Get your patient on Zioptan (Tafluprost)

Risk Summary

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of ZIOPTAN administration in pregnant women to inform of drug-associated risks. In animal reproduction studies, intravenous administration of tafluprost to pregnant rabbits and rats throughout organogenesis resulted in embryofetal toxicities at exposures ≥5-times the human dose in rabbit and ≥2362-times the human dose in rat. (see Data).

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population(s) is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively.

Data

Animal Data

In embryo-fetal development studies, intravenous administration of tafluprost to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis caused increases in post-implantation losses in both species and reductions in fetal body weights in rats (≥0.03 mcg/kg/day in rabbits, 5-times the maximum clinical exposure based on Cmax; ≥10 mcg/kg/day in rats, 2362-times the maximum clinical exposure based on Cmax). Tafluprost also increased the incidence of vertebral skeletal abnormalities in rats and the incidence of skull, brain and spine malformations in rabbits at these same doses. In rats, there were no adverse effects on embryo-fetal development at a dose of 3 mcg/kg/day corresponding to maternal plasma levels of tafluprost acid that were 343 times the maximum clinical exposure based on Cmax. At the no-effect dose in rabbits (0.01 mcg/kg/day), maternal plasma levels of tafluprost acid were below the lower level of quantification (20 pg/mL).

In a pre- and postnatal development study, intravenous administration of tafluprost to pregnant rats during organogenesis and through birth and lactation, caused increased mortality of newborns, decreased body weights and delayed pinna unfolding in offsprings. The no observed adverse effect level was at a tafluprost intravenous dose of 0.3 mcg/kg/day which is greater than 3 times the maximum recommended clinical dose based on body surface area comparison.

Risk Summary

There are no data on the presence of tafluprost or its metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production following topical ocular administration. Tafluprost and/or its metabolites are present in rat milk following ocular administration. When a drug is present in animal milk, it is likely that the drug will be present in human milk.

Use in pediatric patients is not recommended because of potential safety concerns related to increased pigmentation following long-term chronic use.

No overall clinical differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and other adult patients.

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

Preservative-containing or nonpreserved tafluprost 0.0015% was evaluated in 905 patients in five controlled clinical studies of up to 24-months duration. The most common adverse reaction observed in patients treated with tafluprost was conjunctival hyperemia which was reported in a range of 4% to 20% of patients. Approximately 1% of patients discontinued therapy due to ocular adverse reactions.

Ocular adverse reactions reported at an incidence of ≥ 2% in these clinical studies included ocular stinging/irritation (7%), ocular pruritus including allergic conjunctivitis (5%), cataract (3%), dry eye (3%), ocular pain (3%), eyelash darkening (2%), growth of eyelashes (2%) and vision blurred (2%).

Nonocular adverse reactions reported at an incidence of 2% to 6% in these clinical studies in patients treated with tafluprost 0.0015% were headache (6%), common cold (4%), cough (3%) and urinary tract infection (2%).

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of tafluprost. Because postapproval adverse 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.

Respiratory disorders: exacerbation of asthma, dyspnea

Eye disorders: iritis/uveitis

In postmarketing use with prostaglandin analogs, periorbital and lid changes including deepening of the eyelid sulcus have been observed.

Tafluprost acid, a prostaglandin analog is a selective FP prostanoid receptor agonist which is believed to reduce intraocular pressure by increasing uveoscleral outflow. The exact mechanism of action is unknown at this time.

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Carcinogenesis

Tafluprost was not carcinogenic when administered subcutaneously daily for 24 months at doses up to 30 mcg/kg/day in rats and for 18 months at doses up to 100 mcg/kg/day in mice (over 1600 and 1300 times, respectively, the maximum clinical exposure based on plasma AUC).

Mutagenesis

Tafluprost was not mutagenic or clastogenic in a battery of genetic toxicology studies, including an in vitro microbial mutagenesis assay, an in vitro chromosomal aberration assay in Chinese hamster lung cells, and an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay in bone marrow.

Impairment of Fertility

In rats, no adverse effects on mating performance or fertility were observed with intravenous dosing of tafluprost at a dose of 100 mcg/kg/day (over 14000 times the maximum clinical exposure based on plasma Cmax or over 3600 times based on plasma AUC).

Storage:

Store refrigerated at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F). During shipment ZIOPTAN may be maintained at temperatures up to 40°C (104°F) for a period not exceeding 2 days. Mail-order prescriptions received after two days of the dispensing date noted in the prescribing label should not be used. Store in the original pouch. After the pouch is opened, unopened single-dose containers may be stored in the opened foil pouch for up to 30 days at room temperature 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F). Protect from moisture. Write down the date you open the foil pouch in the space provided on the pouch. Discard any unopened containers 30 days after first opening the pouch.