MabCampath 30 mg/ml concentrate for solution for infusion

One ml contains 30 mg of alemtuzumab.

Each vial contains 30 mg of alemtuzumab.

Alemtuzumab is a genetically engineered humanised IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody specific for a 21-28 kD lymphocyte cell surface glycoprotein (CD52). The antibody is produced in mammalian cell (Chinese Hamster Ovary) suspension culture in a nutrient medium.

For a full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

Concentrate for solution for infusion.

Colourless to slightly yellow concentrate.

MabCampath is indicated for the treatment of patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) for whom fludarabine combination chemotherapy is not appropriate.

MabCampath should be administered under the supervision of a physician experienced in the use of cancer therapy.

Posology

During the first week of treatment, MabCampath should be administered in escalating doses: 3 mg on day 1, 10 mg on day 2 and 30 mg on day 3 assuming that each dose is well tolerated. Thereafter, the recommended dose is 30 mg daily administered 3 times weekly on alternate days up to a maximum of 12 weeks.

In most patients, dose escalation to 30 mg can be accomplished in 3-7 days. However, if acute moderate to severe adverse reactions such as hypotension, rigors, fever, shortness of breath, chills, rashes and bronchospasm (some of which may be due to cytokine release) occur at either the 3 mg or 10 mg dose levels, then those doses should be repeated daily until they are well tolerated before further dose escalation is attempted (see section 4.4).

Median duration of treatment was 11.7 weeks for first-line patients and 9.0 weeks for previously treated patients.

Once a patient meets all laboratory and clinical criteria for a complete response, MabCampath should be discontinued and the patient monitored. If a patient improves (i.e. achieves a partial response or stable disease) and then reaches a plateau without further improvement for 4 weeks or more, then MabCampath should be discontinued and the patient monitored. Therapy should be discontinued if there is evidence of disease progression.

Concomitant medicinal products

Premedications

Patients should be premedicated with oral or intravenous steroids, an appropriate antihistamine and analgesic 30-60 minutes prior to each MabCampath infusion during dose escalation and as clinically indicated thereafter (see section 4.4).

Prophylactic antibiotics

Antibiotics and antivirals should be administered routinely to all patients throughout and following treatment (see section 4.4).

Dose modification guidelines

There are no dose modifications recommended for severe lymphopenia given the mechanism of action of MabCampath.

In the event of serious infection or severe haematological toxicity MabCampath should be interrupted until the event resolves. It is recommended that MabCampath should be interrupted in patients whose platelet count falls to < 25,000/μl or whose absolute neutrophil count (ANC) drops to < 250/μl. MabCampath may be reinstituted after the infection or toxicity has resolved. MabCampath should be permanently discontinued if autoimmune anaemia or autoimmune thrombocytopenia appears. The following table outlines the recommended procedure for dose modification following the occurrence of haematological toxicity while on therapy:

*If the delay between dosing is 7 days, initiate therapy at MabCampath 3 mg and escalate to 10 mg and then to 30 mg as tolerated

Special populations

Elderly (over 65 years of age)

Recommendations are as stated above for adults. Patients should be monitored carefully (see section 4.4).

Patients with renal or hepatic impairment

No studies have been conducted.

Paediatric population

The safety and efficacy of MabCampath in children aged less than 17 years of age have not been established. No data are available.

Method of administration

The MabCampath solution must be prepared according to the instructions provided in section 6.6. All doses should be administered by intravenous infusion over approximately 2 hours.

- Hypersensitivity to alemtuzumab, to murine proteins or to any of the excipients.

- Active systemic infections.

- HIV.

- Active second malignancies.

- Pregnancy.

Acute adverse reactions, which may occur during initial dose escalation and some of which may be due to the release of cytokines, include hypotension, chills/rigors, fever, shortness of breath and rashes. Additional reactions include nausea, urticaria, vomiting, fatigue, dyspnoea, headache, pruritus, diarrhoea and bronchospasm. The frequency of infusion reactions was highest in the first week of therapy, and declined in the second or third week of treatment, in patients treated with MabCampath both as first line therapy and in previously treated patients.

If these events are moderate to severe, then dosing should continue at the same level prior to each dose escalation, with appropriate premedication, until each dose is well tolerated. If therapy is withheld for more than 7 days, MabCampath should be reinstituted with gradual dose escalation.

Transient hypotension has occurred in patients receiving MabCampath. Caution should be used in treating patients with ischaemic heart disease, angina and/or in patients receiving an antihypertensive medicinal product. Myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest have been observed in association with MabCampath infusion in this patient population.

