Indications and Important Safety Information
Indications
Omnitrope® is a recombinant human growth hormone indicated for:
- Pediatric: Treatment of children with growth failure due to growth hormone deficiency (GHD), Prader-Willi Syndrome, Small for Gestational Age, Turner Syndrome, and Idiopathic Short Stature.
- Adult: Treatment of adults with either adult onset or childhood onset GHD.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Acute Critical Illness: Somatropin should not be used to treat patients with acute critical illness due to complications following open heart surgery, abdominal surgery or multiple accidental trauma, or those with acute respiratory failure.
- Prader-Willi Syndrome in Children: Somatropin should not be used in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome who are severely obese, have a history of upper airway obstruction or sleep apnea, or have severe respiratory impairment. There have been reports of sudden death when somatropin was used in such patients.
- Active Malignancy: Somatropin is contraindicated in patients with any evidence of active malignancy. Growth hormone deficiency may be an early sign of a pituitary tumor or other intracranial tumor; the presence of such a tumor should be excluded before initiation of somatropin treatment.
- Diabetic Retinopathy: Somatropin is contraindicated in patients with active proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
- Closed Epiphyses: Somatropin should not be used for growth promotion in pediatric patients with closed epiphyses.
- Hypersensitivity: Omnitropeis contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to somatropin or any of its excipients. Systemic hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with postmarketing use of somatropin products.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
- Acute Critical Illness: Increased mortality in patients with acute critical illness due to complications following open heart surgery, abdominal surgery or multiple accidental trauma, or those with acute respiratory failure has been reported after treatment with pharmacologic doses of somatropin.
- Prader-Willi Syndrome in Children: There have been reports of fatalities after initiating therapy with somatropin in pediatric patients with Prader-Willi syndrome who had one or more of the following risk factors: severe obesity, history of upper airway obstruction or sleep apnea, or unidentified respiratory infection. Male patients with one or more of these factors may be at greater risk than females. Patients with Prader-Willi syndrome should be evaluated for signs of upper airway obstruction and sleep apnea before initiation of treatment with somatropin. If, during treatment with somatropin, patients show signs of upper airway obstruction (including onset of or increased snoring) and/or new onset sleep apnea, treatment should be interrupted.
- Neoplasms: An increased risk of a second neoplasm has been reported for childhood cancer survivors treated with somatropin for GH deficiency that developed following radiation to the brain/head. Intracranial tumors, in particular meningiomas, were the most common of these. The relationship between somatropin therapy and CNS tumor recurrence in adults is unknown. Monitor for progression or recurrence in patients receiving somatropin therapy who have a history of GH deficiency secondary to an intracranial neoplasm. Thoroughly consider the risks and benefits of starting somatropin in children at increased risk for developing malignancies due to certain rare genetic causes of short stature. These patients should be carefully monitored for development of neoplasms. Any pre-existing nevi should be monitored carefully for increased growth or potential malignant changes.
- Impaired Glucose Intolerance and Diabetes Mellitus: Previously undiagnosed impaired glucose tolerance and overt diabetes mellitus may be unmasked during somatropin treatment. New-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus has been reported. As a result, blood glucose concentrations should be monitored periodically in all patients taking somatropin, especially in those with risk factors for diabetes mellitus. Patients with pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance should be monitored closely during somatropin treatment.
- Intracranial Hypertension: Intracranial hypertension with papilledema, visual changes, headache, nausea, and/or vomiting have been reported in a small number of patients treated with somatropin. Funduscopic examination is recommended at the initiation of and periodically during therapy. If papilledema is observed by funduscopy during treatment with somatropin, treatment should be stopped and the patient’s condition should be reassessed before treatment is resumed. Patients with Turner syndrome and Prader-Willi Syndrome may be at increased risk for the development of intracranial hypertension.
- Hypersensitivity: Serious systemic hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic reactions and angioedema have been reported with postmarketing use of somatropin products. Patients and caregivers should be informed that such reactions are possible and that prompt medical attention should be sought if an allergic reaction occurs.
- Fluid Retention: Transient and dose-dependent fluid retention during somatropin replacement in adults may frequently occur.
- Hypoadrenalism: Monitor patients for reduced serum cortisol levels and/or need for glucocorticoid dose increases in those with known hypoadrenalism.
- Hypothyroidism: Patients treated with somatropin should have periodic thyroid function tests, and thyroid hormone replacement therapy should be initiated or appropriately adjusted in cases of unmasked or worsening hypothyroidism.
- Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis in Pediatric Patients: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis may occur more frequently in patients with endocrine disorders and in patients undergoing rapid growth. Any pediatric patient with the onset of a limp or complaints of hip or knee pain during somatropin therapy should be carefully evaluated.
- Progression of Scoliosis in Pediatric Patients: Progression of scoliosis can occur in patients who experience rapid growth. Because somatropin increases growth rate, patients with a history of scoliosis who are treated with somatropin should be monitored for progression of scoliosis. However, somatropin has not been shown to increase the occurrence of scoliosis.
- Confirmation of Childhood Onset Adult GHD: Patients with epiphyseal closure who were treated with somatropin replacement therapy in childhood should be reevaluated before continuation of somatropin therapy at the reduced dose level recommended for GH deficient adults.
- Otitis Media and Cardiovascular Disorders in Patients with Turner Syndrome: Patients with Turner Syndrome should be evaluated carefully for otitis media and other ear disorders as somatropin treatment may increase the occurrence of otitis media in these susceptible patients. In addition, patients with Turner Syndrome should be monitored closely for cardiovascular disorders (e.g., stroke, aortic aneurysm or dissection, hypertension) as they are at increased risk for these conditions.
- Lipoatrophy: Injection site should be rotated to avoid tissue atrophy.
- Laboratory Tests: Serum levels of inorganic phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone and IGF-I may increase after somatropin therapy.
- Pancreatitis: Cases of pancreatitis have been reported rarely in children and adults receiving somatropin. Pancreatitis should be considered in any somatropin-treated patient, especially a child, who develops persistent severe abdominal pain. Girls who have Turner Syndrome may be at greater risk than other somatropin- treated children.
- Benzyl Alcohol: Benzyl alcohol, an ingredient in Omnitrope Cartridge 5 mg/1.5 mL and the diluent for Omnitrope for injection 5.8 mg/vial, has been associated with serious adverse events and death, particularly in pediatric patients and should not be used in premature babies or neonates. Consider the combined daily metabolic load of benzyl alcohol from all sources.
- Pregnancy/Nursing Mothers: Somatropin should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed and with caution in nursing mothers because it is not known whether somatropin is excreted in human milk.
- Special Populations: The safety and effectiveness of somatropin in patients aged 65 years and over have not been evaluated in clinical studies. Elderly patients may be more sensitive to the action of somatropin and may be more prone to adverse reactions.
- Potential Drug Interactions:
- Somatropin inhibits 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD-1) in adipose/hepatic tissue and may significantly impact the conversion of cortisone to its active metabolite cortisol. As a consequence, in patients treated with somatropin, previously undiagnosed central (secondary) hypoadrenalism may be unmasked, requiring glucocorticoid replacement therapy.
- Careful monitoring is advisable when growth hormone is administered in combination with insulin and/or other hypoglycemic agents, other drugs metabolized by CYP450 liver enzymes (e.g., hydrocortisone or other corticosteroids, sex steroids, anticonvulsants, cyclosporine), or other hormone replacement therapy.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
- Common adverse reactions reported in adult and pediatric patients taking somatropin include injection site reactions/rashes and lipoatrophy and headaches. Additional common adverse reactions include edema, arthralgia, myalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, paresthesias, and hypothyroidism.
Please see full Prescribing Information for Omnitrope.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Sandoz Inc. at 1-800-525-8747 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.