ELMIRON

openFDA label record#

This page contains supplementary openFDA label data. For the canonical label presentation, use the corresponding DailyMed Structured Product Label.

Verified complete openFDA source JSON (canonical bytes are SHA-256 checked before publication)

Brand name
ELMIRON
Generic name
PENTOSAN POLYSULFATE SODIUM
Manufacturer
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Product type
HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG
SPL set ID
f0ba651e-3d8a-11df-8fbe-119855d89593
SPL ID
2268b774-ecba-3038-e063-6394a90a9210
Version
16
Effective date
2024-09-18
Source export date
2026-09-28
Source partition
11
Source file
https://download.open.fda.gov/drug/label/drug-label-0011-of-0014.json.zip
Source object key
raw/openfda/drug-label/2026-09-28/aa96b5a2be6b394393acd0090f6948bdf99e0e8e00666f81608929c8fa83db77/drug-label-0011-of-0014.json.zip
Source manifest SHA-256
cd2e66336a5cd2223fa3995098fdbdb84c6a7ee5c0a4addb236ccb22dd1e6887
Import run
20260929T050834Z
Imported at
2026-09-29 06:15:29
Harmonized routes table
Harmonized routes
ORAL

Warnings cross-check#

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Warnings sections page 1 of 1 · 1 matching rows.

warnings

WARNINGS Retinal Pigmentary Changes Pigmentary changes in the retina, reported in the literature as pigmentary maculopathy, have been identified with long-term use of ELMIRON ® (see ADVERSE REACTIONS ). Although most of these cases occurred after 3 years of use or longer, cases have been seen with a shorter duration of use. While the etiology is unclear, cumulative dose appears to be a risk factor. Visual symptoms in the reported cases included difficulty reading, slow adjustment to low or reduced light environments, and blurred vision. The visual consequences of these pigmentary changes are not fully characterized. Caution should be used in patients with retinal pigment changes from other causes in which examination findings may confound the appropriate diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment. Detailed ophthalmologic history should be obtained in all patients prior to starting treatment with ELMIRON ® . If there is a family history of hereditary pattern dystrophy, genetic testing should be considered. For patients with pre-existing ophthalmologic conditions, a comprehensive baseline retinal examination (including color fundoscopic photography, ocular coherence tomography (OCT), and auto-fluorescence imaging) is recommended prior to starting therapy. A baseline retinal examination (including OCT and auto-fluorescence imaging) is suggested for all patients within six months of initiating treatment and periodically while continuing treatment. If pigmentary changes in the retina develop, then risks and benefits of continuing treatment should be re-evaluated, since these changes may be irreversible. Follow-up retinal examinations should be continued given that retinal and vision changes may progress even after cessation of treatment.

Adverse reactions cross-check#

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Adverse reactions sections page 1 of 1 · 2 matching rows.

adverse reactions

ADVERSE REACTIONS ELMIRON ® was evaluated in clinical trials in a total of 2627 patients (2343 women, 262 men, 22 unknown) with a mean age of 47 [range 18 to 88 with 581 (22%) over 60 years of age]. Of the 2627 patients, 128 patients were in a 3-month trial and the remaining 2499 patients were in a long-term, unblinded trial. Deaths occurred in 6/2627 (0.2%) patients who received the drug over a period of 3 to 75 months. The deaths appear to be related to other concurrent illnesses or procedures, except in one patient for whom the cause was not known. Serious adverse events occurred in 33/2627 (1.3%) patients. Two patients had severe abdominal pain or diarrhea and dehydration that required hospitalization. Because there was not a control group of patients with interstitial cystitis who were concurrently evaluated, it is difficult to determine which events are associated with ELMIRON ® and which events are associated with concurrent illness, medicine, or other factors. Adverse Experience in Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials of ELMIRON ® 100 mg Three Times a Day for 3 Months Body System/Adverse Experience ELMIRON ® n=128 Placebo n=130 CNS Overall Number of Patients Within a body system, the individual events do not sum to equal overall number of patients because a patient may have more than one event. 3 5 Insomnia 1 0 Headache 1 3 Severe Emotional Lability/Depression 2 1 Nystagmus/Dizziness 1 1 Hyperkinesia 1 1 GI Overall Number of Patients 7 7 Nausea 3 3 Diarrhea 3 6 Dyspepsia 1 0 Jaundice 0 1 Vomiting 0 2 Skin/Allergic Overall Number of Patients 2 4 Rash 0 2 Pruritus 0 2 Lacrimation 1 1 Rhinitis 1 1 Increased Sweating 1 0 Other Overall Number of Patients 1 3 Amenorrhea 0 1 Arthralgia 0 1 Vaginitis 1 1 Total Events 17 27 Total Number of Patients Reporting Adverse Events 13 19 The adverse events described below were reported in an unblinded clinical trial of 2499 interstitial cystitis patients treated with ELMIRON ® . Of the original 2499 patients, 1192 (48%) received ELMIRON ® for 3 months; 892 (36%) received ELMIRON ® for 6 months; and 598 (24%) received ELMIRON ® for one year, 355 (14%) received ELMIRON ® for 2 years, and 145 (6%) for 4 years. Frequency (1 to 4%): Alopecia (4%), diarrhea (4%), nausea (4%), headache (3%), rash (3%), dyspepsia (2%), abdominal pain (2%), liver function abnormalities (1%), dizziness (1%). Frequency (≤ 1%): Digestive: Vomiting, mouth ulcer, colitis, esophagitis, gastritis, flatulence, constipation, anorexia, gum hemorrhage. Hematologic: Anemia, ecchymosis, increased prothrombin time, increased partial thromboplastin time, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia. Hypersensitive Reactions: Allergic reaction, photosensitivity. Respiratory System: Pharyngitis, rhinitis, epistaxis, dyspnea. Skin and Appendages: Pruritus, urticaria. Special Senses: Conjunctivitis, tinnitus, optic neuritis, amblyopia, retinal hemorrhage. Post-Marketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of pentosan polysulfate sodium; because these reactions were 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: pigmentary changes in the retina (see WARNINGS ). Rectal Hemorrhage ELMIRON ® was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, parallel group, Phase 4 study conducted in 380 patients with interstitial cystitis dosed for 32 weeks. At a daily dose of 300 mg (n=128), rectal hemorrhage was reported as an adverse event in 6.3% of patients. The severity of the events was described as "mild" in most patients. Patients in that study who were administered ELMIRON ® 900 mg daily, a dose higher than the approved dose, experienced a higher incidence of rectal hemorrhage, 15%. Liver Function Abnormality A randomized, double-blind, parallel group, Phase 2 study was conducted in 100 men (51 ELMIRON ® and 49 placebo) dosed for 16 weeks. At a daily dose of 900 mg, a dose higher than the approved dose, elevated liver function tests were reported as an adverse event in 11.8% (n=6) of ELMIRON ® -treated patients and 2% (n=1) of placebo-treated patients.

