_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NDA 22285 / S-013 & S-015
Keppra XR
FDA Approved Labeling text dated Jul 2013
HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION
These highlights do not include all the information needed to use
KEPPRA XR® safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for
KEPPRA XR.
KEPPRA XR (levetiracetam) extended-release tablets
Initial U.S. Approval: 1999
----------------------------RECENT MAJOR CHANGES--------------------------
Dosage and Administration, Partial Onset Seizures (2.1) [07/2013]
Warnings and Precautions (5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.8) [07/2013]
----------------------------INDICATIONS AND USAGE---------------------------
KEPPRA XR is an antiepileptic drug indicated for adjunctive therapy in the
treatment of partial onset seizures in patients ≥16 years of age with epilepsy
(1)
----------------------DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION-----------------------
Treatment should be initiated with a dose of 1000 mg once daily. The daily
dosage may be adjusted in increments of 1000 mg every 2 weeks to a
maximum recommended daily dose of 3000 mg (2).
See full prescribing information for use in patients with impaired renal
function (2.1).
---------------------DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS----------------------
500 mg white, film-coated extended-release tablet (3)
750 mg white, film-coated extended-release tablet (3)
-------------------------------CONTRAINDICATIONS------------------------------
None (4)
-----------------------WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS------------------------
Psychiatric Reactions: Behavioral abnormalities including psychotic
symptoms, suicidal ideation, irritability, and aggressive behavior have
been observed. Monitor patients for psychiatric signs and symptoms
(5.1)
Suicidal Behavior and Ideation: Monitor patients for new or worsening
depression, suicidal thoughts/behavior, and/or unusual changes in mood
or behavior (5.2)
Somnolence and Fatigue: Monitor patients for these symptoms and
advise patients not to drive or operate machinery until they have gained
sufficient experience on KEPPRA XR (5.3)
Withdrawal Seizures: KEPPRA XR must be gradually withdrawn (5.6)
------------------------------ADVERSE REACTIONS-------------------------------
Most common adverse reactions (incidence in KEPPRA XR-treated
patients is ≥5% more than in placebo-treated patients) include:
somnolence and irritability (6.1).
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact UCB, Inc. at
866-822-0068 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
-----------------------USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS------------------------
Pregnancy: Plasma levels of levetiracetam may be decreased and
therefore need to be monitored closely during pregnancy. Based on
animal data, may cause fetal harm (5.8, 8.1)
See 17 for PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION and Medication
Guide
Revised: [07/2013]
FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION: CONTENTS*
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
2.1 Adult Patients with Impaired Renal Function
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Psychiatric Reactions
5.2 Suicidal Behavior and Ideation
5.3 Somnolence and Fatigue
5.4 Serious Dermatological Reactions
5.5 Coordination Difficulties
5.6 Withdrawal Seizures
5.7 Hematologic Abnormalities
5.8 Seizure Control During Pregnancy
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS
6.1 Clinical Trials Experience
6.2 Postmarketing Experience
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS
8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
8.1 Pregnancy
8.2 Labor and Delivery
8.3 Nursing Mothers
8.4 Pediatric Use
8.5 Geriatric Use
8.6 Use in Patients with Impaired Renal Function
10 OVERDOSAGE
10.1 Signs, Symptoms and Laboratory Findings of Acute Overdosage in
Humans
10.2 Management of Overdose
10.3 Hemodialysis
11 DESCRIPTION
12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
12.1 Mechanism of Action
12.2 Pharmacodynamics
12.3 Pharmacokinetics
13 NONCLINICAL TOXICOLOGY
13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
14 CLINICAL STUDIES
16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING
16.1 How Supplied
16.2 Storage
17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION
*Sections or subsections omitted from the Full Prescribing Information are not
listed.
Reference ID: 3343504
NDA 22285 / S-013 & S-015
Keppra XR
FDA Approved Labeling text dated Jul 2013
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
KEPPRA XR® is indicated as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial onset seizures in patients ≥16 years of age with
epilepsy.
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Treatment should be initiated with a dose of 1000 mg once daily. The daily dosage may be adjusted in increments of 1000 mg
every 2 weeks to a maximum recommended daily dose of 3000 mg.
