PHARMA NEWS
FDA approves Zomig (zolmitriptan) nasal spray for migraine in pediatric patients (ages 12-17)
Impax Specialty Pharma, a division of Impax Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IPXL), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zomig Nasal Spray for use in pediatric patients 12 years of age and older for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura.
Zomig Nasal Spray is the first nasal-delivered prescription medicine approved for the treatment of acute migraine attacks in pediatric patients. Nasal sprays may offer an alternative method of administration when patients experience migraine-associated nausea, have difficulty taking oral formulations, or do not have liquids available.
Zomig Nasal Sprays approval came after the FDAs review of safety and efficacy data from pivotal clinical trials demonstrating that Zomig Nasal Spray 5 mg is significantly more effective than placebo in providing no headache pain, relief of headache, and other associated symptoms of migraine when treating migraine in pediatric patients. In clinical trials, the medication also had a safety profile similar to that demonstrated in adults.
The American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study estimated the 1-year prevalence of migraine among US children ages 12 to 19 at 6.3%, with prevalence among boys at 5.0% and among girls 7.7%. Until now, there have been few medications to treat pediatric patients with painful, debilitating attacks of migraine, said Dr. Alan M. Rapoport, Past President of the International Headache Society and Clinical Professor of Neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine. We are pleased that ZOMIG Nasal Spray has been approved by the FDA for use in patients ages 12 to 17.
Treatment options have been limited for pediatric patients and we are pleased with FDAs decision and look forward to bringing migraine relief to pediatric patients by making Zomig Nasal Spray available to this school age patient population, said Fred Wilkinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Impax Laboratories. This expanded indication exemplifies our strategy to broaden the reach of our current product portfolio to address unmet needs in underserved therapeutic areas, thereby adding value for patients and shareholders alike.
The recommended starting dose for Zomig Nasal Sprays in pediatric patients 12 years of age and older is 2.5 mg. As the individual response to Zomig Nasal Spray may vary, the dose should be adjusted on an individual basis. The maximum recommended single dose of Zomig is 5 mg. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 10 mg in any 24 hour period.
About Zomig Nasal Spray
Zomig Nasal Spray was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2003 for the acute treatment of migraine attacks, with or without aura, in adults. In clinical trials, Zomig Nasal Spray provided relief in as soon as 15 minutes for some patients and the maximum effect was reached within 24 hours for most adult patients. At 2 hours, 69% of patients taking the 5mg dose had headache response (taking the patient from moderate to severe pain to mild or no pain) and 36% were pain free.
Indication
Zomig Nasal Spray is a serotonin (5-HT)1B/1D receptor agonist (triptan) indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older.
Limitations of Use:
Use Zomig only after clear diagnosis of migraine has been established. If a patient has no response to Zomig treatment for the first migraine attack, reconsider the diagnosis of migraine before Zomig is administered to treat any subsequent attacks. Zomig is not indicated for the prevention of migraine attacks. Safety and effectiveness of Zomig have not been established for cluster headache. Zomig Nasal Spray is not recommended in patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment.
Important Safety Information
Zomig is contraindicated in patients with
History of coronary artery disease (CAD) or coronary artery vasospasm
Symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or other cardiac accessory conduction pathway disorders
History of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or hemiplegic or basilar migraine
Peripheral vascular disease
Ischemic bowel disease
Uncontrolled hypertension
Recent (within 24 hours) use of another 5-HT1 agonist (eg, another triptan), or an ergotamine-containing medication
Monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A inhibitor used in past 2 weeks
Known hypersensitivity to Zomig, Zomig-ZMT, or Zomig Nasal Spray. Anaphylaxis, anaphylactoid, and hypersensitivity reactions including angioedema have occurred in patients receiving zolmitriptan.
Myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction and Prinzmetal Angina: Perform cardiac evaluation in patients with multiple risk factors and, if satisfactory, administer first dose of Zomig in a medically supervised setting
Arrhythmias: Discontinue Zomig if these occur
Sensations of tightness, pain and pressure in the chest, throat, neck, and jaw commonly occur after treatment with 5-HT1 agonists like ZOMIG and are usually non-cardiac in origin: Perform a cardiac evaluation if these patients are at
cardiac risk
Cerebrovascular events, some fatal; non-coronary Gastrointestinal Ischemic Reactions and Peripheral Vasospastic Reactions; and increases in blood pressure (which have been very rarely associated with serious clinical events) have been reported with Zomig. Discontinue use of Zomig if any of these events occur
Overuse of acute migraine drugs may lead to exacerbation headache (medication overuse headache). Detoxification of patients, including withdrawal of the overused drugs, and treatment of withdrawal symptoms may be necessary
Serotonin syndrome may occur with triptans, including Zomig, particularly during co-administration with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and MAO inhibitors. Discontinue Zomig if serotonin syndrome is suspected
The most common adverse reactions in adults (=5% and placebo; in any dosage strength) in clinical trials for Zomig Nasal Spray were: unusual taste, paresthesia, hyperesthesia, and dizziness
The most common adverse reaction in pediatrics (ages 12 and 17 years; =5% and placebo; in either the 2.5 or 5 mg Zomig dose groups) in clinical trials for Zomig Nasal Spray was unusual taste.
Source: drugs.com
