Tri-Luma

Tri-Luma is part of the drug classes:

• OTHER ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

• Retinoids for topical use in acne

• Antiinflammatory Corticosteroids

• Corticosteroids, potent group III

Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.

Use the missed dose as soon as you remember, or wait until the next night to apply the medicine. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of fluocinolone, hydroquinone, and tretinoin topical combination in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of fluocinolone, hydroquinone, and tretinoin topical combination in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.

Pregnancy

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Desmopressin

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Aminocaproic Acid
• Aprotinin
• Bemiparin
• Chlortetracycline
• Demeclocycline
• Doxycycline
• Lymecycline
• Meclocycline
• Methacycline
• Minocycline
• Nadroparin
• Oxytetracycline
• Pixantrone
• Rolitetracycline
• Tetracycline
• Tranexamic Acid

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Fluconazole
• Ketoconazole
• Voriconazole

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Cushing syndrome (adrenal gland disorder) or
• Diabetes or
• Glucosuria (sugar in the urine) or
• Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Sulfite allergy—Use with caution. This medicine contains sodium metabisulfite.

It is very important that you use this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may cause unwanted side effects like skin irritation. This medicine is not for long-term use.

This medicine comes with a patient information insert. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

This medicine is only for use on the skin. Do not get it in your eyes, nose, or mouth. Do not use it on skin areas that have cuts, scrapes, or burns. If it does get on these areas, rinse it off right away with water.

This medicine should only be used for the skin condition that your doctor is treating.

To use:

• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
• Wash your face and neck with water and a mild soap. Rinse well and pat dry.
• Apply a small amount of the medicine to each affected area of the skin and include about 1/2 inch of normal appearing skin around each lesion. Gently rub it in.
• Do not cover the treated area with a bandage unless you are told to do so by your doctor.

Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of SPF 30 or higher during the day. Wear protective clothing, such as a hat, when you are outdoors.

Moisturizers and cosmetics may be used during the day.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For topical dosage form (cream):
  • For melasma:
    • Adults—Apply a thin layer to the affected area(s) of the skin at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, apply it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

• Store in a refrigerator. Do not freeze.
• Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
• Check with your pharmacist about how to throw out unused drugs.

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about Tri-Luma, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about Tri-Luma. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using Tri-Luma.

Review Date: October 4, 2017

Mechanism of Action

The mechanism of action of the active ingredients in Tri-Luma Cream in the treatment of melasma is unknown.

Pharmacokinetics

Percutaneous absorption of unchanged tretinoin, hydroquinone and fluocinolone acetonide into the systemic circulation of two groups of healthy volunteers (Total N=59) was found to be minimal following 8 weeks of daily application of 1g (Group I, n=45) or 6g (Group II, n=14) of Tri-Luma Cream.

For tretinoin quantifiable plasma concentrations were obtained in 57.78% (26 out of 45) of Group I and 57.14% (8 out of 14) of Group II subjects. The exposure to tretinoin as reflected by the Cmax values ranged from 2.01 to 5.34 ng/mL (Group I) and 2.0 to 4.99 ng/mL (Group II). Thus, daily application of Tri-Luma Cream resulted in a minimal increase of normal endogenous levels of tretinoin. The circulating tretinoin levels represent only a portion of total tretinoin-associated retinoids, which would include metabolites of tretinoin and that sequestered into peripheral tissues.

For hydroquinone, quantifiable plasma concentrations were obtained in 18% (8 out of 44) Group I subjects. The exposure to hydroquinone, as reflected by the Cmax values, ranged from 25.55 to 86.52 ng/mL. All Group II subjects (6g dose) had post-dose plasma hydroquinone concentrations below the quantitation limit. For fluocinolone acetonide, Groups I and II subjects had all post-dose plasma concentrations below quantitation limit.

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

When fluocinolone acetonide, hydroquinone, and tretinoin in fixed combinations equivalent to 10%, 50%, 100%, and 150% of the concentrations in the clinical formulation of Tri-Luma Cream were applied topically to male and female CD-1 mice for up to 24 months at dosages approximating up to 50, 19,000, and 250 µg/kg/day, respectively (corresponding to dosages of 150, 57,000, and 750 μg/m2/day, respectively), no statistically significant changes in tumor incidence were observed.

When fluocinolone acetonide, hydroquinone, and tretinoin in fixed combinations equivalent to 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of the concentrations in the clinical formulation of Tri-Luma Cream were applied topically to male and female SD rats for up to 24 months at dosages approximating up to 10, 4000, and 50 µg/kg/day, respectively (corresponding to dosages of 60, 24,000, and 300 μg/m2/day, respectively), statistically significant increases in the incidences of islet cell adenomas and combined islet cell adenomas and carcinomas of the pancreas in both males and females were observed. The clinical relevance of these findings is unknown.

Studies of hydroquinone in animals have demonstrated some evidence of carcinogenicity. The carcinogenic potential of hydroquinone in humans is unknown.

Studies in hairless albino mice suggest that concurrent exposure to tretinoin may enhance the tumorigenic potential of carcinogenic doses of UVB and UVA light from a solar simulator. This effect has been confirmed in a later study in pigmented mice, and dark pigmentation did not overcome the enhancement of photocarcinogenesis by 0.05% tretinoin. Although the significance of these studies to humans is not clear, patients should minimize exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet irradiation sources.

Mutagenicity studies were not conducted with this combination of active ingredients. Published studies have demonstrated that hydroquinone is a mutagen and a clastogen. Treatment with hydroquinone has resulted in positive findings for genetic toxicity in the Ames assay in bacterial strains sensitive to oxidizing mutagens, in in vitro studies in mammalian cells, and in the in vivo mouse micronucleus assay. Tretinoin has been shown to be negative for mutagenesis in the Ames assay. Additional information regarding the genetic toxicity potential of tretinoin and of fluocinolone acetonide is not available.

A dermal reproductive fertility study was conducted in SD rats using a 10-fold dilution of the clinical formulation. No effect was seen on the traditional parameters used to assess fertility, although prolongation of estrus was observed in some females, and there was a trend towards an increase in pre-and post-implantation loss that was not statistically significant. No adequate study of fertility and early embryonic toxicity of the full-strength drug product has been performed. In a six-month study in minipigs, small testes and severe hypospermia were found when males were treated topically with the full strength drug product.