2.1 Adult Patients with Impaired Renal Function
KEPPRA XR dosing must be individualized according to the patient's renal function status. Recommended doses and adjustment
for dose for adults are shown in Table 1. In order to calculate the dose recommended for patients with renal impairment, creatine
clearance adjusted for body surface area must be calculated. To do this, an estimate of the patient's creatinine clearance (CLcr) in
mL/min must first be calculated using the following formula:
[140-age (years)] x weight (kg) (x 0.85 for
----------------------------------------- female CLcr=
72 x serum creatinine (mg/dL) patients)
Then CLcr is adjusted for body surface area (BSA) as follows:
CLcr (mL/min)
CLcr (mL/min/1.73m2)= ---------------------------- x 1.73
BSA subject (m2)
Table 1: Dosing Adjustment Regimen For Adult Patients With Impaired Renal Function
Group Creatinine
Clearance
(mL/min/1.73m2)
Dosage
(mg)
Frequency
Normal > 80 1000 to
3000
Every 24 hours
Mild 50 – 80 1000 to
2000
Every 24 hours
Moderate 30 – 50 500 to 1500 Every 24 hours
Severe < 30 500 to 1000 Every 24 hours
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS
KEPPRA XR tablets are white, oblong-shaped, film-coated extended-release tablets imprinted in red with “UCB 500XR” on one
side and contain 500 mg levetiracetam.
KEPPRA XR tablets are white, oblong-shaped, film-coated extended-release tablets imprinted in red with “UCB 750XR” on one
side and contain 750 mg levetiracetam.
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS
None
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Psychiatric Reactions
KEPPRA XR Tablets
Reference ID: 3343504
NDA 22285 / S-013 & S-015
Keppra XR
FDA Approved Labeling text dated Jul 2013
In some patients KEPPRA XR causes behavioral abnormalities.
A total of 6.5% of KEPPRA XR-treated patients experienced non-psychotic behavioral disorders (reported as irritability and
aggression) compared to 0% of placebo-treated patients. Irritability was reported in 6.5% of KEPPRA XR-treated patients.
Aggression was reported in 1.3% of KEPPRA XR-treated patients.
No patient discontinued treatment or had a dose reduction as a result of these adverse reactions.
The number of patients exposed to KEPPRA XR was considerably smaller than the number of patients exposed to immediate-
release KEPPRA tablets in controlled trials. Therefore, certain adverse reactions observed in the immediate-release KEPPRA
controlled trials will likely occur in patients receiving KEPPRA XR.
Immediate-Release KEPPRA Tablets
A total of 13.3% of adult KEPPRA-treated patients compared to 6.2% of placebo patients experienced non-psychotic behavioral
symptoms (reported as aggression, agitation, anger, anxiety, apathy, depersonalization, depression, emotional lability, hostility,
irritability, and nervousness).
A total of 1.7% of adult KEPPRA-treated patients discontinued treatment due to behavioral adverse events compared to 0.2% of
placebo patients. The treatment dose was reduced in 0.8% of adult KEPPRA-treated patients and in 0.5% of placebo patients.
One percent of adult KEPPRA-treated patients experienced psychotic symptoms compared to 0.2% of placebo patients.
Two (0.3%) adult KEPPRA-treated patients were hospitalized and their treatment was discontinued due to psychosis. Both
events, reported as psychosis, developed within the first week of treatment and resolved within 1 to 2 weeks following treatment
discontinuation.
The above psychiatric signs and symptoms should be monitored.
5.2 Suicidal Behavior and Ideation
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including KEPPRA XR, increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these
drugs for any indication. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of
depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior.
Pooled analyses of 199 placebo-controlled clinical trials (mono- and adjunctive therapy) of 11 different AEDs showed that
patients randomized to one of the AEDs had approximately twice the risk (adjusted Relative Risk 1.8, 95% CI:1.2, 2.7) of suicidal
thinking or behavior compared to patients randomized to placebo. In these trials, which had a median treatment duration of 12
weeks, the estimated incidence rate of suicidal behavior or ideation among 27,863 AED-treated patients was 0.43%, compared to
0.24% among 16,029 placebo-treated patients, representing an increase of approximately one case of suicidal thinking or behavior
for every 530 patients treated. There were four suicides in drug-treated patients in the trials and none in placebo-treated patients,
but the number is too small to allow any conclusion about drug effect on suicide.
The increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with AEDs was observed as early as one week after starting drug treatment
with AEDs and persisted for the duration of treatment assessed. Because most trials included in the analysis did not extend
beyond 24 weeks, the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior beyond 24 weeks could not be assessed.
The risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior was generally consistent among drugs in the data analyzed. The finding of increased risk
with AEDs of varying mechanisms of action and across a range of indications suggests that the risk applies to all AEDs used for
any indication. The risk did not vary substantially by age (5-100 years) in the clinical trials analyzed. Table 2 shows absolute and
relative risk by indication for all evaluated AEDs.
Table 2: Risk By Indication For Antiepileptic Drugs In The Pooled Analysis
Indication Placebo
Patients with
Events Per
1000
Patients
Drug
Patients with
Events Per
1000
Patients
Relative Risk:
Incidence of
Events in Drug
Patients/Incidence
in Placebo
Risk Difference:
Additional Drug
Patients with Events
Per 1000 Patients
Reference ID: 3343504
NDA 22285 / S-013 & S-015
Keppra XR
FDA Approved Labeling text dated Jul 2013
Patients
Epilepsy 1.0 3.4 3.5 2.4
Psychiatric 5.7 8.5 1.5 2.9
Other 1.0 1.8 1.9 0.9
Total 2.4 4.3 1.8 1.9
The relative risk for suicidal thoughts or behavior was higher in clinical trials for epilepsy than in clinical trials for psychiatric or
other conditions, but the absolute risk differences were similar for the epilepsy and psychiatric indications.
Anyone considering prescribing KEPPRA XR or any other AED must balance the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with the
risk of untreated illness. Epilepsy and many other illnesses for which AEDs are prescribed are themselves associated with
morbidity and mortality and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Should suicidal thoughts and behavior emerge
during treatment, the prescriber needs to consider whether the emergence of these symptoms in any given patient may be related
to the illness being treated.
Patients, their caregivers, and families should be informed that AEDs increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior and
should be advised of the need to be alert for the emergence or worsening of the signs and symptoms of depression, any unusual
changes in mood or behavior, or the emergence of suicidal thoughts, behavior, or thoughts about self-harm. Behaviors of concern
should be reported immediately to healthcare providers.
5.3 Somnolence and Fatigue
KEPPRA XR Tablets
In the KEPPRA XR double-blind, controlled trial in patients experiencing partial onset seizures, 7.8% of KEPPRA XR-treated
patients experienced somnolence compared to 2.5% of placebo-treated patients.
No patient discontinued treatment or had a dose reduction as a result of these adverse reactions.
The number of patients exposed to KEPPRA XR was considerably smaller than the number of patients exposed to immediate-
release KEPPRA tablets in controlled trials. Therefore, certain adverse reactions observed in the immediate-release KEPPRA
controlled trials will likely occur in patients receiving KEPPRA XR.
Immediate-Release KEPPRA Tablets
In controlled trials of adult patients with epilepsy experiencing partial onset seizures, 14.8% of KEPPRA-treated patients reported
somnolence, compared to 8.4% of placebo patients. There was no clear dose response up to 3000 mg/day. In a study where there
was no titration, about 45% of patients receiving 4000 mg/day reported somnolence. The somnolence was considered serious in
0.3% of the treated patients, compared to 0% in the placebo group. About 3% of KEPPRA-treated patients discontinued
treatment due to somnolence, compared to 0.7% of placebo patients. In 1.4% of treated patients and in 0.9% of placebo patients
the dose was reduced, while 0.3% of the treated patients were hospitalized due to somnolence.
In controlled trials of adult patients with epilepsy experiencing partial onset seizures, 14.7% of KEPPRA-treated patients reported
asthenia, compared to 9.1% of placebo patients. Treatment was discontinued due to asthenia in 0.8% of treated patients as
compared to 0.5% of placebo patients. In 0.5% of treated patients and in 0.2% of placebo patients the dose was reduced due to
asthenia.
Somnolence and asthenia occurred most frequently within the first 4 weeks of treatment.
Patients should be monitored for these signs and symptoms and advised not to drive or operate machinery until they have gained
sufficient experience on KEPPRA to gauge whether it adversely affects their ability to drive or operate machinery.
5.4 Serious Dermatological Reactions
Serious dermatological reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), have been
reported in patients treated with levetiracetam. The median time of onset is reported to be 14 to 17 days, but cases have been
reported at least four months after initiation of treatment. Recurrence of the serious skin reactions following rechallenge with
levetiracetam has also been reported. KEPPRA XR should be discontinued at the first sign of a rash, unless the rash is clearly not
Reference ID: 3343504
6
NDA 22285 / S-013 & S-015
Keppra XR
FDA Approved Labeling text dated Jul 2013
drug-related. If signs or symptoms suggest SJS/TEN, use of this drug should not be resumed and alternative therapy should be
considered.
5.5 Coordination Difficulties
Coordination difficulties were not observed in the KEPPRA XR controlled trial, however, the number of patients exposed to
KEPPRA XR was considerably smaller than the number of patients exposed to immediate-release KEPPRA tablets in controlled
trials. However, adverse reactions observed in the immediate-release KEPPRA controlled trials may also occur in patients
receiving KEPPRA XR.
Immediate-Release KEPPRA Tablets
A total of 3.4% of adult KEPPRA-treated patients experienced coordination difficulties, (reported as either ataxia, abnormal gait,
or incoordination) compared to 1.6% of placebo patients. A total of 0.4% of patients in controlled trials discontinued KEPPRA
treatment due to ataxia, compared to 0% of placebo patients. In 0.7% of treated patients and in 0.2% of placebo patients the dose
was reduced due to coordination difficulties, while one of the treated patients was hospitalized due to worsening of pre-existing
ataxia. These events occurred most frequently within the first 4 weeks of treatment.
Patients should be monitored for these signs and symptoms and advised not to drive or operate machinery until they have gained
sufficient experience on KEPPRA to gauge whether it could adversely affect their ability to drive or operate machinery.
5.6 Withdrawal Seizures
Antiepileptic drugs, including KEPPRA XR, should be withdrawn gradually to minimize the potential of increased seizure
frequency.
5.7 Hematologic Abnormalities
Although there were no obvious hematologic abnormalities observed in treated patients in the KEPPRA XR controlled study, the
limited number of patients makes any conclusion tentative. The data from the partial seizure patients in the immediate-release
KEPPRA controlled studies should be considered to be relevant for KEPPRA XR-treated patients.
In controlled trials of immediate-release KEPPRA tablets in patients experiencing partial onset seizures, minor, but statistically
significant, decreases compared to placebo in total mean RBC count (0.03 x 106/mm3), mean hemoglobin (0.09 g/dL), and mean
hematocrit (0.38%), were seen in immediate-release KEPPRA-treated patients. A total of 3.2% of treated and 1.8% of placebo
patients had at least one possibly significant (2.8 x 109/L) decreased WBC, and 2.4% of treated and 1.4% of placebo patients had
at least one possibly significant (1.0 x 109/L) decreased neutrophil count. Of the treated patients with a low neutrophil count, all
but one rose towards or to baseline with continued treatment. No patient was discontinued secondary to low neutrophil counts.
5.8 Seizure Control During Pregnancy
Physiological changes may gradually decrease plasma levels of levetiracetam throughout pregnancy. This decrease is more
pronounced during the third trimester. It is recommended that patients be monitored carefully during pregnancy. Close
monitoring should continue through the postpartum period especially if the dose was changed during pregnancy.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
The following adverse reactions are discussed in more details in other sections of labeling:
Psychiatric Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]
Suicidal Behavior And Ideation [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]
Somnolence And Fatigue [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]
Serious Dermatological Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]
Coordination Difficulties [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]
Withdrawal Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)]
Hematologic Abnormalities [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]
Seizure Control During Pregnancy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]
6.1 Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction r