Source: FDA, National Drug Code (US) Revision Year: 2021
ARIKAYCE is an antibacterial drug [see Microbiology (12.4)].
ARIKAYCE exposure-response relationships and the time course of pharmacodynamic response are unknown.
Following once daily inhalation of 590 mg ARIKAYCE in Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) patients, sputum concentrations at 1 to 4 hours post-inhalation were 1720, 884, and 1300 mcg/g at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. High variability in amikacin concentrations were observed (CV% >100%). After 48 to 72 hours post-inhalation, amikacin sputum concentrations decreased to approximately 5% of those at 1 to 4 hours post-inhalation.
Following 3 months of once daily inhalation of 590 mg ARIKAYCE in MAC patients, the mean serum AUC0-24 was 23.5 mcg*hr/mL (range: 8.0 to 46.5 mcg*hr/mL; n=12) and the mean serum Cmax was 2.8 mcg/mL (range: 1.0 to 4.4 µg/mL; n=12). The maximum Cmax and AUC0-24 were below the mean Cmax of approximately 76 mcg/mL and AUC0-24 of 154 mcg*hr/mL observed for intravenous administration of amikacin sulfate for injection at the approved dosage of 15 mg/kg once daily in healthy adults.
The bioavailability of ARIKAYCE is expected to vary primarily from individual differences in nebulizer efficiency and airway pathology.
The protein binding of amikacin in serum is ≤10%.
Following inhalation of ARIKAYCE in MAC patients, the apparent serum half-life of amikacin ranged from approximately 5.9 to 19.5 hrs.
Amikacin does not undergo appreciable metabolism.
Systemically absorbed amikacin following ARIKAYCE administration is eliminated principally via glomerular filtration. On average, 7.42% (ranging from 0.72 to 22.60%; n=14) of the total ARIKAYCE dose was excreted in urine as unchanged drug compared to 94% following intravenous administration of amikacin sulfate for injection. Unabsorbed amikacin, following ARIKAYCE inhalation, is probably eliminated primarily by cellular turnover and expectoration.
No clinical drug interaction studies have been conducted with ARIKAYCE [see Drug Interactions (7)].
Amikacin is a polycationic, semisynthetic, bactericidal aminoglycoside. Amikacin enters the bacterial cell by binding to negatively charged components of the bacterial cell wall disrupting the overall architecture of the cell wall. The primary mechanism of action is the disruption and inhibition of protein synthesis in the target bacteria by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit.
The mechanism of resistance to amikacin in mycobacteria has been linked to mutations in the rrs gene of the 16S rRNA. In clinical trials, MAC isolates developing an amikacin MIC of >64 mcg/mL after baseline were observed in a higher proportion of subjects treated with ARIKAYCE [see Clinical Studies (14)].
There has been no in vitro signal for antagonism between amikacin and other antimicrobials against MAC based on fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) and macrophage survival assays. In select instances, some degree of synergy between amikacin and other agents has been observed, as for example, synergy between aminoglycosides, including amikacin, and the beta-lactam class has been documented.
In a 2-year inhalation carcinogenicity study, rats were exposed to ARIKAYCE for 15-25, 50-70, or 155-170 minutes per day for 96-104 weeks. These provided approximate inhaled doses of 5, 15, and 45 mg/kg/day. Squamous cell carcinoma was observed in the lungs of 2 of 120 rats administered the highest dose tested. Maximum serum AUC levels of amikacin in the rats at steady state were approximately 1.3, 2.8, and 7.6 mcg∙hr/mL at the low, mid, and high doses, respectively, compared with 23.5 mcg∙hr/mL (8.0 to 46.5 mcg∙hr/mL) measured in humans. The squamous cell carcinomas may be the result of a high lung burden of particulates from ARIKAYCE in the rat lung. The relevance of the lung tumor findings with regards to humans receiving ARIKAYCE is unknown.
No evidence of mutagenicity or genotoxicity was observed in a battery of in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity studies with a liposome-encapsulated amikacin formulation similar to ARIKAYCE (in vitro microbial mutagenesis test, in vitro mouse lymphoma mutation assay, in vitro chromosomal aberration study, and an in vivo micronucleus study in rats).
No fertility studies were conducted with ARIKAYCE. Intraperitoneal administration of amikacin to male and female rats at doses up to 200 mg/kg/day prior to mating through Day 7 of gestation were not associated with impairment of fertility or adverse effects on early embryonic development.
To provide information about chronic dosing of ARIKAYCE to another animal species, a 9-month inhalation toxicology study was conducted in dogs. Foamy alveolar macrophages associated with clearance of the inhaled product were present at dose-related incidence and severity, but they were not associated with inflammation, tissue hyperplasia, or the presence of preneoplastic or neoplastic changes. Dogs were exposed to ARIKAYCE for up to 90 minutes per day, providing inhaled amikacin doses of approximately 5, 10, and 30 mg/kg/day.
Trial 1 (NCT#02344004) was an open-label, randomized (2:1), multi-center trial in patients with refractory Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease as confirmed by at least 2 sputum culture results. Patients were considered to have refractory MAC lung disease if they did not achieve negative sputum cultures after a minimum duration of 6 consecutive months of background regimen therapy that was either ongoing or stopped no more than 12 months before the screening visit. Patients were randomized to either ARIKAYCE plus a background regimen or background regimen alone. The surrogate endpoint for assessing efficacy was based on achieving culture conversion (3 consecutive monthly negative sputum cultures) by Month 6. The date of conversion was defined as the date of the first of the 3 negative monthly cultures, which had to be achieved by Month 4 in order to meet the endpoint by Month 6. Patients who achieved culture conversion by Month 6 were continued on study drug (ARIKAYCE plus background regimen or background regimen alone based on their randomization) for a total of 12 months after the first negative sputum culture.
A total of 336 patients were randomized (ARIKAYCE plus background regimen, n=224; background regimen alone, n=112) (ITT population), with a mean age of 64.7 years and there was a higher percentage of females (69.3%) than males (30.7%) in the study. At the time of enrollment, of the 336 subjects in the ITT population, 302 (89.9%) were either on a guideline-based regimen for MAC or off guideline-based therapy for MAC for less than 3 months while 34 (10.1%) were off treatment for 3 to 12 months prior to enrollment. At screening, patients were stratified by smoking status (current smoker or not) and by whether patients were on treatment or off treatment for at least 3 months. Most patients at screening were not current smokers (89.3%) and had underlying bronchiectasis (62.5%). At baseline, 329 patients were on a multidrug background regimen that included a macrolide (93.3%), a rifamycin (86.3%), or ethambutol (81.4%). Overall, 55.6% of subjects were receiving a triple-drug background regimen consisting of a macrolide, a rifamycin and ethambutol.
The proportion of patients achieving culture conversion (3 consecutive monthly negative sputum cultures) by Month 6 was significantly (p<0.0001) greater for ARIKAYCE plus background regimen (65/224, 29.0%) compared to background regimen alone (10/112, 8.9%). Of those receiving ARIKAYCE plus background regimen, 18.3% (41/224) achieved culture conversion by Month 6 and sustained sputum culture conversion (defined as consecutive negative sputum cultures with no positive culture on solid media or no more than 2 consecutive positive cultures on liquid media following culture conversion) for up to 12 months of treatment after the first culture that defined culture conversion, compared to 2.7% (3/112) of patients receiving background regimen alone (p<0.0001). At 3 months after the completion of treatment, 16.1% (36/224) of patients who had received ARIKAYCE plus background regimen maintained durable culture conversion, compared to 0% of patients who had received background regimen alone (p<0.0001).
Cumulative Proportion of Subjects Achieving Culture Conversion Shown by the First Month of Conversion Intent to Treat (ITT) Population:
In Trial 1, 23/224 (10.3%) of patients had MAC isolates that developed MIC of >64 mcg/mL while receiving treatment with ARIKAYCE. In the background regimen alone arm, 4/112 (3.6%) of patients had MAC isolates that developed amikacin MIC of >64 mcg/mL.
Additional endpoints to assess the clinical benefit of ARIKAYCE, for example, change from baseline in six-minute walk test distance and the Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, did not demonstrate clinical benefit by Month 6.
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