Survey on Off-Label Use of Antineoplastic Agents in Pediatric Patients using a Large-scale Medical Database in Japan

Abstract Background Antithrombin (AT) is a naturally occurring anticoagulant, and occupies a critical role in regulating thrombin generation. AT concentrate (ATC) is indicated for patients with hereditary AT deficiency but off-label use for acquired heparin resistance in patients receiving anticoagulation for thrombotic disease is not uncommon. Use of ATC in children in this and other settings such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist devices (VAD) appears to be expanding. However, no guidelines exist with respect to proper indications and monitoring, and scant safety and efficacy data is available. The objective of this study was to review our substantial institutional experience with off-label pediatric use of ATC regarding indications for use, dosing practice, dosing effect, adverse events, and patient outcomes. Methods An institutional review board (IRB)-approved retrospective chart review is being performed on all pediatric patients who received human-plasma derived ATC at Texas Children’s Hospital from 2001 to 2013. Data collection includes demographic, clinical and laboratory data. We are currently reporting on the first 100 consecutive patients examined using descriptive statistics and ANOVA for group comparisons. Results One hundred patients with median age 5 months (range 0 to 216 months) received 536 doses of ATC (median 4 doses per patient, range 1 to 29) between February 2012 and May 2013. Clinical scenarios for ATC use included heparin (unfractionated (UFH) or low molecular weight (LMWH)) therapy for thrombosis in 47%, ECMO in 38%, VAD in 5% and other settings in 10% of the 100 consecutive patients analyzed. Neither dosing nor dose response (measured as AT activity level post- versus pre-ATC dose) differed significantly between these patient groups. For the group of patients who received AT for thrombosis and heparin therapy, only 57% had subtherapeutic levels (anti-Xa activity <0.3 units/mL for UFH or <0.5 units/mL for LMWH) at the time of ATC initiation. Of these, only 22% achieved therapeutic levels within 12 hours after the first ATC dose. Among all the groups, 33% of children had bleeding events within 72 hours after ATC administration, most commonly reported as oozing from line sites (n=15). There was no association between AT activity levels measured after ATC administration and bleeding events. The 2 patients that developed intracranial hemorrhage were on ECMO. There were no allergic reactions. End of hospitalization mortality was 28%. Conclusion In this high-risk cohort of pediatric patients, off-label ATC was most commonly given in the setting of heparin therapy for thrombosis and low AT levels, but often without apparent evidence for inadequate heparinization as measured by low anti-Xa activity. Although ATC administration led to a significant rise in AT activity for most patients, interindividual response to ATC varied greatly, with some patients demonstrating little to no response. Furthermore, among patients who exhibited clear signs of heparin resistance, the first administration of ATC potentiated an adequate heparin effect in only a small minority. Finally, ATC administration was associated with high rate of minor bleeding complications and rare major bleeding events. These findings raise significant questions about the safety, efficacy and appropriate use of ATC in pediatrics and highlight the need for its further prospective study. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Antithrombin concentrate.

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Off-Label Medicine Use in Pediatric Inpatients: A Prospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India

International Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1155/2014/415815 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mohd Masnoon Saiyed ◽

Tarachand Lalwani ◽

Devang Rana

Keyword(s):

Observational Study ◽

Prospective Observational Study ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Tertiary Care Hospital ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Quality Data ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Off Label ◽

Label Use

Background. In the absence of standard pediatric prescribing information, clinicians often use medicines in an off-label way. Many studies have been published across the globe reporting different rates of off-label use. There is currently no study based on Indian drug formulary.Methods. The prospective observational study included pediatric patients in ages between 0 and 12 years admitted in a tertiary care hospital. Off-label use was assessed using the National Formulary of India (NFI). Predictors of off-label use were determined by logistic regression.Results. Of the 1645 medications prescribed, 1152 (70%) were off-label based on 14 possible off-label categories. Off-label medicines were mainly due to dose difference and use in restricted age limits as indicated in NFI. Respiratory medicines (82%), anti-infectives (73%), and nervous system medicines (53%) had higher off-label use. Important predictors of off-label prescribing were pediatric patients in age of 0 to 2 years (OR 1.68, 95% CI;P<0.001) and hospital stay of six to 10 days (OR 1.91, 95% CI;P<0.001).Conclusion. Off-label prescribing is common among pediatric patients. There is need to generate more quality data on the safety and efficacy of off-label medicines to rationalize pediatric pharmacotherapy.

