Brilinta Tablets

Dosing

In the management of ACS, initiate BRILINTA treatment with a 180 mg loading dose. Administer 90 mg twice daily during the first year after an ACS event. After one year administer 60 mg twice daily.

Do not administer BRILINTA with another oral P2Y12 platelet inhibitor.

Use BRILINTA with a daily maintenance dose of aspirin of 75-100 mg [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) and Clinical Studies (14.1)]. A patient who misses a dose of BRILINTA should take one tablet (their next dose) at its scheduled time.

Administration

For patients who are unable to swallow tablets whole, Brilinta Tablets can be crushed, mixed with water and drunk. The mixture can also be administered via a nasogastric tube (CH8 or greater) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Strong CYP3A Inhibitors

Strong CYP3A inhibitors substantially increase ticagrelor exposure and so increase the risk of dyspnea, bleeding, and other adverse events. Avoid use of strong inhibitors of CYP3A (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir, saquinavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, atazanavir and telithromycin) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Strong CYP3A Inducers

Strong CYP3A inducers substantially reduce ticagrelor exposure and so decrease the efficacy of ticagrelor. Avoid use with strong inducers of CYP3A (e.g., rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital) [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Aspirin

Use of BRILINTA with aspirin maintenance doses above 100 mg reduced the effectiveness of BRILINTA [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) and Clinical Studies (14.1)].

Simvastatin, Lovastatin

BRILINTA increases serum concentrations of simvastatin and lovastatin because these drugs are metabolized by CYP3A4. Avoid simvastatin and lovastatin doses greater than 40 mg [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Digoxin

BRILINTA inhibits the P-glycoprotein transporter; monitor digoxin levels with initiation of or change in BRILINTA therapy [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

There is currently no known treatment to reverse the effects of BRILINTA, and ticagrelor is not expected to be dialyzable. Treatment of overdose should follow local standard medical practice. Bleeding is the expected pharmacologic effect of overdosing. If bleeding occurs, appropriate supportive measures should be taken.

Platelet transfusion did not reverse the antiplatelet effect of BRILINTA in healthy volunteers and is unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with bleeding.

Other effects of overdose may include gastrointestinal effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) or ventricular pauses. Monitor the ECG.

Mechanism of Action

Ticagrelor and its major metabolite reversibly interact with the platelet P2Y12 ADP-receptor to prevent signal transduction and platelet activation. Ticagrelor and its active metabolite are approximately equipotent.

Pharmacodynamics

The inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) by ticagrelor and clopidogrel was compared in a 6 week study examining both acute and chronic platelet inhibition effects in response to 20 μM ADP as the platelet aggregation agonist.

The onset of IPA was evaluated on Day 1 of the study following loading doses of 180 mg ticagrelor or 600 mg clopidogrel. As shown in Figure 3, IPA was higher in the ticagrelor group at all time points. The maximum IPA effect of ticagrelor was reached at around 2 hours, and was maintained for at least 8 hours.

The offset of IPA was examined after 6 weeks on ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily or clopidogrel 75 mg daily, again in response to 20 μM ADP.

As shown in Figure 4, mean maximum IPA following the last dose of ticagrelor was 88% and 62% for clopidogrel. The insert in Figure 4 shows that after 24 hours, IPA in the ticagrelor group (58%) was similar to IPA in clopidogrel group (52%), indicating that patients who miss a dose of ticagrelor would still maintain IPA similar to the trough IPA of patients treated with clopidogrel. After 5 days, IPA in the ticagrelor group was similar to IPA in the placebo group. It is not known how either bleeding risk or thrombotic risk track with IPA, for either ticagrelor or clopidogrel.

Figure 3 - Mean inhibition of platelet aggregation (±SE) following single oral doses of placebo, 180 mg ticagrelor or 600 mg clopidogrel

Figure 4 - Mean inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) following 6 weeks on placebo, ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily, or clopidogrel 75 mg daily

Transitioning from clopidogrel to BRILINTA resulted in an absolute IPA increase of 26.4% and from BRILINTA to clopidogrel resulted in an absolute IPA decrease of 24.5%. Patients can be transitioned from clopidogrel to BRILINTA without interruption of antiplatelet effect [see Dosage and Administration (2)].

Pharmacokinetics

Ticagrelor demonstrates dose proportional pharmacokinetics, which are similar in patients and healthy volunteers.

