2.1 Important Dosage and Administration Information

• Take orally pravastatin sodium tablets once daily as a single dose at any time of the day, with or without food.
• For patients that require a high-intensity statin or are unable to achieve their LDL-C goal receiving pravastatin sodium tablets 80 mg daily, prescribe alternative LDL-C-lowering treatment.
• Assess LDL-C when clinically appropriate, as early as 4 weeks after initiating pravastatin sodium tablets, and adjust the dosage if necessary.

2.2  Recommended Dosage in Adult Patients

The recommended starting dosage is pravastatin sodium tablets 40 mg to 80 mg once daily.

2.3 Recommended Dosage in Pediatric Patients 8 Years of Age and Older with HeFH

• In pediatric patients aged 8 to 13 years, the recommended dosage is pravastatin sodium tablets 20 mg once daily.
• In pediatric patients aged 14 to 18 years, the recommended starting dosage is pravastatin sodium tablets 40 mg once daily.

2.4 Recommended Dosage in Patients with Renal Impairment

• In patients with severe renal impairment, the recommended starting dosage is pravastatin sodium 10 mg once daily. The maximum recommended dosage of pravastatin sodium tablets in patients with severe renal impairment is 40 mg once daily [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

• The recommended dosage of pravastatin sodium tablets for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment is the same as patients with normal renal function.

2.5 Dosage and Administration Modifications Due to Drug Interactions

• In patients taking a bile acid sequestrant, administer pravastatin sodium tablets at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after the bile acid sequestrant [See Drug Interactions (7.2)].
• Concomitant use of pravastatin sodium tablets with the following drugs requires dosage modifications of pravastatin sodium tablets[see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Drug Interactions (7.1)]:
  • Cyclosporine
  In patients taking cyclosporine, the recommended starting dosage is pravastatin sodium 10 mg once daily. The maximum recommended dosage of pravastatin sodium tablet in patients taking cyclosporine is 20 mg once daily.
  
  • Clarithromycin and Erythromycin
  The maximum recommended dosage is pravastatin sodium tablets 40 mg once daily.

5.1 Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis

Pravastatin sodium tablets may cause myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Acute kidney injury secondary to myoglobinuria and rare fatalities have occurred as a result of rhabdomyolysis in patients treated with statins, including pravastatin sodium tablets. Myopathy, defined as muscle aching or muscle weakness in conjunction with increases in creatine phosphokinase (CK) to greater than 10 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), occurred <0.1% in pravastatin sodium tablets-treated patients in clinical trials.  

Risk Factors for Myopathy  

Risk factors for myopathy include age 65 years or greater, uncontrolled hypothyroidism, renal impairment, concomitant use with certain other drugs (including other lipid-lowering therapies), and higher pravastatin sodium tablets dosage [see Drug Interactions (7.1)].

Steps to Prevent or Reduce the Risk of Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis

Pravastatin sodium tablets are not recommended in patients taking gemfibrozil [see Drug Interactions (7)]. There are pravastatin sodium tablets dosage restrictions for patients taking cyclosporin and select macrolide antibiotics [see Dosage and Administration (2.5)]. The following drugs when used concomitantly with pravastatin sodium tablets may also increase the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis: niacin, fibrates, and colchicine [see Drug Interactions (7)].

Discontinue pravastatin sodium tablets if markedly elevated CK levels occur or myopathy is diagnosed or suspected. Muscle symptoms and CK increases may resolve if pravastatin sodium tablets is discontinued. Temporarily discontinue pravastatin sodium tablets in patients experiencing an acute or serious condition at high risk of developing renal failure secondary to rhabdomyolysis, e.g., sepsis; shock; severe hypovolemia; major surgery; trauma; severe metabolic, endocrine, or electrolyte disorders; or uncontrolled epilepsy.  

Inform patients of the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis when starting or increasing the pravastatin sodium tablets dosage. Instruct patients to promptly report any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, particularly if accompanied by malaise or fever.

