1. Name Of The Medicinal Product
Irinotecan Actavis 20mg/ml concentrate for solution for infusion
2. Qualitative And Quantitative Composition
One ml of concentrate contains 20mg irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate equivalent to 17.33 mg/ml irinotecan. Each 2ml, 5ml, 15ml or 25ml vial of irinotecan Actavis contains 40mg, 100mg, 300mg or 500mg of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate respectively.
Excipients:
Sorbitol E420
Sodium
For a full list of excipients, see section 6.1.
3. Pharmaceutical Form
Concentrate for solution for infusion:
A clear, colourless to slightly yellow solution.
4. Clinical Particulars
4.1 Therapeutic Indications
Irinotecan Actavis is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer:
- in combination with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid in patients without prior chemotherapy for advanced disease,
- as a single agent in patients who have failed an established 5-fluorouracil containing treatment regimen.
Irinotecan in combination with cetuximab is indicated for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer after failure of irinotecan-including cytotoxic therapy.
Irinotecan in combination with 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and bevacizumab is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum.
4.2 Posology And Method Of Administration
For adults only. After dilution Irinotecan Actavis solution for infusion should be infused into a peripheral or central vein.
Recommended dosage
In monotherapy (for previously treated patient)
The recommended dosage of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate is 350 mg/m² administered as an intravenous infusion over a 30- 90 minute period every three weeks (see below “Method of administration” and section 4.4 and 6.6).
In combination therapy (for previously untreated patient)
Safety and efficacy of irinotecan in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and folinic acid (FA) have been assessed with the following schedule (see section 5.1): Irinotecan plus 5FU/FA in every 2 weeks schedule.
The recommended dose of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate is 180 mg/m² administered once every 2 weeks as an intravenous infusion over a 30-90 minute period, followed by infusion with folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil.
For the posology and method of administration of concomitant cetuximab, refer to the product information for this medicinal product.
Normally, the same dose of irinotecan is used as administered in the last cycles of the prior irinotecan-containing regimen. Irinotecan must not be administered earlier than 1 hour after the end of the cetuximab infusion.
For the posology and method of administration of bevacizumab, refer to the bevacizumab summary product of characteristics.
Dosage adjustments
Irinotecan should be administered after appropriate recovery of all adverse events to grade 0 or 1 NCI-CTC grading (National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria) and when treatment-related diarrhoea is fully resolved.
At the start of a subsequent infusion of therapy, the dose of Irinotecan Actavis, and 5FU when applicable, should be decreased according to the worst grade of adverse events observed in the prior infusion. Treatment should be delayed by 1 to 2 weeks to allow recovery from treatment-related adverse events.
With the following adverse events a dose reduction of 15 to 20 % should be applied for irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate and/or 5FU when applicable:
- haematological toxicity (neutropenia grade 4, febrile neutropenia (neutropenia grade 3-4 and fever grade 2-4), thrombocytopenia and leukopenia (grade 4)),
- non haematological toxicity (grade 3-4).
Recommendations for dose modifications of cetuximab when administered in combination with irinotecan must be followed according to the product information for this medicinal product.
Refer to the bevacizumab summary product of characteristics for dose modifications of bevacizumab when administered in combination with Irinotecan/5FU/FA.
Treatment Duration:
Treatment with irinotecan should be continued until there is an objective progression of the disease or an unacceptable toxicity.
Special populations
Patients with impaired hepatic function
In monotherapy: Blood bilirubin levels (up to 3 times the upper limit of the normal range (ULN)) in patients with performance status
- In patients with bilirubin up to 1.5 times the ULN, the recommended dosage of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate is 350 mg/m²,
- In patients with bilirubin ranging from 1.5 to 3 times the ULN, the recommended dosage of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate is 200 mg/m²,
- Patients with bilirubin beyond 3 times the ULN should not be treated with irinotecan (see section 4.3 and section 4.4).
No data are available in patients with hepatic impairment treated with irinotecan in combination.
Patients with impaired renal function
Irinotecan is not recommended for use in patients with impaired renal function, as studies in this population have not been conducted. (See section 4.4 and section 5.2).
Elderly
No specific pharmacokinetic studies have been performed in elderly. However, the dose should be chosen carefully in this population due to their greater frequency of decreased biological functions. This population should require more intense surveillance (see section 4.4).
Children
Irinotecan should not be used in children.
Method of administration
Irinotecan Actavis is cytotoxic, for information regarding dilution, and special precautions for disposal and other handling see section 6.6.
Irinotecan Actavis should not be delivered as an intravenous bolus or an intravenous infusion shorter than 30 minutes or longer than 90 minutes.
Treatment Duration
Treatment with irinotecan should be continued until there is an objective progression of the disease or an unacceptable toxicity.
4.3 Contraindications
- Chronic inflammatory bowel disease and/or bowel obstruction (see section 4.4).
- History of severe hypersensitivity to irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate or to any of the excipients.
- Pregnancy and lactation (see section 4.4 and section 4.6).
- Bilirubin>3 times the ULN (see section 4.4).
- Severe bone marrow failure.
- WHO performance status> 2.
- Concomitant use with St John's Wort (see section 4.5).
- For additional contraindications of cetuximab or bevacizumab, refer to the product information for these medicinal products.
4.4 Special Warnings And Precautions For Use
The use of Irinotecan Actavis should be confined to units specialised in the administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy and it should only be administered under the supervision of a physician qualified in the use of anticancer chemotherapy.
Given the nature and incidence of adverse events, Irinotecan Actavis will only be prescribed in the following cases after the expected benefits have been weighted against the possible therapeutic risks:
- in patients presenting a risk factor, particularly those with a WHO performance status = 2.
- in the few rare instances where patients are deemed unlikely to observe recommendations regarding management of adverse events (need for immediate and prolonged antidiarrhoeal treatment combined with high fluid intake at onset of delayed diarrhoea). Strict hospital supervision is recommended for such patients.
When Irinotecan Actavis is used in monotherapy, it is usually prescribed with the every-3-week-dosage schedule. However, the weekly-dosage schedule (see section 5.1) may be considered in patients who may need a closer follow-up or who are at particular risk of severe neutropenia.
Delayed diarrhoea
Patients should be made aware of the risk of delayed diarrhoea occurring more than 24 hours after the administration of irinotecan and at any time before the next cycle. In monotherapy, the median time of onset of the first liquid stool was on day 5 after the infusion of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate. Patients should quickly inform their physician of its occurrence and start appropriate therapy immediately.
Patients with an increased risk of diarrhoea are those who had a previous abdominal/pelvic radiotherapy, those with baseline hyperleucocytosis, those with performance status 2 and women. If not properly treated, diarrhoea can be life-threatening, especially if the patient is concomitantly neutropenic.
As soon as the first liquid stool occurs, the patient should start drinking large volumes of beverages containing electrolytes and an appropriate antidiarrhoeal therapy must be initiated immediately. This antidiarrhoeal treatment will be prescribed by the department where irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate has been administered. After discharge from the hospital, the patients should obtain the prescribed drugs so that they can treat the diarrhoea as soon as it occurs. In addition, they must inform their physician or the department administering irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate when/if diarrhoea is occurring.
The currently recommended antidiarrhoeal treatment consists of high doses of loperamide (4 mg for the first intake and then 2 mg every 2 hours). This therapy should continue for 12 hours after the last liquid stool and should not be modified. In no instance should loperamide be administered for more than 48 consecutive hours at these doses, because of the risk of paralytic ileus, nor for less than 12 hours.
In addition to the anti-diarrhoeal treatment, a prophylactic broad spectrum antibiotic should be given, when diarrhoea is associated with severe neutropenia (neutrophil count < 500 cells/mm³).
