Liraglutide

5.1 Risk of Thyroid C-cell Tumors Liraglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors (adenomas and/or carcinomas) at clinically relevant exposures in both genders of rats and mice [see Nonclinical Toxicology (13.1)]. Malignant thyroid Ccell carcinomas were detected in rats and mice. It is unknown whether liraglutide injection will cause thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans, as the human relevance of liraglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined. Cases of MTC in patients treated with liraglutide injection have been reported in the postmarketing period; the data in these reports are insufficient to establish or exclude a causal relationship between MTC and liraglutide injection use in humans. Liraglutide injection is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2. Counsel patients regarding the potential risk for MTC with the use of liraglutide injection and inform them of symptoms of thyroid tumors (e.g., a mass in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness). Routine monitoring of serum calcitonin or using thyroid ultrasound is of uncertain value for early detection of MTC in patients treated with liraglutide injection. Such monitoring may increase the risk of unnecessary procedures, due to low test specificity for serum calcitonin and a high background incidence of thyroid disease. Significantly elevated serum calcitonin may indicate MTC and patients with MTC usually have calcitonin values >50 ng/L. If serum calcitonin is measured and found to be elevated, the patient should be further evaluated. Patients with thyroid nodules noted on physical examination or neck imaging should also be further evaluated. 5.2 Pancreatitis Based on spontaneous postmarketing reports, acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, has been observed in patients treated with liraglutide injection. After initiation of liraglutide injection, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis (including persistent severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back and which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting). If pancreatitis is suspected, liraglutide injection should promptly be discontinued and appropriate management should be initiated. If pancreatitis is confirmed, liraglutide injection should not be restarted. In glycemic control trials of liraglutide injection, there have been 13 cases of pancreatitis among liraglutide injectiontreated patients and 1 case in a comparator (glimepiride) treated patient (2.7 vs. 0.5 cases per 1,000 patient-years). Nine of the 13 cases with liraglutide injection were reported as acute pancreatitis and four were reported as chronic pancreatitis. In one case in a liraglutide injection-treated patient, pancreatitis, with necrosis, was observed and led to death; however clinical causality could not be established. Some patients had other risk factors for pancreatitis, such as a history of cholelithiasis or alcohol abuse. Liraglutide injection has been studied in a limited number of patients with a history of pancreatitis. It is unknown if patients with a history of pancreatitis are at higher risk for development of pancreatitis on liraglutide injection. 5.3 Never Share a Liraglutide Injection Pen Between Patients Liraglutide injection pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed. Pen-sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens. 5.4 Hypoglycemia Adult patients receiving liraglutide injection in combination with an insulin secretagogue (e.g., sulfonylurea) or insulin may have an increased risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. In pediatric patients 10 years of age and older, the risk of hypoglycemia was higher with liraglutide injection regardless of insulin and/or metformin use. [see Adverse Reactions (6.1), Drug Interactions (7.2)]. The risk of hypoglycemia may be lowered by a reduction in the dose of sulfonylurea (or other concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues) or insulin. Inform patients using these concomitant medications and pediatric patients of the risk of hypoglycemia and educate them on the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. 5.5 Acute Kidney Injury Liraglutide injection has not been found to be directly nephrotoxic in animal studies or clinical trials. There have been postmarketing reports of acute renal failure and worsening of chronic renal failure, which may sometimes require hemodialysis in liraglutide injection-treated patients [see Adverse Reactions (6.2)]. Some of these events were reported in patients without known underlying renal disease. A majority of the reported events occurred in patients who had experienced nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. Some of the reported events occurred in patients receiving one or more medications known to affect renal function or hydration status. Altered renal function has been reversed in many of the reported cases with supportive treatment and discontinuation of potentially causative agents, including liraglutide injection. Use caution when initiating or escalating doses of liraglutide injection in patients with renal impairment [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6)]. 