5 )] The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) of pemetrexed, when administered as a single agent are fatigue, nausea, and anorexia. 1 ) The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) of pemetrexed when administered with cisplatin are vomiting, neutropenia, anemia, stomatitis/pharyngitis, thrombocytopenia, and constipation.
1 ) The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) of pemetrexed when administered in combination with pembrolizumab and platinum chemotherapy are fatigue/asthenia, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, decreased appetite, rash, vomiting, cough, dyspnea, and pyrexia.
gov/medwatch. 1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reactions rates cannot be directly compared to rates in other clinical trials and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.
In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) of pemetrexed, when administered as a single agent, are fatigue, nausea, and anorexia. The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) of pemetrexed, when administered in combination with cisplatin are vomiting, neutropenia, anemia, stomatitis/pharyngitis, thrombocytopenia, and constipation.
The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) of pemetrexed, when administered in combination with pembrolizumab and platinum chemotherapy, are fatigue/asthenia, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, decreased appetite, rash, vomiting, cough, dyspnea, and pyrexia.
Non-Squamous NSCLC First-line Treatment of Metastatic Non-squamous NSCLC with Pembrolizumab and Platinum Chemotherapy The safety of pemetrexed, in combination with pembrolizumab and investigator’s choice of platinum (either carboplatin or cisplatin), was investigated in Study KEYNOTE-189, a multicenter, double-blind, randomized (2:1), active-controlled trial in patients with previously untreated, metastatic non-squamous NSCLC with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.
A total of 607 patients received pemetrexed, pembrolizumab, and platinum every 3 weeks for 4 cycles followed by pemetrexed and pembrolizumab (n=405), or placebo, pemetrexed, and platinum every 3 weeks for 4 cycles followed by placebo and pemetrexed (n=202).
1 )] . 7 years). Seventy-two percent of patients received carboplatin. The study population characteristics were: median age of 64 years (range: 34 to 84), 49% age 65 years or older, 59% male, 94% White and 3% Asian, and 18% with history of brain metastases at baseline.
Pemetrexed was discontinued for adverse reactions in 23% of patients in the pemetrexed, pembrolizumab, and platinum arm. The most common adverse reactions resulting in discontinuation of pemetrexed in this arm were acute kidney injury (3%) and pneumonitis (2%).
Adverse reactions leading to interruption of pemetrexed occurred in 49% of patients in the pemetrexed, pembrolizumab, and platinum arm. The most common adverse reactions or laboratory abnormalities leading to interruption of pemetrexed in this arm (≥2%) were neutropenia (12%), anemia (7%), asthenia (4%), pneumonia (4%), thrombocytopenia (4%), increased blood creatinine (3%), diarrhea (3%), and fatigue (3%).
Table 2 summarizes the adverse reactions that occurred in ≥20% of patients treated with pemetrexed, pembrolizumab, and platinum. 03. b Includes asthenia and fatigue. c Includes genital rash, rash, rash generalized, rash macular, rash maculo-papular, rash papular, rash pruritic, and rash pustular.
Table 3 summarizes the laboratory abnormalities that worsened from baseline in at least 20% of patients treated with pemetrexed, pembrolizumab, and platinum. 1 Hypokalemia 21 5 20 5 Hematology Anemia 85 17 81 18 Lymphopenia 64 22 64 25 Neutropenia 48 20 41 19 Thrombocytopenia 30 12 29 8 a Each test incidence is based on the number of patients who had both baseline and at least one on-study laboratory measurement available: pemetrexed/pembrolizumab/platinum chemotherapy (range: 381 to 401 patients) and placebo/pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy (range: 184 to 197 patients).
03. Initial Treatment in Combination with Cisplatin The safety of pemetrexed was evaluated in Study JMDB, a randomized (1:1), open-label, multicenter trial conducted in chemotherapy-naive patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC.
Patients received either pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 intravenously and cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle (n=839) or gemcitabine 1250 mg/m 2 intravenously on Days 1 and 8 and cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle (n=830).
All patients were fully supplemented with folic acid and vitamin B 12 . Study JMDB excluded patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS of 2 or greater), uncontrolled third-space fluid retention, inadequate bone marrow reserve and organ function, or a calculated creatinine clearance less than 45 mL/min.
Patients unable to stop using aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or unable to take folic acid, vitamin B 12 or corticosteroids were also excluded from the study. The data described below reflect exposure to pemetrexed plus cisplatin in 839 patients in Study JMDB.
1% were Black or African American, and <1% were other ethnicities; 36% had an ECOG PS 0. Patients received a median of 5 cycles of pemetrexed. Table 4 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions that occurred in ≥5% of 839 patients receiving pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin in Study JMDB.
