Gabapentin 600 mg Tablet, 90-count — NDC 72189-313-90 (Billing 72189-0313-90)

12.1Mechanism of Action The precise mechanism by which gabapentin produces its analgesic and antiepileptic actions are unknown. Gabapentin is structurally related to the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) but has no effect on GABA binding, uptake, or degradation. In vitro studies have shown that gabapentin binds with high-affinity to the α2δ subunit of voltage-activated calcium channels; however, the relationship of this binding to the therapeutic effects of gabapentin is unknown.

12.3Pharmacokinetics All pharmacological actions following gabapentin administration are due to the activity of the parent compound; gabapentin is not appreciably metabolized in humans. Oral Bioavailability Gabapentin bioavailability is not dose proportional; i.e., as dose is increased, bioavailability decreases. Bioavailability of gabapentin is approximately 60%, 47%, 34%, 33%, and 27% following 900 mg/day, 1,200 mg/day, 2,400 mg/day, 3,600 mg/day, and 4,800 mg/day given in 3 divided doses, respectively.

Food has only a slight effect on the rate and extent of absorption of gabapentin (14% increase in AUC and C max). Distribution Less than 3% of gabapentin circulates bound to plasma protein. The apparent volume of distribution of gabapentin after 150 mg intravenous administration is 58±6 L (mean ±SD).

In patients with epilepsy, steady-state predose (C min) concentrations of gabapentin in cerebrospinal fluid were approximately 20% of the corresponding plasma concentrations. Elimination Gabapentin is eliminated from the systemic circulation by renal excretion as unchanged drug. Gabapentin is not appreciably metabolized in humans.

Gabapentin elimination half-life is 5 to 7 hours and is unaltered by dose or following multiple dosing. Gabapentin elimination rate constant, plasma clearance, and renal clearance are directly proportional to creatinine clearance. In elderly patients, and in patients with impaired renal function, gabapentin plasma clearance is reduced.

Gabapentin can be removed from plasma by hemodialysis. Specific Populations Age The effect of age was studied in subjects 20 to 80 years of age. Apparent oral clearance (CL/F) of gabapentin decreased as age increased, from about 225 mL/min in those under 30 years of age to about 125 mL/min in those over 70 years of age.

Renal clearance (CLr) and CLr adjusted for body surface area also declined with age; however, the decline in the renal clearance of gabapentin with age can largely be explained by the decline in renal function. [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION (2.4) and USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS (8.5)]. Gender Although no formal study has been conducted to compare the pharmacokinetics of gabapentin in men and women, it appears that the pharmacokinetic parameters for males and females are similar and there are no significant gender differences.

Race Pharmacokinetic differences due to race have not been studied. Because gabapentin is primarily renally excreted and there are no important racial differences in creatinine clearance, pharmacokinetic differences due to race are not expected. Pediatric Gabapentin pharmacokinetics were determined in 48 pediatric subjects between the ages of 1 month and 12 years following a dose of approximately 10 mg/kg.

Peak plasma concentrations were similar across the entire age group and occurred 2 to 3 hours postdose. In general, pediatric subjects between 1 month and <5 years of age achieved approximately 30% lower exposure (AUC) than that observed in those 5 years of age and older. Accordingly, oral clearance normalized per body weight was higher in the younger children.

Apparent oral clearance of gabapentin was directly proportional to creatinine clearance. Gabapentin elimination half-life averaged 4.7 hours and was similar across the age groups studied. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in 253 pediatric subjects between 1 month and 13 years of age.

Patients received 10 mg/kg/day to 65 mg/kg/day given three times a day. Apparent or… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

14.1Postherpetic Neuralgia Gabapentin was evaluated for the management of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies. The intent-to-treat (ITT) population consisted of a total of 563 patients with pain for more than 3 months after healing of the herpes zoster skin rash (Table 6). TABLE 6.

Controlled PHN Studies: Duration, Dosages, and Number of Patients Study Study Duration Gabapentin (mg/day) a Target Dose Patients Receiving Gabapentin Patients Receiving Placebo 1 8 weeks 3600 113 116 2 7 weeks 1800, 2400 223 111 Total 336 227 aGiven in 3 divided doses (TID) Each study included a 7- or 8-week double-blind phase (3 or 4 weeks of titration and 4 weeks of fixed dose). Patients initiated treatment with titration to a maximum of 900 mg/day gabapentin over 3 days. Dosages were then to be titrated in 600 to 1200 mg/day increments at 3- to 7-day intervals to the target dose over 3 to 4 weeks.

Patients recorded their pain in a daily diary using an 11-point numeric pain rating scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain). A mean pain score during baseline of at least 4 was required for randomization. Analyses were conducted using the ITT population (all randomized patients who received at least one dose of study medication).

Both studies demonstrated efficacy compared to placebo at all doses tested. The reduction in weekly mean pain scores was seen by Week 1 in both studies, and were maintained to the end of treatment. Comparable treatment effects were observed in all active treatment arms.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling provided confirmatory evidence of efficacy across all doses. Figures 1 and 2 show pain intensity scores over time for Studies 1 and 2. Figure 1.

Weekly Mean Pain Scores (Observed Cases in ITT Population): Study 1 [Figure 1] Figure 2. Weekly Mean Pain Scores (Observed Cases in ITT Population): Study 2 [Figure 2] The proportion of responders (those patients reporting at least 50% improvement in endpoint pain score compared to baseline) was calculated for each study (Figure 3). Figure 3.

Proportion of Responders (patients with ≥ 50% reduction in pain score) at Endpoint: Controlled PHN Studies [Figure 3]

14.2Epilepsy for Partial Onset Seizures (Adjunctive Therapy) The effectiveness of gabapentin as adjunctive therapy (added to other antiepileptic drugs) was established in multicenter placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trials in adult and pediatric patients (3 years and older) with refractory partial seizures. Evidence of effectiveness was obtained in three trials conducted in 705 patients (age 12 years and above) and one trial conducted in 247 pediatric patients (3 to 12 years of age). The patients enrolled had a history of at least 4 partial seizures per month in spite of receiving one or more antiepileptic drugs at therapeutic levels and were observed on their established antiepileptic drug regimen during a 12-week baseline period (6 weeks in the study of pediatric patients).

In patients continuing to have at least 2 (or 4 in some studies) seizures per month, gabapentin or placebo was then added on to the existing therapy during a 12-week treatment period. Effectiveness was assessed primarily on the basis of the percent of patients with a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency from baseline to treatment (the “responder rate”) and a derived measure called response ratio, a measure of change defined as (T -B)/(T + B), in which B is the patient’s baseline seizure frequency and T is the patient’s seizure frequency during treatment.

Response ratio is distributed within the range -1 to +1. A zero value indicates no change while complete elimination of seizures would give a value of -1; increased seizure rates would give positive values. A response ratio of -0.33 corresponds to a 50% reduction in seizure frequency.

The results given below are for all partial seizures in the intent-to-treat (all patients who receive… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

13.1Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility Carcinogenesis Gabapentin was administered orally to mice and rats in 2-year carcinogenicity studies. No evidence of drug-related carcinogenicity was observed in mice treated at doses up to 2,000 mg/kg/day. At 2,000 mg/kg, the plasma gabapentin exposure (AUC) in mice was approximately 2 times that in humans at the MRHD of 3,600 mg/day.

In rats, increases in the incidence of pancreatic acinar cell adenoma and carcinoma were found in male rats receiving the highest dose (2,000 mg/kg), but not at doses of 250 or 1,000 mg/kg/day. At 1,000 mg/kg, the plasma gabapentin exposure (AUC) in rats was approximately 5 times that in humans at the MRHD. Studies designed to investigate the mechanism of gabapentin-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis in rats indicate that gabapentin stimulates DNA synthesis in rat pancreatic acinar cells in vitro and, thus, may be acting as a tumor promoter by enhancing mitogenic activity.

It is not known whether gabapentin has the ability to increase cell proliferation in other cell types or in other species, including humans. Mutagenesis Gabapentin did not demonstrate mutagenic or genotoxic potential in in vitro (Ames test, HGPRT forward mutation assay in Chinese hamster lung cells) and in vivo (chromosomal aberration and micronucleus test in Chinese hamster bone marrow, mouse micronucleus, unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes) assays. Impairment of Fertility No adverse effects on fertility or reproduction were observed in rats at doses up to 2,000 mg/kg.

At 2,000 mg/kg, the plasma gabapentin exposure (AUC) in rats is approximately 8 times that in humans at the MRHD.