Bupropion hydrochloride 150 mg Tablet, Film Coated, Extended Release, 30-count — NDC 63187-052-30 (Billing 63187-0052-30)

WARNINGS Clinical Worsening and Suicide Risk in Treating Psychiatric Disorders: Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult and pediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Suicide is a known risk of depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders themselves are the strongest predictors of suicide.

There has been a long-standing concern, however, that antidepressants may have a role in inducing worsening of depression and the emergence of suicidality in certain patients during the early phases of treatment. Pooled analyses of short-term placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and others) showed that these drugs increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 18 to 24) with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders.

Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in children and adolescents with MDD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 24 short-term trials of 9 antidepressant drugs in over 4,400 patients. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in adults with MDD or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 295 short-term trials (median duration of 2 months) of 11 antidepressant drugs in over 77,000 patients.

There was considerable variation in risk of suicidality among drugs, but a tendency toward an increase in the younger patients for almost all drugs studied. There were differences in absolute risk of suicidality across the different indications, with the highest incidence in MDD. The risk differences (drug vs placebo), however, were relatively stable within age strata and across indications.

These risk differences (drug-placebo difference in the number of cases of suicidality per 1,000 patients treated) are provided in Table 1. Table 1 Age Range Drug-Placebo Difference in Number of Cases of Suicidality per 1,000 Patients Treated Increases Compared to Placebo <18 14 additional cases 18 to 24 5 additional cases Decreases Compared to Placebo 25 to 64 1 fewer case ≥65 6 fewer cases No suicides occurred in any of the pediatric trials. There were suicides in the adult trials, but the number was not sufficient to reach any conclusion about drug effect on suicide.

It is unknown whether the suicidality risk extends to longer-term use, i.e., beyond several months. However, there is substantial evidence from placebo-controlled maintenance trials in adults with depression that the use of antidepressants can delay the recurrence of depression. All patients being treated with antidepressants for any indication should be monitored appropriately and observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the initial few months of a course of drug therapy, or at times of dose changes, either increases or decreases.

The following symptoms, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, akathisia (psychomotor restlessness), hypomania, and mania, have been reported in adult and pediatric patients being treated with antidepressants for major depressive disorder as well as for other indications, both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric. Although a causal link between the emergence of such symptoms and either the worsening of depression and/or the emergence of suicidal impulses has not been established, there is concern that such symptoms may represent precursors to emerging suicidality.

Co… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

ADVERSE REACTIONS (See also WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS .) The information included under the Incidence in Controlled Trials subsection of ADVERSE REACTIONS is based primarily on data from controlled clinical trials with bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR). Information on additional adverse events associated with the sustained-release formulation of bupropion in smoking cessation trials, as well as the immediate-release formulation of bupropion, is included in a separate section (see Other Events Observed During the Clinical Development and Postmarketing Experience of Bupropion).

Incidence in Controlled Trials With Bupropion: Adverse Events Associated With Discontinuation of Treatment Among Patients Treated With Bupropion Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets (SR): In placebo-controlled clinical trials, 9% and 11% of patients treated with 300 and 400 mg/day, respectively, of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) and 4% of patients treated with placebo discontinued treatment due to adverse events. The specific adverse events in these trials that led to discontinuation in at least 1% of patients treated with either 300 or 400 mg/day of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) and at a rate at least twice the placebo rate are listed in Table 4.

Table 4. Treatment Discontinuations Due to Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Trials Adverse Event Term Bupropion 300 mg/day (n = 376) Bupropion 400 mg/day (n = 114) Placebo (n = 385) Rash Nausea Agitation Migraine 2.4% 0.8% 0.3% 0.0% 0.9% 1.8% 1.8% 1.8% 0.0% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% Adverse Events Occurring at an Incidence of 1% or More Among Patients Treated With Bupropion Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets (SR): Table 5 enumerates treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred among patients treated with 300 and 400 mg/day of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) and with placebo in placebo-controlled trials.

Events that occurred in either the 300 or 400 mg/day group at an incidence of 1% or more and were more frequent than in the placebo group are included. Reported adverse events were classified using a COSTART-based Dictionary. Accurate estimates of the incidence of adverse events associated with the use of any drug are difficult to obtain.

Estimates are influenced by drug dose, detection technique, setting, physician judgments, etc. The figures cited cannot be used to predict precisely the incidence of untoward events in the course of usual medical practice where patient characteristics and other factors differ from those that prevailed in the clinical trials. These incidence figures also cannot be compared with those obtained from other clinical studies involving related drug products as each group of drug trials is conducted under a different set of conditions.

Finally, it is important to emphasize that the tabulation does not reflect the relative severity and/or clinical importance of the events. A better perspective on the serious adverse events associated with the use of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) is provided in the WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS sections. Table 5.

Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Trials Adverse events that occurred in at least 1% of patients treated with either 300 or 400 mg/day of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR), but equally or more frequently in the placebo group, were: abnormal dreams, accidental injury, acne, appetite increased, back pain, bronchitis, dysmenorrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, flu syndrome, hypertension, neck pain, respiratory disorder, rhinitis, and tooth disorder. Body System/Adverse Event Bupropion 300 mg/day (n = 376) Bupropion 400 mg/day (n = 114) Placebo (n = 385) Body (General) Headache Infection Abdominal pain Asthenia Chest pain Pain Fever 26% 8% 3% 2% 3% 2% 1% 25% 9% 9% 4% 4% 3% 2% 23% 6% 2% 2% 1% 2% denotes adverse events occurring in greater than 0 but less than 0.5% of patients.

Cardiovascular Palpitation Flush… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

Drug Interactions Few systemic data have been collected on the metabolism of bupropion following concomitant administration with other drugs or, alternatively, the effect of concomitant administration of bupropion on the metabolism of other drugs. Because bupropion is extensively metabolized, the coadministration of other drugs may affect its clinical activity. In vitro studies indicate that bupropion is primarily metabolized to hydroxybupropion by the CYP2B6 isoenzyme.

Therefore, the potential exists for a drug interaction between bupropion and drugs that are substrates or inhibitors of the CYP2B6 isoenzyme (e.g., orphenadrine, thiotepa, and cyclophosphamide). In addition, in vitro studies suggest that paroxetine, sertraline, norfluoxetine, and fluvoxamine as well as nelfinavir, ritonavir, and efavirenz inhibit the hydroxylation of bupropion. No clinical studies have been performed to evaluate this finding.

The threohydrobupropion metabolite of bupropion does not appear to be produced by the cytochrome P450 isoenzymes. The effects of concomitant administration of cimetidine on the pharmacokinetics of bupropion and its active metabolites were studied in 24 healthy young male volunteers. Following oral administration of two 150 mg bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) with and without 800 mg of cimetidine, the pharmacokinetics of bupropion and hydroxybupropion were unaffected.

However, there were 16% and 32% increases in the AUC and C max , respectively, of the combined moieties of threohydrobupropion and erythrohydrobupropion. While not systematically studied, certain drugs may induce the metabolism of bupropion (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin). Multiple oral doses of bupropion had no statistically significant effects on the single dose pharmacokinetics of lamotrigine in 12 healthy volunteers.

Animal data indicated that bupropion may be an inducer of drug-metabolizing enzymes in humans. In one study, following chronic administration of bupropion, 100 mg 3 times daily to 8 healthy male volunteers for 14 days, there was no evidence of induction of its own metabolism. Nevertheless, there may be the potential for clinically important alterations of blood levels of coadministered drugs.

Drugs Metabolized By Cytochrome P450IID6 (CYP2D6): Many drugs, including most antidepressants (SSRIs, many tricyclics), beta-blockers, antiarrhythmics, and antipsychotics are metabolized by the CYP2D6 isoenzyme. Although bupropion is not metabolized by this isoenzyme, bupropion and hydroxybupropion are inhibitors of CYP2D6 isoenzyme in vitro. In a study of 15 male subjects (aged 19 to 35 years) who were extensive metabolizers of the CYP2D6 isoenzyme, daily doses of bupropion given as 150 mg twice daily followed by a single dose of 50 mg desipramine increased the C max , AUC, and t 1/2 of desipramine by an average of approximately 2-, 5-, and 2-fold, respectively.

The effect was present for at least 7 days after the last dose of bupropion. Concomitant use of bupropion with other drugs metabolized by CYP2D6 has not been formally studied. Therefore, coadministration of bupropion with drugs that are metabolized by CYP2D6 isoenzyme including certain antidepressants (e.g., nortriptyline, imipramine, desipramine, paroxetine, fluoxetine, sertraline), antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol, risperidone, thioridazine), beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol), and Type 1C antiarrhythmics (e.g., propafenone, flecainide), should be approached with caution and should be initiated at the lower end of the dose range of the concomitant medication.

If bupropion is added to the treatment regimen of a patient already receiving a drug metabolized by CYP2D6, the need to decrease the dose of the original medication should be considered, particularly for those concomitant medications with a narrow therapeutic index. MAO Inhibitors: Studies in animals demonstrate that the acute toxicity of bupropion is enhanced by the MAO inhibitor phenelzine (see CONTRAI… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

PRECAUTIONS General Agitation and Insomnia: Patients in placebo-controlled trials with bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) experienced agitation, anxiety, and insomnia as shown in Table 2. Table 2. Incidence of Agitation, Anxiety, and Insomnia in Placebo-Controlled Trials Adverse Event Term Bupropion 300 mg/day (n = 376) Bupropion 400 mg/day (n = 114) Placebo (n = 385) Agitation Anxiety Insomnia 3% 5% 11% 9% 6% 16% 2% 3% 6% In clinical studies, these symptoms were sometimes of sufficient magnitude to require treatment with sedative/hypnotic drugs.

Symptoms were sufficiently severe to require discontinuation of treatment in 1% and 2.6% of patients treated with 300 and 400 mg/day, respectively, of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) and 0.8% of patients treated with placebo. Psychosis, Confusion, and Other Neuropsychiatric Phenomena: Depressed patients treated with an immediate-release formulation of bupropion or with bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) have been reported to show a variety of neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, psychosis, concentration disturbance, paranoia, and confusion.

In some cases, these symptoms abated upon dose reduction and/or withdrawal of treatment. Activation of Psychosis and/or Mania: Antidepressants can precipitate manic episodes in bipolar disorder patients during the depressed phase of their illness and may activate latent psychosis in other susceptible patients. Bupropion is expected to pose similar risks.

Altered Appetite and Weight: In placebo-controlled studies, patients experienced weight gain or weight loss as shown in Table 3. Table 3. Incidence of Weight Gain and Weight Loss in Placebo-Controlled Trials Weight Change Bupropion 300 mg/day (n = 339) Bupropion 400 mg/day (n = 112) Placebo (n = 347) Gained >5 lbs Lost >5 lbs 3% 14% 2% 19% 4% 6% In studies conducted with the immediate-release formulation of bupropion, 35% of patients receiving tricyclic antidepressants gained weight, compared to 9% of patients treated with the immediate-release formulation of bupropion.

If weight loss is a major presenting sign of a patient’s depressive illness, the anorectic and/or weight-reducing potential of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) should be considered. Allergic Reactions: Anaphylactoid/anaphylactic reactions characterized by symptoms such as pruritus, urticaria, angioedema, and dyspnea requiring medical treatment have been reported in clinical trials with bupropion. In addition, there have been rare spontaneous postmarketing reports of erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and anaphylactic shock associated with bupropion.

A patient should stop taking bupropion and consult a doctor if experiencing allergic or anaphylactoid/anaphylactic reactions (e.g., skin rash, pruritus, hives, chest pain, edema, and shortness of breath) during treatment. Arthralgia, myalgia, and fever with rash and other symptoms suggestive of delayed hypersensitivity have been reported in association with bupropion. These symptoms may resemble serum sickness.

Cardiovascular Effects: In clinical practice, hypertension, in some cases severe, requiring acute treatment, has been reported in patients receiving bupropion alone and in combination with nicotine replacement therapy. These events have been observed in both patients with and without evidence of preexisting hypertension. Data from a comparative study of the sustained-release formulation of bupropion (ZYBAN ®# Sustained-Release Tablets), nicotine transdermal system (NTS), the combination of sustained‑-release bupropion plus NTS, and placebo as an aid to smoking cessation suggest a higher incidence of treatment-emergent hypertension in patients treated with the combination of sustained-release bupropion and NTS.

In this study, 6.1% of patients treated with the combination of sustained-release bupropion and NTS had treatment-emergent hypertension compared… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE Controlled Substance Class: Bupropion is not a controlled substance. Humans: Controlled clinical studies of bupropion (immediate-release formulation) conducted in normal volunteers, in subjects with a history of multiple drug abuse, and in depressed patients showed some increase in motor activity and agitation/excitement. In a population of individuals experienced with drugs of abuse, a single dose of 400 mg of bupropion produced mild amphetamine-like activity as compared to placebo on the Morphine-Benzedrine Subscale of the Addiction Research Center Inventories (ARCI), and a score intermediate between placebo and amphetamine on the Liking Scale of the ARCI.

These scales measure general feelings of euphoria and drug desirability. Findings in clinical trials, however, are not known to reliably predict the abuse potential of drugs. Nonetheless, evidence from single-dose studies does suggest that the recommended daily dosage of bupropion when administered in divided doses is not likely to be especially reinforcing to amphetamine or stimulant abusers.

However, higher doses that could not be tested because of the risk of seizure might be modestly attractive to those who abuse stimulant drugs. Animals: Studies in rodents and primates have shown that bupropion exhibits some pharmacologic actions common to psychostimulants. In rodents, it has been shown to increase locomotor activity, elicit a mild stereotyped behavioral response, and increase rates of responding in several schedule-controlled behavior paradigms.

In primate models to assess the positive reinforcing effects of psychoactive drugs, bupropion was self-administered intravenously. In rats, bupropion produced amphetamine-like and cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects in drug discrimination paradigms used to characterize the subjective effects of psychoactive drugs.