efavirenz 200 MG Oral Tablet

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Efavirenz capsules in combination with other antiretroviral agents are indicated for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and in pediatric patients at least 3 months old and weighing at least 3.5 kg. Efavirenz is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in adults and in pediatric patients at least 3 months old and weighing at least 3.5 kg. ( 1 )

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Efavirenz capsules should be taken orally once daily on an empty stomach, preferably at bedtime. ( 2 ) Recommended adult dose: 600 mg. ( 2.2 ) With voriconazole, increase voriconazole maintenance dose to 400 mg every 12 hours and decrease efavirenz dose to 300 mg once daily using the capsule formulation. (2.2) With rifampin, increase efavirenz capsules dose to 800 mg once daily for patients weighing 50 kg or more. (2.2) Pediatric dosing is based on weight. (2.3) 2.1 Hepatic Function Monitor hepatic function prior to and during treatment with efavirenz capsules [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] . Efavirenz capsules are not recommended in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment (Child Pugh B or C) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) and Use in Specific Populations (8.6) ] . 2.2 Adults The recommended dosage of efavirenz capsules is 600 mg orally, once daily, in combination with a protease inhibitor and/or nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). It is recommended that efavirenz capsules be taken on an empty stomach, preferably at bedtime. The increased efavirenz concentrations observed following administration of efavirenz capsules with food may lead to an increase in frequency of adverse reactions [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Dosing at bedtime may improve the tolerability of nervous system symptoms [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) , Adverse Reactions (6.1) , and Patient Counseling Information (17) ]. Efavirenz capsules should be swallowed intact with liquid. For patients who cannot swallow capsules, the capsule sprinkle method of administration is recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) ]. Concomitant Antiretroviral Therapy Efavirenz capsules must be given in combination with other antiretroviral medications [see Indications and Usage (1) , Warnings and Precautions (5.3) , Drug Interactions (7.1) , and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Dosage Adjustment If efavirenz capsules are coadministered with voriconazole, the voriconazole maintenance dose should be increased to 400 mg every 12 hours and the efavirenz dose should be decreased to 300 mg once daily using the capsule formulation (one 200 mg and two 50 mg capsules or six 50 mg capsules). If efavirenz capsules are coadministered with rifampin to patients weighing 50 kg or more, an increase in the dose of efavirenz capsules to 800 mg once daily is recommended [see Drug Interactions (7.1, Table 5 ) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3, Table 8) ]. 2.3 Pediatric Patients It is recommended that efavirenz capsules be taken on an empty stomach, preferably at bedtime. Table 1 describes the recommended dose of efavirenz capsules for pediatric patients 3 months of age or older and weighing between 3.5 kg and 40 kg [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . The recommended dosage of efavirenz capsules for pediatric patients weighing 40 kg or greater is 600 mg once daily. For pediatric patients who cannot swallow capsules, the capsule contents can be administered with a small amount of food or infant formula using the capsule sprinkle method of administration [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) ]. Table 1: Efavirenz Capsules Dosing in Pediatric Patients Patient Body Weight Efavirenz Capsules Daily Dose Number of Capsules a and Strength to Administer 3.5 kg to less than 5 kg 100 mg two 50 mg capsules 5 kg to less than 7.5 kg 150 mg three 50 mg capsules 7.5 kg to less than 15 kg 200 mg one 200 mg capsule 15 kg to less than 20 kg 250 mg one 200 mg + one 50 mg capsule 20 kg to less than 25 kg 300 mg one 200 mg + two 50 mg capsules 25 kg to less than 32.5 kg 350 mg one 200 mg + three 50 mg capsules 32.5 kg to less than 40 kg 400 mg two 200 mg capsules at least 40 kg 600 mg three 200 mg capsules a Capsules can be administered intact or as sprinkles [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) ]. 2.4 Capsule Sprinkle Method of Administration For pediatric patients at least 3 months old and weighing at least 3.5 kg and adults who cannot swallow capsules, the capsule contents may be administered with a small amount (1 to 2 teaspoons) of food. Use of infant formula for mixing should only be considered for those young infants who cannot reliably consume solid foods. Patients and caregivers should be instructed to open the capsule carefully to avoid spillage or dispersion of the capsule contents into the air. The capsule should be held horizontally over a small container and carefully twisted to open. For patients able to tolerate solid foods, the entire capsule contents should be gently mixed with an age-appropriate soft food, such as applesauce, grape jelly, or yogurt, in the small container. For young infants receiving the capsule sprinkle-infant formula mixture, the entire capsule contents should be gently mixed into 2 teaspoons of reconstituted room temperature infant formula in a small container by carefully stirring with a small spoon, and then drawing up the mixture into a 10 mL oral dosing syringe for administration. After administration of the efavirenz capsules-food or -formula mixture, an additional small amount (approximately 2 teaspoons) of food or formula must be added to the empty mixing container, stirred to disperse any remaining efavirenz residue, and administered to the patient. The efavirenz capsules-food or -formula mixture should be administered within 30 minutes of mixing. No additional food should be consumed for 2 hours after administration of efavirenz capsules. Further patient instructions on the capsule sprinkle method of administration are provided in the FDA-approved patient labeling (see Patient Information and Instructions for Use ).

