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Sensipar lowers serum calcium and, therefore, patients should be carefully monitored for the occurrence of hypocalcemia during treatment [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and ADVERSE REACTIONS]. Life threatening events and fatal outcomes associated with hypocalcemia have been reported in patients treated with Sensipar, including pediatric patients [see Pediatric Use]. Potential manifestations of hypocalcemia include paresthesias, myalgias, muscle cramping, tetany, and convulsions.
Sensipar is not indicated for patients with CKD not on dialysis [see INDICATIONS AND USAGE]. In patients with secondary HPT and CKD not on dialysis, the long term safety and efficacy of Sensipar have not been established. Clinical studies indicate that Sensipar-treated patients with CKD not on dialysis have an increased risk for hypocalcemia compared with Sensipar-treated patients with CKD on dialysis, which may be due to lower baseline calcium levels. In a phase 3 study of 32 weeks duration and including 404 patients with CKD not on dialysis (302 cinacalcet, 102 placebo), in which the median dose for cinacalcet was 60 mg per day at the completion of the study, 80% of Sensipar-treated patients experienced at least one serum calcium value < 8.4 mg/dL compared with 5% of patients receiving placebo.
Decreases in serum calcium can also prolong the QT interval, potentially resulting in ventricular arrhythmia. Cases of QT prolongation and ventricular arrhythmia secondary to hypocalcemia have been reported in patients treated with Sensipar.
In clinical studies, seizures (primarily generalized or tonic-clonic) were observed in 1.4% (43/3049) of Sensipar-treated patients and 0.7% (5/687) of placebo-treated patients. While the basis for the reported difference in seizure rate is not clear, the threshold for seizures is lowered by significant reductions in serum calcium levels. Therefore, serum calcium levels should be closely monitored in patients receiving Sensipar, particularly in patients with a history of a seizure disorder.
Hypotension and/or Worsening Heart Failure
In postmarketing safety surveillance, isolated, idiosyncratic cases of hypotension, worsening heart failure, and/or arrhythmia have been reported in patients with impaired cardiac function, in which a causal relationship to Sensipar could not be completely excluded and which may be mediated by reductions in serum calcium levels [see ADVERSE REACTIONS].
Adynamic Bone Disease
Adynamic bone disease may develop if iPTH levels are suppressed below 100 pg/mL. One clinical study evaluated bone histomorphometry in patients treated with Sensipar for 1 year. Three patients with mild hyperparathyroid bone disease at the beginning of the study developed adynamic bone disease during treatment with Sensipar. Two of these patients had iPTH levels below 100 pg/mL at multiple time points during the study. In three 6-month, phase 3 studies conducted in patients with CKD on dialysis, 11% of patients treated with Sensipar had mean iPTH values below 100 pg/mL during the efficacy-assessment phase. If iPTH levels decrease below 150 pg/mL in patients treated with Sensipar, the dose of Sensipar and/or vitamin D sterols should be reduced or therapy discontinued.
Cinacalcet exposure, as defined by the Area Under the Plasma Drug Concentration Time Curve (AUC0-infinite), is increased by 2.4 and 4.2 fold in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment, respectively. These patients should be monitored throughout treatment with Sensipar [see Use in Specific Populations and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, And Impairment Of Fertility
Standard lifetime dietary carcinogenicity bioassays were conducted in mice and rats. Mice were given cinacalcet at dietary doses of 15, 50, and 125 mg/kg/day in males and 30, 70, and 200 mg/kg/day in females (exposures up to 2 times those resulting with a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparison). Rats were given dietary doses of 5, 15, and 35 mg/kg/day in males and 5, 20, and 35 mg/kg/day in females (exposures up to 2 times those resulting with a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparison). No increased incidence of tumors was observed following treatment with cinacalcet.
Cinacalcet was not genotoxic in the Ames bacterial mutagenicity assay, nor in the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell HGPRT forward mutation assay and CHO cell chromosomal aberration assay, with and without metabolic activation, nor in the in vivo mouse micronucleus assay.
Impairment of Fertility
Female rats were given oral gavage doses of 5, 25, and 75 mg/kg/day cinacalcet beginning 2 weeks before mating and continuing through gestation day 7. Male rats were given oral doses 4 weeks prior to mating, during mating (3 weeks) and 2 weeks postmating. No effects were observed in male or female fertility at 5 and 25 mg/kg/day (exposures up to 3 times those resulting with a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparison). At 75 mg/kg/day, there were slight adverse effects (slight decreases in body weight and food consumption) in males and females.
Use In Specific Populations
In pregnant female rats given oral gavage doses of 2, 25, 50 mg/kg/day cinacalcet during gestation, no teratogenicity was observed at doses up to 50 mg/kg/day (exposure 4 times those resulting with a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on Area Under the Curve [AUC] comparison). Decreased fetal body weights were observed at all doses (less than 1 to 4 times a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparison) in conjunction with maternal toxicity (decreased food consumption and body weight gain).
In pregnant female rabbits given oral gavage doses of 2, 12, 25 mg/kg/day cinacalcet during gestation, no adverse fetal effects were observed (exposures less than with a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparisons). Reductions in maternal food consumption and body weight gain were seen at doses of 12 and 25 mg/kg/day. Sensipar has been shown to cross the placental barrier in rabbits.
In pregnant rats given oral gavage doses of 5, 15, 25 mg/kg/day cinacalcet during gestation through lactation, no adverse fetal or pup (post-weaning) effects were observed at 5 mg/kg/day (exposures less than with a human therapeutic dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparisons). Higher doses of 15 and 25 mg/kg/day cinacalcet (exposures 2 to 3 times a human oral dose of 180 mg/day based on AUC comparisons) were accompanied by maternal signs of hypocalcemia (periparturient mortality and early postnatal pup loss), and reductions in postnatal maternal and pup body-weight gain.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Sensipar in pregnant women. Sensipar should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Women who become pregnant during Sensipar treatment are encouraged to enroll in Amgen's Pregnancy Surveillance Program. Patients or their physicians should call 1-800-77-AMGEN (1-800-772-6436) to enroll.
Studies in rats have shown that Sensipar is excreted in the milk with a high milk-to-plasma ratio. It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Considering these data in rats, and because many drugs are excreted in human milk and there is a potential for clinically significant adverse reactions in infants who ingest Sensipar, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the lactating woman.
Women who choose to continue Sensipar treatment while nursing are encouraged to enroll in Amgen's Lactation Surveillance Program. Patients or their physicians should call 1-800-77-AMGEN (1-800-772-6436) to enroll.
The safety and efficacy of Sensipar in pediatric patients have not been established. Sensipar is not indicated for use in pediatric patients. A fatal outcome was reported in a pediatric clinical trial patient with severe hypocalcaemia [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Of the total number of subjects (n=1136) in clinical studies of Sensipar, 26 percent were 65 and over, and 9 percent were 75 and over. No overall differences in the safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger subjects, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out [see Clinical Studies and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
No dosage adjustment is necessary for renal impairment [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].
Patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment should have serum calcium, serum phosphorus, and iPTH levels monitored closely throughout treatment with Sensipar because cinacalcet exposure (AUC0-infinite) is increased by 2.4 and 4.2 fold, respectively, in these patients [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY].This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
Last reviewed on RxList: 12/11/2014
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