Tarpeyo Dailymed

10 Overdosage

Reports of acute toxicity and/or death following overdosage of corticoids are rare.

In the event of acute overdosage, no specific antidote is available. Treatment consists of supportive and symptomatic therapy.

11 Description

TARPEYO (budesonide) delayed release capsules, for oral administration, contain budesonide, a synthetic corticosteroid, as the active ingredient. Budesonide is designated chemically as 16α, 17α-[(1RS)-Butylidenebis(oxy)]-11β, 21-dihydroxypregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione.

Budesonide is provided as a mixture of two epimers (22R and 22S). The empirical formula of budesonide is C₂₅H₃₄O₆ and its molecular weight is 430.5. Its structural formula is:

         

Budesonide is a white to off-white, tasteless, odorless powder that is practically insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in alcohol, and freely soluble in chloroform.

The beads in each capsule contain the following inactive ingredients: sugar spheres (sucrose and starch), hypromellose, polyethylene glycol, citric acid monohydrate, ethyl cellulose, medium chain triglycerides and oleic acid. The capsule shells contain hypromellose and titanium oxide (E171); and the printing ink on the capsules contain shellac, propylene glycol and black iron oxide (E172). The enteric coating on the capsules contain: methacrylic acid and methacrylate copolymer, talc and dibutyl sebacate.

12 Clinical Pharmacology

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Budesonide is a corticosteroid with potent glucocorticoid activity and weak mineralocorticoid activity that undergoes substantial first pass metabolism. Mucosal B-cells present in the ileum, including the Peyer's patches, express glucocorticoid receptors and are responsible for the production of galactose-deficient IgA1 antibodies (Gd-Ag1) causing IgA nephropathy. Through their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects at the glucocorticoid receptor, corticosteroids can modulate B-cell numbers and activity. It has not been established to what extent TARPEYO's efficacy is mediated via local effects in the ileum vs systemic effects.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics

Treatment with corticosteroids, including TARPEYO, is associated with a suppression of endogenous cortisol concentrations and an impairment of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function.

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

Absorption

Following single oral administration of TARPEYO 16 mg to healthy subjects, the average geometric mean C_max (CV%) was 4.4 ng/mL (58.3), and AUC_0-24 was 24.1 h*ng/mL (49.7). Median T_lag (min, max) was 3.1 h (0, 6) while median T_max (min, max) was 5.1 h (4.5, 10).

Food Effect

There was no clinically relevant food effect observed on the overall systemic exposure of budesonide when either a moderate or high fat meal was consumed 1 hour after administration of TARPEYO.

Distribution

Approximately 85 to 90% of budesonide binds to plasma proteins in blood over the concentration range of 0.43 to 99 ng/mL. The volume of distribution at steady state reported in the literature is 3 to 4 L/kg.

Metabolism

Budesonide is metabolized by the liver (and to lesser extent the gut), primarily by oxidative pathways via CYP3A4 to two main metabolites, 16α-hydroxyprednisolone and 6β-hydroxybudesonide, which have less than 1% of the corticosteroid activity of budesonide.

Elimination

Budesonide had a high plasma clearance, 0.9 to 1.8 L/min in healthy adults, which is close to the estimated liver blood flow, and, accordingly, suggests that budesonide is a high hepatic clearance drug.

Following single oral administration of TARPEYO 16 mg to healthy subjects, the elimination half-life (t½) for TARPEYO ranged from 5.0 to 6.8 hours.

Excretion

Budesonide was excreted in urine and feces in the form of metabolites. After oral as well as intravenous administration of micronized [³H]-budesonide, approximately 60% of the recovered radioactivity was found in urine. The major metabolites, including 16α-hydroxyprednisolone and 6β-hydroxybudesonide, are mainly renally excreted, intact or in conjugated forms. No unchanged budesonide was detected in urine.

Specific Populations

Age, race, and body weight

The effect of age, race, and body weight on the pharmacokinetics of TARPEYO has not been established.

Sex

Of the 143 healthy volunteers included in the Phase 1 studies, 29% were female. Pharmacokinetics of budesonide was similar between males and females.

