BESIVANCE Ophthalmic suspension Ref.[9958] Active ingredients: Besifloxacin

5.1 Not for Injection into the Eye

5.2 Growth of Resistant Organisms with Prolonged Use

As with other anti-infectives, prolonged use of BESIVANCE (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension) 0.6% may result in overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms, including fungi. If super-infection occurs, discontinue use and institute alternative therapy. Whenever clinical judgment dictates, the patient should be examined with the aid of magnification, such as slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and, where appropriate, fluorescein staining.

5.3 Avoidance of Contact Lenses

Patients should not wear contact lenses if they have signs or symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis or during the course of therapy with BESIVANCE.

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.

The data described below reflect exposure to BESIVANCE in approximately 1,000 patients between 1 and 98 years old with clinical signs and symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis.

The most frequently reported ocular adverse reaction was conjunctival redness, reported in approximately 2% of patients.

Other adverse reactions reported in patients receiving BESIVANCE occurring in approximately 1-2% of patients included: blurred vision, eye pain, eye irritation, eye pruritus and headache.

Risk Summary

There are no available human data for the use of BESIVANCE during pregnancy to inform any drug-associated risks; however, systemic exposure to besifloxacin from ocular administration is low [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Oral administration of besifloxacin to pregnant rats during organogenesis or during the prenatal and postnatal period did not produce adverse embryofetal or offspring effects at clinically relevant systemic exposures [see Data].

Data

Animal Data

In an embryofetal development study in rats, the administration of besifloxacin at oral doses up to 1,000 mg/kg/day during organogenesis was not associated with visceral or skeletal malformations in rat fetuses, although this dose was associated with maternal toxicity (reduced body weight gain and food consumption) and maternal mortality. Increased post-implantation loss, decreased fetal body weights, and decreased fetal ossification were also observed. At this dose, the mean C_max in the rat dams was approximately 20 mcg/mL, approximately 46,500 times the mean plasma concentrations measured in humans at the recommended human ophthalmic dose (RHOD). The No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) for this embryofetal development study was 100 mg/kg/day (C_max, 5 mcg/mL, approximately 11,600 times the mean plasma concentrations measured in humans at the RHOD).

In a prenatal and postnatal development study in rats, the NOAELs for both fetal/neonate and maternal toxicity were 100 mg/kg/day. At 1,000 mg/kg/day, pups weighed significantly less than controls and had a reduced neonatal survival rate. Attainment of developmental landmarks and sexual maturation was delayed, although surviving pups from this dose group that were reared to maturity did not demonstrate deficits in behavior, including activity, learning and memory, and their reproductive capacity appeared normal.

Risk Summary

There are no data on the presence of BESIVANCE in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. However, systemic exposure to besifloxacin following topical ocular administration is low [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)], and it is not known whether measurable levels of besifloxacin would be present in maternal milk following topical ocular administration.

The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered, along with the mother’s clinical need for BESIVANCE, and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from BESIVANCE.

The safety and effectiveness of BESIVANCE in infants below one year of age have not been established. The efficacy of BESIVANCE in treating bacterial conjunctivitis in pediatric patients one year or older has been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials [see Clinical Studies (14)].

There is no evidence that the ophthalmic administration of quinolones has any effect on weight-bearing joints, even though systemic administration of some quinolones has been shown to cause arthropathy in immature animals.

No overall differences in safety and effectiveness have been observed between elderly and younger patients.