5-Azacytidine

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5-Azacytidine
Adult Indications & Dosage
Pediatric Indications & Dosage
Contraindications
Warnings & Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Drug Interactions
Use in Specific Populations
Administration & Monitoring
Overdosage
Pharmacology
Clinical Studies
How Supplied
Images
Patient Counseling Information
Precautions with Alcohol
Brand Names
Look-Alike Names

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aparna Vuppala, M.B.B.S. [2]

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Overview

5-Azacytidine is an antineoplastic agent that is FDA approved for the treatment of patients with the following French-American-British (FAB) myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes such as refractory anemia (RA) or refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (if accompanied by neutropenia or thrombocytopenia or requiring transfusions), refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB), refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-T), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Common adverse reactions include anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, hepatic coma and elevated serum creatinine, renal failure, and renal tubular acidosis.

Adult Indications and Dosage

FDA-Labeled Indications and Dosage (Adult)

Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Dosing Information
First Treatment Cycle
  • The recommended starting dose for the first treatment cycle, for all patients regardless of baseline hematology laboratory values, is 75 mg/m2 subcutaneously or intravenously, daily for 7 days. Patients should be premedicated for nausea and vomiting.
  • Complete blood counts, liver chemistries and serum creatinine should be obtained prior to first dose.
Subsequent Treatment Cycles
  • Cycles should be repeated every 4 weeks. The dose may be increased to 100 mg/m2 if no beneficial effect is seen after 2 treatment cycles and if no toxicity other than nausea and vomiting has occurred. It is recommended that patients be treated for a minimum of 4 to 6 cycles. However, complete or partial response may require additional treatment cycles. *Treatment may be continued as long as the patient continues to benefit.
  • Patients should be monitored for hematologic response and renal toxicities, and dosage delay or reduction as described below may be necessary.
Dosage Adjustment Based on Hematology Laboratory Values
  • For patients with baseline (start of treatment) WBC ≥3.0 x109/L, ANC ≥1.5 x109/L, and platelets ≥75.0 x109/L, adjust the dose as follows, based on nadir counts for any given cycle:
This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.
  • For patients whose baseline counts are WBC <3.0 x109/L, ANC<1.5 x109/L, or platelets <75.0 x109/L, dose adjustments should be based on nadir counts and bone marrow biopsy cellularity at the time of the nadir as noted below, unless there is clear improvement in differentiation (percentage of mature granulocytes is higher and ANC is higher than at onset of that course) at the time of the next cycle, in which case the dose of the current treatment should be continued.
This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.
  • If a nadir as defined in the table above has occurred, the next course of treatment should be given 28 days after the start of the preceding course, provided that both the WBC and the platelet counts are >25% above the nadir and rising. If a >25% increase above the nadir is not seen by day 28, counts should be reassessed every 7 days. If a 25% increase is not seen by day 42, then the patient should be treated with 50% of the scheduled dose.
Dosage Adjustment Based on Serum Electrolytes and Renal Toxicity
  • If unexplained reductions in serum bicarbonate levels to <20 mEq/L occur, the dosage should be reduced by 50% on the next course. Similarly, if unexplained elevations of BUN or serum creatinine occur, the next cycle should be delayed until values return to normal or baseline and the dose should be reduced by 50% on the next treatment course.
Use in Geriatric Patients
  • Azacitidine and its metabolites are known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of toxic reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function.
Preparation of Azacitidine
  • Azacitidine is a cytotoxic drug and, as with other potentially toxic compounds, caution should be exercised when handling and preparing Azacitidine suspensions.
  • If reconstituted Azacitidine comes into contact with the skin, immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water. If it comes into contact with mucous membranes, flush thoroughly with water.
  • The Azacitidine vial is single-use and does not contain any preservatives. Unused portions of each vial should be discarded properly . Do not save any unused portions for later administration.
Instructions for Subcutaneous Administration