5.2 Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy

There have been rare reports of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), an autoimmune myopathy, associated with statin use, including reports of recurrence when the same or a different statin was administered. IMNM is characterized by proximal muscle weakness and elevated serum creatine kinase that persist despite discontinuation of statin treatment; positive anti-HMG CoA reductase antibody; muscle biopsy showing necrotizing myopathy; and improvement with immunosuppressive agents. Additional neuromuscular and serologic testing may be necessary. Treatment with immunosuppressive agents may be required. Discontinue pravastatin sodium tablets if IMNM is suspected.

5.3 Hepatic Dysfunction

Increases in serum transaminases have been reported with use of pravastatin sodium tablets  [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. In most cases, these changes appeared soon after initiation, were transient, were not accompanied by symptoms, and resolved or improved on continued therapy or after a brief interruption in therapy. Persistent increases to more than three times the ULN in serum transaminases have occurred in approximately 1% of patients receiving either pravastatin sodium tablets or placebo in clinical studies. Marked persistent increases of hepatic transaminases have also occurred with pravastatin sodium tablets. There have been rare postmarketing reports of fatal and non-fatal hepatic failure in patients taking statins, including pravastatin sodium tablets.  

Patients who consume substantial quantities of alcohol and/or have a history of liver disease may be at increased risk for hepatic injury.  

Consider liver enzyme testing before pravastatin sodium tablets initiation and when clinically indicated thereafter. Pravastatin sodium tablets are contraindicated in patients with acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis [see Contraindications (4)]. If serious hepatic injury with clinical symptoms and/or hyperbilirubinemia or jaundice occurs, promptly discontinue pravastatin sodium tablets.

5.4  Increases in HbA1c and Fasting Serum Glucose Levels

Increases in HbA1c and fasting serum glucose levels have been reported with statins, including pravastatin sodium tablets. Optimize lifestyle measures, including regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, and making healthy food choices.

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.   In pravastatin sodium tablets placebo-controlled clinical trials, 1313 patients (age range 20 to 76 years, 32% women, 93.5% White, 5% Black, 0.9% Hispanic, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Other) with a median treatment duration of 14 weeks, 3.3% of patients on pravastatin sodium tablets and 1.2% patients on placebo discontinued due to adverse reactions (regardless of causality). The most common adverse reactions that led to treatment discontinuation and occurred at an incidence greater than placebo were: hepatic transaminase elevations, nausea, anxiety/depression, and dizziness.   Adverse reactions (regardless of causality) reported in ≥2% of pravastatin sodium tablets-treated patients in placebo-controlled trials of up to 8 months duration are identified in Table 1:  

Table 1: Adverse Reactions in ≥ 2% of Patients Treated with Pravastatin (Any Dose) and at an Incidence Greater Than Placebo in Short-Term Placebo-Controlled Trials

Adverse Reactions (regardless of causality)

The safety and tolerability of pravastatin sodium tablets at a dose of 80 mg in 2 controlled trials with a mean exposure of 8.6 months was similar to that of pravastatin sodium tablets at lower doses except that 4 out of 464 patients taking 80 mg of pravastatin had a single elevation of CK >10 times ULN compared to 0 out of 115 patients taking 40 mg of pravastatin.   In pravastatin sodium tablets placebo-controlled clinical trials,  21,483 patients (age range 24 to 75 years, 10.3% women, 52.3% White, 0.8% Black, 0.5% Hispanic, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Other, 46.1% not recorded)  had a median treatment duration of 261 weeks.   Adverse reactions (regardless of causality) were pooled from 7 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study [WOS]; Cholesterol and Recurrent Events study [CARE]; Long-term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischemic Disease study [LIPID] ; Pravastatin Limitation of Atherosclerosis in the Coronary Arteries study [PLAC I]; Pravastatin, Lipids and Atherosclerosis in the Carotids study [PLAC II]; Regression Growth Evaluation Statin Study [REGRESS]; and Kuopio Atherosclerosis Prevention Study [KAPS]) involving a total of 10,764 patients treated with pravastatin 40 mg and 10,719 patients treated with placebo. Patients were exposed to pravastatin for a mean of 4.0 to 5.1 years in WOS, CARE, and LIPID and 1.9 to 2.9 years in PLAC I, PLAC II, KAPS, and REGRESS. Adverse reactions (regardless of causality) occurring in ≥5% of patients treated with pravastatin sodium tablets in these studies are identified in Table 2:  

Table 2: Adverse Events in ≥ 5% of Patients Treated with Pravastatin 40 mg and at an Incidence Greater Than Placebo in Long-Term Placebo-Controlled Trials

Adverse Reactions (regardless of causality)

No new adverse reactions were identified in a study of pediatric patients with HeFH.  