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Trends in the off‐label use of β‐blockers in pediatric patients

Pediatrics International ◽

10.1111/ped.14015 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 61 (11) ◽

pp. 1071-1080

Author(s):

Vishal R Kaley ◽

E Oliver Aregullin ◽

Bennett P Samuel ◽

Joseph J Vettukattil

Keyword(s):

Pediatric Patients ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Off Label ◽

Β Blockers ◽

Label Use

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Phase 1/2 Study in Pediatric Patients with Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) Receiving Blinatumomab Treatment

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v124.21.2292.2292 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 124 (21) ◽

pp. 2292-2292 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Arend von Stackelberg ◽

Franco Locatelli ◽

Gerhard Zugmaier ◽

Rupert Handgretinger ◽

Tanya M. Trippett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Adult Patients ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Employment Equity ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Off Label ◽

Equity Ownership ◽

Label Use

Abstract Introduction: Blinatumomab, an investigational bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE®) antibody construct, has been shown to induce remission in adult patients with relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL. Medically important adverse events (AEs) related to blinatumomab treatment in adults are cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurological events. We report the primary analysis of the phase 1 portion of a multicenter phase 1/2 study of blinatumomab in pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL. Methods: In this continuing study, eligible patients are <18 years old and must have BCP-ALL that is in second or later bone marrow relapse, in any marrow relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), or refractory to induction or reinduction therapy. Patients receive blinatumomab for 28 days by continuous intravenous infusion followed by a 14-day treatment-free period (for up to five cycles). Escalating dosing levels of 5, 15, and 30 μg/m²/day and stepwise dosing of 5–15 or 15–30 μg/m²/day were evaluated. The primary endpoint of the phase 1 portion of the study was maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Secondary endpoints included toxicity, complete remission (CR) rate, overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), pharmacokinetics evaluation, and cytokine measurement. Results: In the phase 1 portion, 41 patients received a total of 73 cycles (median of 2 cycles received, range of 1 to 5). Eight (20%) patients had refractory disease and seven (17%) had experienced at least two bone marrow relapses. Twenty-six (63%) patients had relapsed following HSCT. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) are listed in Table 1. The MTD was established at 15 µg/m²/day. To decrease the risk of CRS, a stepwise dose of 5–15 μg/m²/day was recommended for the phase 2 part of the study (5 µg/m²/day for 7 days, then 15 µg/m²/day). This dose was subsequently assessed in two age groups (2–6 and 7–17 years) in the phase 1 expansion part with one of 18 patients developing grade 3 CRS. No patient in the expansion cohort developed grade 4 or 5 CRS. Across all dosing levels, 13 (32%) patients had CR with 10 (77%) achieving minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity. Of these 13 patients, nine (69%) underwent HSCT. Among patients who achieved CR, median RFS was 8.3 months (95% CI: 3.0–16.0 months). Median OS was 5.7 months (95% CI: 3.3–9.7 months; Figure 1) with a median follow-up time of 12.4 months. Across all dosing levels, the most common AEs regardless of causality were pyrexia (78%), headache (37%), hypertension (32%), nausea (29%), abdominal pain (27%), pain in the extremity (27%), and anemia (27%). Pharmacokinetic parameters, including steady-state concentration (Css), clearance, and half-life were similar to those from adult patients with relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL who received body surface area-based blinatumomab dosing. Transient elevations of serum cytokines were observed mostly within the first two days after starting blinatumomab, in particular IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL-10, and, to a lesser extent, IL-2 and TNF-α. Conclusions: In the phase 1 portion of this study in pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL, the MTD was 15 µg/m²/day. CRS was dose-limiting, but stepwise dosing of 5–15 μg/m²/day has been effective in ameliorating CRS. Thirty-two percent of patients achieved CR and more than half were able to proceed to allogeneic HSCT. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures von Stackelberg: Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Off Label Use: This presentation will discuss the off-label use of blinatumomab, as this agent is not approved for use by the FDA, EMA or any other regulatory authorities.. Zugmaier:Amgen Inc.: Equity Ownership; Amgen Research (Munich) GmbH: Employment. Rheingold:Novartis: Consultancy. Hu:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Mergen:Amgen Inc.: Equity Ownership; Amgen Research (Munich) GmbH: Employment. Fischer:Amgen Inc.: Equity Ownership; Amgen Research (Munich) GmbH: Employment. Zhu:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hijazi:Amgen Inc.: Equity Ownership; Amgen Research (Munich) GmbH: Employment. Gore:Amgen Inc.: Travel Support Other.

