Qutenza

• Only physicians or health care professionals under the close supervision of a physician are to administer Qutenza.
• Use only nitrile gloves when handling Qutenza, and when cleaning capsaicin residue from the skin. Do not use latex gloves as they do not provide adequate protection.
• Immediately after use, dispose of used and unused patches, Cleansing Gel and other treatment materials in accordance with the local biomedical waste procedures.
• Use Qutenza only on dry, intact (unbroken) skin.
• Apply the Qutenza patch within 2 hours of opening the pouch.

The recommended dose of Qutenza is a single, 60-minute application of up to four patches.

Treatment with Qutenza may be repeated every three months or as warranted by the return of pain (not more frequently than every three months).

Do not apply Qutenza to the face or scalp to avoid risk of exposure to the eyes or mucous membranes.

Aerosolization of capsaicin can occur upon rapid removal of Qutenza patches. Therefore, remove Qutenza patches gently and slowly by rolling the adhesive side inward [see Dosage and Administration (2.3)] .

If irritation of eyes or airways occurs, remove the affected individual from the vicinity of Qutenza. Flush eyes and mucous membranes with cool water.

Inhalation of airborne capsaicin can result in coughing or sneezing. Provide supportive medical care if shortness of breath develops.

If skin not intended to be treated comes in contact with Qutenza, apply Cleansing Gel for one minute and wipe off with dry gauze. After the Cleansing Gel has been wiped off, wash the area with soap and water.

Even following use of a local anesthetic prior to administration of Qutenza, patients may experience substantial procedural pain. Prepare to treat acute pain during and following the application procedure with local cooling (such as an ice pack) and/or appropriate analgesic medication, such as opioids. Opioids may affect the ability to perform potentially hazardous activities such as driving or operating machinery.

In clinical trials, increases in blood pressure occurred during or shortly after exposure to Qutenza. The changes averaged less than 10 mm Hg, although some patients had greater increases and these changes lasted for approximately two hours after patch removal. Increases in blood pressure were unrelated to the pretreatment blood pressure but were related to treatment-related increases in pain. Monitor blood pressure periodically during the treatment and provide adequate support for treatment related pain.

Patients with unstable or poorly controlled hypertension, a recent history of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events may be at an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular effects. Consider these factors prior to initiating Qutenza treatment.

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 other drugs and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.

Across all controlled and uncontrolled trials, more than 1,600 patients have received Qutenza. A total of 394 patients received more than one treatment application and 274 patients were followed for 48 weeks or longer.

In controlled clinical studies, 98% of patients completed ≥ 90% of the intended patch application duration. Among patients treated with Qutenza, 1% discontinued prematurely due to an adverse event.

The effects of Qutenza on labor and delivery are unknown.

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in nursing women. Studies in rat have demonstrated capsaicin is excreted into breast milk of this species. It is unknown whether capsaicin is excreted in human breast milk. Because Qutenza is administered as a single 60-minute application and capsaicin is rapidly cleared from the bloodstream [ see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ], mothers can reduce infant exposure by not breast-feeding after treatment on the day of treatment.

The safety and effectiveness of Qutenza in patients younger than 18 years of age have not been studied.

In controlled clinical studies of Qutenza in neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia, 75% of patients were 65 years and older and 43% of patients were 75 years and older.

Safety and effectiveness were similar in geriatric patients and younger patients. No dose adjustments are required in geriatric patients.

Capsaicin is an agonist for the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 receptor (TRPV1), which is an ion channel-receptor complex expressed on nociceptive nerve fibers in the skin. Topical administration of capsaicin causes an initial enhanced stimulation of the TRPV1-expressing cutaneous nociceptors that may be associated with painful sensations. This is followed by pain relief thought to be mediated by a reduction in TRPV1-expressing nociceptive nerve endings [ see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ]. Over the course of several months, there may be a gradual re-emergence of painful neuropathy thought to be due to TRPV1 nerve fiber reinnervation of the treated area.

Two studies evaluated the pharmacodynamic effects of Qutenza on sensory function and epidermal nerve fiber (ENF) density in healthy volunteers. Consistent with the known pharmacodynamic effects of capsaicin on TRPV1-expressing nociceptive nerve endings, reduced ENF density and minor changes in cutaneous nociceptive function (heat detection and sharp sensation) were noted one week after exposure to Qutenza. ENF density reduction and sensory changes were fully reversible.

Pharmacokinetic data in humans showed transient, low (< 5 ng/mL) systemic exposure to capsaicin in about one third of PHN patients following 60-minute applications of Qutenza. The highest plasma concentration of capsaicin detected was 4.6 ng/mL and occurred immediately after Qutenza removal. Most quantifiable levels were observed at the time of Qutenza removal and were below the limit of quantitation 3 to 6 hours after Qutenza removal. No detectable levels of metabolites were observed in any subject.