Laboratory Abnormalities

Increases in ALT, AST values and CK have been observed.  

Transient, asymptomatic eosinophilia has been reported. Eosinophil counts usually returned to normal despite continued therapy. Anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia have been reported with statins.

6.2 Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of pravastatin sodium tablets.

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.  

Musculoskeletal: myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, tendon disorder, polymyositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy associated with statin use.  

Nervous System: dysfunction of certain cranial nerves (including alteration of taste, impairment of extraocular movement, facial paresis), peripheral nerve palsy. Rare postmarketing reports of cognitive impairment (e.g., memory loss, forgetfulness, amnesia, memory impairment, confusion) associated with statin use. Cognitive impairment was generally nonserious, and reversible upon statin discontinuation, with variable times to symptom onset (1 day to years) and symptom resolution (median of 3 weeks). 

Hypersensitivity: anaphylaxis, angioedema, lupus erythematosus-like syndrome, polymyalgia rheumatica, dermatomyositis, vasculitis, purpura, hemolytic anemia, positive ANA, ESR increase, arthritis, arthralgia, asthenia, photosensitivity, chills, malaise, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme (including Stevens-Johnson syndrome).  

Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, constipation, pancreatitis, hepatitis (including chronic active hepatitis), cholestatic jaundice, fatty change in liver, cirrhosis, fulminant hepatic necrosis, hepatoma, fatal and non-fatal hepatic failure.  

Dermatologic: a variety of skin changes (e.g., nodules, discoloration, dryness of mucous membranes, changes to hair/nails), lichen planus.  

Renal: urinary abnormality (including dysuria, frequency, nocturia).  

Respiratory: dyspnea, interstitial lung disease.  

Psychiatric: nightmare.  

Reproductive: gynecomastia.  

Laboratory Abnormalities: liver function test abnormalities, thyroid function abnormalities.

7.1 Drug Interactions that Increase the Risk of Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis with Pravastatin Sodium Tablets

Pravastatin sodium is a substrate of the transport protein OATP1B1. Pravastatin sodium plasma levels can be significantly increased with concomitant administration of inhibitors of OATP1B1. Table 3 includes a list of drugs that increase the risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis when used concomitantly with pravastatin sodium tablets and instructions for preventing or managing them [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

Table 3: Drug Interactions that Increase the Risk of Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis with Pravastatin Sodium Tablets

 7.2 Drug Interactions that Decrease the Efficacy of pravastatin sodium tablets

Table 4 presents drug interactions that may decrease the efficacy of pravastatin sodium tablets and instructions for preventing or managing them.

Table 4: Drug Interactions that Decrease the Efficacy of Pravastatin Sodium Tablets

8.1 Pregnancy

Risk Summary

Discontinue pravastatin sodium tablets when pregnancy is recognized. Alternatively, consider the ongoing therapeutic needs of the individual patient. Pravastatin sodium tablets decreases synthesis of cholesterol and possibly other biologically active substances derived from cholesterol; therefore, pravastatin sodium tablets may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant patients based on the mechanism of action [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.1)]. In addition, treatment of hyperlipidemia is not generally necessary during pregnancy. Atherosclerosis is a chronic process and the discontinuation of lipid-lowering drugs during pregnancy should have little impact on the outcome of long-term therapy of primary hyperlipidemia for most patients. Available data from case series and prospective and retrospective observational cohort studies over decades of use with statins in pregnant women have not identified a drug-associated risk of major congenital malformations. Published data from prospective and retrospective observational cohort studies with pravastatin sodium tablets use in pregnant women are insufficient to determine if there is a drug-associated risk of miscarriage (see Data). In animal reproduction studies, no evidence of fetal malformations was seen in pregnant rats or rabbits orally administered pravastatin during the period of organogenesis at doses that resulted in 10 times and 120 times, respectively, the human exposure at the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 80 mg/day, based on body surface area (mg/m2). An imbalance in some fetal skeletal variations, increased offspring mortality, and developmental delays occurred when pregnant rats were exposed to 10 times to 12 times the MRHD during organogenesis to parturition (see Data).  

The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively.  

Data

Human Data

A Medicaid cohort linkage study of 1152 statin-exposed pregnant women compared to 886,996 controls did not find a significant teratogenic effect from maternal use of statins in the first trimester of pregnancy, after adjusting for potential cofounders – including maternal age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and alcohol and tobacco use – using propensity score-based methods. The relative risk of congenital malformations between the group with statin use and the group with no statin use in the first trimester was 1.07 (95% confidence interval 0.85 to 1.37) after controlling for confounders, particularly pre-existing diabetes mellitus. There were also no statistically significant increases in any of the organ-specific malformations assessed after accounting for cofounders. In the majority of pregnancies, statin treatment was initiated prior to pregnancy and was discontinued at some point in the first trimester when pregnancy was identified. Study limitations include reliance on physician coding to define the presence of a malformation, lack of control for certain confounders such as body mass index, use of prescription dispensing as verification for the use of a statin, and lack of information on non-live births.  

Animal Data

Embryofetal and neonatal mortality was observed in rats given pravastatin during the period of organogenesis or during organogenesis continuing through weaning. In pregnant rats given oral gavage doses of 4, 20, 100, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg/day from gestation days 7 through 17 (organogenesis) increased mortality of offspring and increased cervical rib skeletal anomalies were observed at ≥100 mg/kg/day systemic exposure, 10 times the human exposure at 80 mg/day MRHD based on body surface area (mg/m2).

In other studies, no teratogenic effects were observed when pravastatin was dosed orally during organogenesis in rabbits (gestation days 6 through 18) up to 50 mg/kg/day or in rats (gestation days 7 through 17) up to 1,000 mg/kg/day. Exposures were 10 times (rabbit) or 120 times (rat) the human exposure at 80 mg/day MRHD based on body surface area (mg/m2).   In pregnant rats given oral gavage doses of 10, 100, and 1,000 mg/kg/day from gestation day 17 through lactation day 21 (weaning), developmental delays were observed at ≥100 mg/kg/day systemic exposure, corresponding to 12 times the human exposure at 80 mg/day MRHD, based on body surface area (mg/m2).

In pregnant rats, pravastatin crosses the placenta and is found in fetal tissue at 30% of the maternal plasma levels following administration of a single dose of 20 mg/day orally on gestation day 18, which corresponds to exposure 2 times the MRHD of 80 mg daily based on body surface area (mg/m2).

8.2 Lactation

Risk Summary

Based on one lactation study in published literature, pravastatin is present in human milk. There is no available information on the effects of the drug on the breastfed infant or the effects of the drug on milk production. Statins, including pravastatin sodium tablets, decrease cholesterol synthesis and possibly the synthesis of other biologically active substances derived from cholesterol and may cause harm to the breastfed infant.

Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed infant, based on the mechanism of action, advise patients that breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with pravastatin sodium tablets [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1), Clinical Pharmacology (12.1)].

8.4 Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of pravastatin sodium tablets as an adjunct to diet to reduce LDL-C have been established in pediatric patients 8 years of age and older with HeFH. Use of pravastatin sodium tablets for this indication is based on a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in 214 pediatric patients (100 males and 114 females) 8 years of age and older with HeFH. Doses greater than 40 mg daily have not been studied in this population.

The safety and effectiveness of pravastatin sodium tablets have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 10 years of age with HeFH or in pediatric patients with other types of hyperlipidemia (other than HeFH).

8.5 Geriatric Use

In clinical studies, 4,797 (36.4%) pravastatin sodium tablets-treated patients were aged 65 and older and 110 (0.8%) were aged 75 and older. No significant differences in efficacy or safety were observed between geriatric patients and younger patients.  

Mean pravastatin AUCs are 25% to 50% higher in elderly subjects than in healthy young subjects, but mean maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to maximum plasma concentration (Tmax), and half-life (t½) values are similar in both age groups and substantial accumulation of pravastatin would not be expected in the elderly [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].  