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Medication Repurposing in Pediatric Patients: Teaching Old Drugs New Tricks

The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics ◽

10.5863/1551-6776-21.1.36 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 36-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Martha M. Rumore

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Drug Repurposing ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Off Label ◽

Pediatric Age Group ◽

Evidence Quality ◽

Label Use

OBJECTIVES: Gaps in pediatric therapeutics often result in off-label use and specifically, novel uses for existing medications, termed “drug repurposing.” Drug Information (DI) queries to a Pediatric Medication Resource Center of a large metropolitan pediatric hospital in New York and inherent difficulties in retrieving evidence-based information prompted a review of current medication repurposing for pediatric patients. The objective included characterization of innovative off-label use of medications Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for 1 or more indications to treat a totally different disorder or indication in pediatric patients. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted to retrieve publications describing repurposed medications in pediatric patients. Excluded was FDA-approved indications used off-label in pediatric patients (e.g., different dose), preclinical data, adult use only, and experimental use. Evidence quality was classified using a modified American Academy of Neurology Level of Evidence. Results were analyzed using χ2 at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Over 2000 references were retrieved and reviewed. A total of 101 medications repurposed for novel off-label uses for pediatric patients were identified: 38 for neonates, 74 for children, and 52 for adolescents. Neonates and infants were least likely to receive a medication for a repurposed use. Strong or intermediate evidence existed in 80.2% of cases. The evidence was weak in 19.8%. No significant relationship was observed between the pediatric age group and strength of the literature. Most repurposed uses pertained to generic or widely used medications. Less than 5% of medications were first marketed after 2011. CONCLUSIONS: While not exhaustive, the present study represents the most comprehensive listing of novel uses exclusive to pediatric patients. Further research is needed to identify the frequency of repurposed uses. The valuable DI role of pharmacists in assessing repurposed uses is of expanding and increasing importance to ensure such uses are evidence-based.

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Off-Label Use of Recombinant Factor VIIa in Pediatric Patients

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.2011-2561d ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 129 (6) ◽

pp. X37-X37

Keyword(s):

Pediatric Patients ◽

Recombinant Factor Viia ◽

Factor Viia ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Off Label ◽

Label Use

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Off-Label Use of COVID-19 Vaccines from Ethical Issues to Medico-Legal Aspects: An Italian Perspective

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9050423 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 423

Author(s):

Davide Ferorelli ◽

Lorenzo Spagnolo ◽

Maricla Marrone ◽

Serena Corradi ◽

Maria Silvestre ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Large Scale ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Political Influence ◽

Legal Aspects ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Off Label ◽

Drug Regulatory Agencies ◽

Multiple Drugs ◽

Label Use

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the lack of official recommendations on the treatment has led healthcare workers to use multiple drugs not specifically tested and approved for the new insidious disease. After the availability of the first COVID-19 vaccines (Comirnaty Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID19 vaccine), an authorization was issued by national and international Drug Regulatory Agencies in order to speed up their introduction on the market and their administration on a large scale. Despite the authorization, the off-label use of these vaccines may still be possible especially to answer specific concerns as the lack of vaccine doses, the delay in the delivery of planned doses or the pressure from public opinion and political influence also in relation to the evolution of the pandemic. This paper aims to assess the possible off-label use of COVID-19 vaccines and the ethical and medico-legal implications of this eventuality. The scope of this paper is to point out the possible consequences of off-label use of COVID-19 vaccines and possible mitigation and preventive measures to be taken by healthcare workers involved in vaccination procedures.

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