Inovelon is a brand name for Rufinamide. The medicine, its uses, side effects and dosage are the same regardless of brand.
Used for: Inovelon is indicated as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in patients 1 year of age and older.
Verbatim from this product's EMA label. Tap a section to expand.
Treatment with rufinamide should be initiated by a physician specialised in paediatrics or neurology with experience in the treatment of epilepsy. Inovelon oral suspension and Inovelon film-coated tablets may be interchanged at equal doses.
Patients should be monitored during the switch over period. 3 Posology Use in children from 1 year to less than 4 years of age Patients not receiving valproate: Treatment should be initiated at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day administered in two equally divided doses separated by approximately 12 hours.
According to clinical response and tolerability, the dose may be increased by up to 10 mg/kg/day every third day to a target dose of 45 mg/kg/day administered in two equally divided doses separated by approximately 12 hours. For this patient population, the maximum recommended dose is 45 mg/kg/day.
Patients receiving valproate:
As valproate significantly decreases clearance of rufinamide, a lower maximum dose of Inovelon is recommended for patients being co-administered valproate. Treatment should be initiated at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day administered in two equally divided doses separated by approximately 12 hours.
According to clinical response and tolerability, the dose may be increased by up to 10 mg/kg/day every third day to a target dose of 30 mg/kg/day administered in two equally divided doses separated by approximately 12 hours. For this patient population, the maximum recommended dose is 30 mg/kg/day.
If the recommended calculated dose of Inovelon is not achievable, the dose should be given to the nearest whole 100 mg tablet. Use in children 4 years of age or older and less than 30 kg Patients < 30 kg not receiving valproate: Treatment should be initiated at a daily dose of 200 mg.
According to clinical response and tolerability, the dose may be increased by 200 mg/day increments, as frequently as every third day, up to a maximum recommended dose of 1,000 mg/day. Doses of up to 3,600 mg/day have been studied in a limited number of patients.
Patients < 30 kg also receiving valproate:
As valproate significantly decreases clearance of rufinamide, a lower maximum dose of Inovelon is recommended for patients < 30 kg being co-administered valproate. Treatment should be initiated at a daily dose of 200 mg. According to clinical response and tolerability, after a minimum of 2 days the dose may be increased by 200 mg/day, to the maximum recommended dose of 600 mg/day.
Summary of the safety profile The clinical development program has included over 1,900 patients, with different types of epilepsy, exposed to rufinamide. The most commonly reported adverse reactions overall were headache, dizziness, fatigue, and somnolence.
The most common adverse reactions observed at a higher incidence than placebo in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome were somnolence and vomiting. Adverse reactions were usually mild to moderate in severity. 2% for patients receiving rufinamide and 0% for patients receiving placebo.
The most common adverse reactions resulting in discontinuation from the rufinamide treatment group were rash and vomiting. Tabulated list of adverse reactions Adverse reactions reported with an incidence greater than placebo, during the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome double-blind studies or in the overall rufinamide-exposed population, are listed in the table below by MedDRA preferred term, system organ class and by frequency.
Frequencies are defined as: very common (≥ 1/10), common (≥ 1/100 to < 1/10), uncommon (≥ 1/1,000 to < 1/100), rare (≥ 1/10,000 to < 1/1,000). 4. Additional information on special populations Paediatric Population (age 1 to less than 4 years) In a multicentre, open-label study comparing the addition of rufinamide to any other AED of the investigator’s choice to the existing regimen of 1 to 3 AEDs in paediatric patients, 1 to less than 4 years of age with inadequately controlled LGS, 25 patients, of which 10 subjects were aged 1 to 2 years, were exposed to rufinamide as adjunctive therapy for 24 weeks at a dose of up to 45 mg/kg/day, in 2 divided doses.
0% each). The frequency, type and severity of these adverse reactions were similar to that in children 4 years of age and older, adolescents and adults. Age characterisation in patients less than 4 years was not identified in the limited safety database due to small number of patients in the study.
Status epilepticus Status epilepticus cases have been observed during treatment with rufinamide in clinical development studies, whereas no such cases were observed with placebo. These events led to rufinamide discontinuation in 20% of the cases.
