphylactic shock, have been reported [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ]. Hypersensitivity to buprenorphine or naloxone. (4)

Not available.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Respiratory and CNS Depression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2 , 5.3) ] Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Adrenal Insufficiency [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Opioid Withdrawal [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7 , 5.10) ] Hepatitis, Hepatic Events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] Orthostatic Hypotension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.14) ] Elevation of Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.15) ] Elevation of Intracholedochal Pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.16) ] Adverse events commonly observed with administration of buprenorphine/naloxone are oral hypoesthesia, glossodynia, oral mucosal erythema, headache, nausea, vomiting, hyperhidrosis, constipation, signs and symptoms of withdrawal, insomnia, pain, and peripheral edema. (6) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Wes Pharma Inc at 1-888-212-6921 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088, or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 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 practice. The safety of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets was evaluated in 497 opioid-dependent subjects. The prospective evaluation of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets was supported by clinical trials using buprenorphine sublingual tablets and other trials using buprenorphine sublingual solutions. In total, safety data were available from 3214 opioid-dependent subjects exposed to buprenorphine at doses in the range used in treatment of opioid addiction. Few differences in adverse event profile were noted between buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets and buprenorphine sublingual tablets or buprenorphine administered as a sublingual solution. The following adverse events were reported to occur by at least 5% of patients in a 4-week study (Table 1). Table 1. Adverse Events ≥5% by Body System and Treatment Group in a 4-week Study N (%) N (%) Body System/ Adverse Event (COSTART Terminology) Buprenorphine and Naloxone Sublingual Tablets 16 mg/day N=107 Placebo N=107 Body as a Whole Asthenia 7 (6.5%) 7 (6.5%) Chills 8 (7.5%) 8 (7.5%) Headache 39 (36.4%) 24 (22.4%) Infection 6 (5.6%) 7 (6.5%) Pain 24 (22.4%) 20 (18.7%) Pain Abdomen 12 (11.2%) 7 (6.5%) Pain Back 4 (3.7%) 12 (11.2%) Withdrawal Syndrome 27 (25.2%) 40 (37.4%) Cardiovascular System Vasodilation 10 (9.3%) 7 (6.5%) Digestive System Constipation 13 (12.1%) 3 (2.8%) Diarrhea 4 (3.7%) 16 (15.0%) Nausea 16 (15.0%) 12 (11.2%) Vomiting 8 (7.5%) 5 (4.7%) Nervous System Insomnia 15 (14.0%) 17 (15.9%) Respiratory System Rhinitis 5 (4.7%) 14 (13.1%) Skin and Appendages Sweating 15 (14.0%) 11 (10.3%) The adverse event profile of buprenorphine was also characterized in the dose-controlled study of buprenorphine solution, over a range of doses in four months of treatment. Table 2 shows adverse events reported by at least 5% of subjects in any dose group in the dose-controlled study. Table 2. Adverse Events (≥5%) by Body System and Treatment Group in a 16-week Study Body System/ Adverse Event (COSTART Terminology) Buprenorphine Dose* Very Low Sublingual solution. Doses in this table cannot necessarily be delivered in tablet form, but for comparison purposes: “Very low” dose (1 mg solution) would be less than a tablet dose of 2 mg “Low” dose (4 mg solution) approximates a 6 mg tablet dose “Moderate” dose (8 mg solution) approximates a 12 mg tablet dose “High” dose (16 mg solution) approximates a 24 mg tablet dose (N=184) Low (N=180) Moderate (N=186) High (N=181) Total (N=731) N (%) N (%) N (%) N (%) N (%) Body as a Whole Abscess 9 (5%) 2 (1%) 3 (2%) 2 (1%) 16 (2%) Asthenia 26 (14%) 28 (16%) 26 (14%) 24 (13%) 104 (14%) Chills 11 (6%) 12 (7%) 9 (5%) 10 (6%) 42 (6%) Fever 7 (4%) 2 (1%) 2 (1%) 10 (6%) 21 (3%) Flu Syndrome 4 (2%) 13 (7%) 19 (10%) 8 (4%) 44 (6%) Headache 51 (28%) 62 (34%) 54 (29%) 53 (29%) 220 (30%) Infection 32 (17%) 39 (22%) 38 (20%) 40 (22%) 149 (20%) Injury Accidental 5 (3%) 10 (6%) 5 (3%) 5 (3%) 25 (3%) Pain 47 (26%) 37 (21%) 49 (26%) 44 (24%) 177 (24%) Pain Back 18 (10%) 29 (16%) 28 (15%) 27 (15%) 102 (14%) Withdrawal Syndrome 45 (24%) 40 (22%) 41 (22%) 36 (20%) 162 (22%) Digestive System Constipation 10 (5%) 23 (13%) 23 (12%) 26 (14%) 82 (11%) Diarrhea 19 (10%) 8 (4%) 9 (5%) 4 (2%) 40 (5%) Dyspepsia 6 (3%) 10 (6%) 4 (2%) 4 (2%) 24 (3%) Nausea 12 (7%) 22 (12%) 23 (12%) 18 (10%) 75 (10%) Vomiting 8 (4%) 6 (3%) 10 (5%) 14 (8%) 38 (5%) Nervous System Anxiety 22 (12%) 24 (13%) 20 (11%) 25 (14%) 91 (12%) Depression 24 (13%) 16 (9%) 25 (13%) 18 (10%) 83 (11%) Dizziness 4 (2%) 9 (5%) 7 (4%) 11 (6%) 31 (4%) Insomnia 42 (23%) 50 (28%) 43 (23%) 51 (28%) 186 (25%) Nervousness 12 (7%) 11 (6%) 10 (5%) 13 (7%) 46 (6%) Somnolence 5 (3%) 13 (7%) 9 (5%) 11 (6%) 38 (5%) Respiratory System Cough Increase 5 (3%) 11 (6%) 6 (3%) 4 (2%) 26 (4%) Pharyngitis 6 (3%) 7 (4%) 6 (3%) 9 (5%) 28 (4%) Rhinitis 27 (15%) 16 (9%) 15 (8%) 21 (12%) 79 (11%) Skin and Appendages Sweat 23 (13%) 21 (12%) 20 (11%) 23 (13%) 87 (12%) Special Senses Runny Eyes 13 (7%) 9 (5%) 6 (3%) 6 (3%) 34 (5%) 6.2 Post-marketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of buprenorphine/naloxone. 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. The most frequently reported post-marketing adverse event not observed in clinical trials was peripheral edema. Serotonin syndrome : Cases of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, have been reported during concomitant use of opioids with serotonergic drugs. Adrenal insufficiency : Cases of adrenal insufficiency have been reported with opioid use, more often following greater than one month of use. Anaphylaxis : Anaphylaxis has been reported with ingredients contained in buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets. Androgen deficiency : Cases of androgen deficiency have occurred with chronic use of opioids [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ] . Local reactions : Glossodynia, glossitis, oral mucosal erythema, oral hypoesthesia, and stomatitis.