  • Azacitidine should be reconstituted aseptically with 4 mL sterile water for injection. The diluent should be injected slowly into the vial. Vigorously shake or roll the vial until a uniform suspension is achieved. The suspension will be cloudy. The resulting suspension will contain azacitidine 25 mg/mL. Do not filter the suspension after reconstitution. Doing so could remove the active substance.
  • Preparation for Immediate Subcutaneous Administration: Doses greater than 4 mL should be divided equally into 2 syringes. The product may be held at room temperature for up to 1 hour, but must be administered within 1 hour after reconstitution.
  • Preparation for Delayed Subcutaneous Administration: The reconstituted product may be kept in the vial or drawn into a syringe. Doses greater than 4 mL should be divided equally into 2 syringes. The product must be refrigerated immediately. When Azacitidine is reconstituted using water for injection that has not been refrigerated, the reconstituted product may be held under refrigerated conditions (2ºC - 8ºC, 36ºF - 46ºF) for up to 8 hours. When Azacitidine is reconstituted using refrigerated (2ºC - 8ºC, 36ºF - 46ºF) water for injection, the reconstituted product may be stored under refrigerated conditions (2ºC - 8ºC, 36ºF - 46ºF) for up to 22 hours. After removal from refrigerated conditions, the suspension may be allowed to equilibrate to room temperature for up to 30 minutes prior to administration.
Subcutaneous Administration
  • To provide a homogeneous suspension, the contents of the dosing syringe must be re-suspended immediately prior to administration. To re-suspend, vigorously roll the syringe between the palms until a uniform, cloudy suspension is achieved.
  • Azacitidine suspension is administered subcutaneously. Doses greater than 4 mL should be divided equally into 2 syringes and injected into 2 separate sites. Rotate sites for each injection (thigh, abdomen, or upper arm). New injections should be given at least one inch from an old site and never into areas where the site is tender, bruised, red, or hard.
  • Suspension Stability: Azacitidine reconstituted with non-refrigerated water for injection for subcutaneous administration may be stored for up to 1 hour at 25°C (77°F) or for up to 8 hours between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F); when reconstituted with refrigerated (2ºC - 8ºC, 36ºF - 46ºF) water for injection, it may be stored for 22 hours between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F).
Instructions for Intravenous Administration
  • Reconstitute the appropriate number of Azacitidine vials to achieve the desired dose. Reconstitute each vial with 10 mL sterile water for injection. Vigorously shake or roll the vial until all solids are dissolved. The resulting solution will contain azacitidine 10 mg/mL. The solution should be clear. Parenteral drug product should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.
  • Withdraw the required amount of Azacitidine solution to deliver the desired dose and inject into a 50 -100 mL infusion bag of either 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection or Lactated Ringer's Injection.
Intravenous Solution Incompatibility
  • Azacitidine is incompatible with 5% Dextrose solutions, Hespan, or solutions that contain bicarbonate. These solutions have the potential to increase the rate of degradation of Azacitidine and should therefore be avoided.
Intravenous Administration
  • Azacitidine solution is administered intravenously. Administer the total dose over a period of 10 - 40 minutes. The administration must be completed within 1 hour of reconstitution of the Azacitidine vial.
  • Solution Stability: Azacitidine reconstituted for intravenous administration may be stored at 25°C (77°F), but administration must be completed within 1 hour of reconstitution.

Off-Label Use and Dosage (Adult)

Guideline-Supported Use

There is limited information regarding Off-Label Guideline-Supported Use of 5-Azacytidine in adult patients.

Non–Guideline-Supported Use

Acute myeloid leukemia
  • Ara-C 100 mg/m(2)/day IV continuously for 7 days and daunorubicin 45 mg/m(2) IV on days 1 to 3.[1]

Pediatric Indications and Dosage

FDA-Labeled Indications and Dosage (Pediatric)

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Off-Label Use and Dosage (Pediatric)

Guideline-Supported Use

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Non–Guideline-Supported Use

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Contraindications

Advanced Malignant Hepatic Tumors
  • Azacitidine is contraindicated in patients with advanced malignant hepatic tumors.
Hypersensitivity to Azacitidine or Mannitol

Warnings

Anemia, Neutropenia and Thrombocytopenia=
  • Azacitidine causes anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Monitor complete blood counts frequently for response and/or toxicity, at a minimum, prior to each dosing cycle. After administration of the recommended dosage for the first cycle, adjust dosage for subsequent cycles based on nadir counts and hematologic response .