In addition to the antibiotic treatment, hospitalisation is recommended for management of the diarrhoea, in the following cases:
- Diarrhoea associated with fever,
- Severe diarrhoea (requiring intravenous hydration),
- Diarrhoea persisting beyond 48 hours following the initiation of high-dose loperamide therapy.
Loperamide should not be given prophylactically, even in patients who experienced delayed diarrhoea at previous cycles.
In patients who experienced severe diarrhoea, a reduction in dose is recommended for subsequent cycles (see section 4.2).
Haematology
Weekly monitoring of complete blood cell counts is recommended during treatment with irinotecan. Patients should be aware of the risk of neutropenia and the significance of fever. Febrile neutropenia (temperature>38°C and neutrophil count 1,000 cells/mm³) should be urgently treated in the hospital with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics.
In patients who experienced severe haematological events, a dose reduction is recommended for subsequent administration (see section 4.2).
There is an increased risk of infections and haematological toxicity in patients with severe diarrhoea. In patients with severe diarrhoea, complete blood cell counts should be performed.
Liver impairment
Liver function tests should be performed at baseline and before each cycle.
Weekly monitoring of complete blood counts should be conducted in patients with bilirubin ranging from 1.5 to 3 times ULN, due to decrease of the clearance of irinotecan (see section 5.2) and thus increasing the risk of hematotoxicity in this population. Irinotecan should not be administered to patients with a bilirubin> 3 times ULN (see section 4.3).
Nausea and vomiting
A prophylactic treatment with antiemetics is recommended before each treatment with irinotecan. Nausea and vomiting have been frequently reported. Patients with vomiting associated with delayed diarrhoea should be hospitalised as soon as possible for treatment.
Acute cholinergic syndrome
If acute cholinergic syndrome appears (defined as early diarrhoea and various other symptoms such as sweating, abdominal cramping, lacrimation, myosis and salivation), atropine sulphate (250 micrograms subcutaneously) should be administered unless clinically contraindicated (see section 4.8). Caution should be exercised in patients with asthma. In patients who experienced an acute and severe cholinergic syndrome, the use of prophylactic atropine sulphate is recommended with subsequent doses of irinotecan.
Respiratory disorders
Interstitial pulmonary disease presenting as pulmonary infiltrates is uncommon during irinotecan therapy. Interstitial pulmonary disease can be fatal. Risk factors possibly associated with the development of interstitial pulmonary disease include the use of pneumotoxic drugs, radiation therapy and colony stimulating factors. Patients with risk factors should be closely monitored for respiratory symptoms before and during irinotecan therapy.
Elderly
Due to the greater frequency of decreased biological functions, in particular hepatic function, in elderly patients, dose selection with Irinotecan Actavis should be cautious in this population (see section 4.2).
Patients with bowel obstruction
Patients must not be treated with Irintoecan Actavis until resolution of the bowel obstruction (see section 4.3).
Patients with Impaired Renal Function
Studies in this population have not been conducted. (see section 4.2 and section 5.2).
Others
Since Irinotecan Actavis contains sorbitol, it is unsuitable in hereditary fructose intolerance.
Infrequent cases of renal insufficiency, hypotension or circulatory failure have been observed in patients who experienced episodes of dehydration associated with diarrhoea and/or vomiting, or sepsis.
Contraceptive measures must be taken during and for at least three months after cessation of therapy.
Concomitant administration of irinotecan with a strong inhibitor (e.g. ketoconazole) or inducer (e.g. rifampicin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, St John's Wort) of CYP3A4 may alter the metabolism of irinotecan and should be avoided (see section 4.5).
4.5 Interaction With Other Medicinal Products And Other Forms Of Interaction
Interaction between irinotecan and neuromuscular blocking agents cannot be ruled out. Since irinotecan has anticholinesterase activity, drugs with anticholinesterase activity may prolong the neuromuscular blocking effects of suxamethonium and the neuromuscular blockade of non-depolarising drugs may be antagonised.