Study JMDB was not designed to demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in adverse reaction rates for pemetrexed, as compared to the control arm, for any specified adverse reaction listed in Table 4.
Table 4:
Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥5% of Fully Vitamin-Supplemented Patients Receiving Pemetrexed in Combination with Cisplatin Chemotherapy in Study JMDB Adverse Reaction a Pemetrexed/Cisplatin (N=839) Gemcitabine/Cisplatin (N=830) All Grades (%) Grade 3-4 (%) All Grades (%) Grade 3-4 (%) All adverse reactions 90 37 91 53 Laboratory Hematologic Anemia 33 6 46 10 Neutropenia 29 15 38 27 Thrombocytopenia 10 4 27 13 Renal Elevated creatinine 10 1 7 1 Clinical Constitutional symptoms Fatigue 43 7 45 5 Gastrointestinal Nausea 56 7 53 4 Vomiting 40 6 36 6 Anorexia 27 2 24 1 Constipation 21 1 20 0 Stomatitis/pharyngitis 14 1 12 0 Diarrhea 12 1 13 2 Dyspepsia/heartburn 5 0 6 0 Neurology Sensory neuropathy 9 0 12 1 Taste disturbance 8 0 9 0 Dermatology/Skin Alopecia 12 0 21 1 Rash/Desquamation 7 0 8 1 a NCI CTCAE version 2.
The following additional adverse reactions of pemetrexed were observed. Incidence 1% to <5% Body as a Whole — febrile neutropenia, infection, pyrexia General Disorders — dehydration Metabolism and Nutrition — increased AST, increased ALT Renal — renal failure Eye Disorder — conjunctivitis Incidence <1% Cardiovascular — arrhythmia General Disorders — chest pain Metabolism and Nutrition — increased GGT Neurology — motor neuropathy Maintenance Treatment Following First-line Non-Pemetrexed Containing Platinum-Based Chemotherapy In Study JMEN, the safety of pemetrexed was evaluated in a randomized (2:1), placebo-controlled, multicenter trial conducted in patients with non-progressive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC following four cycles of a first-line, platinum-based chemotherapy regimen.
Patients received either pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 or matching placebo intravenously every 21 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients in both study arms were fully supplemented with folic acid and vitamin B 12 .
Study JMEN excluded patients with an ECOG PS of 2 or greater, uncontrolled third-space fluid retention, inadequate bone marrow reserve and organ function, or a calculated creatinine clearance less than 45 mL/min. Patients unable to stop using aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or unable to take folic acid, vitamin B 12 or corticosteroids were also excluded from the study.
The data described below reflect exposure to pemetrexed in 438 patients in Study JMEN. 9% were Hispanic or Latino, and <2% were other ethnicities; 39% had an ECOG PS 0. Patients received a median of 5 cycles of pemetrexed and a relative dose intensity of pemetrexed of 96%.
Approximately half the patients (48%) completed at least six, 21-day cycles and 23% completed ten or more 21-day cycles of pemetrexed. Table 5 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of the 438 pemetrexed-treated patients in Study JMEN.
Table 5:
Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥5% of Patients Receiving Pemetrexed in Study JMEN Adverse Reaction a Pemetrexed (N=438) Placebo (N=218) All Grades (%) Grade 3-4 (%) All Grades (%) Grade 3-4 (%) All adverse reactions 66 16 37 4 Laboratory Hematologic Anemia 15 3 6 1 Neutropenia 6 3 0 0 Hepatic Increased ALT 10 0 4 0 Increased AST 8 0 4 0 Clinical Constitutional symptoms Fatigue 25 5 11 1 Gastrointestinal Nausea 19 1 6 1 Anorexia 19 2 5 0 Vomiting 9 0 1 0 Mucositis/stomatitis 7 1 2 0 Diarrhea 5 1 3 0 Infection 5 2 2 0 Neurology Sensory neuropathy 9 1 4 0 Dermatology/Skin Rash/desquamation 10 0 3 0 a NCI CTCAE version 3.
8%) were higher in the pemetrexed arm compared to the placebo arm. The following additional adverse reactions were observed in patients who received pemetrexed. Incidence 1% to <5% Dermatology/Skin — alopecia, pruritus/itching Gastrointestinal — constipation General Disorders — edema, fever Hematologic — thrombocytopenia Eye Disorder — ocular surface disease (including conjunctivitis), increased lacrimation Incidence 1% Cardiovascular — supraventricular arrhythmia Dermatology/Skin — erythema multiforme General Disorders — febrile neutropenia, allergic reaction/hypersensitivity Neurology — motor neuropathy Renal — renal failure Maintenance Treatment Following First-line Pemetrexed Plus Platinum Chemotherapy The safety of pemetrexed was evaluated in PARAMOUNT, a randomized (2:1), placebo-controlled study conducted in patients with non-squamous NSCLC with non-progressive (stable or responding disease) locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC following four cycles of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin as first-line therapy for NSCLC.