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS • QTc prolongation : Consider alternatives to efavirenz in patients taking other medications with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes or in patients at higher risk of Torsade de Pointes. ( 5.2 ) • Do not use as a single agent or add on as a sole agent to a failing regimen. Consider potential for cross resistance when choosing other agents. ( 5.3 ) •Not recommended with ATRIPLA, which contains efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, unless needed for dose adjustment when coadministered with rifampin. ( 5.4 ) • Serious psychiatric symptoms : Immediate medical evaluation is recommended for serious psychiatric symptoms such as severe depression or suicidal ideation. ( 5.5 , 17 ) • Nervous system symptoms (NSS): NSS are frequent and usually begin 1-2 days after initiating therapy and resolve in 2-4 weeks. Dosing at bedtime may improve tolerability. NSS are not predictive of onset of psychiatric symptoms. ( 5.6 , 6.1 , 17 ) • Embryo-Fetal Toxicity : Avoid administration in the first trimester of pregnancy as fetal harm may occur. ( 5.7 , 8.1 ) • Hepatotoxicity : Monitor liver function tests before and during treatment in patients with underlying hepatic disease, including hepatitis B or C coinfection, marked transaminase elevations, or who are taking medications associated with liver toxicity. Among reported cases of hepatic failure, a few occurred in patients with no pre-existing hepatic disease. ( 5.9 , 6.1 , 8.6 ) • Rash : Rash usually begins within 1-2 weeks after initiating therapy and resolves within 4 weeks. Discontinue if severe rash develops. ( 5.8 , 6.1 , 17 ) • Convulsions : Use caution in patients with a history of seizures. ( 5.10 ) • Lipids : Total cholesterol and triglyceride elevations. Monitor before therapy and periodically thereafter. ( 5.11 ) • Immune reconstitution syndrome : May necessitate further evaluation and treatment. ( 5.12 ) • Redistribution/accumulation of body fat : Observed in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. ( 5.13 , 17 ) 5.1 Drug Interactions Efavirenz plasma concentrations may be altered by substrates, inhibitors, or inducers of CYP3A. Likewise, efavirenz may alter plasma concentrations of drugs metabolized by CYP3A or CYP2B6. The most prominent effect of efavirenz at steady-state is induction of CYP3A and CYP2B6 [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.2 ) and Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )]. 5.2 QTc Prolongation QTc prolongation has been observed with the use of efavirenz [ see Drug Interactions ( 7.3 , 7.4 ) and Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.2 )]. Consider alternatives to efavirenz when coadministered with a drug with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes or when administered to patients at higher risk of Torsade de Pointes. 5.3 Resistance Efavirenz must not be used as a single agent to treat HIV-1 infection or added on as a sole agent to a failing regimen. Resistant virus emerges rapidly when efavirenz is administered as monotherapy. The choice of new antiretroviral agents to be used in combination with efavirenz should take into consideration the potential for viral cross-resistance. 5.4 Coadministration with Related Products Coadministration of efavirenz with ATRIPLA (efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) is not recommended unless needed for dose adjustment (e.g., with rifampin), since efavirenz is one of its active ingredients. 5.5 Psychiatric Symptoms Serious psychiatric adverse experiences have been reported in patients treated with efavirenz. In controlled trials of 1008 patients treated with regimens containing efavirenz for a mean of 2.1 years and 635 patients treated with control regimens for a mean of 1.5 years, the frequency (regardless of causality) of specific serious psychiatric events among patients who received efavirenz or control regimens, respectively, were severe depression (2.4%, 0.9%), suicidal ideation (0.7%, 0.3%), nonfatal suicide attempts (0.5%, 0), aggressive behavior (0.4%, 0.5%), paranoid reactions (0.4%, 0.3%), and manic reactions (0.2%, 0.3%). When psychiatric symptoms similar to those noted above were combined and evaluated as a group in a multifactorial analysis of data from Study 006, treatment with efavirenz was associated with an increase in the occurrence of these selected psychiatric symptoms. Other factors associated with an increase in