Several studies have shown that concomitant administration of CYP3A-inducing anticonvulsant drugs (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital or phenytoin) leads to reduced exposure to irinotecan, SN-38 and SN-38 glucuronide and reduced pharmacodynamic effects. The effects of such anticonvulsant drugs was reflected by a decrease in AUC of SN-38 and SN-38G by 50% or more. In addition to induction of cytochrome P450 3A enzymes, enhanced glucuronidation and enhanced biliary excretion may play a role in reducing exposure to irinotecan and its metabolites.
A study has shown that the co-administration of ketoconazole resulted in a decrease in the AUC of APC of 87% and in an increase in the AUC of SN-38 of 109% in comparison to irinotecan given alone.
Caution should be exercised in patients concurrently taking drugs known to inhibit (e.g., ketoconazole) or induce (e.g., rifampicin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital or phenytoin) drug metabolism by cytochrome P450 3A4. Concurrent administration of irinotecan with an inhibitor/inducer of this metabolic pathway may alter the metabolism of irinotecan and should be avoided (see section 4.4).
In a small pharmacokinetic study (n=5), in which irinotecan 350 mg/m2 was co-administered with St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) 900 mg, a 42% decrease in the active metabolite of irinotecan, SN-38, plasma concentrations was observed. St. John's Wort decreases SN-38 plasma levels. As a result, St. John's Wort should not be administered with irinotecan (see section 4.3).
Coadministration of 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid in the combination regimen does not change the pharmacokinetics of irinotecan.
There is no evidence that the safety profile of irinotecan is influenced by cetuximab or vice versa.
In one study, irinotecan concentrations were similar in patients receiving irinotecan /5FU/FA alone and in combination with bevacizumab. Concentrations of SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan, were analyzed in a subset of patients (approximately 30 per treatment arm). Concentrations of SN-38 were on average 33% higher in patients receiving irinotecan /5FU/FA in combination with bevacizumab compared with irinotecan /5FU/FA alone. Due to high inter-patient variability and limited sampling, it is uncertain if the increase in SN-38 levels observed was due to bevacizumab. There was a small increase in diarrhoea and leukopenia adverse events. More dose reductions of irinotecan were reported for patients receiving irinotecan /5FU/FA in combination with bevacizumab.
Patients who develop severe diarrhoea, leukopenia, or neutropenia with the bevacizumab and irinotecan combination should have irinotecan dose modifications as specified in section 4.2 Posology and method of administration.
4.6 Pregnancy And Lactation
Pregnancy
There is no information on the use of irinotecan in pregnant women. Irinotecan has been shown to be embryotoxic, foetotoxic and teratogenic in rabbits and rats. Therefore, Irinotecan Actavis must not be used during pregnancy (see section 4.3 and section 4.4).
Women of child-bearing potential
Women of child-bearing age receiving Irinotecan Actavis should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant, and to inform the treating physician immediately should this occur (see section 4.3 and section 4.4).
Contraceptive measures must be taken by women of child-bearing age, and also by male patients, during and for at least three months after cessation of therapy.
Lactation
In lactating rats, 14C-irinotecan was detected in milk. It is not known whether irinotecan is excreted in human milk. Consequently, because of the potential for adverse reactions in nursing infants, breast-feeding must be discontinued for the duration of irinotecan therapy (see section 4.3).
4.7 Effects On Ability To Drive And Use Machines
Patients should be warned about the potential for dizziness or visual disturbances which may occur within 24 hours following the administration of irinotecan, and advised not to drive or operate machinery if these symptoms occur.
4.8 Undesirable Effects
Undesirable effects detailed in this section refer to irinotecan. There is no evidence that the safety profile of irinotecan is influenced by cetuximab or vice versa. In combination with cetuximab, additional reported undesirable effects were those expected with cetuximab (such as acneform rash 88%). Therefore also refer to the product information of cetuximab.
For information on adverse reactions in combination with bevacizumab, refer to the bevacizumab summary product of characteristics.
The following adverse reactions considered to be possibly or probably related to the administration of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate have been reported from 765 patients at the recommended dose of 350 mg/m² in monotherapy, and from 145 patients treated by irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate in combination therapy with 5FU/FA in every 2 weeks schedule at the recommended dose of 180 mg/m².
Frequency estimate: Very Common (
Gastrointestinal disorders
Delayed diarrhoea
Diarrhoea (occurring more than 24 hours after administration) is a dose-limiting toxicity of Irinotecan Actavis.
In monotherapy:
Very Common: Severe diarrhoea was observed in 20 % of patients who follow recommendations for the management of diarrhoea. Of the evaluable cycles, 14 % have severe diarrhoea. The median time of onset of the first liquid stool was on day 5 after the infusion of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate.
In combination therapy:
Very Common: Severe diarrhoea was observed in 13.1 % of patients who follow recommendations for the management of diarrhoea. Of the evaluable cycles, 3.9 % have severe diarrhoea.
Uncommon:
Cases of pseudo-membranous colitis have been reported, one of which has been documented bacteriologically (Clostridium difficile).
Nausea and vomiting
In monotherapy:
Very Common: Nausea and vomiting were severe in approximately 10 % of patients treated with antiemetics.
In combination therapy:
Common: A lower incidence of severe nausea and vomiting was observed (2.1 % and 2.8 % of patients respectively).
Dehydration
Common: Episodes of dehydration associated with diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
Uncommon: Cases of renal insufficiency, hypotension or cardio-circulatory failure have been observed in patients who experienced episodes of dehydration associated with diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
Other gastrointestinal disorders
Common: Constipation relative to irinotecan and/or loperamide has been observed, shared between :
• in monotherapy : in less than 10% of patients
• in combination therapy : 3.4% of patients.
Uncommon: Intestinal obstruction, ileus, or gastrointestinal haemorrhage
Rare: Colitis, including typhlitis, ischemic and ulcerative colitis and intestinal perforation.
Cases of symptomatic or asymptomatic pancreatitis have been associated with irinotecan therapy.
Other mild effects include anorexia, abdominal pain and mucositis.
Blood and lymphatic system disorders
Neutropenia is a dose-limiting toxic effect. Neutropenia was reversible and not cumulative; the median day to nadir was 8 days whatever the use in monotherapy or in combination therapy.
In monotherapy:
Very Common: Neutropenia was observed in 78.7% of patients and was severe (neutrophil count <500 cells/mm3) in 22.6% of patients. Of the evaluable cycles, 18% had a neutrophil count below 1,000 cells/mm³ including 7.6% with a neutrophil count <500 cells/mm³. Total recovery was usually reached by day 22.
Anaemia was reported in about 58.7% of patients (8% with haemoglobin <80 g/l and 0.9% with haemoglobin <65 g/l).
Common: Fever with severe neutropenia was reported in 6.2% of patients and in 1.7% of cycles. Infectious episodes occurred in about 10.3% of patients (2.5% of cycles) and were associated with severe neutropenia in about 5.3% of patients (1.1% of cycles), and resulted in death in 2 cases.
Thrombocytopenia (< 100,000 cells/mm³) was observed in 7.4% of patients and 1.8% of cycles with 0.9% with platelets count 3 and 0.2% of cycles. Nearly all the patients showed a recovery by day 22.
In combination therapy:
Very Common: Neutropenia was observed in 82.5% of patients and was severe (neutrophil count <500 cells/mm3) in 9.8 % of patients. Of the evaluable cycles, 67.3 % had a neutrophil count below 1,000 cells/mm³ including 2.7% with a neutrophil count <500 cells/mm³. Total recovery was usually reached within 7-8 days.
Anaemia was reported in 97.2% of patients (2.1% with haemoglobin <80 g/l).
Thrombocytopenia (<100,000 cells/mm³) was observed in 32.6% of patients and 21.8% of cycles. No severe thrombocytopenia (<50,000 cells/mm³) has been observed. One case of peripheral thrombocytopenia with antiplatelet antibodies has been reported.
Common: Fever with severe neutropenia was reported in 3.4% of patients and in 0.9% of cycles.
