Sevelamer Hydrochloride

1 INDICATIONS & USAGE Sevelamer hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the control of serum phosphorus in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis. The safety and efficacy of sevelamer hydrochloride tablets in CKD patients who are not on dialysis have not been studied. • Sevelamer hydrochloride tablets are a phosphate binder indicated for the control of serum phosphorus in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis. ( 1 )

2 DOSAGE & ADMINISTRATION Patients Not Taking a Phosphate Binder. The recommended starting dose of sevelamer hydrochloride tablets is 800 mg to 1600 mg, which can be administered as one or two 800 mg sevelamer hydrochloride tablets or two to four 400 mg sevelamer hydrochloride tablets, with meals based on serum phosphorus level. Table 1 provides recommended starting doses of sevelamer hydrochloride tablets for patients not taking a phosphate binder. Table 1: Starting Dose for Dialysis Patients Not Taking a Phosphate Binder Serum Phosphorus Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets 800 mg Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets 400 mg Greater than 5.5 and less than 7.5 mg/dL 1 tablet three times daily with meals 2 tablets three times daily with meals Greater than or equal to 7.5 and less than 9 mg/dL 2 tablets three times daily with meals 3 tablets three times daily with meals Greater than or equal to 9 mg/dL 2 tablets three times daily with meals 4 tablets three times daily with meals Patients Switching from Calcium Acetate. In a study in 84 CKD patients on hemodialysis, a similar reduction in serum phosphorus was seen with equivalent doses (approximately mg for mg) of sevelamer hydrochloride tablets and calcium acetate. Table 2 gives recommended starting doses of sevelamer hydrochloride tablets based on a patient’s current calcium acetate dose. Table 2: Starting Dose for Dialysis Patients Switching From Calcium Acetate to Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets Calcium Acetate 667 mg (Tablets per meal) Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets 800 mg (Tablets per meal) Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets 400 mg (Tablets per meal) 1 tablet 1 tablet 2 tablets 2 tablets 2 tablets 3 tablets 3 tablets 3 tablets 5 tablets Dose Titration for All Patients Taking Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets. Adjust dosage based on the serum phosphorus concentration with a goal of lowering serum phosphorus to 5.5 mg/dL or less. Increase or decrease by one tablet per meal at two-week intervals as necessary. Table 3 gives a dose titration guideline. The average dose in a Phase 3 trial designed to lower serum phosphorus to 5 mg/dL or less was approximately three sevelamer hydrochloride 800 mg tablets per meal. The maximum average daily sevelamer hydrochloride tablets dose studied was 13 g. Table 3: Dose Titration Guideline Serum Phosphorus Sevelamer Hydrochloride Tablets Dose Greater than 5.5 mg/dL Increase 1 tablet per meal at 2-week intervals 3.5 to 5.5 mg/dL Maintain current dose Less than 3.5 mg/dL Decrease 1 tablet per meal • Starting dose is one or two 800 mg or two to four 400 mg tablets three times per day with meals. ( 2 ) • Adjust by one tablet per meal in two-week intervals as needed to obtain serum phosphorus target (3.5 to 5.5 mg/dL). ( 2 )

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Sevelamer hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients with bowel obstruction. Sevelamer hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to sevelamer hydrochloride or to any of the excipients. • Bowel obstruction. ( 4 ) • Known hypersensitivity to sevelamer hydrochloride or to any of the excipients. ( 4 )

Not available.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS • The most common reasons for discontinuing treatment were gastrointestinal adverse reactions. ( 6.1 ) • In a parallel design study of 12 weeks duration, treatment-emergent adverse reactions to sevelamer hydrochloride tablets in peritoneal dialysis patients included dyspepsia (12%), peritonitis (8%), diarrhea (5%), nausea (5%), constipation (4%), pruritus (4%), abdominal distension (3%), vomiting (3%), fatigue (3%), anorexia (3%), and arthralgia (3%). ( 6.1 ) • Cases of fecal impaction and, less commonly, ileus, bowel obstruction, and bowel perforation have been reported. ( 6.2 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Macleods Pharma USA, Inc. at 1-888-943-3210 or 1-855-926-3384 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. In a parallel design study of sevelamer hydrochloride with treatment duration of 52 weeks, adverse reactions reported for sevelamer hydrochloride (n=99) were similar to those reported for the active-control group (n=101). Overall adverse reactions among those treated with sevelamer hydrochloride occurring in greater than 5% of patients included: vomiting (22%), nausea (20%), diarrhea (19%), dyspepsia (16%), abdominal pain (9%), flatulence (8%), and constipation (8%). A total of 27 patients treated with sevelamer and 10 patients treated with comparator withdrew from the study due to adverse reactions. Based on studies of 8 to 52 weeks, the most common reason for withdrawal from sevelamer hydrochloride was gastrointestinal adverse reactions (3% to 16%). In 143 peritoneal dialysis patients studied for 12 weeks, most adverse reactions were similar to adverse reactions observed in hemodialysis patients. The most frequently occurring treatment-emergent serious adverse reaction was peritonitis (8 reactions in 8 patients [8%] in the sevelamer group and 2 reactions in 2 patients [4%] on active control). Thirteen patients (14%) in the sevelamer group and 9 patients (20%) in the active-control group discontinued, mostly for gastrointestinal adverse reactions. Patients on peritoneal dialysis should be closely monitored to ensure the reliable use of appropriate aseptic technique with the prompt recognition and management of any signs and symptoms associated with peritonitis. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of sevelamer hydrochloride tablets: hypersensitivity, pruritus, rash, abdominal pain, bleeding gastrointestinal ulcers, colitis, ulceration, necrosis, fecal impaction and uncommon cases of ileus, intestinal obstruction, and intestinal perforation. Appropriate medical management should be given to patients who develop constipation or have worsening of existing constipation to avoid severe complications. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate their frequency or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.