adverse reactions table

<table width="75%"><caption>Adverse Experience in Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials of ELMIRON <sup>&#xAE;</sup>100 mg Three Times a Day for 3 Months </caption><col width="50%" align="left" valign="middle"/><col width="25%" align="center" valign="middle"/><col width="25%" align="center" valign="middle"/><thead><tr><th styleCode="Lrule">Body System/Adverse Experience</th><th>ELMIRON <sup>&#xAE;</sup> n=128 </th><th styleCode="Rrule">Placebo n=130 </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr styleCode="Botrule"><td styleCode="Lrule"><content styleCode="bold">CNS</content>Overall Number of Patients <footnote ID="ft">Within a body system, the individual events do not sum to equal overall number of patients because a patient may have more than one event.</footnote></td><td>3</td><td styleCode="Rrule">5</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Insomnia</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">0</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Headache</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">3</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Severe Emotional Lability/Depression</td><td>2</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Nystagmus/Dizziness</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Hyperkinesia</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr styleCode="Botrule"><td styleCode="Lrule Toprule"><content styleCode="bold">GI</content>Overall Number of Patients <footnoteRef IDREF="ft"/></td><td styleCode="Toprule">7</td><td styleCode="Rrule Toprule">7</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Nausea</td><td>3</td><td styleCode="Rrule">3</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Diarrhea</td><td>3</td><td styleCode="Rrule">6</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Dyspepsia</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">0</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Jaundice</td><td>0</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Vomiting</td><td>0</td><td styleCode="Rrule">2</td></tr><tr styleCode="Botrule"><td styleCode="Lrule Toprule"><content styleCode="bold">Skin/Allergic</content>Overall Number of Patients <footnoteRef IDREF="ft"/></td><td styleCode="Toprule">2</td><td styleCode="Rrule Toprule">4</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Rash</td><td>0</td><td styleCode="Rrule">2</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Pruritus</td><td>0</td><td styleCode="Rrule">2</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Lacrimation</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Rhinitis</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Increased Sweating</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">0</td></tr><tr styleCode="Botrule"><td styleCode="Lrule Toprule"><content styleCode="bold">Other</content>Overall Number of Patients <footnoteRef IDREF="ft"/></td><td styleCode="Toprule">1</td><td styleCode="Rrule Toprule">3</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Amenorrhea</td><td>0</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Arthralgia</td><td>0</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule"> Vaginitis</td><td>1</td><td styleCode="Rrule">1</td></tr><tr styleCode="Botrule"><td styleCode="Lrule Toprule">Total Events</td><td styleCode="Toprule">17</td><td styleCode="Rrule Toprule">27</td></tr><tr><td styleCode="Lrule">Total Number of Patients Reporting Adverse Events</td><td valign="bottom">13</td><td styleCode="Rrule" valign="bottom">19</td></tr></tbody></table>

Reported adverse events (FAERS/openFDA)#

Adverse event summaries are temporarily unavailable. Other product information remains available.