DACOGEN Powder for concentrate for solution for infusion Ref.[9063] Active ingredients: Decitabine

Dacogen administration must be initiated under the supervision of physicians experienced in the use of chemotherapeutic medicinal products.

Posology

In a treatment cycle, Dacogen is administered at a dose of 20 mg/m² body surface area by intravenous infusion over 1 hour repeated daily for 5 consecutive days (i.e., a total of 5 doses per treatment cycle). The total daily dose must not exceed 20 mg/m² and the total dose per treatment cycle must not exceed 100 mg/m². If a dose is missed, treatment should be resumed as soon as possible. The cycle should be repeated every 4 weeks depending on the patient’s clinical response and observed toxicity. It is recommended that patients be treated for a minimum of 4 cycles; however, a complete or partial remission may take longer than 4 cycles to be obtained. Treatment may be continued as long as the patient shows response, continues to benefit or exhibits stable disease, i.e., in the absence of overt progression.

If after 4 cycles, the patient’s haematological values (e.g., platelet counts or absolute neutrophil count), have not returned to pre-treatment levels or if disease progression occurs (peripheral blast counts are increasing or bone marrow blast counts are worsening), the patient may be considered to be a non-responder and alternative therapeutic options to Dacogen should be considered.

Pre-medication for the prevention of nausea and vomiting is not routinely recommended but may be administered if required.

Management of myelosuppression and associated complications

Myelosuppression and adverse events related to myelosuppression (thrombocytopaenia, anaemia, neutropaenia, and febrile neutropaenia) are common in both treated and untreated patients with AML. Complications of myelosuppression include infections and bleeding. Treatment may be delayed at the discretion of the treating physician, if the patient experiences myelosuppression-associated complications, such as those described below:

• Febrile neutropaenia (temperature ≥38.5°C and absolute neutrophil count <1,000/μL)
• Active viral, bacterial or fungal infection (i.e., requiring intravenous anti-infectives or extensive supportive care)
• Haemorrhage (gastrointestinal, genito-urinary, pulmonary with platelets <25,000/μL or any central nervous system haemorrhage)

Treatment with Dacogen may be resumed once these conditions have improved or have been stabilised with adequate treatment (anti-infective therapy, transfusions, or growth factors).

In clinical studies, approximately one-third of patients receiving Dacogen required a dose-delay. Dose reduction is not recommended.

Paediatric population

Dacogen should not be used in children with AML aged <18 years, because efficacy was not established. Currently available data are described in sections 4.8, 5.1, and 5.2.

Hepatic impairment

Studies in patients with hepatic impairment have not been conducted. The need for dose adjustment in patients with hepatic impairment has not been evaluated. If worsening hepatic function occurs, patients should be carefully monitored (see sections 4.4 and 5.2).

Renal impairment

Studies in patients with renal impairment have not been conducted. The need for dose adjustment in patients with renal impairment has not been evaluated (see section 4.4 and 5.2).

Method of administration

Dacogen is administered by intravenous infusion. A central venous catheter is not required.

For instructions on reconstitution and dilution of the medicinal product before administration, see section 6.6.

There is no direct experience of human overdose and no specific antidote. However, early clinical study data in published literature at doses greater than 20 times higher than the current therapeutic dose, reported increased myelosuppression including prolonged neutropaenia and thrombocytopaenia. Toxicity is likely to manifest as exacerbations of adverse drug reactions, primarily myelosuppression. Treatment for overdose should be supportive.

Shelf life

Unopened vial:

3 years.

Reconstituted and diluted solution:

Within 15 minutes of reconstitution, the concentrate (in 10 ml of sterile water for injections) must be further diluted with cold (2°C-8°C) infusion fluids. This prepared diluted solution for intravenous infusion can be stored at 2°C-8°C for up to a maximum of 3 hours, followed by up to 1 hour at room temperature (20°C-25°C) before administration.

From a microbiological point of view, the product should be used within the time period recommended above. It is the responsibility of the user to follow the recommended storage times and conditions and ensure that reconstitution has taken place in aseptic conditions.

Do not store above 25°C.

For storage conditions of the reconstituted and diluted medicinal product, see section 6.3.

20 ml clear colourless Type I glass vial sealed with a butyl rubber stopper and an aluminium seal with plastic flip-off cap containing 50 mg decitabine.

Pack size: 1 vial.

Recommendations for safe handling

Skin contact with the solution should be avoided and protective gloves must be worn. Standard procedures for dealing with cytotoxic medicinal products should be adopted.

Reconstitution procedure

The powder should be aseptically reconstituted with 10 ml of water for injections. Upon reconstitution, each ml contains approximately 5 mg of decitabine at pH 6.7 to 7.3. Within 15 minutes of reconstitution, the solution must be further diluted with cold infusion fluids (sodium chloride 9 mg/ml [0.9%] solution for injection or 5% glucose solution for injection) to a final concentration of 0.15 to 1.0 mg/ml. For the shelf-life and the precaution for storage after reconstitution, see section 6.3.

Dacogen should not be infused through the same intravenous access/line with other medicinal products.

Disposal

This medicinal product is for single use only. Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.