Patients were randomized to receive pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 or matching placebo intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients in both study arms received folic acid and vitamin B 12 supplementation.
PARAMOUNT excluded patients with an ECOG PS of 2 or greater, uncontrolled third-space fluid retention, inadequate bone marrow reserve and organ function, or a calculated creatinine clearance less than 45 mL/min. Patients unable to stop using aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or unable to take folic acid, vitamin B 12 or corticosteroids were also excluded from the study.
The data described below reflect exposure to pemetrexed in 333 patients in PARAMOUNT. 8% were Asian, and <1% were Black or African American; 36% had an ECOG PS 0. The median number of maintenance cycles was 4 for pemetrexed and placebo arms.
6% in the placebo arm. Dose delays for adverse reactions occurred in 22% of patients in the pemetrexed arm and 16% in the placebo arm. Table 6 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of the 333 pemetrexed-treated patients in PARAMOUNT.
6 0 a NCI CTCAE version 3. 6%) transfusions, erythropoiesis stimulating agents (12% versus 7%), and granulocyte colony stimulating factors (6% versus 0%) were higher in the pemetrexed arm compared to the placebo arm. The following additional Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions were observed more frequently in the pemetrexed arm.
Incidence 1% to <5% Blood/Bone Marrow - thrombocytopenia General Disorders - febrile neutropenia Incidence <1% Cardiovascular - ventricular tachycardia, syncope General Disorders - pain Gastrointestinal - gastrointestinal obstruction Neurologic - depression Renal - renal failure Vascular - pulmonary embolism Treatment of Recurrent Disease After Prior Chemotherapy The safety of pemetrexed was evaluated in Study JMEI, a randomized (1:1), open-label, active-controlled trial conducted in patients who had progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy.
Patients received pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 intravenously or docetaxel 75 mg/m 2 intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle. All patients on the pemetrexed arm received folic acid and vitamin B 12 supplementation. Study JMEI excluded patients with an ECOG PS of 3 or greater, uncontrolled third-space fluid retention, inadequate bone marrow reserve and organ function, or a calculated creatinine clearance less than 45 mL/min.
Patients unable to discontinue aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or unable to take folic acid, vitamin B 12 or corticosteroids were also excluded from the study. The data described below reflect exposure to pemetrexed in 265 patients in Study JMEI.
8% were Hispanic or Latino, and <2% were other ethnicities; 19% had an ECOG PS 0. Table 7 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of the 265 pemetrexed-treated patients in Study JMEI. Study JMEI is not designed to demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in adverse reaction rates for pemetrexed, as compared to the control arm, for any specified adverse reaction listed in the Table 7 below.
Table 7:
Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥5% of Fully Supplemented Patients Receiving Pemetrexed in Study JMEI Adverse Reaction a Pemetrexed (N=265) Docetaxel (N=276) All Grades (%) Grades 3-4 (%) All Grades (%) Grades 3-4 (%) Laboratory Hematologic Anemia 19 4 22 4 Neutropenia 11 5 45 40 Thrombocytopenia 8 2 1 0 Hepatic Increased ALT 8 2 1 0 Increased AST 7 1 1 0 Clinical Gastrointestinal Nausea 31 3 17 2 Anorexia 22 2 24 3 Vomiting 16 2 12 1 Stomatitis/pharyngitis 15 1 17 1 Diarrhea 13 0 24 3 Constipation 6 0 4 0 Constitutional symptoms Fatigue 34 5 36 5 Fever 8 0 8 0 Dermatology/Skin Rash/desquamation 14 0 6 0 Pruritus 7 0 2 0 Alopecia 6 1 38 2 a NCI CTCAE version 2.
The following additional adverse reactions were observed in patients assigned to receive pemetrexed. Incidence 1% to <5% Body as a Whole — abdominal pain, allergic reaction/hypersensitivity, febrile neutropenia, infection Dermatology/Skin — erythema multiforme Neurology — motor neuropathy, sensory neuropathy Incidence <1% Cardiovascular — supraventricular arrhythmias Renal — renal failure Mesothelioma The safety of pemetrexed was evaluated in Study JMCH, a randomized (1:1), single-blind study conducted in patients with MPM who had received no prior chemotherapy for MPM.
Patients received pemetrexed 500 mg/m 2 intravenously in combination with cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle or cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle administered until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Safety was assessed in 226 patients who received at least one dose of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin and 222 patients who received at least one dose of cisplatin alone. Among 226 patients who received pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin, 74% (n=168) received full supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B 12 during study therapy, 14% (n=32) were never supplemented, and 12% (n=26) were partially supplemented.
