2.1 Recommended Dose

A course of therapy is three doses of NeoProfen administered intravenously (administration via an umbilical arterial line has not been evaluated). An initial dose of 10 mg per kilogram is followed by two doses of 5 mg per kilogram each, after 24 and 48 hours. All doses should be based on birth weight. If anuria or marked oliguria (urinary output <0.6 mL/kg/hr) is evident at the scheduled time of the second or third dose of NeoProfen, no additional dosage should be given until laboratory studies indicate that renal function has returned to normal. If the ductus arteriosus closes or is significantly reduced in size after completion of the first course of NeoProfen, no further doses are necessary. If during continued medical management the ductus arteriosus fails to close or reopens, then a second course of NeoProfen, alternative pharmacological therapy, or surgery may be necessary.

2.2 Directions for Use

For intravenous administration only. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration whenever solution and container permit. Do not use NeoProfen if particulate matter is observed.

After the first withdrawal from the vial, any solution remaining must be discarded because NeoProfen contains no preservative.

For administration, NeoProfen should be diluted to an appropriate volume with dextrose or saline. NeoProfen should be prepared for infusion and administered within 30 minutes of preparation and infused continuously over a period of 15 minutes. The drug should be administered via the IV port that is nearest the insertion site. After the first withdrawal from the vial, any solution remaining must be discarded because NeoProfen contains no preservative.

Since NeoProfen is potentially irritating to tissues, it should be administered carefully to avoid extravasation.

NeoProfen should not be simultaneously administered in the same intravenous line with Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN). If necessary, TPN should be interrupted for a 15-minute period prior to and after drug administration. Line patency should be maintained by using dextrose or saline.

5.1 General

There are no long-term evaluations of the infants treated with ibuprofen at durations greater than the 36 weeks post-conceptual age observation period. Ibuprofen's effects on neurodevelopmental outcome and growth as well as disease processes associated with prematurity (such as retinopathy of prematurity and chronic lung disease) have not been assessed.

5.2 Infection

NeoProfen may alter the usual signs of infection. The physician must be continually on the alert and should use the drug with extra care in the presence of controlled infection and in infants at risk of infection.

5.3 Platelet Aggregation

NeoProfen, like other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, can inhibit platelet aggregation. Preterm infants should be observed for signs of bleeding. Ibuprofen has been shown to prolong bleeding time (but within the normal range) in normal adult subjects. This effect may be exaggerated in patients with underlying hemostatic defects (see CONTRAINDICATIONS).

5.4 Bilirubin Displacement

Ibuprofen has been shown to displace bilirubin from albumin binding-sites; therefore, it should be used with caution in patients with elevated total bilirubin.

5.5 Administration

NeoProfen should be administered carefully to avoid extravascular injection or leakage, as solution may be irritating to tissue.

5.6 Serious Skin Reactions

NSAIDS, including ibuprofen, can cause serious skin reactions such as exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), which can be fatal. Ibuprofen should be discontinued at the first appearance of skin rash or any other sign of hypersensitivity.

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

The most frequently reported adverse events with NeoProfen were as shown in Table 1.

6.2 Renal Function

Compared to placebo, there was a small decrease in urinary output in the ibuprofen group on days 2-6 of life, with a compensatory increase in urine output on day 9. In other studies, adverse events classified as renal insufficiency including oliguria, elevated BUN, elevated creatinine, or renal failure were reported in ibuprofen treated infants.

6.3 Additional Adverse Events

The adverse events reported in the multicenter study and of unknown association include tachycardia, cardiac failure, abdominal distension, gastroesophageal reflux, gastritis, ileus, inguinal hernia, injection site reactions, cholestasis, various infections, feeding problems, convulsions, jaundice, hypotension, and various laboratory abnormalities including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperglycemia.

6.4 Postmarketing Experience

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. The following adverse reactions have been identified from spontaneous post-marketing reports or published literature: gastrointestinal perforation, necrotizing enterocolitis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and pulmonary hypertension.

8.4 Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness have only been established in premature infants.

12.1 Mechanism of Action

The mechanism of action through which ibuprofen causes closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in neonates is not known. In adults, ibuprofen is an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis.

12.2 Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability Studies

The pharmacokinetic data were obtained from 54 NeoProfen-treated premature infants included in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter study. Infants were less than 30 weeks gestational age, weighed between 500 and 1000 g, and exhibited asymptomatic PDA with evidence of echocardiographic documentation of ductal shunting. Dosing was initially 10 mg/kg followed by 5 mg/kg at 24 and 48 hours.

The population average clearance and volume of distribution values of racemic ibuprofen for premature infants at birth were 3 mL/kg/h and 320 mL/kg, respectively. Clearance increased rapidly with post-natal age (an average increase of approximately 0.5 mL/kg/h per day). Inter-individual variability in clearance and volume of distribution were 55% and 14%, respectively. In general, the half-life in infants is more than 10 times longer than in adults.

The metabolism and excretion of ibuprofen in premature infants have not been studied.

In adults, renal elimination of unchanged ibuprofen accounts for only 10-15% of the dose. The excretion of ibuprofen and metabolites occurs rapidly in both urine and feces. Approximately 80% of the dose administered orally is recovered in urine as hydroxyl and carboxyl metabolites, respectively, as a mixture of conjugated and unconjugated forms. Ibuprofen is eliminated primarily by metabolism in the liver where CYP2C9 mediates the 2- and 3-hydroxylations of R- and S-ibuprofen. Ibuprofen and its metabolites are further conjugated to acyl glucuronides.

In neonates, renal function and the enzymes associated with drug metabolism are underdeveloped at birth and substantially increase in the days after birth.

How Supplied

NeoProfen (ibuprofen lysine) Injection is dispensed in treated1 clear glass single-use vials, each containing 2 mL of sterile solution (NDC 55292-122-52). The solution is not buffered and contains no preservatives. Each milliliter contains 17.1 mg/mL (±)-ibuprofen L-lysine [equivalent to 10 mg/mL (±)-ibuprofen] dissolved in Water for Injection, USP. NeoProfen is supplied in a carton containing 3 single-use vials.

1

NeoProfen (ibuprofen lysine) Injection is dispensed in a glass vial having a silicon dioxide coating or polymer coating that inhibits the formation of particulates that result from the interaction of the ibuprofen lysine with untreated glass.

Storage and Handling

Store at 20 – 25°C (68 – 77°F); excursions permitted 15 – 30°C (59 – 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light. Store vials in carton until contents have been used.

Infection

NeoProfen may alter signs of infection. Patients' caregivers should be informed to monitor the infant for any signs of infection.

Platelet Aggregation

Patients' caregivers should be informed that like other NSAIDS, NeoProfen can inhibit clot formation therefore their infant should be monitored for any signs of bleeding.

Administration

Patients' caregivers should be informed that the infants' skin and tissues should be monitored as leakage from administration may be irritating to tissue.