Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
What Is Surfaxin?
Surfaxin (lucinactant) is a surfactant indicated for the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), a breathing disorder that affects premature infants.
What Are Side Effects of Surfaxin?
Common side effects of Surfaxin are related to its administration down a premature infant's breathing tube (endotracheal tube) and include endotracheal tube reflux, skin paleness, endotracheal tube obstruction, and need for dose interruption. Serious side effects of Surfaxin include:
- intraventricular hemorrhage
- sepsis
- patent ductus arteriosus
- retinopathy
- necrotizing enterocolitis and
- lung problems
Surfaxin may cause serious side effects including:
- hives,
- difficulty breathing,
- swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat,
- severe dizziness,
- convulsions,
- loss of consciousness,
- vomiting of blood,
- bluish lips or skin,
- cough,
- fast or slow heartbeat,
- fever,
- chills,
- pale skin,
- rapid or shallow breathing,
- shortness of breath,
- sneezing, and
- wheezing
Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above.
Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:
- Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
- Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheartedness, or passing out;
- Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.
This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.
Dosage for Surfaxin
Surfaxin Intratracheal Suspension is supplied sterile in single-use glass vials containing 8.5 mL suspension with each mL containing 30 mg phospholipids [22.50 mg dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 7.50 mg palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol, sodium salt (POPG, Na)], 4.05 mg palmitic acid (PA), and 0.862 mg sinapultide.The recommended dose of Surfaxin is 5.8 mL per kg birth weight administered by intratracheal administration. Up to 4 doses of Surfaxin can be administered in the first 48 hours of life. Doses should be given no more frequently than every 6 hours.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Surfaxin?
Surfaxin is not expected to interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements your child takes. Your baby's caregivers will manage and monitor all medications given to your baby during treatment in the NICU.
Surfaxin During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
Because Surfaxin is intended for premature infants only, it is unlikely to be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Surfaxin Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
QUESTION
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is the same as adult-onset asthma. See AnswerSIDE EFFECTS
Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Clinical Trials Experience
Studies in Premature Infants at Risk for Respiratory Distress Syndrome
The safety data described below reflect exposure to SURFAXIN at a dose of 5.8 mL per kg (up to 4 doses) administered in either 4 aliquots (Study 1) or 2 aliquots (Study 2) in 643 infants 32 weeks gestational age or less in 2 randomized double-blind, active-controlled clinical studies in which infants could receive up to 4 doses of surfactant intratracheally [see Clinical Studies]. Study 1 was conducted in 1294 premature infants who weighed between 600 g and 1250 g at birth and were 32 weeks or less in gestational age. Infants received 1 of 3 surfactants, SURFAXIN (N = 524), colfosceril palmitate (N = 506), or beractant (N = 258). Study 2 was conducted in 252 premature infants who weighed between 600 g and 1250 g and were less than 29 weeks in gestational age. Infants received SURFAXIN (N = 119) or poractant alfa (N = 124).
Comparator surfactants colfosceril palmitate and beractant were administered at the recommended doses (5.0 and 4.0 mL per kg, respectively) while the first dose of poractant alfa administered (2.2 mL per kg) was less than the recommended dose of 2.5 mL per kg. Any subsequent doses of poractant alfa were at the recommended 1.25 mL per kg dose.
Administration-related adverse reactions (endotracheal tube reflux, pallor, endotracheal tube obstruction, and need for dose interruption) were assessed in both SURFAXIN controlled clinical studies. Overall, the incidence of administration-related adverse reactions was higher in infants who received SURFAXIN compared to other surfactants (Table 2) and resulted in a greater proportion of infants treated with SURFAXIN who experienced administration-related oxygen desaturation and bradycardia. For Study 1, oxygen desaturation was reported in 17%, 9%, and 13% and bradycardia for 5%, 2%, and 3% of infants treated with SURFAXIN, colfosceril palmitate, and beractant, respectively. For Study 2, oxygen desaturation was reported in 8% and 2% and bradycardia in 3% and 2% of infants treated with SURFAXIN and poractant alfa, respectively. These adverse reactions did not appear to be associated with an increased incidence of serious complications or mortality relative to the comparator surfactants (Table 3).