Hepatic Impairment

Subjects with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class B) had 3.5 times the budesonide AUC compared with healthy volunteers while subjects with mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class A) had approximately 1.4 times the budesonide AUC compared with healthy volunteers.

Patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class C) have not been studied.

Renal Impairment

Intact budesonide is not excreted renally. The main metabolites of budesonide, which have negligible corticosteroid activity, are largely (60%) excreted in urine.

Drug Interaction Studies

Budesonide is metabolized via CYP3A4. Potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 can increase plasma levels of budesonide.

Thus, clinically relevant drug interactions with potent CYP3A inhibitors, such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, ritonavir, indinavir, saquinavir, erythromycin, cyclosporine, and grapefruit juice, are to be expected. Conversely, induction of CYP3A4 potentially could result in the lowering of budesonide plasma concentrations.

Effects of Other Drugs on Budesonide

13 Nonclinical Toxicology

13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

Carcinogenicity studies with budesonide were conducted in rats and mice. In a two-year study in Sprague-Dawley rats, budesonide caused a statistically significant increase in the incidence of gliomas in male rats at an oral dose of 50 mcg/kg (approximately 0.03 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) on a body surface area basis). In addition, there were increased incidences of primary hepatocellular tumors in male rats at 25 mcg/kg (approximately 0.015 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis) and above. No tumorigenicity was seen in female rats at oral doses up to 50 mcg/kg (approximately 0.03 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis). In an additional two-year study in male Sprague-Dawley rats, budesonide caused no gliomas at an oral dose of 50 mcg/kg (approximately 0.03 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis). However, it caused a statistically significant increase in the incidence of hepatocellular tumors at an oral dose of 50 mcg/kg (approximately 0.03 times the MRHD of a body surface area basis). The concurrent reference corticosteroids (prednisolone and triamcinolone acetonide) showed similar findings. In a 91-week study in mice, budesonide caused no treatment-related carcinogenicity at oral doses up to 200 mcg/kg (approximately 0.06 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis).

Budesonide was not genotoxic in the Ames text, the mouse lymphoma cell forward gene mutation (TK^+/-) test, the human lymphocyte chromosome aberration test, the Drosophila melanogaster sex-linked recessive lethal test, the rat hepatocyte UDS test and the mouse micronucleus test.

In rats, budesonide had no effect on fertility at subcutaneous doses up to 80 mcg/kg (approximately 0.05 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis). However, it caused a decrease in prenatal viability and viability in pups at birth and during lactation, along with a decrease in maternal food consumption and body weight gain, at subcutaneous doses of 20 mcg/kg (approximately 0.012 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis) and above. No such effects were noted at 5 mcg/kg (approximately 0.003 times the MRHD on a body surface area basis).

14 Clinical Studies

14.1 Treatment of IgAN

TARPEYO was shown to reduce the loss of kidney function in adults with primary IgAN at risk of disease progression in the NefIgArd trial. While the effect on kidney function that was seen during the 9-month treatment period persisted following completion of treatment, TARPEYO did not change the long-term rate of decline in kidney function.

NefIgArd Study: A Phase 3, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial in Adults with Primary IgAN

The effect of TARPEYO on proteinuria and kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR) was assessed in a randomized, double-blind, phase 3, 2-part, multicenter study (NefIgArd, NCT: 03643965) in adults with biopsy-proven IgAN, eGFR ≥35 mL/min/1.73 m², and proteinuria (defined as either ≥1 g/day or UPCR ≥0.8 g/g) who were on a stable dose of maximally-tolerated RAS inhibitor therapy. Patients with other glomerulopathies, nephrotic syndrome, or those who had been treated with systemic immunosuppressive medications were excluded. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either TARPEYO 16 mg once daily or placebo and treated for nine months followed by a 2-week taper of either TARPEYO 8 mg once daily or placebo. Patients were then followed off-treatment for 15 months. The primary endpoint for Part A of the study (interim analysis) was the ratio of UPCR (based on 24-hour urine collections) at 9 months compared to baseline based on the first 199 randomized patients who completed the Month 9 visit. The primary endpoint for Part B of the study (final analysis) was a time-weighted average of the log ratio of eGFR at each time point over 2 years relative to baseline.

