1.1 Treatment of Paget’s Disease of Bone

Calcitonin salmon injection is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic Paget’s disease of bone in patients with moderate to severe disease characterized by polyostotic involvement with elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline excretion. There is no evidence that the prophylactic use of calcitonin salmon is beneficial in asymptomatic patients. Calcitonin salmon injection should be used only in patients who do not respond to alternative treatments or for whom such treatments are not suitable (e.g., patients for whom other therapies are contraindicated or for patients who are intolerant or unwilling to use other therapies).

1.2 Treatment of Hypercalcemia

Calcitonin salmon injection is indicated for the early treatment of hypercalcemic emergencies, along with other appropriate agents, when a rapid decrease in serum calcium is required, until more specific treatment of the underlying disease can be accomplished. It may also be added to existing therapeutic regimens for hypercalcemia such as intravenous fluids and furosemide, oral phosphate or corticosteroids, or other agents.

1.3 Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Calcitonin salmon injection is indicated for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women greater than 5 years postmenopause. The evidence of efficacy for calcitonin salmon injection is based on increases in total body calcium observed in clinical trials. Fracture reduction efficacy has not been demonstrated. Calcitonin salmon injection should be reserved for patients for whom alternative treatments are not suitable (e.g., patients for whom other therapies are contraindicated or for patients who are intolerant or unwilling to use other therapies).

1.4 Important Limitations of Use

Due to the possible association between malignancy and calcitonin salmon use, the need for continued therapy should be re-evaluated on a periodic basis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].

2.1 Paget’s Disease of Bone

The recommended dose of calcitonin salmon injection for treatment of symptomatic Paget's disease of bone is 100 International Units (0.5 mL) per day administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly.

2.2 Hypercalcemia

The recommended starting dose of calcitonin salmon injection for early treatment of hypercalcemia is 4 International Units/kg body weight every 12 hours by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. If the response to this dose is not satisfactory after one or two days, the dose may be increased to 8 International Units/kg every 12 hours. If the response remains unsatisfactory after two more days, the dose may be further increased to a maximum of 8 International Units/kg every 6 hours.

2.3 Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

The recommended dose of calcitonin salmon injection for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women greater than 5 years postmenopause is 100 International Units (0.5 mL) per day administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly. The minimum effective dose of calcitonin salmon injection for the prevention of vertebral bone mineral density loss has not been established.

2.4 Preparation and Administration

Visually inspect calcitonin salmon injection vials. Calcitonin salmon injection is a clear, colorless, solution. If the solution is not clear and colorless, or contains any particles, or if the vial is damaged, do not administer the solution.

If the volume of calcitonin salmon injection to be injected exceeds 2 mL, intramuscular injection is preferable and the total dose should be distributed across multiple sites of injection.

Instruct patients to use sterile injection technique when administering calcitonin salmon injection, and to dispose of needles properly.

2.5 Recommendations for Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation

Patients who use calcitonin salmon injection for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis should receive adequate calcium (at least 1000 mg elemental calcium per day) and vitamin D (at least 400 International Units per day).

5.1 Hypersensitivity Reactions

Serious hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in patients receiving calcitonin salmon injection, e.g., bronchospasm, swelling of the tongue or throat, anaphylactic shock, and death due to anaphylaxis. Appropriate medical support and monitoring measures should be readily available when calcitonin salmon injection is administered. If anaphylaxis or other severe hypersensitivity/allergic reactions occur, initiate appropriate treatment [see Contraindications (4)].

For patients with suspected hypersensitivity to calcitonin salmon, skin testing should be considered prior to treatment utilizing a dilute, sterile solution of calcitonin salmon injection. Healthcare providers may wish to refer patients who require skin testing to an allergist. A detailed skin testing protocol is available from the Medical Information Department of Par Pharmaceutical.

5.2 Hypocalcemia

Hypocalcemia associated with tetany (i.e., muscle cramps, twitching) and seizure activity has been reported with calcitonin salmon injection therapy. Hypocalcemia must be corrected before initiating therapy. Other disorders affecting mineral metabolism (such as vitamin D deficiency) should also be effectively treated. In patients at risk for hypocalcemia, provisions for parenteral calcium administration should be available during the first several administrations of calcitonin salmon and serum calcium and symptoms of hypocalcemia should be monitored. Use of calcitonin salmon injection for the treatment of Paget’s disease or postmenopausal osteoporosis is recommended in conjunction with an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D [see Dosage and Administration (2.5)].

