Amethia ETHINYL ESTRADIOL and LEVONORGESTREL Kit

5. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Vascular risks: Stop AMETHIA tablets if a thrombotic event occurs. Stop AMETHIA tablets at least 4 weeks before and through 2 weeks after major surgery.

Start AMETHIA tablets no earlier than 4 weeks after delivery, in women who are not breastfeeding. ( 5.1 ) Liver disease: Discontinue AMETHIA tablets if jaundice occurs. ( 5.3 ) High blood pressure: Do not prescribe AMETHIA tablets for women with uncontrolled hypertension or hypertension with vascular disease.

( 5.5 ) Carbohydrate and lipid metabolic effects: Monitor prediabetic and diabetic women taking AMETHIA tablets. Consider an alternate contraceptive method for women with uncontrolled dyslipidemias. ( 5.7 ) Headache: Evaluate significant change in headaches and discontinue AMETHIA tablets if indicated.

( 5.8 ) Uterine bleeding: Evaluate irregular bleeding or amenorrhea ( 5.9 )

5.1Thrombotic and Other Vascular Events Stop AMETHIA tablets if an arterial or deep venous thrombotic event occurs. Although the use of COCs increases the risk of venous thromboembolism, pregnancy increases the risk of venous thromboembolism as much or more than the use of COCs. The risk of venous thromboembolism in women using COCs is 3 to 9 per 10,000 woman-years.

The excess risk is highest during the first year of use of a COC. Use of COCs also increases the risk of arterial thromboses such as strokes and myocardial infarctions, especially in women with other risk factors for these events. The risk of thromboembolic disease due to COCs gradually disappears after COC use is discontinued.

Use of AMETHIA tablets provides women with more hormonal exposure on a yearly basis than conventional monthly oral contraceptives containing the same strength synthetic estrogens and progestins (an additional 9 and 13 weeks of exposure to progestin and estrogen, respectively, per year). If feasible, stop AMETHIA tablets at least 4 weeks before and through 2 weeks after major surgery or other surgeries known to have an elevated risk of thromboembolism. Start AMETHIA tablets no earlier than 4 - 6 weeks after delivery, in women who are not breastfeeding.

The risk of postpartum thromboembolism decreases after the third postpartum week, whereas the risk of ovulation increases after the third postpartum week. COCs have been shown to increase both the relative and attributable risks of cerebrovascular events (thrombotic and hemorrhagic strokes), although, in general, the risk is greatest among older (>35 years of age), and hypertensive women who also smoke. COCs also increase the risk for stroke in women with other underlying risk factors.

Oral contraceptives must be used with caution in women with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Stop AMETHIA tablets if there is unexplained loss of vision, proptosis, diplopia, papilledema, or retinal vascular lesions. Evaluate for retinal vein thrombosis immediately.

5.2Malignant Neoplasms Breast Cancer AMETHIA tablets are contraindicated in females who currently have or have had breast cancer because breast cancer may be hormonally sensitive [see Contraindications (4) ]. Epidemiology studies have not found a consistent association between use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and breast cancer risk. Studies do not show an association between ever (current or past) use of COCs and risk of breast cancer.

However, some studies report a small increase in the risk of breast cancer among current or recent users (<6 months since last use) and current users with longer duration of COC use [see Postmarketing Experience (6.2) ]. Cervical Cancer Some studies suggest that COCs are associated with an increase in the risk of cervical cancer or intraepithelial neoplasia. However, there is controversy about the extent to which these findings are due to differences in sexual behavior and other factors.

5.3Liver Disease Discontinue AMETHIA tablets if jaundice develops. Steroid hormones may be poorly metabolized in patients with impaired liver function. Acute or ch…

6. ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions with the use of COCs are discussed elsewhere in the labeling: Serious cardiovascular events and smoking [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Vascular events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Liver disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Adverse reactions commonly reported by COC users are: Irregular uterine bleeding Nausea Breast tenderness Headache The most common adverse reactions (≥5%) in clinical trials for levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol tablets and ethinyl estradiol tablets are irregular and/or heavy uterine bleeding, weight gain, and acne.

( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Mayne Pharma. at 1-844 -825-8500 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch .

6.1Clinical Trial 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 the rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The clinical trial that evaluated the safety and efficacy of levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol tablets and ethinyl estradiol tablets was a 12-month, randomized, multicenter, open-label study, which enrolled women aged 18-40, of whom 1,006 took at least one dose of levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol tablets and ethinyl estradiol tablets.