The efficacy of Qutenza, was established in two 12-week, double-blind, randomized, dose-controlled, multicenter studies. These studies enrolled patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) persisting for at least 6 months following healing of herpes zoster rash and a baseline score of 3-9 on an 11-point Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain). Qutenza and a control patch were each applied as a single 60-minute application. The control used in these studies looked similar to Qutenza but contained a low concentration of the active ingredient, capsaicin (3.2 mcg/cm ², 0.04% w/w) to retain blinding regarding the known application site reactions of capsaicin (such as burning and erythema). The baseline mean pain scores across the 2 studies was approximately 6.0. Patients who entered the study on stable doses of pain-control medications were required to keep dosing stable throughout the duration of the study. Approximately half of the patients were taking concomitant medications including anticonvulsants, non-SSRI antidepressants, or opioids for their PHN at study entry. Prior to study patch application a topical anesthetic was applied to the treatment area for 60 minutes. Patients were permitted to use local cooling and additional analgesic medications for treatment-related discomfort as needed through Day 5. Patients recorded their pain daily in a diary.

PHN Study 1: In this 12-week study, the Qutenza group demonstrated a greater reduction in pain compared to the Control group during the primary assessment at Week 8. The percent change in average pain from baseline to Week 8 was -18% (±2%) for the low-dose control and -29% (±2%) for Qutenza.

For various degrees of improvement in pain from baseline to study endpoint, Figure 2 shows the fraction of patients achieving that degree of improvement. The figure is cumulative, so that patients whose change from baseline is, for example, 50%, are also included at every level of improvement below 50%. Patients who did not complete the study through Week 12 or who showed no improvement at Week 12 were assigned 0% improvement. Some patients experienced a decrease in pain as early as Week 1, which persisted throughout the study. The proportion of patients experiencing ≥ 30% reduction in pain intensity from baseline for each week through Week 12 is shown in Figure 3.

FIGURE 3: Weekly Proportion of Patients Achieving ≥ 30% Pain Intensity Reduction – Study 1*

Figure 3

PHN Study 2: In this 12-week study the Qutenza group demonstrated a greater reduction in pain compared to the Control group during the primary assessment at Week 8. The percent change in average pain from baseline to Week 8 was -26% (±2%) for the low-dose control and -33% (±2%) for Qutenza.

For various degrees of improvement in pain from baseline to study endpoint, Figure 4 shows the fraction of patients achieving that degree of improvement. The figure is cumulative, so that patients whose change from baseline is, for example, 50%, are also included at every level of improvement below 50%. Patients who did not complete the study through Week 12 or who showed no improvement at Week 12 were assigned 0% improvement. Some patients experienced a decrease in pain as early as Week 1, which persisted throughout the study. The proportion of patients achieving ≥ 30% reduction in pain intensity from baseline for each week through Week 12 is shown in Figure 5.

FIGURE 5: Weekly Proportion of Patients Achieving ≥ 30% Pain Intensity Reduction – Study 2*

Figure 5

Qutenza (capsaicin) 8% patch is a single-use patch stored in a sealed pouch (NDC 10144-920-00).

Each individual patch is printed with "capsaicin 8%".

Cleansing Gel is provided in a 50 g tube.

Qutenza is available in the following presentations:

Carton of 1 patch and 50 g tube of Cleansing Gel

(NDC 10144-928-01).

Carton of 2 patches and 50 g tube of Cleansing Gel

(NDC 10144-929-01).

Store carton between 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F). Excursions between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F) are allowed.

Keep the patch in the sealed pouch until immediately before use.

Qutenza contains capsaicin capable of producing severe irritation of eyes, skin, respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Do not dispense Qutenza to patients for self-administration. It is critical that health care professionals who administer Qutenza have completely familiarized themselves with proper dosing, handling, and disposal procedures before handling Qutenza to avoid accidental or inadvertent capsaicin exposure to themselves or others [ see Dosage and Administration (2) ].

• Do not touch Qutenza, treatment areas, and all used supplies or other materials placed in contact with the treatment area without wearing nitrile gloves.
• Wear nitrile gloves at all times while handling Qutenza and cleaning treatment areas. Do NOT use latex gloves.
• Do not hold Qutenza near eyes or mucous membranes.
• Immediately after use, dispose of used and unused patches, patch clippings, unused Cleansing Gel and associated treatment supplies in accordance with local biomedical waste procedures.