5.6 Hypersensitivity Reactions There have been postmarketing reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylactic reactions and angioedema) in patients treated with liraglutide injection [see Adverse Reactions (6.2)]. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue liraglutide injection; treat promptly per standard of care, and monitor until signs and symptoms resolve. Anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported with other GLP-1 receptor agonists. Use caution in a patient with a history of anaphylaxis or angioedema with another GLP-receptor agonist because it is unknown whether such patients will be predisposed to these reactions with liraglutide injection. Liraglutide injection is contraindicated in patients who have had a serious hypersensitivity reaction to liraglutide or any of the excipients in liraglutide injection [see Contraindications (4)]. 5.7 Acute Gallbladder Disease Acute events of gallbladder disease such as cholelithiasis or cholecystitis have been reported in GLP-1 receptor agonist trials and postmarketing. If cholelithiasis is suspected, gallbladder studies and appropriate clinical follow-up are indicated [see Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. 5.8 Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation Liraglutide injection delays gastric emptying [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. There have been rare postmarketing reports of pulmonary aspiration in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation who had residual gastric contents despite reported adherence to preoperative fasting recommendations. Available data are insufficient to inform recommendations to mitigate the risk of pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation in patients taking liraglutide injection, including whether modifying preoperative fasting recommendations or temporarily discontinuing liraglutide injection could reduce the incidence of retained gastric contents. Instruct patients to inform healthcare providers prior to any planned surgeries or procedures if they are taking liraglutide injection.

The following serious adverse reactions are described below or elsewhere in the prescribing information: • Risk of Thyroid C-cell Tumors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] • Pancreatitis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] • Hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] • Acute Kidney Injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] • Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)] • Acute Gallbladder Disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] • Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)] 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience 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 another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Common Adverse Reactions The safety of liraglutide injection in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was evaluated in 5 glycemic control, placebocontrolled trials in adults and one trial of 52 weeks duration in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older [see Clinical Studies (14.1)]. The data in Table 1 reflect exposure of 1,673 adult patients to liraglutide injection and a mean duration of exposure to liraglutide injection of 37.3 weeks. The mean age of adult patients was 58 years, 4% were 75 years or older and 54% were male. The population was 79% White, 6% Black or African American, 13% Asian; 4% were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. At baseline the population had diabetes for an average of 9 years and a mean HbA1c of 8.4%. Baseline estimated renal function was normal or mildly impaired in 88% and moderately impaired in 12% of the pooled population. Table 1 shows common adverse reactions in adults, excluding hypoglycemia, associated with the use of liraglutide injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. These adverse reactions occurred more commonly on liraglutide injection than on placebo and occurred in at least 5% of patients treated with liraglutide injection. Overall, the type, and severity of adverse reactions in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older and above were comparable to that observed in the adult population. Table 1 Adverse reactions reported in ≥ 5% of Adult Patients Treated with Liraglutide Injection for Type 2 In an analysis of placebo- and active-controlled trials, the types and frequency of common adverse reactions, excluding hypoglycemia, were similar to those listed in Table 1. Other Adverse Reactions Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions In the pool of 5 glycemic control, placebo-controlled adult clinical trials, withdrawals due to gastrointestinal adverse reactions, occurred in 4.3% of liraglutide injection-treated patients and 0.5% of placebo-treated patients. Withdrawal due to gastrointestinal adverse events mainly occurred during the first 2 to 3 months of the trials. Injection site reactions Injection site reactions (e.g., injection site rash, erythema) were reported in approximately 2% of liraglutide injection-treated adult patients in the five double-blind, glycemic control trials of at least 26 weeks duration. Less than 0.2% of liraglutide injection-treated patients discontinued due to injection site reactions. Hypoglycemia In 5 adult glycemic control, placebo-controlled clinical trials of at least 26 weeks duration, hypoglycemia