.

Adverse Reactions

Clinical Trials Experience

The following adverse reactions are described in other labeling sections:

Most Commonly Occurring Adverse Reactions (SC or IV Route)
Adverse Reactions Most Frequently (>2%) Resulting in Clinical Intervention (SC or IV Route)
Adverse Reactions in Clinical Trials
  • 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 data described below reflect exposure to Azacitidine in 443 MDS patients from 4 clinical studies. Study 1 was a supportive-care controlled trial (SC administration), Studies 2 and 3 were single arm studies (one with SC administration and one with IV administration), and Study 4 was an international randomized trial (SC administration) .
  • In Studies 1, 2 and 3, a total of 268 patients were exposed to Azacitidine, including 116 exposed for 6 cycles (approximately 6 months) or more and 60 exposed for greater than 12 cycles (approximately one year). Azacitidine was studied primarily in supportive-care controlled and uncontrolled trials (n=150 and n=118, respectively). The population in the subcutaneous studies (n=220) was 23 to 92 years old (mean 66.4 years), 68% male, and 94% white, and had MDS or AML. The population in the IV study (n=48) was 35 to 81 years old (mean 63.1 years), 65% male, and 100% white. Most patients received average daily doses between 50 and 100 mg/m2.
  • In Study 4, a total of 175 patients with higher-risk MDS (primarily RAEB and RAEB-T subtypes) were exposed to Azacitidine. Of these patients, 119 were exposed for 6 or more cycles, and 63 for at least 12 cycles. The mean age of this population was 68.1 years (ranging from 42 to 83 years), 74% were male, and 99% were white. Most patients received daily Azacitidine doses of 75 mg/m2.
  • TABLE 1 presents adverse reactions occurring in at least 5% of patients treated with Azacitidine (SC) in Studies 1 and 2. It is important to note that duration of exposure was longer for the Azacitidine-treated group than for the observation group: patients received Azacitidine for a mean of 11.4 months while mean time in the observation arm was 6.1 months.
This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.
  • In Studies 1, 2 and 4 with SC administration of Azacitidine, adverse reactions of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and injection site erythema/reaction tended to increase in incidence with higher doses of Azacitidine. Adverse reactions that tended to be more pronounced during the first 1 to 2 cycles of SC treatment compared with later cycles included thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, anemia, nausea, vomiting, injection site erythema/pain/bruising/reaction, constipation, petechiae, dizziness, anxiety, hypokalemia, and insomnia. There did not appear to be any adverse reactions that increased in frequency over the course of treatment.
  • Overall, adverse reactions were qualitatively similar between the IV and SC studies. Adverse reactions that appeared to be specifically associated with the IV route of administration included infusion site reactions (e.g. erythema or pain) and catheter site reactions (e.g. infection, erythema, or hemorrhage).
  • In clinical studies of either SC or IV Azacitidine, the following serious adverse reactions occurring at a rate of < 5% (and not described in TABLES 1 or 2) were reported:
Blood and lymphatic system disorders
Cardiac disorders
Eye disorders
Gastrointestinal disorders
General disorders and administration site conditions
  • Catheter site hemorrhage, general physical health deterioration, systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
Hepatobiliary disorders
Immune system disorders
Infections and infestations
Metabolism and nutrition disorders
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Neoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified
Nervous system disorders
Renal and urinary disorders
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Surgical and medical procedures
Vascular disorders

Postmarketing Experience

  • The following adverse reactions have been identified during postmarketing use of Azacitidine. 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.

