Prescription Drug Information: DONEPEZIL HYDROCHLORIDE (Page 2 of 6)

6.2 Postmarketing Experience


The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

Abdominal pain, agitation, aggression, cholecystitis, confusion, convulsions, hallucinations, heart block (all types), hemolytic anemia, hepatitis, hyponatremia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, pancreatitis, rash, rhabdomyolysis, QTc prolongation, and torsade de pointes.

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS

7.1 Use with Anticholinergics


Because of their mechanism of action, cholinesterase inhibitors have the potential to interfere with the activity of anticholinergic medications.

7.2 Use with Cholinomimetics and Other Cholinesterase Inhibitors


A synergistic effect may be expected when cholinesterase inhibitors are given concurrently with succinylcholine, similar neuromuscular blocking agents or cholinergic agonists such as bethanechol.

8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

8.1 Pregnancy


Risk Summary
There are no adequate data on the developmental risks associated with the use of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets in pregnant women. In animal studies, developmental toxicity was not observed when donepezil was administered to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis, but administration to rats during the latter part of pregnancy and throughout lactation resulted in increased stillbirths and decreased offspring survival at clinically relevant doses [see Data ]. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risks of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies are 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. The background risks of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown.
Data
Animal Data

Oral administration of donepezil to pregnant rats and rabbits during the period of organogenesis did not produce any teratogenic effects at doses up to 16 mg/kg/day (approximately 6 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] of 23 mg/day on a mg/m2 basis) and 10 mg/kg/day (approximately 7 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis), respectively. Oral administration of donepezil (1, 3, 10 mg/kg/day) to rats during late gestation and throughout lactation to weaning produced an increase in stillbirths and reduced offspring survival through postpartum day 4 at the highest dose. The no-effect dose of 3 mg/kg/day is approximately equal to the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis.

8.2 Lactation

Risk Summary
There are no data on the presence of donepezil or its metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or on milk production The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets or from the underlying maternal condition.

8.4 Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

8.5 Geriatric Use

Alzheimer’s disease is a disorder occurring primarily in individuals over 55 years of age. The mean age of patients enrolled in the clinical studies with Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets was 73 years; 80% of these patients were between 65 and 84 years old, and 49% of patients were at or above the age of 75. The efficacy and safety data presented in the clinical trials section were obtained from these patients. There were no clinically significant differences in most adverse reactions reported by patient groups ≥ 65 years old and < 65 years old.

8.6 Lower Weight Individuals

In the controlled clinical trial, among patients in the Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets 23 mg treatment group, those patients weighing < 55 kg reported more nausea, vomiting, and decreased weight than patients weighing 55 kg or more. There were more withdrawals due to adverse reactions as well. This finding may be related to higher plasma exposure associated with lower weight.

10 OVERDOSAGE

Because strategies for the management of overdose are continually evolving, it is advisable to contact a PoisonControlCenter to determine the latest recommendations for the management of an overdose of any drug.
As in any case of overdose, general supportive measures should be utilized. Overdosage with cholinesterase inhibitors can result in cholinergic crisis characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, salivation, sweating, bradycardia, hypotension, respiratory depression, collapse and convulsions. Increasing muscle weakness is a possibility and may result in death if respiratory muscles are involved. Tertiary anticholinergics such as atropine may be used as an antidote for Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets overdosage. Intravenous atropine sulfate titrated to effect is recommended: an initial dose of 1.0 to 2.0 mg IV with subsequent doses based upon clinical response. Atypical responses in blood pressure and heart rate have been reported with other cholinomimetics when co-administered with quaternary anticholinergics such as glycopyrrolate. It is not known whether Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets and/or its metabolites can be removed by dialysis (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or hemofiltration).Dose-related signs of toxicity in animals included reduced spontaneous movement, prone position, staggering gait, lacrimation, clonic convulsions, depressed respiration, salivation, miosis, tremors, fasciculation and lower body surface temperature.

11 DESCRIPTION

Donepezil Hydrochloride is a reversible inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, known chemically as (±)-2, 3-dihydro-5, 6-dimethoxy-2-[[1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl]methyl]-1H -inden-1-one hydrochloride. Donepezil hydrochloride is commonly referred to in the pharmacological literature as E2020. It has an empirical formula of C24 H29 NO3 HCl and a molecular weight of 415.96. Donepezil hydrochloride is a white crystalline powder and is freely soluble in chloroform, soluble in water and in glacial acetic acid, slightly soluble in ethanol and in acetonitrile and practically insoluble in ethyl acetate and in n-hexane.

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Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets is available for oral administration in film-coated tablets containing 5 mg or 10 mg of donepezil hydrochloride.
Inactive ingredients in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets are lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, pre-gelatinized starch, hydroxypropyl cellulose and magnesium stearate. The film coating contains hypromellose, polyethylene glycol, talc, titanium dioxide.Additionally, the 10 mg tablet contains yellow iron oxide as a coloring agent. Organic Impurities are analyzed as per procedure 2 of USP monograph.

12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Current theories on the pathogenesis of the cognitive signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease attribute some of them to a deficiency of cholinergic neurotransmission.

Donepezil hydrochloride is postulated to exert its therapeutic effect by enhancing cholinergic function. This is accomplished by increasing the concentration of acetylcholine through reversible inhibition of its hydrolysis by acetylcholinesterase. There is no evidence that donepezil alters the course of the underlying dementing process.

