Get your patient on Bonjesta (Doxylamine Succinate And Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)

Initially, take one BONJESTA extended-release tablet orally at bedtime (Day 1). If this dose adequately controls symptoms the next day, continue taking one tablet daily at bedtime only. However, if symptoms persist on Day 2, increase the daily dose to one tablet in the morning and one tablet at bedtime. The maximum recommended dose is two tablets per day, one in the morning and one at bedtime.

Take on an empty stomach with a glass of water [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Swallow tablets whole. Do not crush, chew, or split BONJESTA tablets.

Take daily and not on an as needed basis. Reassess the woman for continued need for BONJESTA as her pregnancy progresses.

Risk Summary

BONJESTA is intended for the treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management. Maternal risks are discussed throughout the labeling. No increased risk for congenital malformations has been reported in epidemiologic studies in pregnant women.

In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risks for major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies are 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Data

​Human Data

The combination of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride has been the subject of many epidemiological studies (cohort, case control and meta-analyses) designed to detect possible teratogenicity. A meta-analysis of 16 cohort and 11 case-control studies published between 1963 and 1991 reported no increased risk for malformations from first trimester exposures to doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride, with or without dicyclomine hydrochloride. A second meta-analysis of 12 cohort and 5 case-control studies published between 1963 and 1985 reported no statistically significant relationships between fetal abnormalities and the first trimester use of the combination of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride with or without dicyclomine hydrochloride.

​Risk Summary

Women should not breastfeed while using BONJESTA.

The molecular weight of doxylamine succinate is low enough that passage into breast milk can be expected. Excitement, irritability and sedation have been reported in nursing infants presumably exposed to doxylamine succinate through breast milk. Infants with apnea or other respiratory syndromes may be particularly vulnerable to the sedative effects of BONJESTA resulting in worsening of their apnea or respiratory conditions.

Pyridoxine hydrochloride is excreted into breast milk. There have been no reports of adverse events in infants presumably exposed to pyridoxine hydrochloride through breast milk.

The safety and effectiveness of BONJESTA in children under 18 years of age have not been established.

Fatalities have been reported from doxylamine overdose in children. The overdose cases have been characterized by coma, grand mal seizures and cardiorespiratory arrest. Children appear to be at a high risk for cardiorespiratory arrest. A toxic dose for children of more than 1.8 mg/kg has been reported. A 3 year old child died 18 hours after ingesting 1,000 mg doxylamine succinate. However, there is no correlation between the amount of doxylamine ingested, the doxylamine plasma level and clinical symptomatology.

BONJESTA may cause somnolence due to the anticholinergic properties of doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine. Women should avoid engaging in activities requiring complete mental alertness, such as driving or operating heavy machinery, while using BONJESTA until cleared to do so by their healthcare provider.

BONJESTA use is not recommended if a woman is concurrently using central nervous system (CNS) depressants including alcohol. The combination may result in severe drowsiness leading to falls or accidents [see Drug Interactions (7.1) ] .

BONJESTA has anticholinergic properties and, therefore, should be used with caution in women with: increased intraocular pressure, narrow angle glaucoma, stenosing peptic ulcer, pyloroduodenal obstruction or urinary bladder-neck obstruction.

There have been reports of false positive urine screening tests for methadone, opiates, and PCP with doxylamine succinate/pyridoxine hydrochloride use [see Drug Interactions (7.3)].

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.

The safety and efficacy of combination 10 mg doxylamine succinate and 10 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride tablets compared to placebo was studied in a double-blind, randomized, multi-center trial in 261 women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. The mean gestational age at enrollment was 9.3 weeks, range 7 to 14 weeks gestation [see Clinical Studies (14) ] . Adverse reactions that occurred at an incidence ≥5 percent and exceeded the incidence for placebo are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1: Number (Percent) of Women with ≥ 5 Percent Adverse Reactions in a 15-Day Placebo-Controlled Trial of Combination 10 mg Doxylamine Succinate and 10 mg Pyridoxine Hydrochloride Tablets (Only Those Adverse Reactions Occurring at an Incidence ≥ 5 Percent and at a Higher Incidence than Placebo are Shown)

The following adverse events, listed alphabetically, have been identified during post-approval use of the combination of 10 mg doxylamine succinate and 10 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure .

Cardiac disorders : dyspnea, palpitation, tachycardia

Ear and labyrinth disorders : vertigo

Eye disorders : vision blurred, visual disturbances

Gastrointestinal disorders : abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea

General disorders and administration site conditions : chest discomfort, fatigue, irritability, malaise

Immune system disorders : hypersensitivity

Nervous system disorders : dizziness, headache, migraines, paresthesia, psychomotor hyperactivity

Psychiatric disorders : anxiety, disorientation, insomnia, nightmares

Renal and urinary disorders : dysuria, urinary retention

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders : hyperhidrosis, pruritus, rash, rash maculopapular

Use of BONJESTA is contraindicated in women who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which prolong and intensify the adverse central nervous system effects (the anticholinergic effects) of antihistamines. Concurrent use of alcohol and other CNS depressants (such as hypnotic sedatives and tranquilizers) with BONJESTA is not recommended.

A food-effect trial demonstrated that the delay in the onset of action of BONJESTA may be further delayed, and a reduction in absorption may occur when tablets are taken with food [see Dosage and Administration (2) , Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Therefore, BONJESTA should be taken on an empty stomach with a glass of water [see Dosage and Administration (2 )].

False positive drug screens for methadone, opiates, and PCP can occur with doxylamine succinate/pyridoxine hydrochloride use. Confirmatory tests, such as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), should be used to confirm the identity of the substance in the event of a positive immunoassay result.

The mechanism of action of BONJESTA is unknown.

The pharmacokinetics of BONJESTA has been characterized in healthy non-pregnant adult women.

Absorption

In a single-dose, crossover clinical trial conducted in 48 healthy, premenopausal women under fasting conditions, one BONJESTA (20 mg doxylamine succinate and 20 mg pyridoxine) tablet was bioequivalent to two combination tablets of 10 mg doxylamine succinate and 10 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride based on the exposure (AUC) and peak concentration (C _max ) of doxylamine and baseline corrected pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Mean ± SD plasma (whole blood for pyridoxal) pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters are summarized in Table 2.

In a multiple-dose, crossover clinical trial conducted in 31 healthy, premenopausal women, one BONJESTA (20 mg doxylamine succinate and 20 mg pyridoxine) tablet given twice daily for 11 days was bioequivalent to one combination tablet of 10 mg doxylamine succinate and 10 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride given three times daily (1 tablet in the morning, 1 tablet in the afternoon and 2 tablets at bedtime), based on the exposure (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of doxylamine and baseline corrected pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Mean ± SD plasma (whole blood for pyridoxal) PK parameters are summarized in Table 3.

Food Effect

In a single-dose, crossover clinical trial conducted in 23 healthy, premenopausal women, the administration of a high fat, high calorie meal delayed the absorption of doxylamine, pyridoxine, and pyridoxine metabolites. This delay is associated with lower peak concentrations of doxylamine, pyridoxine, and pyridoxal. The extent of absorption for pyridoxine was decreased.

The effect of food on the peak concentration and the extent of absorption of the pyridoxine component is more complex because the pyridoxine metabolites such as pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, and pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate also contribute to the biological activity. Food significantly reduces the bioavailability of pyridoxine, lowering its C _max and AUC by approximately 67% and 37%, respectively, compared to fasting conditions. Similarly, food significantly reduces pyridoxal C _max by approximately 46% compared to fasting conditions. In contrast, food did not affect pyridoxal 5′-phosphate Cmax and AUC.

Distribution

Pyridoxine is highly protein bound, primarily to albumin. Its main active metabolite, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) accounts for at least 60% of circulating vitamin B ₆ concentrations.

Metabolism

Doxylamine is biotransformed in the liver by N-dealkylation to its principal metabolites N-desmethyl-doxylamine and N, N-didesmethyldoxylamine.

Pyridoxine is a prodrug primarily metabolized in the liver.

Excretion

The principal metabolites of doxylamine, N-desmethyl-doxylamine and N, N-didesmethyldoxylamine, are excreted by the kidney.

The terminal elimination half-life of doxylamine and pyridoxine are 11.9 hours and 0.4 hours, respectively (see Table 5).

Use in Specific Populations

Race: No pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted related to race.

Hepatic Impairment: No pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted in hepatic impaired patients.

Renal Impairment: No pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted in renal impaired patients.

Carcinogenicity

Two-year carcinogenicity studies in rats and mice have been conducted with doxylamine succinate. Doxylamine succinate is not likely to have human carcinogenic potential. The carcinogenic potential of pyridoxine hydrochloride has not been evaluated.

BONJESTA extended-release tablets are supplied in a high-density polyethylene bottle with a polypropylene child-resistant cap and a silica gel desiccant canister. Each pink, round, film-coated, extended-release tablet contains 20 mg doxylamine succinate and 20 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride, and is imprinted on one side with the pink image of a pregnant woman and a "D" on the other side. BONJESTA tablets are provided as follows:

NDC 55494-120-60 Bottles of 60
NDC 55494-120-10 Bottles of 100

Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Keep bottle tightly closed and protect from moisture. Do not remove desiccant canister from bottle.