Infectious episodes occurred in about 2% of patients (0.5% of cycles) and were associated with severe neutropenia in about 2.1% of patients (0.5% of cycles), and resulted in death in 1 case.
Infections and Infestations
Uncommon: Renal insufficiency, hypotension or cardio-circulatory failure have been observed in patients who experienced sepsis.
General disorders and administration site conditions
Acute cholinergic syndrome
Common: Severe transient acute cholinergic syndrome was observed in 9% of patients treated in monotherapy and in 1.4% of patients treated in combination therapy. The main symptoms were defined as early diarrhoea and various other symptoms such as abdominal pain, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, hypotension, vasodilatation, sweating, chills, malaise, dizziness, visual disturbances, myosis, lachrimation and increased salivation occurring during or within the first 24 hours after the infusion of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate. These symptoms disappear after atropine administration (see section 4.4).
Asthenia was severe in less than 10% of patients treated in monotherapy and in 6.2% of patients treated in combination therapy. The causal relationship to irinotecan has not been clearly established.
Fever in the absence of infection and without concomitant severe neutropenia, occurred in 12% of patients treated in monotherapy and in 6.2% of patients treated in combination therapy.
Uncommon: Mild infusion site reactions have been reported.
Cardiac disorders
Rare: Hypertension during or following the infusion.
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Uncommon: Interstitial pulmonary disease presenting as pulmonary infiltrates. Early effects such as dyspnoea have been reported (see section 4.4).
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Very common: Reversible alopecia.
Uncommon: Mild cutaneous reactions.
Immune system disorders
Uncommon: Mild allergy reactions
Rare: Anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions.
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Rare: Early effects such as muscular contraction or cramps and paresthesia have been reported.
Investigations
Very Common: In combination therapy transient serum levels (grades 1 and 2) of either ALT (alanine aminotransferase) , AST (aspartate aminotransferase) , alkaline phosphatase or bilirubin were observed in 15%, 11%, 11% and 10% of the patients, respectively, in the absence of progressive liver metastasis. Transient grade 3 were observed in 0%, 0%, 0% and 1% of the patients, respectively. No grade 4 was observed.
Common: In monotherapy, transient and mild to moderate increases in serum levels of either transaminases, alkaline phosphatase or bilirubin were observed in 9.2%, 8.1% and 1.8% of the patients, respectively, in the absence of progressive liver metastasis. Transient and mild to moderate increases of serum levels of creatinine have been observed in 7.3% of the patients.
Rare: Hypokalemia and hyponatremia mostly related with diarrhea and vomiting.
Very Rare: Increases of amylase and/or lipase.
Nervous system disorders
Very rare::Transient speech disorders associated with infusion of irinotecan.
4.9 Overdose
There have been reports of overdosage at doses up to approximately twice the recommended therapeutic dose, which may be fatal. The most significant adverse reactions reported were severe neutropenia and severe diarrhoea. There is no known antidote for irinotecan. Maximum supportive care should be instituted to prevent dehydration due to diarrhoea and to treat any infectious complications.
5. Pharmacological Properties
5.1 Pharmacodynamic Properties
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Other antinetoplastic agents, ATC Code: L01XX19.
Experimental data
Irinotecan is a semi-synthetic derivative of camptothecin. It is an antineoplastic agent which acts as a specific inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase I. It is metabolised by carboxylesterase in most tissues to SN-38, which was found to be more active than irinotecan in purified topoisomerase I and more cytotoxic than irinotecan against several murine and human tumour cell lines. The inhibition of DNA topoisomerase I by irinotecan or SN-38 induces single-strand DNA lesions which blocks the DNA replication fork and are responsible for the cytotoxicity. This cytotoxic activity was found time-dependent and was specific to the S phase.
In vitro, irinotecan and SN-38 were not found to be significantly recognised by the P-glycoprotein MDR, and displays cytotoxic activities against doxorubicin and vinblastine resistant cell lines.