Drug Interactions

  • No formal clinical assessments of drug-drug interactions between Azacitidine and other agents have been conducted

Use in Specific Populations

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Category (FDA): D

  • Azacitidine may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Azacitidine was teratogenic in animals. There are no adequate and well controlled studies with Azacitidine in pregnant women. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid pregnancy during treatment with Azacitidine. If this drug is used during pregnancy or if a patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus.
  • Female partners of male patients receiving Azacitidine should not become pregnant.
  • Early embryotoxicity studies in mice revealed a 44% frequency of intrauterine embryonal death (increased resorption) after a single IP (intraperitoneal) injection of 6 mg/m2 (approximately 8% of the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) azacitidine on gestation day 10. Developmental abnormalities in the brain have been detected in mice given azacitidine on or before gestation day 15 at doses of ~3-12 mg/m2 (approximately 4%-16% the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis).
  • In rats, azacitidine was clearly embryotoxic when given IP on gestation days 4-8 (postimplantation) at a dose of 6 mg/m2 (approximately 8% of the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis), although treatment in the preimplantation period (on gestation days 1-3) had no adverse effect on the embryos. Azacitidine caused multiple fetal abnormalities in rats after a single IP dose of 3 to 12 mg/m2 (approximately 8% the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) given on gestation day 9, 10, 11 or 12. In this study azacitidine caused fetal death when administered at 3-12 mg/m2 on gestation days 9 and 10; average live animals per litter was reduced to 9% of control at the highest dose on gestation day 9. Fetal anomalies included: CNS anomalies (exencephaly/encephalocele), limb anomalies (micromelia, club foot, syndactyly, oligodactyly), and others (micrognathia, gastroschisis, edema, and rib abnormalities).


Pregnancy Category (AUS): There is no Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (ADEC) guidance on usage of Azacitidine in women who are pregnant.

Labor and Delivery

There is no FDA guidance on use of Azacitidine during labor and delivery.

Nursing Mothers

  • It is not known whether azacitidine or its metabolites are excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for tumorigenicity shown for azacitidine in animal studies and the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from Azacitidine, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into consideration the importance of the drug to the mother.

Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Geriatic Use

  • Of the total number of patients in Studies 1, 2 and 3, 62% were 65 years and older and 21% were 75 years and older. No overall differences in effectiveness were observed between these patients and younger patients. In addition there were no relevant differences in the frequency of adverse reactions observed in patients 65 years and older compared to younger patients.
  • Of the 179 patients randomized to azacitidine in Study 4, 68% were 65 years and older and 21% were 75 years and older. Survival data for patients 65 years and older were consistent with overall survival results. The majority of adverse reactions occurred at similar frequencies in patients < 65 years of age and patients 65 years of age and older.
  • Elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function. Monitor renal function in these patients

Gender

Use in Males
  • Men should be advised to not father a child while receiving treatment with Azacitidine. In animal studies, pre-conception treatment of male mice and rats resulted in increased embryofetal loss in mated females.

Race

  • Greater than 90% of all patients in all trials were Caucasian. Therefore, no comparisons between Caucasians and non-Caucasians were possible.

Renal Impairment

Renal Toxicity
  • Renal toxicity ranging from elevated serum creatinine to renal failure and death have been reported in patients treated with intravenous azacitidine in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents for nonMDS conditions. In addition, renal tubular acidosis, defined as a fall in serum bicarbonate to <20 mEq/L in association with an alkaline urine and hypokalemia (serum potassium <3 mEq/L) developed in 5 patients with CML treated with azacitidine and etoposide. If unexplained reductions in serum bicarbonate <20 mEq/L or elevations of BUN or serum creatinine occur, the dosage should be reduced or held.
  • Patients with renal impairment may be at increased risk for renal toxicity. Also, azacitidine and its metabolites are primarily excreted by the kidney. Therefore, these patients should be closely monitored for toxicity . Patients with MDS and renal impairment were excluded from the clinical studies.
  • Severe renal impairment (CLcr < 30 mL/min) has no major effect on the exposure of azacitidine after multiple SC administrations. Therefore, azacitidine can be administered to patients with renal impairment without Cycle 1 dose adjustment

