IBRANCE (palbociclib) Adverse Reactions

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Adverse Drug Reaction Overview

The safety of IBRANCE has been assessed in 2 randomized studies of patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast.

The most common adverse drug reactions of any grade reported in ≥10% of patients receiving palbociclib in combination with endocrine treatment were neutropenia, leukopenia, infections, fatigue, nausea, anemia, stomatitis, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, alopecia, vomiting, decreased appetite, and rash.

Most patients treated with IBRANCE (palbociclib) experienced myelosuppressive effects with over half experiencing Grade 3 neutropenia at some point during treatment. Thrombocytopenia and anemia were less commonly observed. Myelosuppressive effects can be expected to occur from Cycle 1 forward.

Clinical Trial Adverse Drug Reactions

Because clinical trials are conducted under very specific conditions the adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials may not reflect the rates observed in practice and should not be compared to the rates in the clinical trials of another drug. Adverse drug reaction information from clinical trials is useful for identifying drug-related adverse events and for approximating rates.

The adverse reactions are listed by system organ class, frequency category and grade of severity. Frequency categories are defined as: very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to <1/10), uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).

IBRANCE plus Letrozole for the initial endocrine-based therapy of patients with ER‑positive, HER2‑negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (PALOMA-2)

The safety of IBRANCE (125 mg/day) plus letrozole (2.5 mg/day) versus placebo plus letrozole was evaluated in PALOMA-2  The data described below reflect exposure to IBRANCE in 444 out of 666 patients with ER‑positive, HER2‑negative advanced breast cancer who received at least 1 dose of IBRANCE plus letrozole in PALOMA-2. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive the combination IBRANCE plus letrozole versus placebo plus letrozole. The median duration of treatment for IBRANCE plus letrozole was 19.8 months while the median duration of treatment for placebo plus letrozole arm was 13.8 months.

Dose reductions due to an adverse reaction of any grade occurred in 36% of patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole. No dose reduction was allowed for letrozole in PALOMA-2.

Permanent treatment discontinuation associated with an adverse reaction occurred in 43 of 444 (10%) patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole and in 13 of 222 (6%) patients receiving placebo plus letrozole. Adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation for patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole included neutropenia (1%) and alanine aminotransferase increase (0.7%).

The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) of any grade reported in patients in the IBRANCE plus letrozole arm by descending frequency were neutropenia, infections, leukopenia, fatigue, nausea, alopecia, stomatitis, diarrhea, anemia, rash, asthenia, thrombocytopenia, vomiting, decreased appetite, dry skin, pyrexia, and dysgeusia.

The most frequently reported serious adverse reactions (≥1%) in patients receiving IBRANCE plus letrozole were Infections (20%) and Febrile neutropenia (2%).

Adverse reactions (≥5%) reported in patients who received IBRANCE plus letrozole or placebo plus letrozole in PALOMA-2 are listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Adverse Reactions Reported (With a Frequency of ≥5% on the IBRANCE plus letrozole arm) in PALOMA-2
 IBRANCE plus Letrozole
(N=444)

Placebo plus Letrozole
(N=222)

Adverse Reaction

All
Grades
%

Grade 3
%

Grade 4
%

All
Grades

%

Grade 3
%

Grade 4
%

Grading according to CTCAE 4.0.
CTCAE=Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events; N=number of patients; N/A=not applicable;
a
Neutropenia includes: Neutropenia and Neutrophil count decreased
b
Leukopenia includes: Leukopenia and White blood cell count decreased
c
Anemia includes: Anaemia, Haematocrit decreased and Haemoglobin decreased
d
Thrombocytopenia includes: Platelet count decreased and Thrombocytopenia
e
Stomatitis includes: aphthous stomatitis, cheilitis, glossitis, glossodynia, mouth ulceration, mucosal inflammation, oral pain, oral discomfort, oropharyngeal pain, and stomatitis.
f
Infections includes all reported preferred terms (PTs) that are part of the System Organ Class Infections and infestations.
g
Most common infections (>1%) are: nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, oral herpes, sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, herpes zoster, pharyngitis, cellulitis, cystitis, lower respiratory tract infection, tooth infection, gingivitis, skin infection, gastroenteritis viral, respiratory tract infection, respiratory tract infection viral, and folliculitis.
h
Rash includes the following PTs: rash, rash maculo-papular, rash pruritic, rash erythematous, rash papular, dermatitis, dermatitis acneiform, and toxic skin eruption.