requiring the assistance of another person for treatment occurred in 8 liraglutide injection-treated patients (7.5 events per 1,000 patient-years). Of these 8 liraglutide injection-treated patients, 7 patients were concomitantly using a sulfonylurea. Table 2 Adult Incidence (%) and Rate (episodes/patient year) of Hypoglycemia in 26-Week Combination Therapy Placebo-controlled Trials In a 26-week placebo-controlled clinical trial in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with a 26-week open-label extension, 21.2% of liraglutide injection-treated patients (mean age 14.6 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus, had hypoglycemia with a blood glucose <54 mg/dL with or without symptoms (335 events per 1,000 patient years). No severe hypoglycemic episodes occurred in the liraglutide injection treatment group (severe hypoglycemia was defined as an episode requiring assistance of another person to actively administer carbohydrate, glucagon, or other resuscitative actions). Papillary thyroid carcinoma In adult glycemic control trials of liraglutide injection, there were 7 reported cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients treated with liraglutide injection and 1 case in a comparator-treated patient (1.5 vs. 0.5 cases per 1,000 patient-years). Most of these papillary thyroid carcinomas were <1 cm in greatest diameter and were diagnosed in surgical pathology specimens after thyroidectomy prompted by findings on protocol-specified screening with serum calcitonin or thyroid ultrasound. Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis In adult glycemic control trials of liraglutide injection, the incidence of cholelithiasis was 0.3% in both liraglutide injection-treated and placebo-treated patients. The incidence of cholecystitis was 0.2% in both liraglutide injection-treated and placebo-treated patients. Laboratory Tests Bilirubin In the five adult glycemic control trials of at least 26 weeks duration, mildly elevated serum bilirubin concentrations (elevations to no more than twice the upper limit of the reference range) occurred in 4.0% of liraglutide injection-treated patients, 2.1% of placebo-treated patients and 3.5% of active-comparator-treated patients. This finding was not accompanied by abnormalities in other liver tests. The significance of this isolated finding is unknown. Calcitonin Calcitonin, a biological marker of MTC, was measured throughout the clinical development program. At the end of the adult glycemic control trials, adjusted mean serum calcitonin concentrations were higher in liraglutide injection-treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients but not compared to patients receiving active comparator. Between group differences in adjusted mean serum calcitonin values were approximately 0.1 ng/L or less. Among adult patients with pretreatment calcitonin <20 ng/L, calcitonin elevations to >20 ng/L occurred in 0.7% of liraglutide injection-treated patients, 0.3% of placebo-treated patients, and 0.5% of active-comparator-treated patients. The clinical significance of these findings is unknown. Lipase and Amylase In one adult glycemic control trial in renal impairment patients, a mean increase of 33% for lipase and 15% for amylase from baseline was observed for liraglutide injection-treated patients while placebo-treated patients had a mean decrease in lipase of 3% and a mean increase in amylase of 1%. The clinical significance of elevations in lipase or amylase with liraglutide injection is unknown in the absence of other signs and symptoms of pancreatitis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. Vital signs Liraglutide injection did not have adverse effects on blood pressure. Mean increases from baseline in heart rate of 2 to 3 beats per minute have been observed in adult patients treated with liraglutide injection compared to placebo. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following additional adverse reactions have been reported during post-approval use of liraglutide injection. Because these events are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is generally not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Gastrointestinal: Acute pancreatitis, hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis sometimes resulting in death, ileus General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Allergic reactions: rash and pruritus Hepatobiliary: Elevations of liver enzymes, hyperbilirubinemia, cholestasis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis requiring cholecystectomy, hepatitis Immune system: Angioedema and anaphylactic reactions Metabolism and nutrition: Dehydration resulting from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea Neoplasms: Medullary thyroid carcinoma Nervous system: Dysgeusia, dizziness Pulmonary: Pulmonary aspiration has occurred in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation. Renal and urinary: Increased serum creatinine, acute renal failure or worsening of chronic renal failure, sometimes requiring hemodialysis Skin and subcutaneous tissue: Cutaneous amyloidosis Table 1 Adverse reactions reported in ≥ 5% of Adult Patients Treated with Liraglutide Injection for Type 2 Table 2 Adult Incidence (%) and Rate (episodes/patient year) of Hypoglycemia in 26-Week Combination Therapy Placebo-controlled Trials