Hepatic Impairment

Azacitidine Toxicity in Patients with Severe Pre-existing Hepatic Impairment
  • Because azacitidine is potentially hepatotoxic in patients with severe pre-existing hepatic impairment, caution is needed in patients with liver disease. Patients with extensive tumor burden due to metastatic disease have been reported to experience progressive hepatic coma and death during azacitidine treatment, especially in such patients with baseline albumin <30 g/L. Azacitidine is contraindicated in patients with advanced malignant hepatic tumors.
  • Safety and effectiveness of Azacitidine in patients with MDS and hepatic impairment have not been studied as these patients were excluded from the clinical trials

Females of Reproductive Potential and Males

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Azacitidine in women of reproductive potentials and males.

Immunocompromised Patients

There is no FDA guidance one the use of Azacitidine in patients who are immunocompromised.

Administration and Monitoring

Administration

  • Oral
  • Intravenous

Monitoring

There is limited information regarding Monitoring of Azacitidine in the drug label.

  • Description

IV Compatibility

There is limited information regarding IV Compatibility of Azacitidine in the drug label.

Overdosage

  • One case of overdose with Azacitidine was reported during clinical trials. A patient experienced diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting after receiving a single IV dose of approximately 290 mg/m2, almost 4 times the recommended starting dose. The events resolved without sequelae, and the correct dose was resumed the following day. In the event of overdosage, the patient should be monitored with appropriate blood counts and should receive supportive treatment, as necessary. There is no known specific antidote for Azacitidine overdosage.

Pharmacology

This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.

Mechanism of Action

  • Azacitidine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog of cytidine. Azacitidine is believed to exert its antineoplastic effects by causing hypomethylation of DNA and direct cytotoxicity on abnormal hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. The concentration of azacitidine required for maximum inhibition of DNA methylation in vitro does not cause major suppression of DNA synthesis. Hypomethylation may restore normal function to genes that are critical for differentiation and proliferation. The cytotoxic effects of azacitidine cause the death of rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells that are no longer responsive to normal growth control mechanisms. Non-proliferating cells are relatively insensitive to azacitidine.

Structure

  • Azacitidine (azacitidine for injection) contains azacitidine, which is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog of cytidine. Azacitidine is 4-amino-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-s-triazin-2(1H)-one. The structural formula is as follows:
This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.

The empirical formula is C8H12N4O5. The molecular weight is 244. Azacitidine is a white to off-white solid. Azacitidine was found to be insoluble in acetone, ethanol, and methyl ethyl ketone; slightly soluble in ethanol/water (50/50), propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol; sparingly soluble in water, water saturated octanol, 5% dextrose in water, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, normal saline and 5% Tween 80 in water; and soluble in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

The finished product is supplied in a sterile form for reconstitution as a suspension for subcutaneous injection or reconstitution as a solution with further dilution for intravenous infusion. Vials of Azacitidine contain 100 mg of azacitidine and 100 mg mannitol as a sterile lyophilized powder.

Pharmacodynamics

There is limited information regarding Pharmacodynamics of Azacitidine in the drug label.