Blood and lymphatic system disorders

Neutropeniaa

80

56

10

6

1

1

Leukopeniab

39

24

1

2

0

0

Anemiac

24

5

<1

9

2

0

Thrombocytopeniad

16

1

<1

1

0

0

Eye Disorders

lacrimation increased

6

0

0

1

0

0

Gastrointestinal disorders

Stomatitise

30

1

0

14

0

0

Nausea

35

<1

0

26

2

0

Diarrhea

26101910

Vomiting

16101710

General disorders and administration site conditions

Fatigue

37

2

0

28

1

0

Asthenia

17201200

Pyrexia

1200900

Infections and infestations

Infectionsf, g

60

6

1

42

3

0

Investigations

Alanine aminotransferase increased

10

2

<1

4

0

0

Aspartate aminotransferase increased

1030510

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Decreased appetite

15

1

0

9

0

0

Nervous system disorders

Dysgeusia

1000500

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders

Epistaxis

900600

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Alopecia

33N/AN/A16N/A

N/A

Rashh

18101210

Dry skin

12

0

0

6

0

0

Less Common Clinical Trial Adverse Reactions

Additional adverse reactions occurring at an overall incidence of <5% of patients receiving Ibrance plus letrozole in PALOMA-2 included dry eye (4.1%), vision blurred (3.6%), and febrile neutropenia (2.5%).

Abnormal Hematologic and Clinical Chemistry Findings

Table 2. Laboratory Test Abnormalities in PALOMA-2
 

IBRANCE plus Letrozole

(N=444)

Placebo plus Letrozole

(N=222)

Laboratory Test Abnormality

All Grades

%

Grade 3

%

Grade 4

%

All Grades

%

Grade 3

%

Grade 4

%

N=number of patients; WBC=white blood cells.

WBC decreased

97

35

1

25

1

0

Neutrophils decreased

95

56

12

20

1

1

Anemia

78

6

0

42

2

0

Platelets decreased

63

1

1

14

0

0

Aspartate aminotransferase increased

52

3

0

34

1

0

Alanine aminotransferase increased

43

2

<1

30

0

0

IBRANCE plus fulvestrant for the treatment of patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose disease progressed after prior endocrine therapy (PALOMA-3)

The safety of IBRANCE (125 mg/day) plus fulvestrant (500 mg) versus placebo plus fulvestrant was evaluated in a randomized, controlled, Phase 3 trial (PALOMA-3). The data described below reflect exposure to IBRANCE in 345 out of 517 patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who received at least 1 dose of IBRANCE in PALOMA-3. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive the combination IBRANCE plus fulvestrant versus placebo plus fulvestrant.

The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) of any grade reported in patients in the IBRANCE plus fulvestrant arm were neutropenia, leukopenia, infections, fatigue, nausea, anemia, stomatitis, headache, diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, constipation, vomiting, alopecia, rash, decreased appetite, and pyrexia.

The most frequently reported serious adverse reactions in patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant were infections (3%), pyrexia (1%), neutropenia (1%), and pulmonary embolism (1%).

Adverse reactions reported in patients who received IBRANCE plus fulvestrant or placebo plus fulvestrant in PALOMA-3 are listed in Table 3.

Discontinuation and dose reduction due to AEs

Dose reductions due to an adverse reaction of any grade occurred in 36% of patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant. No dose reduction was allowed for fulvestrant in PALOMA-3.

Permanent discontinuation associated with an adverse reaction occurred in 19 of 345 (6%) patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant, and in 6 of 172 (3%) patients receiving placebo plus fulvestrant. Adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation for those patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant included fatigue (0.6%), infections (0.6%), and thrombocytopenia (0.6%).

Treatment-emergent adverse events presented in Table 3 below are based on a median duration of treatment of approximately 5 months for patients on the IBRANCE plus fulvestrant arm, and approximately 4 months for patients on the placebo plus fulvestrant arm.

