Xermelo (telotristat ethyl)

Xermelo is indicated for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome diarrhea, which is diarrhea caused by cancerous tumors, in combination with somatostatin analog (SSA) therapy in adults inadequately controlled by SSA therapy.

Clinical Trials Experience

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 practice.

• Xermelo was studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 90 patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoid syndrome diarrhea.
• Patients reported between 4 to 12 bowel movements daily despite the use of SSA therapy at a stable dose for at least 3 months. Placebo or Xermelo 250 mg was administered three times daily for 12 weeks.
• Concomitant anti-diarrheal medications (e.g., loperamide) were used by 43% (36% and 51% in the placebo and Xermelo group, respectively), pancreatic enzyme replacement medications by 39% (36% and 42% in the placebo and Xermelo group, respectively), and opioid analgesics by 29% (24% and 33% in the placebo and Xermelo group, respectively) of patients during the 12-week double-blind period of the trial.

Table 1 below lists adverse reactions occurring at an incidence of at least 5% in the Xermelo group (N=45) and at an incidence greater than placebo (N=45) during the 12-week placebocontrolled period of the trial.

Table 1: Percent Common Adverse Reactions^a by Treatment Group at 12-Weeks in a Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Patients with Carcinoid Syndrome Diarrhea

In another placebo-controlled clinical trial of patients with carcinoid syndrome diarrhea and less than 4 bowel movements per day, the following additional adverse reactions, not listed in Table 1, of abdominal pain (including upper and lower abdominal pain, abdominal distention and gastrointestinal pain) and constipation were reported in at least 5% of patients in the Xermelo treated group and at an incidence greater than placebo.

Less Common Adverse Reactions

The following is a list of adverse reactions occurring in less than 5% of patients receiving Xermelo during the 12-week placebo-controlled period of the clinical trial:

Investigations: increased alkaline phosphatase, increased alanine aminotransferase, and increased aspartate aminotransferase.

Fecaloma was reported in one patient treated with Xermelo during the 36-week open-label extension period following the 12-week double-blind period of the trial.

The recommended dosage of Xermelo in adult patients is 250 mg three times daily for patients whose diarrhea is inadequately controlled by SSA therapy.

Administration

• Take Xermelo with food.
• When short-acting octreotide is used in combination with Xermelo, administer shortacting octreotide at least 30 minutes after administering Xermelo.
• If a dose is missed, take the next dose at the regular time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.
• Discontinue Xermelo if severe constipation develops.

CYP3A4 Substrates

• Concomitant use of Xermelo may decrease the efficacy of drugs that are CYP3A4 substrates (e.g., midazolam) by decreasing their systemic exposure.
• Monitor for suboptimal efficacy and consider increasing the dose for concomitant CYP3A4 substrates, if necessary.

Short-Acting Octreotide

• Concurrent administration of short-acting octreotide with Xermelo significantly decreased the systemic exposure of telotristat ethyl and telotristat, the active metabolite.
• If treatment with short-acting octreotide is needed in combination with Xermelo, administer short-acting octreotide at least 30 minutes after administration of Xermelo.

• There are no human data with Xermelo use in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk.
• There are no data on the presence of telotristat ethyl in human or animal milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production.
• The effects of local gastrointestinal and systemic exposure to telotristat ethyl on breastfed infants are unknown.
• The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for Xermelo and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Xermelo or from the underlying maternal condition.