Pharmacokinetics

  • The pharmacokinetics of azacitidine were studied in 6 MDS patients following a single 75 mg/m2 subcutaneous (SC) dose and a single 75 mg/m2 intravenous (IV) dose. Azacitidine is rapidly absorbed after SC administration; the peak plasma azacitidine concentration of 750 ± 403 ng/ml occurred in 0.5 hour. The bioavailability of SC azacitidine relative to IV azacitidine is approximately 89%, based on area under the curve. Mean volume of distribution following IV dosing is 76 ± 26 L. Mean apparent SC clearance is 167 ± 49 L/hour and mean half-life after SC administration is 41 ± 8 minutes. The AUC and Cmax of SC administration of azacitidine in 21 patients with cancer were approximately dose proportional within the 25 to 100 mg/m2 dose range. Multiple dosing at the recommended dose-regimen does not result in drug accumulation.
  • Published studies indicate that urinary excretion is the primary route of elimination of azacitidine and its metabolites. Following IV administration of radioactive azacitidine to 5 cancer patients, the cumulative urinary excretion was 85% of the radioactive dose. Fecal excretion accounted for <1% of administered radioactivity over 3 days. Mean excretion of radioactivity in urine following SC administration of 14C-azacitidine was 50%. The mean elimination half-lives of total radioactivity (azacitidine and its metabolites) were similar after IV and SC administrations, about 4 hours.
Specific Populations
  • In patients with cancer the pharmacokinetics of azacitidine in 6 patients with normal renal function (CLcr > 80 mL/min) and 6 patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr < 30 mL/min) were compared following daily SC dosing (Days 1 through 5) at 75 mg/m2/day. Severe renal impairment increased azacitidine exposure by approximately 70% after single and 41% after multiple subcutaneous administrations. This increase in exposure was not correlated with an increase in adverse events. The exposure was similar to exposure in patients with normal renal function receiving 100 mg/m2. Therefore, a Cycle 1 dose modification is not recommended.
  • The effects of hepatic impairment, gender, age, or race on the pharmacokinetics of azacitidine have not been studied.
Drug-Drug Interactions
  • No formal clinical drug interaction studies with azacitidine have been conducted.
  • An in vitro study of azacitidine incubation in human liver fractions indicated that azacitidine may be metabolized by the liver. Whether azacitidine metabolism may be affected by known microsomal enzyme inhibitors or inducers has not been studied.
  • An in vitro study with cultured human hepatocytes indicated that azacitidine at concentrations up to 100 µM (IV Cmax = 10.6 µM) does not cause any inhibition of CYP2B6 and CYP2C8.
  • The potential of azacitidine to inhibit other cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is not known.
  • In vitro studies with human cultured hepatocytes indicate that azacitidine at concentrations of 1.0 μM to 100 μM does not induce CYP 1A2, 2C19, or 3A4/5.

Nonclinical Toxicology

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
  • The potential carcinogenicity of azacitidine was evaluated in mice and rats. Azacitidine induced tumors of the hematopoietic system in female mice at 2.2 mg/kg (6.6 mg/m2, approximately 8% the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) administered IP three times per week for 52 weeks. An increased incidence of tumors in the lymphoreticular system, lung, mammary gland, and skin was seen in mice treated with azacitidine IP at 2.0 mg/kg (6.0 mg/m2, approximately 8% the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) once a week for 50 weeks. A tumorigenicity study in rats dosed twice weekly at 15 or 60 mg/m2 (approximately 20-80% the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) revealed an increased incidence of testicular tumors compared with controls.
  • The mutagenic and clastogenic potential of azacitidine was tested in in vitro bacterial systems Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and several strains of trpE8, Escherichia coli strains WP14 Pro, WP3103P, WP3104P, and CC103; in in vitro forward gene mutation assay in mouse lymphoma cells and human lymphoblast cells; and in an in vitro micronucleus assay in mouse L5178Y lymphoma cells and Syrian hamster embryo cells. Azacitidine was mutagenic in bacterial and mammalian cell systems. The clastogenic effect of azacitidine was shown by the induction of micronuclei in L5178Y mouse cells and Syrian hamster embryo cells.
  • Administration of azacitidine to male mice at 9.9 mg/m2 (approximately 9% the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) daily for 3 days prior to mating with untreated female mice resulted in decreased fertility and loss of offspring during subsequent embryonic and postnatal development. Treatment of male rats 3 times per week for 11 or 16 weeks at doses of 15-30 mg/m2 (approximately 20-40%, the recommended human daily dose on a mg/m2 basis) resulted in decreased weight of the testes and epididymides, and decreased sperm counts accompanied by decreased pregnancy rates and increased loss of embryos in mated females. In a related study, male rats treated for 16 weeks at 24 mg/m2 resulted in an increase in abnormal embryos in mated females when examined on day 2 of gestation.

Clinical Studies

Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)

Study 1 was a randomized, open-label, controlled trial carried out in 53 U.S. sites compared the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous Azacitidine plus supportive care with supportive care alone (“observation”) in patients with any of the five FAB subtypes of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): refractory anemia (RA), RA with ringed sideroblasts (RARS), RA with excess blasts (RAEB), RAEB in transformation (RAEB-T), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMMoL). RA and RARS patients were included if they met one or more of the following criteria: required packed RBC transfusions; had platelet counts ≤50.0 x 109/L; required platelet transfusions; or were neutropenic (ANC <1.0 x 109/L) with infections requiring treatment with antibiotics. Patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) were not intended to be included. Supportive care allowed in this study included blood transfusion products, antibiotics, antiemetics, analgesics and antipyretics. The use of hematopoeitic growth factors was prohibited. Baseline patient and disease characteristics are summarized in TABLE 3; the 2 groups were similar.

Azacitidine was administered at a subcutaneous dose of 75 mg/m2 daily for 7 days every 4 weeks. The dose was increased to 100 mg/m2 if no beneficial effect was seen after 2 treatment cycles. The dose was decreased and/or delayed based on hematologic response or evidence of renal toxicity. Patients in the observation arm were allowed by protocol to cross over to Azacitidine if they had increases in bone marrow blasts, decreases in hemoglobin, increases in red cell transfusion requirements, or decreases in platelets, or if they required a platelet transfusion or developed a clinical infection requiring treatment with antibiotics. For purposes of assessing efficacy, the primary endpoint was response rate (as defined in TABLE 4).

Of the 191 patients included in the study, independent review (adjudicated diagnosis) found that 19 had the diagnosis of AML at baseline. These patients were excluded from the primary analysis of response rate, although they were included in an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis of all patients randomized. Approximately 55% of the patients randomized to observation crossed over to receive Azacitidine treatment.

This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.

The overall response rate (CR + PR) of 15.7% in Azacitidine-treated patients without AML (16.2% for all Azacitidine randomized patients including AML) was statistically significantly higher than the response rate of 0% in the observation group (p<0.0001) (TABLE 5). The majority of patients who achieved either CR or PR had either 2 or 3 cell line abnormalities at baseline (79%; 11/14) and had elevated bone marrow blasts or were transfusion dependent at baseline. Patients responding to Azacitidine had a decrease in bone marrow blasts percentage, or an increase in platelets, hemoglobin or WBC. Greater than 90% of the responders initially demonstrated these changes by the 5th treatment cycle. All patients who had been transfusion dependent became transfusion independent during PR or CR. The mean and median duration of clinical response of PR or better was estimated as 512 and 330 days, respectively; 75% of the responding patients were still in PR or better at completion of treatment. Response occurred in all MDS subtypes as well as in patients with adjudicated baseline diagnosis of AML.

This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.

Patients in the observation group who crossed over to receive Azacitidine treatment (47 patients) had a response rate of 12.8%.

Study 2, a multi-center, open-label, single-arm study of 72 patients with RAEB, RAEB-T, CMMoL, or AML was also carried out. Treatment with subcutaneous Azacitidine resulted in a response rate (CR + PR) of 13.9%, using criteria similar to those described above. The mean and median duration of clinical response of PR or better was estimated as 810 and 430 days, respectively; 80% of the responding patients were still in PR or better at the time of completion of study involvement. In Study 3, another open-label, single-arm study of 48 patients with RAEB, RAEB-T, or AML, treatment with intravenous Azacitidine resulted in a response rate of 18.8%, again using criteria similar to those described above. The mean and median duration of clinical response of PR or better was estimated as 389 and 281 days, respectively; 67% of the responding patients were still in PR or better at the time of completion of treatment. Response occurred in all MDS subtypes as well as in patients with adjudicated baseline diagnosis of AML in both of these studies. Azacitidine dosage regimens in these 2 studies were similar to the regimen used in the controlled study.