Of the 364 patients evaluated for efficacy, 66% were male, 76% were Caucasian, 23% were Asian, and 20% were from North America. The median age was 43 years (range 20 to 73 years). At baseline, the mean eGFR was approximately 58 mL/min/1.73 m², with 60% of patients having an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m². The mean baseline UPCR was 1.5 g/g and 21% of patients had proteinuria >3.5 g/24 hours. Approximately 70% of patients had a history of hypertension and 7% had a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. At baseline, 98% were treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and <1% of patients were on a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. At study entry, the median systolic/diastolic blood pressure was 125/79 mmHg.

The trial met the prespecified Part A primary endpoint based on an interim analysis of 199 randomized patients who had completed the Month 9 visit. The interim analysis showed a 31% reduction in UPCR in patients treated with TARPEYO 16 mg once daily compared to placebo (95% CI: 16% to 42% reduction; p=0.0001). In the final analysis of 364 patients, the percentage change in UPCR observed at 9 months was consistent with the results in the subset of 199 patients included in the interim analysis. The final analysis of the percentage change in UPCR during the treatment and follow-up phase is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: LS Mean (95% CI) Percentage Change from Baseline in UPCR (g/g) in NefIgArd Study (Full Analysis Set)
   Estimated mean percentage change from baseline in UPCR with 95% confidence intervals estimated from a mixed model repeated measures analysis of log-transformed post-baseline to baseline ratios at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. Analysis included all UPCR data regardless of use of prohibited medication at any point during the study.
   Values reported under the figure are converted to percent reduction from baseline. Relative percent reductions comparing TARPEYO and placebo are estimated from the regression model.
   Abbreviations: UPCR, urine protein to creatinine ratio; CI, confidence intervals; LS, least squares.

In the final analysis of 364 patients, the trial met the prespecified Part B primary endpoint (p<0.0001). The mean change from baseline in eGFR and respective 95% CI for each arm at each scheduled visit during the treatment and follow-up phase is shown in Figure 2. The favorable effect of TARPEYO on eGFR was seen by Month 3 (the earliest assessment) and did not appear to increase in magnitude over two years. At Year 2, there was a 5.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 difference in the mean change from baseline in eGFR between TARPEYO and placebo (95% CI: 3.3 to 8.5 mL/min/1.73 m2; p<0.0001).
Figure 2: LS Mean (95% CI) Change from Baseline in eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) in NefIgArd Study (Full Analysis Set)
   Estimated least squares mean change from baseline in eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) with 95% confidence intervals estimated from a mixed model repeated measures analysis of post-baseline to baseline differences at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. Analysis was based on untransformed data and includes all eGFR data regardless of use of prohibited medication at any point during the study. A total of 15 patients in the TARPEYO arm and 20 patients in the placebo arm received rescue medication during the 2-year study.
   Abbreviations: eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; CI, confidence interval; LS least squares

The treatment effect based on the change from baseline in eGFR at 2 years was consistent across key subgroups, including key demographic (such as age, sex, race) and baseline disease (such as baseline proteinuria) characteristics.

Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Patient Information).

Advise patients that TARPEYO may cause hypercorticism and adrenal axis suppression and to follow a taper schedule, as instructed by their healthcare provider if discontinuing therapy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

TARPEYO causes immunosuppression. Advise patients to avoid exposure to people with chicken pox or measles and, if exposed, to consult their healthcare provider immediately. There is an increased risk of developing a variety of infections, including worsening of existing tuberculosis, fungal, bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, or ocular herpes simplex, and to contact their healthcare provider if they develop any symptoms of infection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]. Provide advice regarding vaccination schedules for immunocompromised patients.

Advise patients that TARPEYO delayed release capsules should be swallowed whole and not chewed, crushed or broken and to take TARPEYO in the morning, at least 1 hour before a meal [See Dosage and Administration (2)].

Advise patients to avoid the consumption of grapefruit juice for the duration of their TARPEYO therapy [See Drug Interactions (7.1)].

TARPEYO is a registered trademark of Calliditas Therapeutics AB, or its affiliates.

© 2021 Calliditas Therapeutics AB (publ)

Manufactured for and distributed by: Calliditas Therapeutics AB

Stockholm, Sweden

Patent: http://www.calliditas.com/patents