5.3 Malignancy

In a meta-analysis of 21 randomized, controlled clinical trials with calcitonin salmon (nasal spray or investigational oral formulations), the overall incidence of malignancies reported was higher among calcitonin salmon-treated patients (4.1%) compared with placebo-treated patients (2.9%). This suggests an increased risk of malignancies in calcitonin salmon-treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. It is not possible to exclude an increased risk when calcitonin salmon is administered long-term subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously. The benefits for the individual patient should be carefully considered against possible risks [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)].

5.4 Antibody Formation

Circulating antibodies to calcitonin salmon have been reported with calcitonin salmon injection. The possibility of antibody formation should be considered in any patient with an initial response to calcitonin salmon injection who later stops responding to treatment [see Adverse Reactions (6.3)].

5.5 Urine Sediment Abnormalities

Coarse granular casts and casts containing renal tubular epithelial cells were reported in young adult volunteers at bed rest who were given injectable calcitonin salmon to study the effect of immobilization on osteoporosis. There was no other evidence of renal abnormality and the urine sediment normalized after calcitonin salmon was stopped. Periodic examinations of urine sediment should be considered.

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

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.

The safety of calcitonin salmon injection was assessed in open-label trials several months to two years in duration. The most common adverse reactions are discussed below.

Nausea: Nausea with or without vomiting has been noted in about 10% of patients treated with calcitonin salmon. It is most evident when treatment is first initiated and tends to decrease or disappear with continued administration.

Dermatologic Reactions: Local inflammatory reactions at the site of subcutaneous or intramuscular injection have been reported in about 10% of patients. Flushing of face or hands occurred in about 2% to 5% of patients. Skin rashes and pruritus of the ear lobes have also been reported.

Other Adverse Reactions: Nocturia, feverish sensation, pain in the eyes, poor appetite, abdominal pain, pedal edema, and salty taste have been reported in patients treated with calcitonin salmon injection.

6.2 Postmarketing Experience

Because postmarketing adverse 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.

The following adverse reactions have been reported during post-approval use of calcitonin salmon injection.

Allergic/Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in patients receiving calcitonin salmon injection, e.g., bronchospasm, swelling of the tongue or throat, anaphylactic shock, and death due to anaphylaxis.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Urticaria

Hypocalcemia: Hypocalcemia with tetany (i.e. muscle cramps, twitching) and seizure activity have been reported.

Body as a Whole: influenza-like symptoms, fatigue, edema (facial, peripheral, and generalized)

Musculoskeletal: arthralgia, musculoskeletal pain

Cardiovascular: hypertension

Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, diarrhea

Urinary System: polyuria

Nervous System: dizziness, headache, paresthesia, tremor

Vision: visual disturbance

6.3 Immunogenicity

Consistent with the potentially immunogenic properties of medicinal products containing peptides, administration of calcitonin salmon injection may trigger the development of anti-calcitonin antibodies.  Circulating antibodies to calcitonin salmon after 2 to 18 months of treatment have been reported in about one-half of the patients with Paget’s disease in whom antibody studies were done. In some cases, high antibody titers are found; these patients usually will have a loss of response to treatment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

The incidence of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. Additionally, the observed incidence of a positive antibody test result may be influenced by several factors, including assay methodology, sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. For these reasons, comparison of antibodies among different calcitonin salmon products may be misleading.

8.1 Pregnancy

8.2 Lactation

8.4 Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

8.5 Geriatric Use

Clinical studies of calcitonin salmon injection did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 years and older to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy.

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Calcitonin salmon is a calcitonin receptor agonist. Calcitonin salmon acts primarily on bone, but direct renal effects and actions on the gastrointestinal tract are also recognized. Calcitonin salmon appears to have actions essentially identical to calcitonins of mammalian origin, but its potency per mg is greater and it has a longer duration of action.