Assessment and ongoing monitoring of cardiac function (e.g. echocardiography, heart rate and body weight) should be considered in patients previously treated with potentially cardiotoxic agents.

It is recommended that patients be premedicated with oral or intravenous steroids 30 - 60 minutes prior to each MabCampath infusion during dose escalation and as clinically indicated. Steroids may be discontinued as appropriate, once dose escalation has been achieved. In addition, an oral antihistamine, e.g. diphenhydramine 50 mg, and an analgesic, e.g. paracetamol 500 mg, may be given. In the event that acute infusion reactions persist, the infusion time may be extended up to 8 hours from the time of reconstitution of MabCampath in solution for infusion.

Profound lymphocyte depletion, an expected pharmacological effect of MabCampath, inevitably occurs and may be prolonged. CD4 and CD8 T-cell counts begin to rise from weeks 8-12 during treatment and continue to recover for several months following the discontinuation of treatment. In patients receiving MabCampath as first line therapy, the recovery of CD4+ counts to 200 cells/µl occurred by 6 months post-treatment, however, at 2 months post-treatment the median was 183 cells/μl. In previously treated patients receiving MabCampath, the median time to reach a level of 200 cells/μl is 2 months following last infusion with MabCampath but may take more than 12 months to approximate pretreatment levels. This may predispose patients to opportunistic infections. It is highly recommended that anti-infective prophylaxis (e.g. trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 1 tablet twice daily, 3 times weekly, or other prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) and an effective oral anti-herpes agent, such as famciclovir, 250 mg twice daily) should be initiated while on therapy and for a minimum of 2 months following completion of treatment with MabCampath or until the CD4+ count has recovered to 200 cells/μl or greater, whichever is the later.

The potential for an increased risk of infection-related complications may exist following treatment with multiple chemotherapeutic or biological agents.

Because of the potential for Transfusion Associated Graft Versus Host Disease (TAGVHD) it is recommended that patients who have been treated with MabCampath receive irradiated blood products.

Asymptomatic laboratory positive Cytomegalovirus (CMV) viraemia should not necessarily be considered a serious infection requiring interruption of therapy. Ongoing clinical assessment should be performed for symptomatic CMV infection during MabCampath treatment and for at least 2 months following completion of treatment.

Transient grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurs very commonly by weeks 5-8 following initiation of treatment. Transient grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia occurs very commonly during the first 2 weeks of therapy and then begins to improve in most patients. Therefore, haematological monitoring of patients is indicated. If a severe haematological toxicity develops, MabCampath treatment should be interrupted until the event resolves. Treatment may be reinstituted following resolution of the haematological toxicity (see section 4.2). MabCampath should be permanently discontinued if autoimmune anaemia or autoimmune thrombocytopenia appears.

Complete blood counts and platelet counts should be obtained at regular intervals during MabCampath therapy and more frequently in patients who develop cytopenias.

It is not proposed that regular and systematic monitoring of CD52 expression should be carried out as routine clinical practice. However, if retreatment is considered, it may be prudent to confirm the presence of CD52 expression. In data available from first line patients treated with MabCampath, loss of CD52 expression was not observed around the time of disease progression or death.

Patients may have allergic or hypersensitivity reactions to MabCampath and to murine or chimeric monoclonal antibodies.

Medicinal products for the treatment of hypersensitivity reactions, as well as preparedness to institute emergency measures in the event of reaction during administration is necessary (see section 4.2).

Males and females of childbearing potential should use effective contraceptive measures during treatment and for 6 months following MabCampath therapy (see sections 4.6 and 5.3).

No studies have been conducted which specifically address the effect of age on MabCampath disposition and toxicity. In general, older patients (over 65 years of age) tolerate cytotoxic therapy less well than younger individuals. Since CLL occurs commonly in this older age group, these patients should be monitored carefully (see section 4.2). In the studies in first line and previously treated patients no substantial differences in safety and efficacy related to age were observed; however the sizes of the databases are limited.

Although no formal drug interaction studies have been performed with MabCampath, there are no known clinically significant interactions of MabCampath with other medicinal products. Because MabCampath is a recombinant humanized protein, a P450 mediated drug-drug interaction would not be expected. However, it is recommended that MabCampath should not be given within 3 weeks of other chemotherapeutic agents.

Although it has not been studied, it is recommended that patients should not receive live viral vaccines in, at least, the 12 months following MabCampath therapy. The ability to generate a primary or anamnestic humoral response to any vaccine has not been studied.

Pregnancy

MabCampath is contraindicated during pregnancy. Human IgG is known to cross the placental barrier; MabCampath may cross the placental barrier as well and thus potentially cause foetal B and T cell lymphocyte depletion. Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with MabCampath. It is not known if MabCampath can cause foetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.

Males and females of childbearing capacity should use effective contraceptive measures during treatment and for 6 months following MabCampath therapy (see section 5.3).

Lactation

It is not known whether MabCampath is excreted in human milk. If treatment is needed, breast-feeding should be discontinued during treatment and for at least 4 weeks following MabCampath therapy.

Fertility

There are no definitive studies of MabCampath which assess its impact on fertility. It is not known if MabCampath can affect human reproductive capacity (see section 5.3).

No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. However, caution should be exercised as confusion and somnolence have been reported.

The tables below report adverse reactions by MedDRA system organ classes (MedDRA SOCs). The frequencies are based on clinical trial data.

The most appropriate MedDRA term is used to describe a certain reaction and its synonyms and related conditions.

The frequencies are defined as: very common ( 1/10), common ( 1/100 to < 1/10), uncommon ( 1/1,000 to < 1/100), rare ( 1/10,000 to <1/1,000); very rare (<1/10,000). No information is available for events that occur at lower frequency, due to the size of the population studied; n=147 for first line treated patients and n=149 for previously treated patients.

The most frequent adverse reactions with MabCampath are: infusion reactions (pyrexia, chills, hypotension, urticaria, nausea, rash, tachycardia, dyspnoea), cytopenias (neutropenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, anaemia), infections (CMV viraemia, CMV infection, other infections), gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, emesis, abdominal pain), and neurological symptoms (insomnia, anxiety). The most frequent serious adverse reactions are cytopenias, infusion reactions, and immunosuppression/infections.

Undesirable effects in first line patients

Safety data in first-line B-CLL patients are based on adverse reactions that occurred on study in 147 patients enrolled in a randomized, controlled study of MabCampath as a single agent administered at a dose of 30 mg intravenously three times weekly for up to 12 weeks, inclusive of dose escalation period. Approximately 97% of first-line patients experienced adverse reactions; the most commonly reported reactions in first line patients usually occurred in the first week of therapy.

Within each frequency grouping, undesirable effects observed during treatment or within 30 days following the completion of treatment with MabCampath are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.

Acute infusion reactions including fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, hypotension, fatigue, rash, urticaria, dyspnoea, headache, pruritus and diarrhoea have been reported. The majority of these reactions are mild to moderate in severity. Acute infusion reactions usually occur during the first week of therapy and substantially decline thereafter. Grade 3 or 4 infusion reactions are uncommon after the first week of therapy.

Undesirable effects in previously treated patients

Safety data in previously treated B-CLL patients are based on 149 patients enrolled in single-arm studies of MabCampath (Studies 1, 2, and 3). More than 80% of previously treated patients may be expected to experience adverse reactions; the most commonly reported reactions usually occur during the first week of therapy.

Within each frequency grouping, undesirable effects are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.

Undesirable effects observed during post-marketing surveillance

Infusion reactions: Serious and sometimes fatal reactions, including bronchospasm, hypoxia, syncope, pulmonary infiltrates, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), respiratory arrest, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, acute cardiac insufficiency and cardiac arrest have been observed. Severe anaphylactic and other hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic shock and angioedema, have been reported following MabCampath administration. These symptoms can be ameliorated or avoided if premedication and dose escalation are utilised (see section 4.4).

Infections and infestations: Serious and sometimes fatal viral (e.g. adenovirus, parainfluenza, hepatitis B, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)), bacterial (including tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterioses, nocardiosis), protozoan (e.g. toxoplasma gondii), and fungal (e.g. rhinocerebral mucormycosis) infections, including those due to reactivation of latent infections have occurred during post-marketing surveillance. The recommended anti-infective prophylaxis treatment appears to be effective in reducing the risk of PCP and herpes infections (see section 4.4).

EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders, in some cases fatal, have been reported.

Blood and lymphatic system disorders: Severe bleeding reactions have been reported.

Immune system disorders: Serious and sometimes fatal autoimmune phenomena including autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, aplastic anaemia, Guillain Barré syndrome and its chronic form, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy have been reported. A positive Coombs test has also been observed. Fatal Transfusion Associated Graft Versus Host Disease (TAGVHD) has also been reported.

Metabolism and nutritional disorders: Tumour lysis syndrome with fatal outcome has been reported.

Nervous system disorders: Intracranial haemorrhage has occurred with fatal outcome, in patients with thrombocytopenia.

Cardiac disorders: Congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and decreased ejection fraction have been reported in patients previously treated with potentially cardiotoxic agents.

Patients have received repeated unit doses of up to 240 mg of MabCampath. The frequency of grade 3 or 4 adverse events, such as fever, hypotension and anaemia, may be higher in these patients. There is no known specific antidote for MabCampath. Treatment consists of discontinuation of MabCampath and supportive therapy.

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antineoplastic agents, monoclonal antibodies, ATC code: L01XC04.

Alemtuzumab is a genetically engineered humanised IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody specific for a 21-28 kD lymphocyte cell surface glycoprotein (CD52) expressed primarily on the surface of normal and malignant peripheral blood B and T cell lymphocytes. Alemtuzumab was generated by the insertion of six complementarity-determining regions from an IgG2a rat monoclonal antibody into a human IgG1 immunoglobulin molecule.

Alemtuzumab causes the lysis of lymphocytes by binding to CD52, a highly expressed, non-modulating antigen which is present on the surface of essentially all B and T cell lymphocytes as well as monocytes, thymocytes and macrophages. The antibody mediates the lysis of lymphocytes via complement fixation and antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity. The antigen has been found on a small percentage (< 5%) of granulocytes, but not on erythrocytes or platelets. Alemtuzumab does not appear to damage haematopoietic stem cells or progenitor cells.

First line B-CLL patients

The safety and efficacy of MabCampath were evaluated in a Phase 3, open-label, randomized comparative trial of first line (previously untreated) Rai stage I-IV B-CLL patients requiring therapy (Study 4). MabCampath was shown to be superior to chlorambucil as measured by the primary endpoint progression free survival (PFS) (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Progression free survival in first line study (by treatment group)

The secondary objectives included complete response (CR) and overall response (CR or partial response) rates using the 1996 NCIWG criteria, the duration of response, time to alternative treatment and safety of the two treatment arms.

Summary of first-line patient population and outcomes

Cytogenetic Analyses in first line B-CLL patients:

The cytogenetic profile of B-CLL has been increasingly recognized as providing important prognostic information and may predict response to certain therapies. Of the first-line patients (n=282) in whom baseline cytogenetic (FISH) data were available in Study 4, chromosomal aberrations were detected in 82%, while normal karyotype was detected in 18%. Chromosomal aberrations were categorized according to Döhner's hierarchical model. In first line patients, treated with either MabCampath or chlorambucil, there were 21 patients with the 17p deletion, 54 patients with 11q deletion, 34 patients with trisomy 12, 51 patients with normal karyotype and 67 patients with sole 13q deletion.

ORR was superior in patients with any 11q deletion (87% v 29%; p<0.0001) or sole deletion 13q (91% v 62%; p=0.0087) treated with MabCampath compared to chlorambucil. A trend toward improved ORR was observed in patients with 17p deletion treated with MabCampath (64% v 20%; p=0.0805). Complete remissions were also superior in patients with sole 13q deletion treated with MabCampath (27% v 0%; p=0.0009). Median PFS was superior in patients with sole 13q deletion treated with MabCampath (24.4 v 13.0 months; p=0.0170 stratified by Rai Stage). A trend towards improved PFS was observed in patients with 17p deletion, trisomy 12 and normal karyotype, which did not reach significance due to small sample size.

Assessment of CMV by PCR:

In the randomized controlled trial in first line patients (Study 4), patients in the MabCampath arm were tested weekly for CMV using a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assay from initiation through completion of therapy, and every 2 weeks for the first 2 months following therapy. In this study, asymptomatic positive PCR only for CMV was reported in 77/147 (52.4%) of MabCampath-treated patients; symptomatic CMV infection was reported less commonly in 23/147 MabCampath treated patients (16%). In the MabCampath arm 36/77 (46.8%) of patients with asymptomatic PCR positive CMV received antiviral therapy and 47/77 (61%) of these patients had MabCampath therapy interrupted. The presence of asymptomatic positive PCR for CMV or symptomatic PCR positive CMV infection during treatment with MabCampath had no measurable impact on progression free survival (PFS).

