home > drugs a-z list > emend capsules (aprepitant capsules) drug center > emend capsules (aprepitant capsules) drug - warnings and precautions

Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.

CYP3A4 Interactions

EMEND (aprepitant), a dose-dependent inhibitor of CYP3A4, should be used with caution in patients receiving concomitant medications that are primarily metabolized through CYP3A4. Moderate inhibition of CYP3A4 by aprepitant, 125 mg/80 mg regimen, could result in elevated plasma concentrations of these concomitant medications.

Weak inhibition of CYP3A4 by a single 40 mg dose of aprepitant is not expected to alter the plasma concentrations of concomitant medications that are primarily metabolized through CYP3A4 to a clinically significant degree.

When aprepitant is used concomitantly with another CYP3A4 inhibitor, aprepitant plasma concentrations could be elevated. When EMEND (aprepitant capsules) is used concomitantly with medications that induce CYP3A4 activity, aprepitant plasma concentrations could be reduced and this may result in decreased efficacy of EMEND [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].

Chemotherapy agents that are known to be metabolized by CYP3A4 include docetaxel, paclitaxel, etoposide, irinotecan, ifosfamide, imatinib, vinorelbine, vinblastine and vincristine. In clinical studies, EMEND (aprepitant capsules) (125 mg/80 mg regimen) was administered commonly with etoposide, vinorelbine, or paclitaxel. The doses of these agents were not adjusted to account for potential drug interactions.

In separate pharmacokinetic studies no clinically significant change in docetaxel or vinorelbine pharmacokinetics was observed when EMEND (aprepitant capsules) (125 mg/80 mg regimen) was co-administered.

Due to the small number of patients in clinical studies who received the CYP3A4 substrates vinblastine, vincristine, or ifosfamide, particular caution and careful monitoring are advised in patients receiving these agents or other chemotherapy agents metabolized primarily by CYP3A4 that were not studied [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].

Coadministration with Warfarin (a CYP2C9 substrate)

Coadministration of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) with warfarin may result in a clinically significant decrease in International Normalized Ratio (INR) of prothrombin time. In patients on chronic warfarin therapy, the INR should be closely monitored in the 2-week period, particularly at 7 to 10 days, following initiation of the 3-day regimen of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) with each chemotherapy cycle, or following administration of a single 40 mg dose of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].

Coadministration with Hormonal Contraceptives

Upon coadministration with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) , the efficacy of hormonal contraceptives during and for 28 days following the last dose of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) may be reduced. Alternative or back-up methods of contraception should be used during treatment with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) and for 1 month following the last dose of EMEND [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].

Patients with Severe Hepatic Impairment

There are no clinical or pharmacokinetic data in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score > 9). Therefore, caution should be exercised when EMEND is administered in these patients [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].

Chronic Continuous Use

Chronic continuous use of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) for prevention of nausea and vomiting is not recommended because it has not been studied; and because the drug interaction profile may change during chronic continuous use.

Patient Counseling Information

[See FDA-Approved Patient Labeling.]

Instructions

Physicians should instruct their patients to read the patient package insert before starting therapy with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) and to reread it each time the prescription is renewed.

Patients should be instructed to take EMEND (aprepitant capsules) only as prescribed.

For the prevention of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), patients should be advised to take their first dose (125 mg) of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) 1 hour prior to chemotherapy treatment. For the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), patients should receive their medication (40 mg capsule of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) ) within 3 hours prior to induction of anesthesia.

Allergic reactions, which may be serious, and may include hives, rash and itching and cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing, have been reported in general use with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) . Physicians should instruct their patients to stop taking EMEND (aprepitant capsules) and call their doctor right away if they experience an allergic reaction.

EMEND (aprepitant capsules) may interact with some drugs including chemotherapy; therefore, patients should be advised to report to their doctor the use of any other prescription, non-prescription medication or herbal products.

Patients on chronic warfarin therapy should be instructed to have their clotting status closely monitored in the 2-week period, particularly at 7 to 10 days, following initiation of the 3-day regimen of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) 125 mg/80 mg with each chemotherapy cycle, or following administration of a single 40 mg dose of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Administration of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) may reduce the efficacy of hormonal contraceptives. Patients should be advised to use alternative or back-up methods of contraception during treatment with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) and for 1 month following the last dose of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) .

Nonclinical Toxicology

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

Carcinogenicity studies were conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats and in CD-1 mice for 2 years. In the rat carcinogenicity studies, animals were treated with oral doses ranging from 0.05 to 1000 mg/kg twice daily. The highest dose produced a systemic exposure to aprepitant (plasma AUC0-24hr) of 0.7 to 1.6 times the human exposure (AUC0-24hr = 19.6 mcg•hr/mL) at the recommended dose of 125 mg/day. Treatment with aprepitant at doses of 5 to 1000 mg/kg twice daily caused an increase in the incidences of thyroid follicular cell adenomas and carcinomas in male rats. In female rats, it produced hepatocellular adenomas at 5 to 1000 mg/kg twice daily and hepatocellular carcinomas and thyroid follicular cell adenomas at 125 to 1000 mg/kg twice daily. In the mouse carcinogenicity studies, the animals were treated with oral doses ranging from 2.5 to 2000 mg/kg/day. The highest dose produced a systemic exposure of about 2.8 to 3.6 times the human exposure at the recommended dose. Treatment with aprepitant produced skin fibrosarcomas at 125 and 500 mg/kg/day doses in male mice.

Aprepitant was not genotoxic in the Ames test, the human lymphoblastoid cell (TK6) mutagenesis test, the rat hepatocyte DNA strand break test, the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell chromosome aberration test and the mouse micronucleus test.

Aprepitant did not affect the fertility or general reproductive performance of male or female rats at doses up to the maximum feasible dose of 1000 mg/kg twice daily (providing exposure in male rats lower than the exposure at the recommended human dose and exposure in female rats at about 1.6 times the human exposure).

Use In Specific Populations

Pregnancy

Teratogenic effects - Pregnancy Category B

Reproduction studies have been performed in rats at oral doses up to 1000 mg/kg twice daily (plasma AUC0-24hr of 31.3 mcg•hr/mL, about 1.6 times the human exposure at the recommended dose) and in rabbits at oral doses up to 25 mg/kg/day (plasma AUC0-24hr of 26.9 mcg•hr/mL, about 1.4 times the human exposure at the recommended dose) and have revealed no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to aprepitant. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

Nursing Mothers

Aprepitant is excreted in the milk of rats. It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for possible serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from aprepitant and because of the potential for tumorigenicity shown for aprepitant in rodent carcinogenicity studies, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness of EMEND (aprepitant capsules) in pediatric patients have not been established.

Geriatric Use

In 2 well-controlled chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting clinical studies, of the total number of patients (N=544) treated with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) , 31% were 65 and over, while 5% were 75 and over. In well-controlled postoperative nausea and vomiting clinical studies, of the total number of patients (N=1120) treated with EMEND (aprepitant capsules) , 7% were 65 and over, while 2% were 75 and over. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects. Greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out. Dosage adjustment in the elderly is not necessary.

Last reviewed on RxList: 4/12/2010
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.