Important Preparation Instructions

•

Dilution of Ondansetron Injection in 50 mL of 5% Dextrose Injection or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection is required before administration to adult and pediatric patients for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with emetogenic chemotherapy.
For pediatric patients between 6 months and 1 year of age and/or 10 kg or less: Depending on the fluid needs of the patient, Ondansetron Injection may be diluted in 10 to 50 mL of 5% Dextrose Injection or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection.

•

Occasionally, ondansetron precipitates at the stopper/vial interface in vials stored upright. Potency and safety are not affected. If a precipitate is observed, resolubilize by shaking the vial vigorously.

•

Do not mix Ondansetron Injection with solutions for which physical and chemical compatibility has not been established. In particular, this applies to alkaline solutions as a precipitate may form.

•

Inspect the diluted Ondansetron Injection solution for particulate matter and discoloration before administration; discard if present.

•

Storage: After dilution, do not use beyond 24 hours. Although Ondansetron Injection is chemically and physically stable when diluted as recommended, sterile precautions should be observed because diluents generally do not contain preservative.

•

Compatibility: Ondansetron Injection is compatible and stable at room temperature under normal lighting conditions for 48 hours after dilution with the following intravenous fluids: 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, 5% Dextrose Injection, 5% Dextrose and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, 5% Dextrose and 0.45% Sodium Chloride Injection, and 3% Sodium Chloride Injection.

Important Preparation Instructions

•

Dilution of Ondansetron Injection is not required before administration to adult and pediatric patients.

•

Inspect Ondansetron Injection visually for particulate matter and discoloration before administration; discard if present.

Dosage and Administration

The recommended dose and administration instructions for adult and pediatric patients 1 month of age and older for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting are shown in Table 1.

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Cardiovascular: Rare cases of angina (chest pain), electrocardiographic alterations, hypotension, and tachycardia have been reported.

Gastrointestinal: Constipation has been reported in 11% of chemotherapy patients receiving multiday ondansetron.

Hepatic: In comparative trials in cisplatin chemotherapy patients with normal baseline values of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), these enzymes have been reported to exceed twice the upper limit of normal in approximately 5% of patients. The increases were transient and did not appear to be related to dose or duration of therapy. On repeat exposure, similar transient elevations in transaminase values occurred in some courses, but symptomatic hepatic disease did not occur.

Integumentary: Rash has occurred in approximately 1% of patients receiving ondansetron.

Neurological: There have been rare reports consistent with, but not diagnostic of, extrapyramidal reactions in patients receiving Ondansetron Injection, and rare cases of grand mal seizure.

Other: Rare cases of hypokalemia have been reported.

Postoperative Nausea and/or Vomiting

The adverse reactions in Table 3 have been reported in ≥ 2% of adults receiving ondansetron at a dosage of 4 mg intravenous over 2 to 5 minutes in clinical trials.

Cardiovascular

Arrhythmias (including ventricular and supraventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions, and atrial fibrillation), bradycardia, electrocardiographic alterations (including second-degree heart block, QT/QTc interval prolongation, and ST segment depression), palpitations, and syncope. Rarely and predominantly with intravenous ondansetron, transient ECG changes, including QT/QTc interval prolongation have been reported [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].

Myocardial ischemia was reported predominately with intravenous administration [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

General

Flushing: Rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions, sometimes severe (e.g., anaphylactic reactions, angioedema, bronchospasm, cardiopulmonary arrest, hypotension, laryngeal edema, laryngospasm, shock, shortness of breath, stridor) have also been reported. A positive lymphocyte transformation test to ondansetron has been reported, which suggests immunologic sensitivity to ondansetron.

Hepatobiliary

Liver enzyme abnormalities have been reported. Liver failure and death have been reported in patients with cancer receiving concurrent medications, including potentially hepatotoxic cytotoxic chemotherapy and antibiotics.

Local Reactions

Pain, redness, and burning at site of injection.

Lower Respiratory

Hiccups.

Neurological

Oculogyric crisis, appearing alone, as well as with other dystonic reactions. Transient dizziness during or shortly after intravenous infusion.

Skin

Urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Eye Disorders

Cases of transient blindness, predominantly during intravenous administration, have been reported. These cases of transient blindness were reported to resolve within a few minutes up to 48 hours. Transient blurred vision, in some cases associated with abnormalities of accommodation, has also been reported.

Risk Summary

Published epidemiological studies on the association between ondansetron use and major birth defects have reported inconsistent findings and have important methodological limitations that preclude conclusions about the safety of ondansetron use in pregnancy (see Data). Available postmarketing data have not identified a drug-associated risk of miscarriage or adverse maternal outcomes. Reproductive studies in rats and rabbits did not show evidence of harm to the fetus when ondansetron was administered intravenously during organogenesis at approximately 3.6 and 2.9 times the maximum recommended human intravenous dose of 0.15 mg/kg given three times a day, based on body surface area (BSA), respectively (see Data).

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

Data

Risk Summary

It is not known whether ondansetron is present in human milk. There are no data on the effects of ondansetron on the breastfed infant or the effects on milk production. However, it has been demonstrated that ondansetron is present in the milk of rats. When a drug is present in animal milk, it is likely that the drug will be present in human milk.

The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for ondansetron and any potential adverse effects on the breast-fed infant from ondansetron or from the underlying maternal condition.

Cardiac Electrophysiology

QTc interval prolongation was studied in a double-blind, single intravenous dose, placebo- and positive-controlled, crossover trial in 58 healthy subjects. The maximum mean (95% upper confidence bound) difference in QTcF from placebo after baseline correction was 19.5 (21.8) ms and 5.6 (7.4) ms after 15-minute intravenous infusions of 32 mg and 8 mg Ondansetron Injection, respectively. A significant exposure-response relationship was identified between ondansetron concentration and ΔΔQTcF. Using the established exposure-response relationship, 24 mg infused intravenously over 15 minutes had a mean predicted (95% upper prediction interval) ΔΔQTcF of 14.0 (16.3) ms. In contrast, 16 mg infused intravenously over 15 minutes using the same model had a mean predicted (95% upper prediction interval) ΔΔQTcF of 9.1 (11.2) ms. In this study, the 8 mg dose infused over 15 minutes did not prolong the QT interval to any clinically relevant extent.

Absorption

A trial was performed in normal volunteers (n = 56) to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a single 4 mg dose administered as a 5-minute infusion compared with a single intramuscular injection. Systemic exposure as measured by mean area under curve (AUC) were equivalent, with values of 156 [95% CI 136, 180] and 161 [95% CI 137, 190] ng∙h/mL for intravenous and intramuscular groups, respectively. Mean peak plasma concentrations were 42.9 [95% CI 33.8, 54.4] ng/mL at 10 minutes after intravenous infusion and 31.9 [95% CI 26.3, 38.6] ng/mL at 41 minutes after intramuscular injection.

Distribution

Plasma protein binding of ondansetron as measured in vitro was 70% to 76%, over the pharmacologic concentration range of 10 to 500 ng/mL. Circulating drug also distributes into erythrocytes.

Elimination

Specific Populations

Drug Interaction Studies

Adults

In a double-blind trial of three different dosing regimens of Ondansetron Injection, 0.015 mg/kg, 0.15 mg/kg, and 0.30 mg/kg, each given three times during the course of cancer chemotherapy, the 0.15 mg/kg dosing regimen was more effective than the 0.015 mg/kg dosing regimen. The 0.30 mg/kg dosing regimen was not shown to be more effective than the 0.15 mg/kg dosing regimen.

Pediatrics

Four open-label, noncomparative (one US, three foreign) trials have been performed with 209 pediatric cancer patients aged 4 to 18 years given a variety of cisplatin or noncisplatin regimens. In the three foreign trials, the initial dose of Ondansetron Injection ranged from 0.04 to 0.87 mg/kg for a total dose of 2.16 to 12 mg. This was followed by the oral administration of ondansetron ranging from 4 to 24 mg daily for 3 days. In the US trial, ondansetron was administered intravenously (only) in three doses of 0.15 mg/kg each for a total daily dose of 7.2 to 39 mg. In these trials, 58% of the 196 evaluable patients had a complete response (no emetic episodes) on Day 1. Thus, prevention of vomiting in these pediatric patients was essentially the same as for patients older than 18 years.

An open-label, multicenter, noncomparative trial has been performed in 75 pediatric cancer patients aged 6 to 48 months receiving at least one moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapeutic agent. Fifty-seven percent (57%) were females; 67% were white, 18% were American Hispanic, and 15% were black patients. Ondansetron was administered intravenously over 15 minutes in three doses of 0.15 mg/kg. The first dose was administered 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy; the second and third doses were administered 4 and 8 hours after the first dose, respectively. Eighteen patients (25%) received routine prophylactic dexamethasone (i.e., not given as rescue). Of the 75 evaluable patients, 56% had a complete response (no emetic episodes) on Day 1. Thus, prevention of vomiting in these pediatric patients was comparable to the prevention of vomiting in patients aged 4 years and older.

Adults

Adult surgical patients who received ondansetron immediately before the induction of general balanced anesthesia (barbiturate: thiopental, methohexital, or thiamylal; opioid: alfentanil or fentanyl; nitrous oxide; neuromuscular blockade: succinylcholine/curare and/or vecuronium or atracurium; and supplemental isoflurane) were evaluated in two double-blind US trials involving 554 patients. Ondansetron Injection (4 mg) intravenous given over 2 to 5 minutes was significantly more effective than placebo. The results of these trials are summarized in Table 10.

The populations in Table 10 consisted mainly of females undergoing laparoscopic procedures.

In a placebo-controlled trial conducted in 468 males undergoing outpatient procedures, a single 4 mg intravenous ondansetron dose prevented postoperative vomiting over a 24-hour period in 79% of males receiving drug compared with 63% of males receiving placebo (P < 0.001).

Two other placebo-controlled trials were conducted in 2,792 patients undergoing major abdominal or gynecological surgeries to evaluate a single 4 mg or 8 mg intravenous ondansetron dose for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting over a 24-hour period. At the 4 mg dosage, 59% of patients receiving ondansetron versus 45% receiving placebo in the first trial (P < 0.001) and 41% of patients receiving ondansetron versus 30% receiving placebo in the second trial (P = 0.001) experienced no emetic episodes. No additional benefit was observed in patients who received intravenous ondansetron 8 mg compared with patients who received intravenous ondansetron 4 mg.

Pediatrics

Three double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have been performed (one US, two foreign) in 1049 male and female patients (aged 2 to 12 years) undergoing general anesthesia with nitrous oxide. The surgical procedures included tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy, strabismus surgery, herniorrhaphy, and orchidopexy. Patients were randomized to either single intravenous doses of ondansetron (0.1 mg/kg for pediatric patients weighing 40 kg or less, 4 mg for pediatric patients weighing more than 40 kg) or placebo. Study drug was administered over at least 30 seconds, immediately prior to or following anesthesia induction. Ondansetron was significantly more effective than placebo in preventing nausea and vomiting. The results of these trials are summarized in Table 11.

A double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 670 pediatric patients aged 1 month to 24 months who were undergoing routine surgery under general anesthesia. Seventy-five percent (75%) were males; 64% were white, 15% were black, 13% were American Hispanic, 2% were Asian, and 6% were "other race" patients. A single 0.1 mg/kg intravenous dose of ondansetron administered within 5 minutes following induction of anesthesia was statistically significantly more effective than placebo in preventing vomiting. In the placebo group, 28% of patients experienced vomiting compared with 11% of subjects who received ondansetron (P ≤ 0.01). Overall, 32 (10%) of placebo patients and 18 (5%) of patients who received ondansetron received antiemetic rescue medication(s) or prematurely withdrew from the trial.

Adults

Adult surgical patients receiving general balanced anesthesia (barbiturate: thiopental, methohexital, or thiamylal; opioid: alfentanil or fentanyl; nitrous oxide; neuromuscular blockade: succinylcholine/curare and/or vecuronium or atracurium; and supplemental isoflurane) who received no prophylactic antiemetics and who experienced nausea and/or vomiting within 2 hours postoperatively were evaluated in two double-blind US trials involving 441 patients. Patients who experienced an episode of postoperative nausea and/or vomiting were given Ondansetron Injection (4 mg) intravenously over 2 to 5 minutes, and this was significantly more effective than placebo. The results of these trials are summarized in Table 12.

The populations in Table 12 consisted mainly of women undergoing laparoscopic procedures.

Pediatrics

One double-blind, placebo-controlled, US trial was performed in 351 male and female outpatients (aged 2 to 12 years) who received general anesthesia with nitrous oxide and no prophylactic antiemetics. Surgical procedures were unrestricted. Patients who experienced two or more emetic episodes within 2 hours following discontinuation of nitrous oxide were randomized to either single intravenous doses of ondansetron (0.1 mg/kg for pediatric patients weighing 40 kg or less, 4 mg for pediatric patients weighing more than 40 kg) or placebo administered over at least 30 seconds. Ondansetron was significantly more effective than placebo in preventing further episodes of nausea and vomiting. The results of the trial are summarized in Table 13.