DIHYDROERGOTAMINE MESYLATE

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine headaches with or without aura. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray is not intended for the prophylactic therapy of migraine or for the management of hemiplegic or basilar migraine.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The solution used in dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray (4 mg/mL) is intended for intranasal use and must not be injected. In clinical trials, dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray has been effective for the acute treatment of migraine headaches with or without aura. One spray (0.5 mg) of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should be administered in each nostril. Fifteen minutes later, an additional one spray (0.5 mg) of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should be administered in each nostril, for a total dosage of four sprays (2 mg) of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray. Studies have shown no additional benefit from acute doses greater than 2 mg for a single migraine administration. The safety of doses greater than 3 mg in a 24 hour period and 4 mg in a 7 day period has not been established. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray, should not be used for chronic daily administration. Prior to administration, the pump must be primed (i.e., squeeze 4 times) before use (see administration instructions). Once the nasal spray applicator has been prepared, it should be discarded (with any remaining drug in opened vial) after 8 hours. Prior to administration, the pump must be primed (i.e., squeeze 4 times) before use. (See administration instructions) Once the nasal spray applicator has been prepared, it should be discarded (with any remaining drug in opened vial after 8 hours).

WARNINGS Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should only be used where a clear diagnosis of migraine headache has been established . CYP 3A4 Inhibitors (e.g. Macrolide Antibiotics and Protease Inhibitors) There have been rare reports of serious adverse events in connection with the coadministration of dihydroergotamine and potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors, such as protease inhibitors and macrolide antibiotics, resulting in vasospasm that led to cerebral ischemia and/or and ischemia of the extremities. The use of potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors with dihydroergotamine should therefore be avoided (see CONTRAINDICATIONS) . Examples of some of the more potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors include: antifungals ketoconazole and itraconazole, the protease inhibitors ritonavir, nelfinavir, and indinavir, and macrolide antibiotics erythromycin, clarithromycin, and troleandomycin. Other less potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors should be administered with caution. Less potent inhibitors include saquinavir, nefazodone, fluconazole, grapefruit juice, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, zileuton, and clotrimazole. These lists are not exhaustive, and the prescriber should consider the effects on CYP 3A4 of other agents being considered for concomitant use with dihydroergotamine . Fibrotic Complications There have been reports of pleural and retroperitoneal fibrosis in patients following prolonged daily use of injectable dihydroergotamine mesylate. Rarely, prolonged daily use of other ergot alkaloid drugs has been associated with cardiac valvular fibrosis. Rare cases have also been reported in association with the use of injectable dihydroergotamine mesylate; however, in those cases, patients also received drugs known to be associated with cardiac valvular fibrosis. Administration of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray, should not exceed the dosing guidelines and should not be used for chronic daily administration (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). Risk of Myocardial Ischemia and/or Infarction and Other Adverse Cardiac Events: Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should not be used by patients with documented ischemic or vasospastic coronary artery disease. (see CONTRAINDICATIONS) It is strongly recommended that dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray not be given to patients in whom unrecognized coronary artery disease (CAD) is predicted by the presence of risk factors (e.g., hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoker, obesity, diabetes, strong family history of CAD, females who are surgically or physiologically postmenopausal, or males who are over 40 years of age) unless a cardiovascular evaluation provides satisfactory clinical evidence that the patient is reasonably free of coronary artery and ischemic myocardial disease or other significant underlying cardiovascular disease. The sensitivity of cardiac diagnostic procedures to detect cardiovascular disease or predisposition to coronary artery vasospasm is modest, at best. If, during the cardiovascular evaluation, the patient's medical history or electrocardiographic investigations reveal findings indicative of or consistent with coronary artery vasospasm or myocardial ischemia, dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should not be administered. (see CONTRAINDICATIONS) For patients with risk factors predictive of CAD who are determined to have a satisfactory cardiovascular evaluation, it is strongly recommended that administration of the first dose of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray take place in the setting of a physician's office or similar medically staffed and equipped facility unless the patient has previously received dihydroergotamine mesylate . Because cardiac ischemia can occur in the absence of clinical symptoms, consideration should be given to obtaining on the first occasion of use an electrocardiogram (ECG) during the interval immediately following dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray , in these patients with risk factors. It is recommended that patients who are intermittent long-term users of dihydroergotam…

CONTRAINDICATIONS There have been a few reports of serious adverse events associated with the coadministration of dihydroergotamine and potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors, such as protease inhibitors and macrolide antibiotics, resulting in vasospasm that led to cerebral ischemia and/or ischemia of the extremities. The use of potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors (ritonavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, troleandomycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole) with dihydroergotamine is, therefore contraindicated ( see WARNINGS: CYP 3A4 Inhibitors ). Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should not be given to patients with ischemic heart disease (angina pectoris, history of myocardial infarction, or documented silent ischemia) or to patients who have clinical symptoms or findings consistent with coronary artery vasospasm including Prinzmetal's variant angina. ( see WARNINGS ) Because dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray may increase blood pressure, it should not be given to patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray , 5-HT1 agonists (e.g., sumatriptan), ergotamine-containing or ergot-type medications or methysergide should not be used within 24 hours of each other. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should not be administered to patients with hemiplegic or basilar migraine. In addition to those conditions mentioned above, dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray is also contraindicated in patients with known peripheral arterial disease, sepsis, following vascular surgery, and severely impaired hepatic or renal function. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray is contraindicated in patients who have previously shown hypersensitivity to ergot alkaloids. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray should not be used with peripheral and central vasoconstrictors because the combination may result in additive or synergistic elevation of blood pressure.

ADVERSE REACTIONS During clinical studies and the foreign postmarketing experience with dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray there have been no fatalities due to cardiac events. Serious cardiac events, including some that have been fatal, have occurred following use of the parenteral form of dihydroergotamine mesylate (D.H.E. 45 ® Injection), but are extremely rare. Events reported have included coronary artery vasospasm, transient myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. ( see CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, and PRECAUTIONS ). Fibrotic complications have been reported in association with long term use of injectable dihydroergotamine mesylate ( see WARNINGS: Fibrotic Complications ). Incidence in Controlled Clinical Trials Of the 1,796 patients and subjects treated with dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray doses 2 mg or less in U.S. and foreign clinical studies, 26 (1.4%) discontinued because of adverse events. The adverse events associated with discontinuation were, in decreasing order of frequency: rhinitis 13, dizziness 2, facial edema 2, and one each due to cold sweats, accidental trauma, depression, elective surgery, somnolence, allergy, vomiting, hypotension, and paraesthesia. The most commonly reported adverse events associated with the use of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray during placebo-controlled, double-blind studies for the treatment of migraine headache and not reported at an equal incidence by placebo-treated patients were rhinitis, altered sense of taste, application site reactions, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. The events cited reflect experience gained under closely monitored conditions of clinical trials in a highly selected patient population. In actual clinical practice or in other clinical trials, these frequency estimates may not apply, as the conditions of use, reporting behavior, and the kinds of patients treated may differ. Dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray was generally well tolerated. In most instances these events were transient and self-limited and did not result in patient discontinuation from a study. The following table summarizes the incidence rates of adverse events reported by at least 1% of patients who received dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray for the treatment of migraine headaches during placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical studies and were more frequent than in those patients receiving placebo. Table 3: Adverse events reported by at least 1% of the Dihydroergotamine Mesylate Nasal Spray Treated Patients and occurred more frequently than in the Placebo-Group in the Migraine Placebo-Controlled Trials Dihydroergotamine Mesylate Nasal Spray N=597 Placebo N=631 Respiratory System Rhinitis 26% 7% Pharyngitis 3% 1% Sinusitis 1% 1% Gastrointestinal System Nausea 10% 4% Vomiting 4% 1% Diarrhea 2% <1% Special Senses, Other Altered Sense of Taste 8% 1% Application Site Application Site Reaction 6% 2% Central and Peripheral Nervous System Dizziness 4% 2% Somnolence 3% 2% Paraesthesia 2% 2% Body as a Whole, General Hot Flashes 1% <1% Fatigue 1% 1% Asthenia 1% 0% Autonomic Nervous System Mouth Dry 1% 1% Musculoskeletal System Stiffness 1% <1% Other Adverse Events During Clinical Trials In the paragraphs that follow, the frequencies of less commonly reported adverse clinical events are presented. Because the reports include events observed in open and uncontrolled studies, the role of dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray in their causation cannot be reliably determined. Furthermore, variability associated with adverse event reporting, the terminology used to describe adverse events, etc., limit the value of the quantitative frequency estimates provided. Event frequencies are calculated as the number of patients who used dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray in placebo-controlled trials and reported an event divided by the total number of patients (n=1796) exposed to dihydroergotamine mesylate nasal spray. All repor…