the occurrence of these psychiatric symptoms were history of injection drug use, psychiatric history, and receipt of psychiatric medication at study entry; similar associations were observed in both the efavirenz and control treatment groups. In Study 006, onset of new serious psychiatric symptoms occurred throughout the study for both efavirenz-treated and control-treated patients. One percent of efavirenz -treated patients discontinued or interrupted treatment because of one or more of these selected psychiatric symptoms. There have also been occasional postmarketing reports of death by suicide, delusions, and psychosis-like behavior although a causal relationship to the use of efavirenz cannot be determined from these reports. Postmarketing cases of catatonia have also been reported and may be associated with increased efavirenz exposure. Patients with serious psychiatric adverse experiences should seek immediate medical evaluation to assess the possibility that the symptoms may be related to the use of efavirenz, and if so, to determine whether the risks of continued therapy outweigh the benefits [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )]. 5.6 Nervous System Symptoms Fifty-three percent (531/1008) of patients receiving efavirenz in controlled trials reported central nervous system symptoms (any grade, regardless of causality) compared to 25% (156/635) of patients receiving control regimens [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 , Table 3)]. These symptoms included, but were not limited to, dizziness (28.1% of the 1008 patients), insomnia (16.3%), impaired concentration (8.3%), somnolence (7.0%), abnormal dreams (6.2%), and hallucinations (1.2%). These symptoms were severe in 2.0% of patients; and 2.1% of patients discontinued therapy as a result. These symptoms usually begin during the first or second day of therapy and generally resolve after the first 2-4 weeks of therapy. After 4 weeks of therapy, the prevalence of nervous system symptoms of at least moderate severity ranged from 5% to 9% in patients treated with regimens containing efavirenz and from 3% to 5% in patients treated with a control regimen. Patients should be informed that these common symptoms were likely to improve with continued therapy and were not predictive of subsequent onset of the less frequent psychiatric symptoms [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )]. Dosing at bedtime may improve the tolerability of these nervous system symptoms [see Dosage and Administration ( 2 )]. Analysis of long-term data from Study 006 (median follow-up 180 weeks, 102 weeks, and 76 weeks for patients treated with efavirenz + zidovudine + lamivudine, efavirenz + indinavir, and indinavir + zidovudine + lamivudine, respectively) showed that, beyond 24 weeks of therapy, the incidences of new-onset nervous system symptoms among efavirenz-treated patients were generally similar to those in the indinavir-containing control arm. Late-onset neurotoxicity, including ataxia and encephalopathy (impaired consciousness, confusion, psychomotor slowing, psychosis, delirium), may occur months to years after beginning efavirenz therapy. Some events of late-onset neurotoxicity have occurred in patients with CYP2B6 genetic polymorphisms which are associated with increased efavirenz levels despite standard dosing of efavirenz. Patients presenting with signs and symptoms of serious neurologic adverse experiences should be evaluated promptly to assess the possibility that these events may be related to efavirenz use, and whether discontinuation of efavirenz is warranted. Patients receiving efavirenz should be alerted to the potential for additive central ner

CONTRAINDICATIONS • Efavirenz tablets are contraindicated in patients with previously demonstrated clinically significant hypersensitivity (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, or toxic skin eruptions) to any of the components of this product. • Coadministration of efavirenz with elbasvir and grazoprevir is contraindicated [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ) and Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )] . • Patients with previously demonstrated hypersensitivity (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, or toxic skin eruptions) to any of the components of this product. ( 4 ) • Coadministration of efavirenz with elbasvir/grazoprevir.

Mechanism of Action Efavirenz is an antiviral drug [see Microbiology ( 12.4 ) ] .