EBANGA Solution for injection Ref.[50362] Active ingredients: Ansuvimab

5.1 Hypersensitivity Reactions Including Infusion-Associated Events

Hypersensitivity reactions including infusion-associated events have been reported with EBANGA. These may include acute, life-threatening reactions during and after the infusion. Monitor all patients for signs and symptoms including, but not limited to, hypotension, chills and elevation of fever, during and following EBANGA infusion. In the case of severe or life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions, discontinue the administration of EBANGA immediately and administer appropriate emergency care [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)].

Infusion could not be completed in 1% of subjects who received EBANGA due to infusion-associated adverse events. The rate of infusion of EBANGA may be slowed or interrupted if the patient develops any signs of infusion-associated events or other adverse events [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)].

The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling:

• Hypersensitivity Reactions Including Infusion-Associated Events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

Overall, 424 adult and pediatric subjects with Zaire ebolavirus infection received EBANGA in one clinical trial and as part of an expanded access program during the 2018 Zaire ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In the PALM trial, the safety of EBANGA was evaluated in a multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial, in which 173 subjects (119 adults and 54 pediatric subjects) with confirmed Zaire ebolavirus infection received EBANGA as a single 50 mg/kg IV infusion and 168 subjects received an investigational control [see Clinical Studies (14)]. All subjects received optimized standard of care treatment (oSOC). The median age of the study population that received EBANGA was 26 years (range: 1 day to 85 years). Fifty-five percent (55%) of enrolled subjects were female and 45% were male.

During the same outbreak, 251 subjects (173 adults and 78 pediatric subjects) with laboratory-confirmed Zaire ebolavirus infection received EBANGA under an expanded access program; 57% of whom were female and 43% of whom were male. Ages ranged from 6 days to 80 years, with a median age of 25 years.

Common Adverse Events

Table 2 summarizes the adverse events that were reported in the PALM trial from a pre-defined list of signs and symptoms that occurred during EBANGA infusion. The evaluation of adverse events in subjects who received EBANGA may have been confounded by the signs and symptoms of the underlying Zaire ebolavirus infection. Twenty nine percent (n=51) of subjects who received EBANGA in the PALM Trial experienced a pre-specified infusion-related adverse event. The most common pre-specified infusion-related adverse event reported in at least 10% of subjects who received EBANGA was fever (Table 2). The adverse event profile in adult and pediatric subjects treated with EBANGA was similar.

Table 2. Adverse Events That Occurred During Infusion in >10% of Adult and Pediatric Subjects in the PALM Trial:

^* Adverse events in this table were reported on the day of infusion, and included signs and symptoms that occurred during or immediately after infusion
^† Investigational therapy administered as three separate infusions
^‡ Adverse events that occurred during infusion but were not pre-specified.
^§ The term chills includes other similar adverse events including rigors and tremors

The following pre-specified symptoms, which were assessed on a daily basis during admission while admitted to the treatment unit, were reported in ≥40% of subjects who received EBANGA: diarrhea, pyrexia, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Evaluation of these symptoms may have been confounded by the underlying Zaire ebolavirus infection.

Discontinuation and Infusion Rate Adjustments

Approximately 99% of subjects who received EBANGA in the PALM trial were able to complete their dose within one hour. Two subjects who received EBANGA (1%) did not receive their complete infusion. In eight subjects (5%) the EBANGA infusion rate was decreased due to an AE [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

Selected Laboratory Abnormalities in the PALM Trial

Table 3 presents selected laboratory abnormalities (worsening to Grade 3 or 4 compared to baseline) in the PALM trial.

Table 3. Selected Grade 3 and 4 Laboratory Abnormalities^a, Worsened Grade from Baseline in the PALM Trial:

ULN = upper limit of normal
^* Graded per Division of AIDS (DAIDS) v2.1
^† Based on a ULN of 1.2 mg/dL.
^‡ Based on a ULN of 47U/L.
^§ Based on a ULN of 38 U/L.

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is potential for immunogenicity from using ansuvimab-zykl. There are no data to assess the effects of potential immunogenicity on efficacy and safety in subjects with Zaire ebolavirus infection.

7.1 Vaccine Interactions

No vaccine-therapeutic interaction studies have been performed in human subjects using EBANGA. However, because of the potential for EBANGA to inhibit replication of a live vaccine virus indicated for prevention of Zaire ebolavirus infection and possibly reduce the efficacy of the vaccine, avoid the concurrent administration of a live vaccine during treatment with EBANGA. The interval between administration of EBANGA therapy and live vaccination should be in accordance with current vaccination guidelines. The efficacy of EBANGA among subjects who reported receipt of a recombinant live vaccine prior to their enrollment in the PALM trial was similar to subjects who did not report receiving a vaccine prior to enrollment.

Risk Summary

Zaire ebolavirus infection is life-threatening for both the mother and fetus and treatment should not be withheld due to pregnancy (see Clinical Considerations). Available data from the PALM trial in which pregnant women with Zaire ebolavirus infection were treated with EBANGA demonstrate the high rate of maternal and fetal/neonatal morbidity consistent with published literature regarding the risk associated with underlying maternal Zaire ebolavirus infection. These data are insufficient to evaluate for a drug associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal/fetal outcome.

Animal reproduction studies with ansuvimab-zykl have not been conducted. Monoclonal antibodies, such as EBANGA, are transported across the placenta; therefore, EBANGA has the potential to be transferred from the mother to the developing fetus.

Clinical Considerations

Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk

Maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes are poor among pregnant women infected with Zaire ebolavirus. The majority of such pregnancies result in maternal death with miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. Treatment should not be withheld due to pregnancy.

Risk Summary

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that mothers with confirmed Zaire ebolavirus not breastfeed their infants to reduce the risk of postnatal transmission of Zaire ebolavirus infection.

There are no data on the presence of ansuvimab-zykl in human or animal milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Maternal IgG is known to be present in human milk. The effects of local gastrointestinal exposure and limited systemic exposure in the breastfed infant to ansuvimab-zykl are unknown.

The safety and effectiveness of EBANGA for the treatment of infection caused by Zaire ebolavirus have been established in pediatric patients from birth to less than 18 years of age. Use of EBANGA for this indication is supported by evidence from a multi-center, open label, randomized controlled trial of EBANGA in adults and pediatric subjects that included 54 pediatric subjects birth to less than 18 years of age, including neonates born to a mother who is RT-PCR positive for Zaire ebolavirus infection. Of the total number of subjects administered EBANGA in the PALM trial, pediatric subjects (1 day to 17 years) accounted for 31% (n=54) of the study population in the PALM trial. The 28-day mortality and safety in adult and pediatric subjects treated with EBANGA were similar [see Adverse Reactions (6.1), and Clinical Studies (14)]. An additional 78 (31%) pediatric subjects from birth to less than 18 years of age received EBANGA in an expanded access program.

Clinical trials of EBANGA did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether the safety profile of EBANGA is different in this population compared to younger subjects. Of the total number of subjects administered EBANGA in the PALM trial, 6 subjects (3%) were 65 years or older. The limited clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger subjects.