Study JMCH excluded patients with Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) of less than 70, inadequate bone marrow reserve and organ function, or a calculated creatinine clearance less than 45 mL/min. Patients unable to stop using aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were also excluded from the study.
The data described below reflect exposure to pemetrexed in 168 patients that were fully supplemented with folic acid and vitamin B 12 . 0% were Asian, and <1% were other ethnicities; 54% had KPS of 90 to 100. The median number of treatment cycles administered was 6 in the pemetrexed/cisplatin fully supplemented group and 2 in the pemetrexed/cisplatin never supplemented group.
Patients receiving pemetrexed in the fully supplemented group had a relative dose intensity of 93% of the protocol-specified pemetrexed dose intensity. The most common adverse reaction resulting in dose delay was neutropenia. Table 8 provides the frequency and severity of adverse reactions ≥5% in the subgroup of pemetrexed-treated patients who were fully vitamin supplemented in Study JMCH.
Study JMCH was not designed to demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in adverse reaction rates for pemetrexed, as compared to the control arm, for any specified adverse reaction listed in the table below.
Table 8:
Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥5% of Fully Supplemented Subgroup of Patients Receiving Pemetrexed/Cisplatin in Study JMCH a Adverse Reaction b Pemetrexed /cisplatin (N=168) Cisplatin (N=163) All Grades (%) Grade 3-4 (%) All Grades (%) Grade 3-4 (%) Laboratory Hematologic Neutropenia 56 23 13 3 Anemia 26 4 10 0 Thrombocytopenia 23 5 9 0 Renal Elevated creatinine 11 1 10 1 Decreased creatinine clearance 16 1 18 2 Clinical Eye Disorder Conjunctivitis 5 0 1 0 Gastrointestinal Nausea 82 12 77 6 Vomiting 57 11 50 4 Stomatitis/pharyngitis 23 3 6 0 Anorexia 20 1 14 1 Diarrhea 17 4 8 0 Constipation 12 1 7 1 Dyspepsia 5 1 1 0 Constitutional Symptoms Fatigue 48 10 42 9 Metabolism and Nutrition Dehydration 7 4 1 1 Neurology Sensory neuropathy 10 0 10 1 Taste disturbance 8 0 6 0 Dermatology/Skin Rash 16 1 5 0 Alopecia 11 0 6 0 a In Study JMCH, 226 patients received at least one dose of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin and 222 patients received at least one dose of cisplatin.
Table 8 provides the ADRs for subgroup of patients treated with pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin (168 patients) or cisplatin alone (163 patients) who received full supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B 12 during study therapy.
b NCI CTCAE version 2. The following additional adverse reactions were observed in patients receiving pemetrexed plus cisplatin: Incidence 1% to <5% Body as a Whole — febrile neutropenia, infection, pyrexia Dermatology/Skin — urticaria General Disorders — chest pain Metabolism and Nutrition — increased AST, increased ALT, increased GGT Renal — renal failure Incidence <1% Cardiovascular — arrhythmia Neurology — motor neuropathy Exploratory Subgroup Analyses based on Vitamin Supplementation Table 9 provides the results of exploratory analyses of the frequency and severity of NCI CTCAE Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions reported in more pemetrexed-treated patients who did not receive vitamin supplementation (never supplemented) as compared with those who received vitamin supplementation with daily folic acid and vitamin B 12 from the time of enrollment in Study JMCH (fully-supplemented).
Table 9:
Exploratory Subgroup Analysis of Selected Grade 3/4 Adverse Reactions Occurring in Patients Receiving Pemetrexed in Combination with Cisplatin with or without Full Vitamin Supplementation in Study JMCH a Grade 3-4 Adverse Reactions Fully Supplemented Patients N=168 (%) Never Supplemented Patients N=32 (%) Neutropenia 23 38 Thrombocytopenia 5 9 Vomiting 11 31 Febrile neutropenia 1 9 Infection with Grade 3/4 neutropenia 0 6 Diarrhea 4 9 a NCI CTCAE version 2.
The following adverse reactions occurred more frequently in patients who were fully vitamin supplemented than in patients who were never supplemented: hypertension (11% versus 3%), chest pain (8% versus 6%), thrombosis/embolism (6% versus 3%).
2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of pemetrexed. 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.
Blood and Lymphatic System — immune-mediated hemolytic anemia Gastrointestinal — colitis, pancreatitis General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions — edema Injury, poisoning, and procedural complications — radiation recall Respiratory — interstitial pneumonitis Skin — Serious and fatal bullous skin conditions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis