Pramlintide Acetate

Brand Names: Symlinpen

Drug Class: General Prescription

Overview

11 DESCRIPTION SYMLIN ® (pramlintide acetate) injection is an anti-diabetic medication for use in patients with diabetes treated with insulin. Pramlintide is a synthetic analog of human amylin, a naturally occurring neuroendocrine hormone synthesized by pancreatic beta cells that contributes to glucose control during the postprandial period.

Mechanism of Action

12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY 12.1 Mechanism of Action Pramlintide is an analog of human amylin. Amylin is colocated with insulin in secretory granules and cosecreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells in response to food intake. Amylin and insulin show similar fasting and postprandial patterns in healthy individuals (Figure 1). Figure 1: Secretion Profile of Amylin and Insulin in Healthy Adults In patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, there is reduced secretion from pancreatic beta cells of both insulin and amylin in response to food. Amylin affects the rate of postprandial glucose appearance through a variety of mechanisms, as determined by nonclinical studies. Amylin slows gastric emptying (i.e.

Indications

  • 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE SYMLIN is indicated as an adjunctive treatment in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who use mealtime insulin therapy and who have failed to achieve desired glucose control despite optimal insulin therapy. SYMLIN is an amylin analog indicated for patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who use mealtime insulin and have failed to achieve desired glycemic control despite optimal insulin therapy (1) .

Common Doses

  • 15 mcg
  • 60 mcg
  • 30 mcg
  • 120 mcg

Dosage

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION • Upon initiation of SYMLIN, reduce mealtime insulin dose by 50%. Monitor glucoses frequently and individualize subsequent insulin dose adjustments (2.1) . • Type 1 Diabetes: Start at 15 mcg subcutaneously before major meals. Increase in 15 mcg increments to a maximum premeal dose of 30 or 60 mcg; if not tolerated, reduce to 30 mcg, as tolerated (2.2) . • Type 2 Diabetes: Start at 60 mcg subcutaneously before major meals then increase to 120 mcg before meals, as tolerated (2.2) . • Wait at least 3 days between dose titrations to minimize nausea (2.1) . 2.

Black Box Warning

WARNING: SEVERE HYPOGLYCEMIA SYMLIN use with insulin increases the risk of severe hypoglycemia, particularly in patients with type 1 diabetes. When severe hypoglycemia occurs, it is seen within 3 hours following a SYMLIN injection. Serious injuries may occur if severe hypoglycemia occurs while operating a motor vehicle, heavy machinery, or while engaging in other high-risk activities. Appropriate patient selection, careful patient instruction, and insulin dose reduction are critical elements for reducing this risk.

Contraindications

  • 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS SYMLIN is contraindicated in patients with any of the following: • serious hypersensitivity reaction to SYMLIN or to any of its product components. • hypoglycemia unawareness. • confirmed gastroparesis. • Prior serious hypersensitivity reaction to SYMLIN or its ingredients (4) • Hypoglycemia unawareness (4) • Confirmed gastroparesis (4)

Side Effects

  • 6 ADVERSE REACTIONS 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 practice. • Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥5% and higher incidence than placebo): nausea, vomiting, anorexia, headache (6.1) . To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AstraZeneca at 1-800-236-9933 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.

Interactions

  • 7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Insulin The pharmacokinetic parameters of pramlintide are altered when SYMLIN is mixed in the same syringe with regular, NPH, and 70/30 premixed formulations of recombinant human insulin. SYMLIN and insulin must not be mixed and must be administered as separate injections [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.4) , and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. 7.2 Oral Medications SYMLIN has the potential to delay the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications.