EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/1229334
Contact Name: by Title COVID-19 NEWS YOU CAN USE 26 | EYEWORLD | APRIL 2020 ASCRS NEWS continued from page 24 BRIEF SUMMARY: Please see the DEXTENZA Package Insert for full prescribing information for DEXTENZA (06/2019) 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE DEXTENZA ® (dexamethasone ophthalmic insert) is a corticosteroid indicated for the treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following ophthalmic surgery. 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS DEXTENZA is contraindicated in patients with active corneal, conjunctival or canalicular infections, including epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, varicella; mycobacterial infections; fungal diseases of the eye, and dacryocystitis. 5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS 5.1 Intraocular Pressure Increase Prolonged use of corticosteroids may result in glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, defects in visual acuity and fields of vision. Steroids should be used with caution in the presence of glaucoma. Intraocular pressure should be monitored during the course of the treatment. 5.2 Bacterial Infection Corticosteroids may suppress the host response and thus increase the hazard for secondary ocular infections. In acute purulent conditions, steroids may mask infection and enhance existing infection [see Contraindications (4)]. 5.3 Viral Infections Use of ocular steroids may prolong the course and may exacerbate the severity of many viral infections of the eye (including herpes simplex) [see Contraindications (4)]. 5.4 Fungal Infections Fungus invasion must be considered in any persistent corneal ulceration where a steroid has been used or is in use. Fungal culture should be taken when appropriate [see Contraindications (4)]. 5.5 Delayed Healing The use of steroids after cataract surgery may delay healing and increase the incidence of bleb formation. 6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: • Intraocular Pressure Increase [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] • Bacterial Infection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] • Viral Infection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] • Fungal Infection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] • Delayed Healing [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] 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. Adverse reactions associated with ophthalmic steroids include elevated intraocular pressure, which may be associated with optic nerve damage, visual acuity and field defects, posterior subcapsular cataract formation; delayed wound healing; secondary ocular infection from pathogens including herpes simplex, and perforation of the globe where there is thinning of the cornea or sclera [see Warnings and Precautions (5)]. DEXTENZA was studied in four randomized, vehicle-controlled studies (n = 567). The mean age of the population was 68 years (range 35 to 87 years), 59% were female, and 83% were white. Forty-seven percent had brown iris color and 30% had blue iris color. The most common ocular adverse reactions that occurred in patients treated with DEXTENZA were: anterior chamber inflammation including iritis and iridocyclitis (10%); intraocular pressure increased (6%); visual acuity reduced (2%); cystoid macular edema (1%); corneal edema (1%); eye pain (1%) and conjunctival hyperemia (1%). The most common non-ocular adverse reaction that occurred in patients treated with DEXTENZA was headache (1%). 8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no adequate or well-controlled studies with DEXTENZA in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. In animal reproduction studies, administration of topical ocular dexamethasone to pregnant mice and rabbits during organogenesis produced embryofetal lethality, cleft palate and multiple visceral malformations [see Animal Data]. Data Animal Data Topical ocular administration of 0.15% dexamethasone (0.75 mg/kg/day) on gestational days 10 to 13 produced embryofetal lethality and a high incidence of cleft palate in a mouse study. A daily dose of 0.75 mg/kg/day in the mouse is approximately 5 times the entire dose of dexamethasone in the DEXTENZA product, on a mg/m 2 basis. In a rabbit study, topical ocular administration of 0.1% dexamethasone throughout organogenesis (0.36 mg /day, on gestational day 6 followed by 0.24 mg/day on gestational days 7-18) produced intestinal anomalies, intestinal aplasia, gastroschisis and hypoplastic kidneys. A daily dose of 0.24 mg/day is approximately 6 times the entire dose of dexamethasone in the DEXTENZA product, on a mg/m 2 basis. 8.2 Lactation Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth and interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production; however the systemic concentration of dexamethasone following administration of DEXTENZA is low [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. There is no information regarding the presence of DEXTENZA in human milk, the effects of the drug on the breastfed infant or the effects of the drug on milk production to inform risk of DEXTENZA to an infant during lactation. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for DEXTENZA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from DEXTENZA. 8.4 Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. 8.5 Geriatric Use No overall differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and younger patients. 17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION Advise patients to consult their surgeon if pain, redness, or itching develops. MANUFACTURED FOR: Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. Bedford, MA 01730 USA PP-US-DX-0072-V2 continued on page 28 professionally and personally and move on to a brighter future ahead. Best wishes and stay safe, ASCRS Nation. P.S. I thought I'd share the timeline that I've kept on my iPhone highlighting some of the activities related to COVID-19 and how it affected me and my family in such a short period of time. I encourage you to do the same, as I'm sure you'll look back at this someday and say "Wow, it is amazing how things have progressed so quickly." 12/31/19: China notifies WHO of a cluster of pneumonia cases and closes seafood market in Wuhan, the presumed epicenter 1/7: Novel coronavirus identified 1/20: First U.S. case identified in the state of Washington 2/7: Ophthalmologist and coronavirus whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang from China dies 2/11: WHO labels coronavirus disease COVID-19 2/12: Coronavirus cases spike in South Korea 2/21: Coronavirus cases spike in Italy 3/6: We cancel our spring break trip to Madrid to visit our daughter Ashley, who is doing her Duke semester away program there 3/8: Last-minute spring break ski trip to Utah 3/10: Duke decides to pull its students out of Madrid; we scramble to get a flight home for Ashley 3/11: WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic • President Trump bans all travel from European countries into U.S. • ACC and NCAA cancel tournaments after Utah Jazz players test positive 3/12: Ashley arrives home safely and in self-quarantine 3/13: We return home and all ski resorts close 3/14: Abrahmson Center, where my father is currently in hospice care, imposes major restrictions on visitors, causing me to cancel my biweekly trips to Philadelphia to visit him 3/15: Duke and local schools close and move to distance learning 3/16: Coronavirus cases spike in Spain • Back to clinic at Duke Eye Center (a third of patients cancel) 3/17: Back to surgery at Duke Eye Center (half of patients cancel)