Mepron Side Effects Center

SIDE EFFECTS

The following adverse reaction is discussed in another section of the labeling:

• Hepatotoxicity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared with rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

Additionally, because many subjects who participated in clinical trials with MEPRON had complications of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, it was often difficult to distinguish adverse reactions caused by MEPRON from those caused by underlying medical conditions.

PCP Prevention Trials

In 2 clinical trials, MEPRON oral suspension was compared with dapsone or aerosolized pentamidine in HIV-1-infected adolescent (13 to 18 years) and adult subjects at risk of PCP (CD4 count <200 cells/mm³ or a prior episode of PCP) and unable to tolerate TMP-SMX.

Dapsone Comparative Trial

In the dapsone comparative trial (n = 1,057), the majority of subjects were white (64%), male (88%), and receiving prophylaxis for PCP at randomization (73%); the mean age was 38 years. Subjects received MEPRON oral suspension 1,500 mg once daily (n = 536) or dapsone 100 mg once daily (n = 521); median durations of exposure were 6.7 and 6.5 months, respectively. Adverse reaction data were collected only for adverse reactions requiring discontinuation of treatment, which occurred at similar frequencies in subjects treated with MEPRON oral suspension or dapsone (Table 1). Among subjects taking neither dapsone nor atovaquone at enrollment (n = 487), adverse reactions requiring discontinuation of treatment occurred in 43% of subjects treated with dapsone and 20% of subjects treated with MEPRON oral suspension. Gastrointestinal adverse reactions (nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting) were more frequently reported in subjects treated with MEPRON oral suspension (Table 1).

Table 1: Percentage (>2%) of Subjects with Selected Adverse Reactions Requiring Discontinuation of Treatment in the Dapsone Comparative PCP Prevention Trial

Adverse Reaction	All Subjects
	MEPRON Oral Suspension 1,500 mg/day (n = 536) %	Dapsone 100 mg/day (n = 521) %
Rash	6.3	8.8
Nausea	4.1	0.6
Diarrhea	3.2	0.2
Vomiting	2.2	0.6

Aerosolized Pentamidine Comparative Trial

In the aerosolized pentamidine comparative trial (n = 549), the majority of subjects were white (79%), male (92%), and were primary prophylaxis patients at enrollment (58%); the mean age was 38 years. Subjects received MEPRON oral suspension once daily at a dose of 750 mg (n = 188) or 1,500 mg (n = 175) or received aerosolized pentamidine 300 mg every 4 weeks (n = 186); the median durations of exposure were 6.2, 6.0, and 7.8 months, respectively. Table 2 summarizes the clinical adverse reactions reported by ≥20% of the subjects receiving either the 1,500-mg dose of MEPRON oral suspension or aerosolized pentamidine.

Rash occurred more often in subjects treated with MEPRON oral suspension (46%) than in subjects treated with aerosolized pentamidine (28%). Treatment-limiting adverse reactions occurred in 25% of subjects treated with MEPRON oral suspension 1,500 mg once daily and in 7% of subjects treated with aerosolized pentamidine. The most frequent adverse reactions requiring discontinuation of dosing in the group receiving MEPRON oral suspension 1,500 mg once daily were rash (6%), diarrhea (4%), and nausea (3%). The most frequent adverse reaction requiring discontinuation of dosing in the group receiving aerosolized pentamidine was bronchospasm (2%).

Table 2: Percentage (≥20%) of Subjects with Selected Adverse Reactions in the Aerosolized Pentamidine Comparative PCP Prevention Trial

Adverse Reaction	MEPRON Oral Suspension 1,500 mg/day (n = 175) %	Aerosolized Pentamidine (n = 186) %
Diarrhea	42	35
Rash	39	28
Headache	28	22
Nausea	26	23
Fever	25	18
Rhinitis	24	17

Other reactions occurring in ≥10% of subjects receiving the recommended dose of MEPRON oral suspension (1,500 mg once daily) included vomiting, sweating, flu syndrome, sinusitis, pruritus, insomnia, depression, and myalgia.

PCP Treatment Trials

Safety information is presented from 2 clinical efficacy trials of the MEPRON tablet formulation: 1) a randomized, double-blind trial comparing MEPRON tablets with TMP-SMX in subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and mild-tomoderate PCP [(A-a)DO2 ] ≤45 mm Hg and PaO2≥60 mm Hg on room air; 2) a randomized, open-label trial comparing MEPRON tablets with intravenous (IV) pentamidine isethionate in subjects with mild-to-moderate PCP who could not tolerate trimethoprim or sulfa antimicrobials.

TMP-SMX Comparative Trial

In the TMP-SMX comparative trial (n = 408), the majority of subjects were white (66%) and male (95%); the mean age was 36 years. Subjects received MEPRON 750 mg (three 250-mg tablets) 3 times daily for 21 days or TMP 320 mg plus SMX 1,600 mg 3 times daily for 21 days; median durations of exposure were 21 and 15 days, respectively.

Table 3 summarizes all clinical adverse reactions reported by ≥10% of the trial population regardless of attribution. Nine percent of subjects who received MEPRON and 24% of subjects who received TMP-SMX discontinued therapy due to an adverse reaction. Among the subjects who discontinued, 4% of subjects receiving MEPRON and 8% of subjects in the TMP-SMX group discontinued therapy due to rash.

The incidence of adverse reactions with MEPRON oral suspension at the recommended dose (750 mg twice daily) was similar to that seen with the tablet formulation.

Table 3: Percentage (≥10%) of Subjects with Selected Adverse Reactions in the TMP-SMX Comparative PCP Treatment Trial

Adverse Reaction	MEPRON Tablets (n = 203) %	TMP-SMX (n = 205) %
Rash (including maculopapular)	23	34
Nausea	21	44
Diarrhea	19	7
Headache	16	22
Vomiting	14	35
Fever	14	25
Insomnia	10	9

Two percent of subjects treated with MEPRON and 7% of subjects treated with TMP-SMX had therapy prematurely discontinued due to elevations in ALT/AST.

Pentamidine Comparative Trial

In the pentamidine comparative trial (n = 174), the majority of subjects in the primary therapy trial population (n = 145) were white (72%) and male (97%); the mean age was 37 years. Subjects received MEPRON 750 mg (three 250-mg tablets) 3 times daily for 21 days or a 3- to 4-mg/kg single pentamidine isethionate IV infusion daily for 21 days; the median durations of exposure were 21 and 14 days, respectively.

Table 4 summarizes the clinical adverse reactions reported by ≥10% of the primary therapy trial population regardless of attribution. Fewer subjects who received MEPRON reported adverse reactions than subjects who received pentamidine (63% vs. 72%). However, only 7% of subjects discontinued treatment with MEPRON due to adverse reactions, while 41% of subjects who received pentamidine discontinued treatment for this reason. Of the 5 subjects who discontinued therapy with MEPRON, 3 reported rash (4%). Rash was not severe in any subject. The most frequently cited reasons for discontinuation of pentamidine therapy were hypoglycemia (11%) and vomiting (9%).

Table 4: Percentage (≥10%) of Subjects with Selected Adverse Reactions in the Pentamidine Comparative PCP Treatment Trial (Primary Therapy Group)

Adverse Reaction	MEPRON Tablets (n = 73) %	Pentamidine (n = 71) %
Fever	40	25
Nausea	22	37
Rash	22	13
Diarrhea	21	31
Insomnia	19	14
Headache	18	28
Vomiting	14	17
Cough	14	1
Sweat	10	3
Monilia, oral	10	3

Laboratory abnormality was reported as the reason for discontinuation of treatment in 2 of 73 subjects (3%) who received MEPRON, and in 14 of 71 subjects (20%) who received pentamidine. One subject (1%) receiving MEPRON had elevated creatinine and BUN levels and 1 subject (1%) had elevated amylase levels. In this trial, elevated levels of amylase occurred in subjects (8% versus 4%) receiving MEPRON tablets or pentamidine, respectively.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of MEPRON oral suspension. 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.

Blood And Lymphatic System Disorders

Methemoglobinemia, thrombocytopenia.

Immune System Disorders

Hypersensitivity reactions including angioedema, bronchospasm, throat tightness, and urticaria.

Eye Disorders

Vortex keratopathy.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Pancreatitis.

Hepatobiliary Disorders

Hepatitis, fatal liver failure.

Skin And Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders

Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and skin desquamation.

Renal And Urinary Disorders

Acute renal impairment.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Rifampin/Rifabutin

Concomitant administration of rifampin or rifabutin and MEPRON oral suspension is known to reduce atovaquone concentrations [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. Concomitant administration of MEPRON oral suspension and rifampin or rifabutin is not recommended.

Tetracycline

Concomitant administration of tetracycline and MEPRON oral suspension has been associated with a reduction in plasma concentrations of atovaquone [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. Caution should be used when prescribing tetracycline concomitantly with MEPRON oral suspension. Monitor patients for potential loss of efficacy of MEPRON if coadministration is necessary.

Metoclopramide

Metoclopramide may reduce the bioavailability of atovaquone and should be used only if other antiemetics are not available [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].

Indinavir

Concomitant administration of atovaquone and indinavir did not result in any change in the steady-state AUC and Cmax of indinavir but resulted in a decrease in the Ctrough of indinavir [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. Caution should be exercised when prescribing MEPRON oral suspension with indinavir due to the decrease in trough concentrations of indinavir. Monitor patients for potential loss of efficacy of indinavir if coadministration with MEPRON oral suspension is necessary.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Mepron (Atovaquone)