Furthermore, irinotecan has a broad antitumor activity in vivo against murine tumour models (P03 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, MA16/C mammary adenocarcinoma, C38 and C51 colon adenocarcinomas) and against human xenografts (Co-4 colon adenocarcinoma, Mx-1 mammary adenocarcinoma, ST-15 and SC-16 gastric adenocarcinomas). Irinotecan is also active against tumors expressing the P-glycoprotein MDR (vincristine- and doxorubicin-resistant P388 leukaemia's).
Beside the antitumor activity of irinotecan, the most relevant pharmacological effect is the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase.
Clinical data
In monotherapy: Clinical phase II/III studies were performed in more than 980 patients in the every 3 week dosage schedule with metastatic colorectal cancer who failed a previous 5-FU regimen. The efficacy of irinotecan was evaluated in 765 patients with documented progression on 5-FU at study entry.
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NA: Non Applicable
*): Statistically significant difference
In phase II studies, performed on 455 patients in the every 3-week dosage schedule, the progression free survival at 6 months was 30% and the median survival was 9 months. The median time to progression was 18 weeks.
Additionally, non-comparative phase II studies were performed in 304 patients treated with a weekly schedule regimen, at a dose of 125 mg/m² administered as an intravenous infusion over 90 minutes for 4 consecutive weeks followed by 2 weeks rest. In these studies, the median time to progression was 17 weeks and median survival was 10 months. A similar safety profile has been observed in the weekly-dosage schedule in 193 patients at the starting dose of 125 mg/m², compared to the every 3-week-dosage schedule. The median time of onset of the first liquid stool was on day 11.
In combination therapy: A phase III study was performed in 385 previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with either every 2 weeks schedule (see section 4.2) or weekly schedule regimens. In the every 2 weeks schedule, on day 1, the administration of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate at 180 mg/m² once every 2 weeks is followed by infusion with folinic acid (200 mg/m² over a 2-hour intravenous infusion) and 5-fluorouracil (400 mg/m² as an intravenous bolus, followed by 600 mg/m² over a 22-hour intravenous infusion). On day 2, folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil are administered at the same doses and schedules. In the weekly schedule, the administration of irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate at 80 mg/m² is followed by infusion with folinic acid (500 mg/m² over a 2-hour intravenous infusion) and then by 5-fluorouracil (2300 mg/m² over a 24-hour intravenous infusion) over 6 weeks.
In the combination therapy trial with the 2 regimens described above, the efficacy of irinotecan was evaluated in 198 treated patients:
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5FU : 5-fluorouracil
FA : folinic acid
NS : Non Significant
*): As per protocol population analysis
In the weekly schedule, the incidence of severe diarrhoea was 44.4% in patients treated by irinotecan in combination with 5FU/FA and 25.6% in patients treated by 5FU/FA alone. The incidence of severe neutropenia (neutrophil count <500 cells/mm3) was 5.8% in patients treated by irinotecan in combination with 5FU/FA and in 2.4% in patients treated by 5FU/FA alone.
Additionally, median time to definitive performance status deterioration was significantly longer in irinotecan combination group than in 5FU/FA alone group (p=0.046).
Quality of life was assessed in this phase III study using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Time to definitive deterioration constantly occurred later in the irinotecan groups. The evolution of the Global Health Status/Quality of life was slightly better in irinotecan combination group although not significant, showing that efficacy of irinotecan in combination could be reached without affecting the quality of life.
In combination with cetuximab:
The efficacy of the combination of cetuximab with irinotecan was investigated in two clinical studies. A total of 356 patients with EGFR-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer who had recently failed irinotecan including cytotoxic therapy and who had a minimum Karnofsky performance status of 60, but the majority of whom had a Karnofsky performance status of
EMR 62 202-007: This randomised study compared the combination of cetuximab and irinotecan (218 patients) with cetuximab monotherapy (111 patients).
IMCL CP02-9923: This single arm open-label study investigated the combination therapy in 138 patients.
The efficacy data from these studies are summarised in the table below:
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