Previously treated B-CLL patients:

Determination of the efficacy of MabCampath is based on overall response and survival rates. Data available from three uncontrolled B-CLL studies are summarised in the following table:

Pharmacokinetics were characterised in MabCampath-naive patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) who had failed previous therapy with purine analogues. MabCampath was administered as a 2 hour intravenous infusion, at the recommended dosing schedule, starting at 3 mg and increasing to 30 mg, 3 times weekly, for up to 12 weeks. MabCampath pharmacokinetics followed a 2-compartment model and displayed non-linear elimination kinetics. After the last 30 mg dose, the median volume of distribution at steady-state was 0.15 l/kg (range: 0.1-0.4 l/kg), indicating that distribution was primarily to the extracellular fluid and plasma compartments. Systemic clearance decreased with repeated administration due to decreased receptor-mediated clearance (i.e. loss of CD52 receptors in the periphery). With repeated administration and consequent plasma concentration accumulation, the rate of elimination approached zero-order kinetics. As such, half-life was 8 hours (range: 2-32 hours) after the first 30 mg dose and was 6 days (range: 1-14 days) after the last 30 mg dose. Steady-state concentrations were reached after about 6 weeks of dosing. No apparent difference in pharmacokinetics between males and females was observed nor was any apparent age effect observed.

Preclinical evaluation of alemtuzumab in animals has been limited to the cynomolgus monkey because of the lack of expression of the CD52 antigen on non-primate species.

Lymphocytopenia was the most common treatment-related effect in this species. A slight cumulative effect on the degree of lymphocyte depletion was seen in repeated dose studies compared to single dose studies. Lymphocyte depletion was rapidly reversible after cessation of dosing. Reversible neutropenia was seen following daily intravenous or subcutaneous dosing for 30 days, but not following single doses or daily dosing for 14 days. Histopathology results from bone marrow samples revealed no remarkable changes attributable to treatment. Single intravenous doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg produced moderate to severe dose related hypotension accompanied by a slight tachycardia.

MabCampath Fab binding was observed in lymphoid tissues and the mononuclear phagocyte system. Significant Fab binding was also observed in the male reproductive tract (epididymis, sperm, seminal vesicle) and the skin.

No other findings, in the above toxicity studies, provide information of significant relevance to clinical use.

No short or long term animal studies have been conducted with MabCampath to assess carcinogenic and mutagenic potential.

Disodium edetate

Polysorbate 80

Potassium chloride

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate

Sodium chloride

Dibasic sodium phosphate

Water for injections

This medicinal product must not be mixed with other medicinal products except those mentioned in section 6.6.

There are no known incompatibilities with other medicinal products. However, other medicinal products should not be added to the MabCampath infusion or simultaneously infused through the same intravenous line.

Unopen vial: 3 years.

Reconstituted solution: MabCampath contains no antimicrobial preservative. MabCampath should be used within 8 hours after dilution. Solutions may be stored at 15°C-30°C or refrigerated. This can only be accepted if preparation of the solution takes place under strictly aseptic conditions and the solution is protected from light.

Store in a refrigerator (2°C-8°C).

Do not freeze.

Store in the original package in order to protect from light.

For storage conditions of the reconstituted medicinal product, see section 6.3.

Clear type I glass vial, closed with a rubber stopper, containing 1 ml of concentrate.

Pack size: carton of 3 vials.

The vial contents should be inspected for particulate matter and discolouration prior to administration. If particulate matter is present or the concentrate is coloured, then the vial should not be used.

MabCampath contains no antimicrobial preservatives, therefore, it is recommended that MabCampath should be prepared for intravenous infusion using aseptic techniques and that the diluted solution for infusion should be administered within 8 hours after preparation and protected from light. The required amount of the vial contents should be added to 100 ml of sodium chloride 9 mg/ml (0.9%) solution for infusion or glucose (5%) solution for infusion. The bag should be inverted gently to mix the solution. Care should be taken to ensure the sterility of the prepared solution particularly as it contains no antimicrobial preservatives.

Other medicinal products should not be added to the MabCampath infusion solution or simultaneously infused through the same intravenous line (see section 4.5).

Caution should be exercised in the handling and preparation of the MabCampath solution. The use of latex gloves and safety glasses is recommended to avoid exposure in case of breakage of the vial or other accidental spillage. Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should not handle MabCampath.

Procedures for proper handling and disposal should be observed. Any spillage or waste material should be disposed of by incineration.

Genzyme Europe BV

Gooimeer 10

1411 DD Naarden

Netherlands

EU/1/01/193/002

Date of first authorisation: 06/07/2001

Date of latest renewal: 10/07/2011

05/2011

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the European Medicines Agency: http://www.ema.europa.eu.