Table 3. Adverse Events* Reported (With a Frequency of ≥5% on the IBRANCE Arm) for Patients Who Received IBRANCE Plus Fulvestrant or Placebo Plus Fulvestrant in PALOMA-3
*
Adverse events reported with a frequency of ≥5% on the IBRANCE arm and a higher frequency on the IBRANCE arm compared to the placebo arm
Grading according to CTCAE 4.0.
CTCAE=Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events; N=number of patients; N/A=not applicable.
a
Neutropenia includes: neutropenia and neutrophil count decreased
b
Leukopenia includes: leukopenia and white blood cell count decreased
c
Anemia includes: anaemia, haemoglobin decreased, and hematocrit decreased
d
Thrombocytopenia includes: thrombocytopenia and platelet count decreased
e
Stomatitis includes: aphthous stomatitis, cheilitis, glossitis, glossodynia, mouth ulceration, mucosal inflammation, oral pain, oropharyngeal discomfort, oropharyngeal pain, stomatitis.
f
Infections includes any reported PTs that are part of the System Organ Class Infections and infestations.
g
Rash includes: rash, rash maculo-papular, rash pruritic, rash erythematous, rash papular, dermatitis, dermatitis acneiform, and toxic skin eruption.

Adverse Reaction

IBRANCE plus Fulvestrant

(N=345)

Placebo plus Fulvestrant

(N=172)

All Grades

Grade 3

Grade 4

All Grades

Grade 3

Grade 4

%

%

%

%

%

%

Blood and lymphatic system disorders

Neutropeniaa

79

53

9

4

0

<1

Leukopeniab

46

25

<1

4

0

1

Anemiac

26

3

0

10

2

0

Thrombocytopeniad

19

2

<1

0

0

0

Gastrointestinal disorders

Nausea

29

0

0

26

<1

0

Stomatitise

25

<1

0

11

0

0

Diarrhea

19

0

0

17

<1

0

Constipation

17

0

0

14

0

0

Vomiting

15

<1

0

12

<1

0

Abdominal Pain

6

<1

0

5

0

0

General disorders and administration site conditions

Fatigue

38

2

0

27

1

0

Asthenia

7

0

0

5

1

0

Pyrexia

9

<1

0

4

0

0

Oedema peripheral

8

0

0

5

0

0

Infections and infestations

Infectionsf

34

1

<1

24

2

0

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Decreased appetite

13

<1

0

8

0

0

Nervous system disorders

Headache

21

<1

0

17

0

0

Dysgeusia

6

0

0

2

0

0

Dizziness

11

<1

0

9

0

0

Psychiatric disorders

Insomnia

11

<1

0

7

0

0

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders

Epistaxis

6

0

0

1

0

0

Cough

13

0

0

11

0

0

Dyspnoea

7

0

0

4

0

0

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Alopecia

15

N/A

N/A

6

N/A

N/A

Rashg

14

<1

0

5

0

0

SOC Investigations

Aspartate aminotransferase increased

6

2

0

5

1

0

Less Common Clinical Trial Adverse Reactions

Additional adverse reactions occurring at an overall incidence of <5% of patients receiving IBRANCE plus fulvestrant in Study PALOMA-3 included dry skin (4.9%), Vision blurred (4.9%), alanine aminotransferase increased (4.6%), lacrimation increased (4.3%), dry eye (2.9%), and febrile neutropenia (0.6%).

Abnormal Hematologic and Clinical Chemistry Findings

Table 4. Incidence of Hematology Laboratory Abnormality for Patients Who Received IBRANCE Plus Fulvestrant or Placebo Plus Fulvestrant in PALOMA-3

 

IBRANCE + Fulvestrant (N=345)

Placebo Plus Fulvestrant (N=172)

Laboratory Abnormality

All Grades

Grade 3

Grade 4

All Grades

Grade 3

Grade 4

 

%

%

%

%

%

%

White blood cells decreased

98

40

1

22

0

<1

Neutrophils decreased

95

53

9

11

0

1

Anemia

76

3

0

36

2

0

Platelets decreased

57

2

1

8

0

0

N=number of subjects.

Updated safety data of for patients on the IBRANCE plus fulvestrant arm, based on an approximate 6-month increase in the median duration of treatment, were generally consistent with the safety table provided in Tables 3 and 4. No new safety concerns have been identified.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of IBRANCE. 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.

Respiratory disorders: Interstitial lung disease (ILD)/non-infectious pneumonitis, including fatal cases.