IRESSA Film-coated tablets Ref.[9032] Active ingredients: Gefitinib

Treatment with IRESSA should be initiated and supervised by a physician experienced in the use of anti-cancer therapies.

Posology

The recommended posology of IRESSA is one 250 mg tablet once a day. If a dose is missed, it should be taken as soon as the patient remembers. If it is less than 12 hours to the next dose, the patient should not take the missed dose. Patients should not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for a forgotten dose.

Paediatric population

The safety and efficacy of IRESSA in children and adolescents aged less than 18 years have not been established. There is no relevant use of gefitinib in the paediatric population in the indication of NSCLC.

Hepatic impairment

Patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) due to cirrhosis have increased plasma concentrations of gefitinib. These patients should be closely monitored for adverse events. Plasma concentrations were not increased in patients with elevated aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase or bilirubin due to liver metastases (see section 5.2).

Renal impairment

No dose adjustment is required in patients with impaired renal function at creatinine clearance >20 ml/min. Only limited data are available in patients with creatinine clearance ≤20 ml/min and caution is advised in these patients (see section 5.2).

Elderly

No dose adjustment is required on the basis of patient age (see section 5.2). CYP2D6 poor metabolisers No specific dose adjustment is recommended in patients with known CYP2D6 poor metaboliser genotype, but these patients should be closely monitored for adverse events (see section 5.2).

Dose adjustment due to toxicity

Patients with poorly tolerated diarrhoea or skin adverse reactions may be successfully managed by providing a brief (up to 14 days) therapy interruption followed by reinstatement of the 250 mg dose (see section 4.8). For patients unable to tolerate treatment after a therapy interruption, gefitinib should be discontinued and an alternative treatment should be considered.

Method of administration

The tablet may be taken orally with or without food, at about the same time each day. The tablet can be swallowed whole with some water or if dosing of whole tablets is not possible, tablets may be administered as a dispersion in water (non-carbonated). No other liquids should be used. Without crushing it, the tablet should be dropped in half a glass of drinking water. The glass should be swirled occasionally, until the tablet is dispersed (this may take up to 20 minutes). The dispersion should be drunk immediately after dispersion is complete (i.e. within 60 minutes). The glass should be rinsed with half a glass of water, which should also be drunk. The dispersion can also be administered through a naso-gastric or gastrostomy tube.

There is no specific treatment in the event of overdose of gefitinib. However, in phase I clinical trials, a limited number of patients were treated with daily doses of up to 1000 mg. An increase of frequency and severity of some adverse reactions was observed, mainly diarrhoea and skin rash. Adverse reactions associated with overdose should be treated symptomatically; in particular severe diarrhoea should be managed as clinically indicated. In one study a limited number of patients were treated weekly with doses from 1500 mg to 3500 mg. In this study IRESSA exposure did not increase with increasing dose, adverse events were mostly mild to moderate in severity, and were consistent with the known safety profile of IRESSA.

Shelf life: 4 years.

Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture.

PVC/Aluminium perforated blister containing 10 tablets or PVC/Aluminium non-perforated blister containing 10 tablets.

Three blisters are combined with an aluminium foil laminate over-wrap in a carton.

Pack size of 30 film-coated tablets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.