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

Pharmacokinetics of donepezil are linear over a dose range of 1-10 mg given once daily. The rate and extent of absorption of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets are not influenced by food.
Based on population pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma donepezil concentrations measured in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, following oral dosing, peak plasma concentration is achieved for Donepezil Hydrochloride 23 mg tablets in approximately 8 hours, compared with 3 hours for Donepezil Hydrochloride 10 mg tablets. Peak plasma concentrations were about 2-fold higher for Donepezil Hydrochloride 23 mg tablets than Donepezil Hydrochloride 10 mg tablets.
The elimination half life of donepezil is about 70 hours, and the mean apparent plasma clearance (Cl/F) is 0.13 — 0.19 L/hr/kg. Following multiple dose administration, donepezil accumulates in plasma by 4-7 fold, and steady state is reached within 15 days. The steady state volume of distribution is 12 — 16 L/kg. Donepezil is approximately 96% bound to human plasma proteins, mainly to albumins (about 75%) and alpha1 — acid glycoprotein (about 21%) over the concentration range of 2-1,000 ng/mL.
Donepezil is both excreted in the urine intact and extensively metabolized to four major metabolites, two of which are known to be active, and a number of minor metabolites, not all of which have been identified. Donepezil is metabolized by CYP 450 isoenzymes 2D6 and 3A4 and undergoes glucuronidation. Following administration of 14 C-labeled donepezil, plasma radioactivity, expressed as a percent of the administered dose, was present primarily as intact donepezil (53%) and as 6-O-desmethyl donepezil (11%), which has been reported to inhibit AChE to the same extent as donepezil in vitro and was found in plasma at concentrations equal to about 20% of donepezil. Approximately 57% and 15% of the total radioactivity was recovered in urine and feces, respectively, over a period of 10 days, while 28% remained unrecovered, with about 17% of the donepezil dose recovered in the urine as unchanged drug. Examination of the effect of CYP2D6 genotype in Alzheimer’s patients showed differences in clearance values among CYP2D6 genotype subgroups. When compared to the extensive metabolizers, poor metabolizers had a 31.5% slower clearance and ultra-rapid metabolizers had a 24% faster clearance.
Hepatic Disease
In a study of 10 patients with stable alcoholic cirrhosis, the clearance of Donepezil hydrochloride Tablets was decreased by 20% relative to 10 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects.
Renal Disease
In a study of 11 patients with moderate to severe renal impairment (ClC < 18 mL/min/1.73 m2) the clearance of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets did not differ from 11 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects.
Age
No formal pharmacokinetic study was conducted to examine age-related differences in the pharmacokinetics of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets. Population pharmacokinetic analysis suggested that the clearance of donepezil in patients decreases with increasing age. When compared with 65-year old, subjects, 90-year old subjects have a 17% decrease in clearance, while 40-year old subjects have a 33% increase in clearance. The effect of age on donepezil clearance may not be clinically significant.
Gender and Race
No specific pharmacokinetic study was conducted to investigate the effects of gender and race on the disposition of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets. However, retrospective pharmacokinetic analysis and population pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma donepezil concentrations measured in patients with Alzheimer’s disease indicates that gender and race (Japanese and Caucasians) did not affect the clearance of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets to an important degree.
Body Weight
There was a relationship noted between body weight and clearance. Over the range of body weight from 50 kg to 110 kg, clearance increased from 7.77 L/h to 14.04 L/h, with a value of 10 L/hr for 70 kg individuals.
Drug Interactions
Effect of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets on the Metabolism of Other Drugs
No in vivo clinical trials have investigated the effect of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets on the clearance of drugs metabolized by CYP 3A4 (e.g., cisapride, terfenadine) or by CYP 2D6 (e.g., imipramine). However, in vitro studies show a low rate of binding to these enzymes (mean Ki about 50-130 micrometre), that, given the therapeutic plasma concentrations of donepezil (164 nM), indicates little likelihood of interference. Based on in vitro studies, donepezil shows little or no evidence of direct inhibition of CYP2B6, CYP2C8, and CYP2C19 at clinically relevant concentrations.
Whether Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets has any potential for enzyme induction is not known. Formal pharmacokinetic studies evaluated the potential of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets for interaction with theophylline, cimetidine, warfarin, digoxin, and ketoconazole. No effects of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets on the pharmacokinetics of these drugs were observed.
Effect of Other Drugs on the Metabolism of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets
Ketoconazole and quinidine, strong inhibitors of CYP450 3A and 2D6, respectively, inhibit donepezil metabolism in vitro. Whether there is a clinical effect of quinidine is not known. Population pharmacokinetic analysis showed that in the presence of concomitant CYP2D6 inhibitors donepezil AUC was increased by approximately 17% to 20% in Alzheimer’s disease patients taking Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets 10 and 23 mg. This represented an average effect of weak, moderate, and strong CYP2D6 inhibitors. In a 7-day crossover study in 18 healthy volunteers, ketoconazole (200 mg q.d.) increased mean donepezil (5mg q.d.) concentrations (AUC0-24 and Cmax ) by 36%. The clinical relevance of this increase in concentration is unknown.
Inducers of CYP 3A (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, dexamethasone, rifampin, and phenobarbital) could increase the rate of elimination of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets.
Formal pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that the metabolism of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets is not significantly affected by concurrent administration of digoxin or cimetidine.
An in vitro study showed that donepezil was not a substrate of P-glycoprotein.

Drugs Highly Bound to Plasma ProteinsDrug displacement studies have been performed in vitro between this highly bound drug (96%) and other drugs such as furosemide, digoxin, and warfarin. Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets at concentrations of 0.3-10 micrograms/mL did not affect the binding of furosemide (5 micrograms/mL), digoxin (2 ng/mL), and warfarin (3 micrograms/mL) to human albumin. Similarly, the binding of Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets to human albumin was not affected by furosemide, digoxin and warfarin.

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