Benefit was seen in patients who did not meet the criteria for PR or better, but were considered “improved.” About 24% of Azacitidine-treated patients were considered improved, and about 2/3 of those lost transfusion dependence. In the observation group, only 5/83 patients met criteria for improvement; none lost transfusion dependence. In all 3 studies, about 19% of patients met criteria for improvement with a median duration of 195 days.

Study 4 was an international, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial in MDS patients with RAEB, RAEB-T or modified CMMoL according to FAB classification and Intermediate-2 and High risk according to IPSS classification. Of the 358 patients enrolled in the study, 179 were randomized to receive azacitidine plus best supportive care (BSC) and 179 were randomized to receive conventional care regimens (CCR) plus BSC (105 to BSC alone, 49 to low dose cytarabine and 25 to chemotherapy with cytarabine and anthracycline). The primary efficacy endpoint was overall survival.

The azacitidine and CCR groups were comparable for baseline parameters. The median age of patients was 69 years (range was 38-88 years), 98% were Caucasian, and 70% were male. At baseline, 95% of the patients were higher risk by FAB classification: RAEB (58%), RAEB-T (34%), and CMMoL (3%). By IPSS classification, 87% were higher risk: Int-2 (41%), High (47%). At baseline, 32% of patients met WHO criteria for AML.

Azacitidine was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 75 mg/m2 daily for 7 consecutive days every 28 days (which constituted one cycle of therapy). Patients continued treatment until disease progression, relapse after response, or unacceptable toxicity. Azacitidine patients were treated for a median of 9 cycles (range 1 to 39), BSC only patients for a median of 7 cycles (range 1 to 26), low dose cytarabine patients for a median of 4.5 cycles (range 1 to 15), and chemotherapy with cytarabine and anthracycline patients for a median of 1 cycle (range 1 to 3, i.e. induction plus 1 or 2 consolidation cycles).

In the Intent-to-Treat analysis, patients treated with azacitidine demonstrated a statistically significant difference in overall survival as compared to patients treated with CCR (median survival of 24.5 months vs. 15.0 months; stratified log-rank p=0.0001). The hazard ratio describing this treatment effect was 0.58 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.77).

This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.

Azacitidine treatment led to a reduced need for red blood cell transfusions (see TABLE 6). In patients treated with azacitidine who were RBC transfusion dependent at baseline and became transfusion independent, the median duration of RBC transfusion independence was 13.0 months.

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How Supplied

  • Azacitidine (azacitidine for injection) is supplied as a lyophilized powder in 100 mg single-use vials packaged in cartons of 1 vial (NDC 59572-102-01).

Storage

  • Store unreconstituted vials at 25º C (77º F); excursions permitted to 15º-30º C (59º-86º F) (See USP Controlled Room Temperature).
Handling and Disposal
  • Procedures for proper handling and disposal of anticancer drugs should be applied. Several guidelines on this subject have been published.1-4 There is no general agreement that all of the procedures recommended in the guidelines are necessary or appropriate.

Images

Drug Images

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Package and Label Display Panel

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Patient Counseling Information

  • Instruct patients to inform their physician about any underlying liver or renal disease.
  • Advise women of childbearing potential to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving treatment with Azacitidine. For nursing mothers, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into consideration the importance of the drug to the mother.
  • Advise men not to father a child while receiving treatment with Azacitidine.
This image is provided by the National Library of Medicine.

Precautions with Alcohol

  • Alcohol-Azacitidine interaction has not been established. Talk to your doctor about the effects of taking alcohol with this medication.

Brand Names

  • Vidaza ®

Look-Alike Drug Names

Drug Shortage Status

Price

References

The contents of this FDA label are provided by the National Library of Medicine.

  1. ↑ Vogler WR, Winton EF, Gordon DS, Raney MR, Go B, Meyer L (1984). "A randomized comparison of postremission therapy in acute myelogenous leukemia: a Southeastern Cancer Study Group trial". Blood. 63 (5): 1039–45. PMID 6201211.
  2. ↑ "http://www.ismp.org". External link in |title= (help)

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