The actions of calcitonin on bone and its role in normal human bone physiology are still not completely elucidated, although calcitonin receptors have been discovered in osteoclasts and osteoblasts.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

The absolute bioavailability of calcitonin salmon is approximately 66% and 71% after intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, respectively. After subcutaneous administration, peak plasma levels are reached in approximately 23 minutes. The terminal half-life is approximately 58 minutes for intramuscular administration and 59 to 64 minutes for subcutaneous administration. The apparent volume of distribution is 0.15 to 0.3 L/kg.

13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

14.1 Paget’s Disease of Bone

The trials used for the basis of approval for calcitonin salmon injection for treatment of Paget’s disease of bone were conducted in patients with moderate to severe disease characterized by polyostotic involvement with elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline excretion. In open-label clinical trials of several months to two years duration with historical controls, biochemical abnormalities were substantially improved (more than 30% reduction) in about 2/3 of patients studied and bone pain was improved in a similar fraction. A small number of documented instances of reversal of neurologic deficits have occurred, including improvement in the basilar compression syndrome, and improvement of spinal cord and spinal nerve lesions. There is too little experience to predict the likelihood of improvement of any given neurologic lesion. Hearing loss is improved infrequently (4 of 29 patients studied by audiometry). Patients with increased cardiac output due to extensive Paget’s disease of bone have had measured decreases in cardiac output while receiving calcitonin salmon. The number of treated patients in this category is too small to predict how likely such a result will be.

There is no evidence that the prophylactic use of calcitonin salmon is beneficial in asymptomatic patients.

14.2 Hypercalcemia

In four open-label clinical trials enrolling 53 patients, calcitonin salmon has been shown to lower elevated serum calcium levels of patients with carcinoma (with or without metastases), multiple myeloma, and primary hyperparathyroidism (lesser response). These patients were treated with calcitonin salmon only when other methods of lowering serum calcium (hydration, oral phosphate, corticosteroids) were unsuccessful or unsuitable. With patients’ pre-therapy serum calcium levels as controls, reduction in serum calcium was evident within 1 to 2 hours of administration. The peak effect occurred within 24 to 48 hours of injection and administration of calcitonin salmon every 12 hours maintained a hypocalcemic effect for approximately 5 to 8 days, the time period evaluated for most patients in the clinical trials. The average reduction of 8-hour post-injection serum calcium was approximately 9% (2 to 3 mg/dL). Patients with higher values of serum calcium tended to show greater reductions during calcitonin salmon treatment.

14.3 Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

The trials used for the basis of approval for calcitonin salmon injection for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis were two randomized, open-label, 2-year studies in postmenopausal women 50 to 74 years of age with total body calcium <85% of expected normal, and vertebral osteopenia (by x-ray criteria) and/or at least one atraumatic compression fracture. The primary efficacy endpoint was total body calcium measured by neutron activation analysis. Patients were randomized to calcitonin salmon injection 100 International Units daily (subcutaneously or intramuscularly) at bedtime, or control. All subjects received daily supplements of 1200 mg calcium carbonate and 400 International Units of vitamin D.

In both studies, total body calcium increased from baseline with calcitonin salmon therapy at 1 year, followed by a trend to decreasing total body calcium (still above baseline) at 2 years.

Thoracic and lumbar spine X-rays (AP/lateral) were obtained yearly. For the two studies combined (34 calcitonin salmon and 35 control subjects), in the first year there was a total of 6 new vertebral compression fractures in the calcitonin salmon group and 5 in the control group. In the second year there were 7 new fractures in each group.

No evidence currently exists to indicate whether calcitonin salmon injection decreases the risk of osteoporotic fracture. A controlled study, which was prematurely discontinued, failed to demonstrate any benefit of calcitonin salmon on fracture rate.

No adequate controlled trials have examined the effect of calcitonin salmon injection on vertebral bone mineral density beyond 1 year of treatment. Therefore, the minimum effective dose of calcitonin salmon injection for prevention of vertebral bone mineral density loss has not been established.

In clinical studies of postmenopausal osteoporosis, bone biopsy and radial bone mass assessments at baseline and after 26 months of daily injectable calcitonin salmon indicate that calcitonin therapy results in the formation of normal bone.