Table 2: Administration-Related Adverse Reactions in
SURFAXIN Controlled Clinical Studiesa
| Study 1b | Study 2c | ||||
| SURFAXIN (N = 524) |
Colfosceril palmitate (N = 506) |
Beractant (N = 258) |
SURFAXIN (N = 119) |
Poractant alfa (N = 124) |
|
| Total Doses Administered | 994 | 1038 | 444 | 174 | 160 |
| Total Number of Events (Events per 100 Doses) | |||||
| ETT Reflux | 183 (18) | 161 (16) | 67 (15) | 47 (27) | 31 (19) |
| Pallor | 88 (9) | 46 (4) | 38 (9) | 18 (10) | 7 (4) |
| Dose Interruption | 87 (9) | 46 (4) | 30 (7) | 7 (4) | 2 (1) |
| ETT Obstruction | 55 (6) | 21 (2) | 19 (4) | 27 (16) | 1 (1) |
| aTable includes only infants who received study treatment. b In Study 1 doses were administered in 4 aliquots. c In Study 2 doses were administered in 2 aliquots. |
|||||
Table 3: Common Serious Complications
Associated with Prematurity and RDS in SURFAXIN Controlled Clinical Studies
Through 36-Weeks Post-Conceptual Age (PCA)
| Study 1 | Study 2 | ||||
| SURFAXIN (N = 527) % |
Colfosceril palmitate (N = 509) % |
Beractant (N = 258) % |
SURFAXIN (N = 119) % |
Poractant alfa (N = 124) % |
|
| Apnea | 52 | 52 | 46 | 66 | 75 |
| Intraventricular hemorrhage, all grades | 52 | 57 | 54 | 39 | 38 |
| - Grade 3/4 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 13 | 8 |
| Periventricular leukomalacia | 10 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 9 |
| Acquired sepsis | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 52 |
| Patent ductus arteriosus | 37 | 35 | 37 | 43 | 44 |
| Retinopathy of prematurity, all grades | 27 | 26 | 25 | 32 | 31 |
| -Grade 3/4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 9 |
| Necrotizing enterocolitis, all grades | 17 | 17 | 19 | 13 | 15 |
| -Grade 2/3 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 8 |
| Pulmonary air leak through Day 7, all types | 15 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| -Pulmonary interstitial emphysema | 9 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 5 |
| -Pneumothorax | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Pulmonary hemorrhage | 10 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 9 |
All-cause mortality through 36-weeks PCA was similar regardless of which exogenous surfactant was administered.
Adverse reactions reported in the controlled clinical studies through 36-weeks PCA occurring in at least 10% of infants were anemia, jaundice, metabolic acidosis, oxygen desaturation, hyperglycemia, pneumonia, hyponatremia, hypotension, respiratory acidosis, and bradycardia. These reactions occurred at rates similar to the comparator surfactants.
No assessments for immunogenicity to SURFAXIN were performed in these clinical studies.
Follow-up Evaluations
Twelve-month corrected-age follow-up of 1546 infants enrolled in the 2 controlled clinical studies demonstrated no significant differences in mortality or gross neurologic findings between infants treated with SURFAXIN and those treated with the comparator surfactants (colfosceril palmitate, beractant, or poractant alfa).
Clinical Study in Adults with ARDS
The safety and efficacy of lucinactant administered in 2 doses separated by 48 hours via segmental bronchoscopic lavage in adults with ARDS was evaluated in a two-part clinical trial in 124 adult patients. Twenty-two patients were studied in the initial open-label portion of the trial (Part A) and 102 patients participated in a subsequent randomized controlled portion (Part B). Compared to standard of care, patients who received treatment with lucinactant via segmental bronchoscopic lavage at doses up to 50 mL per lung segment had an increased incidence of death, multi-organ failure, sepsis, anoxic encephalopathy, renal failure, hypoxia/decreased oxygen saturation, pneumothorax, hypotension, and pulmonary embolism compared to those patients receiving standard of care. SURFAXIN is not indicated for use in the treatment of ARDS.
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Surfaxin (Lucinactant Intratracheal Suspension)
SLIDESHOW
COPD Foods to Boost Your Health - COPD Diet Tips See Slideshow© Surfaxin Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Surfaxin Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
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