If patients develop new seizure types and/or experience an increased frequency of status epilepticus that is different from the patient’s baseline condition, then the benefit-risk ratio of the therapy should be reassessed. Withdrawal of rufinamide Rufinamide should be withdrawn gradually to reduce the possibility of seizures on withdrawal.
In clinical studies discontinuation was achieved by reducing the dose by approximately 25% every two days. There are insufficient data on the withdrawal of concomitant antiepileptic medicinal products once seizure control has been achieved with the addition of rufinamide.
8). Patients and carers should exercise caution until they are familiar with the potential effects of this medicinal product. Hypersensitivity reactions Serious antiepileptic medicinal product hypersensitivity syndrome including DRESS (Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome have occurred in association with rufinamide therapy.
Signs and symptoms of this disorder were diverse; however, patients typically, although not exclusively, presented with fever and rash associated with other organ system involvement. Other associated manifestations included lymphadenopathy, liver function tests abnormalities, and haematuria.
As the disorder is variable in its expression, other organ system signs and symptoms not noted here may occur. The antiepileptic drug (AED) hypersensitivity syndrome occurred in close temporal association to the initiation of rufinamide therapy and in the paediatric population.
If this reaction is suspected, rufinamide should be discontinued and alternative treatment started. All patients who develop a rash while taking rufinamide must be closely monitored. QT shortening In a thorough QT study, rufinamide produced a decrease in QTc interval proportional to concentration.
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Use in adults, adolescents and children 4 years of age or older of 30 kg or over Patients > 30 kg not receiving valproate: Treatment should be initiated at a daily dose of 400 mg. According to clinical response and tolerability, the dose may be increased by 400 mg/day increments, as frequently as every other day, up to a maximum recommended dose as indicated in the table below.
1 kg Maximum recommended dose 1,800 mg/day 2,400 mg/day 3,200 mg/day Doses of up to 4,000 mg/day (in the 30 - -50 kg range) or 4,800 mg/day (in the over 50 kg) have been studied in a limited number of patients. 4 Patients > 30 kg also receiving valproate: Treatment should be initiated at a daily dose of 400 mg.
According to clinical response and tolerability, the dose may be increased by 400 mg/day increments, as frequently as every other day, up to a maximum recommended dose as indicated in the table below. 1 kg Maximum recommended dose 1,200 mg/day 1,600 mg/day 2,200 mg/day Elderly There is limited information on the use of rufinamide in older people.
2), dosage adjustment is not required in patients over 65 years of age. 2). Hepatic impairment Use in patients with hepatic impairment has not been studied. Caution and careful dose titration is recommended when treating patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment.
Use in patients with severe hepatic impairment is not recommended. Discontinuation of rufinamide When rufinamide treatment is to be discontinued, it should be withdrawn gradually. 4). In the case of one or more missed doses, individualised clinical judgement is necessary.
Uncontrolled open-label studies suggest sustained long-term efficacy, although no controlled study has been conducted for longer than three months. Paediatric population The safety and efficacy of rufinamide in new-born infants or infants and toddlers aged less than 1 year have not been established.
2). Method of administration Rufinamide is for oral use. The tablet should be taken twice daily with water in the morning and in the evening, in two equally divided doses. 2). If the patient has difficulty with swallowing, tablets can be crushed and administered in half a glass of water.
Alternatively, use the score line to break the tablet into two equal halves. 5
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V.
, Congenital Short QT Syndrome or patients with a family history of such a syndrome). Women of childbearing potential Women of childbearing potential must use contraceptive measures during treatment with Inovelon. 6). 6 Lactose Inovelon contains lactose, therefore patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
e. is essentially ‘sodium- free’. Suicidal ideation Suicidal ideation and behaviour have been reported in patients treated with antiepileptic agents in several indications. A meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials of anti-epileptic medicinal products has also shown a small increased risk of suicidal ideation and behaviour.
The mechanism of this risk is not known and the available data do not exclude the possibility of an increased risk for Inovelon. Therefore patients should be monitored for signs of suicidal ideation and behaviours and appropriate treatment should be considered.
Patients (and caregivers of patients) should be advised to seek medical advice should signs of suicidal ideation or behaviour emerge.