Adverse Reactions Leading to Study Discontinuation : 16.3% of the women discontinued from the clinical trial due to an adverse reaction; the most common adverse reactions (≥ 1% of women) leading to discontinuation were irregular and/or heavy uterine bleeding (5.9%), weight gain (2.4%), mood changes (1.5%), and acne (1.0%). Common Treatment-Emergent Adverse Reactions (≥ 5% of women) : irregular and/or heavy uterine bleeding (17%), weight gain (5%), acne (5%). Serious Adverse Reactions: migraine, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, abdominal pain, and major depressive disorder.

6.2Postmarketing Experience Five studies that compared breast cancer risk between ever-users (current or past use) of COCs and never-users of COCs reported no association between ever use of COCs and breast cancer risk, with effect estimates ranging from 0.90–1.12 (Figure 2). Three studies compared breast cancer risk between current or recent COC users (<6 months since last use) and never users of COCs (Figure 2). One of these studies reported no association between breast cancer risk and COC use.

The other two studies found an increased relative risk of 1.19–1.33 with current or recent use. Both of these studies found an increased risk of breast cancer with current use of longer duration, with relative risks ranging from 1.03 with less than one year of COC use to approximately 1.4 with more than 8-10 years of COC use. Figure 2: Relevant Studies of Risk of Breast Cancer with Combined Oral Contraceptives RR = relative risk; OR = odds ratio; HR = hazard ratio. "ever COC" are females with current or past COC use; "never COC use" are females that never used COCs.

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol tablets and ethinyl estradiol tablets. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Gastrointestinal disorders : abdominal distension, vomiting General disorders and administration site conditions : chest pain, fatigue, malaise, edema peripheral, pain Immune system disorders : hypersensitivity reaction Investigations: blood pressure increased Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders : muscle spasms, pain in extremity Nervous system disorders : dizziness, loss of consciousness Psychiatric disorders : insomnia Reproductive and breast disorders : dysmenorrhea Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders: pulmonary embolism, pulmonary thr…

7. DRUG INTERACTIONS No drug-drug interaction studies were conducted with AMETHIA tablets. Drugs or herbal products that induce certain enzymes, including CYP3A4, may decrease the effectiveness of COCs or increase breakthrough bleeding. Counsel patients to use a back-up method or alternative method of contraception when enzyme inducers are used with COCs. ( 7.1 )

7.1Changes in Contraceptive Effectiveness Associated with Co-Administration of Other Products If a woman on hormonal contraceptives takes a drug or herbal product that induces enzymes, including CYP3A4, that metabolize contraceptive hormones, counsel her to use additional contraception or a different method of contraception. Drugs or herbal products that induce such enzymes may decrease the plasma concentrations of contraceptive hormones, and may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives or increase breakthrough bleeding.

Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include: barbiturates bosentan carbamazepine felbamate griseofulvin oxcarbazepine phenytoin rifampin St. John's wort topiramate HIV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors : Significant changes (increase or decrease) in the plasma levels of the estrogen and progestin have been noted in some cases of co-administration of HIV protease inhibitors or with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Antibiotics : There have been reports of pregnancy while taking hormonal contraceptives and antibiotics, but clinical pharmacokinetic studies have not shown consistent effects of antibiotics on plasma concentrations of synthetic steroids. Consult the labeling of all concurrently-used drugs to obtain further information about interactions with hormonal contraceptives or the potential for enzyme alterations.

7.2Increase in Plasma Levels of Estradiol Associated with Co-Administered Drugs Co-administration of atorvastatin and certain COCs containing ethinyl estradiol increase AUC values for ethinyl estradiol by approximately 20%. Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase plasma ethinyl estradiol levels, possibly by inhibition of conjugation. CYP3A4 inhibitors such as itraconazole or ketoconazole may increase plasma hormone levels.

7.3Concomitant Use with Hepatitis C Vaccine (HCV) Combination Therapy – Liver Enzyme Elevation Do not co-administer AMETHIA tablets with HCV drug combinations containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, due to potential for ALT elevations [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] .

7.4Changes in Plasma Levels of Co-Administered Drugs COCs containing some synthetic estrogens (e.g., ethinyl estradiol) may inhibit the metabolism of other compounds. COCs have been shown to significantly decrease plasma concentrations of lamotrigine likely due to induction of lamotrigine glucuronidation. This may reduce seizure control; therefore, dosage adjustments of lamotrigine may be necessary.

Consult the labeling of the concurrently-used drug to obtain further information about interactions with COCs or the potential for enzyme alterations.