Advanced age (≥65 years) is a risk factor for pravastatin sodium tablets-associated myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, recognizing the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy and the higher risk of myopathy. Monitor geriatric patients receiving pravastatin sodium tablets for the increased risk of myopathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

8.6 Renal Impairment

Renal impairment is a risk factor for myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Monitor all patients with renal impairment for development of myopathy.

In patients with severe renal impairment, the recommended starting dose is pravastatin sodium 10 mg once daily. The maximum recommended dosage in patients with severe renal impairment is pravastatin sodium tablets 40 mg once daily. The recommended dosage for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment is the same as patients with normal renal function. [see Dosage and Administration (2.4), Warnings and Precautions (5.1), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

8.7 Hepatic Impairment

Pravastatin sodium tablets shows a large inter-subject variability in pharmacokinetics in patients with liver cirrhosis [Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. Pravastatin sodium tablets are contraindicated in patients with acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis [see Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Pravastatin is a reversible inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme that converts HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a precursor of cholesterol.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics

Inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase by pravastatin accelerates the expression of LDL-receptors, followed by the uptake of LDL-C from blood to the liver, leading to a decrease in plasma LDL-C and total cholesterol. Sustained inhibition of cholesterol synthesis in the liver also decreases levels of very-low-density lipoproteins. The maximum LDL-C reduction of pravastatin is usually achieved by 4 weeks and is maintained after that.  

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

Absorption

Pravastatin sodium is administered orally in the active form. Peak plasma pravastatin concentrations occurred 1 to 1.5 hours upon oral administration. Based on urinary recovery of total radiolabeled drug, the average oral absorption of pravastatin is 34% and absolute bioavailability is 17%. While the presence of food in the gastrointestinal tract reduces area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and Cmax by 31% and 49%, respectively, the lipid-lowering effects of the drug are similar whether taken with or 1 hour prior to meals.

Pravastatin plasma concentrations, including AUC, Cmax, and steady-state minimum (Cmin), are directly proportional to administered dose. Systemic bioavailability of pravastatin administered following a bedtime dose was decreased 60% compared to that following an AM dose. Despite this decrease in systemic bioavailability, the efficacy of pravastatin administered once daily in the evening, although not statistically significant, was marginally more effective than that after a morning dose.

The coefficient of variation (CV), based on between-subject variability, was 50% to 60% for AUC. The geometric means of pravastatin Cmax and AUC following a 20 mg dose in the fasted state were 26.5 ng/mL and 59.8 ng*hr/mL, respectively.

Steady-state AUCs, Cmax, and Cmin plasma concentrations showed no evidence of pravastatin accumulation following once or twice daily administration of pravastatin sodium tablets.

Distribution

Approximately 50% of the circulating drug is bound to plasma proteins.

Elimination

Metabolism

The major biotransformation pathways for pravastatin are: (a) isomerization to 6-­epi pravastatin and the 3α-hydroxyisomer of pravastatin (SQ 31,906) and (b) enzymatic ring hydroxylation to SQ 31,945. The 3α-hydroxyisomeric metabolite (SQ 31,906) has 1/10 to 1/40 the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory activity of the parent compound. Pravastatin undergoes extensive first-pass extraction in the liver (extraction ratio 0.66).

Excretion

Approximately 20% of a radiolabeled oral dose is excreted in urine and 70% in the feces. After intravenous administration of radiolabeled pravastatin to normal volunteers, approximately 47% of total body clearance was via renal excretion and 53% by non-renal routes (i.e., biliary excretion and biotransformation).

Following single dose oral administration of 14C-pravastatin, the radioactive elimination t½ for pravastatin is 1.8 hours in humans and the elimination half-life (t½) for total radioactivity (pravastatin plus metabolites) is 77 hours.

Specific Populations

Renal Impairment

A single 20 mg oral dose of pravastatin was administered to 24 patients with varying degrees of renal impairment (as determined by creatinine clearance). No effect was observed on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin or its 3α-hydroxy isomeric metabolite (SQ 31,906). Compared to healthy subjects with normal renal function, patients with severe renal impairment had 69% and 37% higher mean AUC and Cmax values, respectively, and a 0.61 hour shorter t½ for the inactive enzymatic ring hydroxylation metabolite (SQ 31,945) [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].

Hepatic Impairment

In a study comparing the kinetics of pravastatin in patients with biopsy confirmed cirrhosis (N=7) and normal subjects (N=7), the mean AUC varied 18-fold in cirrhotic patients and 5-fold in healthy subjects. Similarly, the peak pravastatin values varied 47-fold for cirrhotic patients compared to 6-fold for healthy subjects [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].

Geriatric

In a single oral dose study using pravastatin 20 mg, the mean AUC for pravastatin was approximately 27% greater and the mean cumulative urinary excretion (CUE) approximately 19% lower in elderly men (65 to 75 years old) compared with younger men (19 to 31 years old). In a similar study conducted in women, the mean AUC for pravastatin was approximately 46% higher and the mean CUE approximately 18% lower in elderly women (65 to 78 years old) compared with younger women (18 to 38 years old). In both studies, Cmax, Tmax, and t½ values were similar in older and younger subjects [see Use in Specific Populations (8.5)].

Pediatric

After 2 weeks of once-daily 20 mg oral pravastatin administration, the geometric means of AUC were 80.7 (CV 44%) and 44.8 (CV 89%) ng*hr/mL for pediatric patients 8 to 11 years (N=14) and 12 to 16 years (N=10), respectively. The corresponding values for Cmax were 42.4 (CV 54%) and 18.6 ng/mL (CV 100%) for pediatric patients 8 to 11 years and 12 to 16 years, respectively. No conclusion can be made based on these findings due to the small number of samples and large variability [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4)].

Drug-Drug Interactions

Table 5: Effect of Coadministered Drugs on the Pharmacokinetics of Pravastatin

BID = twice daily; OD = once daily; QID = four times daily 

Table 6: Effect of Pravastatin on the Pharmacokinetics of Coadministered Drugs

BID = twice daily; OD = once daily

13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility

In a 2-year study in rats fed pravastatin at doses of 10, 30, or 100 mg/kg body weight, there was an increased incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas in males at the highest dose (p<0.01). These effects in rats were observed at approximately 12 times the human dose (HD) of 80 mg based on body surface area (mg/m2) and at approximately 4 times the HD, based on AUC.

In a 2-year study in mice fed pravastatin at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg/day, there was an increased incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas in males and females at both 250 and 500 mg/kg/day (p<0.0001). At these doses, lung adenomas in females were increased (p=0.013). These effects in mice were observed at approximately 15 times (250 mg/kg/day) and 23 times (500 mg/kg/day) the HD of 80 mg, based on AUC. In another 2-year study in mice with doses up to 100 mg/kg/day (producing drug exposures approximately 2 times the HD of 80 mg, based on AUC), there were no drug-induced tumors.

No evidence of mutagenicity was observed in vitro, with or without rat-liver metabolic activation, in the following studies: microbial mutagen tests, using mutant strains of Salmonella typhimurium or Escherichia coli; a forward mutation assay in L5178Y TK +/− mouse lymphoma cells; a chromosomal aberration test in hamster cells; and a gene conversion assay using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, there was no evidence of mutagenicity in either a dominant lethal test in mice or a micronucleus test in mice.

In a fertility study in adult rats with daily doses up to 500 mg/kg, pravastatin did not produce any adverse effects on fertility or general reproductive performance. No adverse effects were seen in juvenile rats dosed with 5 mg/kg/day pravastatin (5 times plasma exposure at the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] of 80 mg based on AUC) in a study of pravastatin administered from postnatal days (PND) 4 through 80 at 5, 15 and 45 mg/kg/day. A PND 4 rat is generally comparable to a 3rd trimester human fetus with regards to neurologic development/myelination. At ≥ 15 mg/kg/day (≥ 20 times the MRHD), decreased body-weight gain was observed during the pre-weaning period and slight thinning of the corpus callosum was observed at the end of the drug-free recovery period (PND 132). Thinning of the corpus callosum was not associated with any inflammatory or degenerative changes in the brain. Impacts on neurobehavioral and learning endpoints were detected only at very high exposures (43 times the MRHD). No thinning of the corpus callosum was observed in rats dosed with pravastatin for 3 months beginning on PND 35 at ≥ 250 mg/kg/day. PND 35 in a rat is approximately equivalent to an 8 to 12-year-old human child.