Absorption

BRILINTA can be taken with or without food. Absorption of ticagrelor occurs with a median tmax of 1.5 h (range 1.0–4.0). The formation of the major circulating metabolite AR-C124910XX (active) from ticagrelor occurs with a median tmax of 2.5 h (range 1.5-5.0).

The mean absolute bioavailability of ticagrelor is about 36% (range 30%-42%). Ingestion of a high-fat meal had no effect on ticagrelor Cmax, but resulted in a 21% increase in AUC. The Cmax of its major metabolite was decreased by 22% with no change in AUC.

BRILINTA as crushed tablets mixed in water, given orally or administered through a nasogastric tube into the stomach, is bioequivalent to whole tablets (AUC and Cmax within 80-125% for ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX) with a median tmax of 1.0 hour (range 1.0 – 4.0) for ticagrelor and 2.0 hours (range 1.0 – 8.0) for AR-C124910XX.

Distribution

The steady state volume of distribution of ticagrelor is 88 L. Ticagrelor and the active metabolite are extensively bound to human plasma proteins (>99%).

Metabolism

CYP3A4 is the major enzyme responsible for ticagrelor metabolism and the formation of its major active metabolite. Ticagrelor and its major active metabolite are weak P-glycoprotein substrates and inhibitors. The systemic exposure to the active metabolite is approximately 30-40% of the exposure of ticagrelor.

Excretion

The primary route of ticagrelor elimination is hepatic metabolism. When radiolabeled ticagrelor is administered, the mean recovery of radioactivity is approximately 84% (58% in feces, 26% in urine). Recoveries of ticagrelor and the active metabolite in urine were both less than 1% of the dose. The primary route of elimination for the major metabolite of ticagrelor is most likely to be biliary secretion. The mean t1/2 is approximately 7 hours for ticagrelor and 9 hours for the active metabolite.

Specific Populations

The effects of age, gender, ethnicity, renal impairment and mild hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor are presented in Figure 5. Effects are modest and do not require dose adjustment.

Figure 5 - Impact of intrinsic factors on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor

Effects of Other Drugs on BRILINTA

CYP3A4 is the major enzyme responsible for ticagrelor metabolism and the formation of its major active metabolite. The effects of other drugs on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor are presented in Figure 6 as change relative to ticagrelor given alone (test/reference). Strong CYP3A inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, and clarithromycin) substantially increase ticagrelor exposure. Moderate CYP3A inhibitors have lesser effects (e.g., diltiazem). CYP3A inducers (e.g., rifampin) substantially reduce ticagrelor blood levels. P-gp inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine) increase ticagrelor exposure.

Figure 6 - Effect of co-administered drugs on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor

Effects of BRILINTA on Other Drugs

In vitro metabolism studies demonstrate that ticagrelor and its major active metabolite are weak inhibitors of CYP3A4, potential activators of CYP3A5 and inhibitors of the P-gp transporter. Ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX were shown to have no inhibitory effect on human CYP1A2, CYP2C19, and CYP2E1 activity. For specific in vivo effects on the pharmacokinetics of simvastatin, atorvastatin, ethinyl estradiol, levonorgesterol, tolbutamide, digoxin and cyclosporine, see Figure 7.

Figure 7 - Impact of BRILINTA on the pharmacokinetics of co-administered drugs

Pharmacogenetics

In a genetic substudy cohort of PLATO, the rate of thrombotic CV events in the BRILINTA arm did not depend on CYP2C19 loss of function status.

BRILINTA (ticagrelor) 90 mg is supplied as a round, biconvex, yellow, film-coated tablet with a “90” above “T” on one side:

Bottles of 60 – NDC 0186-0777-60

100 count Hospital Unit Dose – NDC 0186-0777-39

BRILINTA (ticagrelor) 60 mg is supplied as a round, biconvex, pink, film-coated tablet with a “60” above “T” on one side:

Bottles of 60 – NDC 0186-0776-60

Storage and Handling

Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) [see USP controlled room temperature].

Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Medication Guide).

Advise patients daily doses of aspirin should not exceed 100 mg and to avoid taking any other medications that contain aspirin.

Advise patients that they:

Advise patients to contact their doctor if they experience unexpected shortness of breath, especially if severe.

Advise patients to inform physicians and dentists that they are taking BRILINTA before any surgery or dental procedure.

BRILINTA® is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

Distributed by: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Wilmington, DE 19850

© AstraZeneca 2016