Bempedoic acid

Table 3 includes a list of drugs with clinically important drug interactions when administered concomitantly with NEXLETOL and instructions for preventing or managing them. Table 3. Clinically Important Drug Interactions with NEXLETOL Simvastatin Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of NEXLETOL with simvastatin causes an increase in simvastatin concentration and may increase the risk of simvastatin-related myopathy [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Intervention : Avoid concomitant use of NEXLETOL with simvastatin greater than 20 mg.

Pravastatin Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of NEXLETOL with pravastatin causes an increase in pravastatin concentration and may increase the risk of pravastatin-related myopathy [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Intervention: Avoid concomitant use of NEXLETOL with pravastatin greater than 40 mg. Fibrates Clinical Impact: Concomitant administration of fibrates with NEXLETOL resulted in increased triglycerides and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in some patients in clinical studies and post-marketing reports. Reversibility of both increased triglycerides and decreased HDL-C levels was observed when either NEXLETOL or fibrate therapy was discontinued.

Intervention: Monitor triglycerides and HDL-C four weeks after initial concomitant use of NEXLETOL and a fibrate and periodically thereafter. If increased triglycerides or decreased HDL-C levels are detected, discontinue NEXLETOL or fibrate therapy based on clinical judgment. Monitor triglycerides and HDL-C levels until levels return to baseline. Simvastatin: Avoid concomitant use of NEXLETOL with simvastatin greater than 20 mg. ( 7 ) Pravastatin: Avoid concomitant use of NEXLETOL with pravastatin greater than 40 mg. ( 7 ) Fibrates: Concomitant use of NEXLETOL with fibrates may increase triglycerides and decrease high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. ( 7 )

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Discontinue NEXLETOL when pregnancy is recognized unless the benefits of therapy outweigh the potential risks to the fetus. There are insufficient data on NEXLETOL use in pregnant women to evaluate for a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. In animal reproduction studies, bempedoic acid was not teratogenic in rats and rabbits when administered at doses resulting in exposures up to 11 and 12 times, respectively, the human exposures at the maximum clinical dose, based on AUC (see Data ) .

NEXLETOL decreases cholesterol synthesis and possibly the synthesis of other biologically active substances derived from cholesterol; therefore, NEXLETOL may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women based on the mechanism of action [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.1) ] . In addition, treatment of hypercholesterolemia is not generally necessary during pregnancy. Atherosclerosis is a chronic process and the discontinuation of lipid-lowering drugs during pregnancy should have little impact on the outcome of long-term therapy of primary hypercholesterolemia for most patients. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown.

In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively. Report pregnancies to the Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. Adverse Event reporting line at 1-833-377-7633. Data Animal Data Bempedoic acid was not teratogenic when given orally at doses of 60 and 80 mg/kg/day, resulting in 11 and 12 times the systemic exposure in humans at the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 180 mg to pregnant rats and rabbits, respectively.

In an embryofetal development study in rats, bempedoic acid was given orally to pregnant rats at 10, 30, and 60 mg/kg/day during the period of organogenesis from gestation day 6 to 17. There were increases in the incidence of non-adverse fetal skeletal variations (bent long bones and bent scapula and incomplete ossification) at doses ≥ 10 mg/kg/day (less than the clinical exposure) in the absence of maternal toxicity. At maternally toxic doses, bempedoic acid caused decreases in the numbers of viable fetuses, increases in post-implantation loss, and increased total resorptions at 60 mg/kg/day (11 times MRHD) and reduced fetal body weight at ≥ 30 mg/kg/day (4 times the MRHD).

No adverse development effects were observed when bempedoic acid was given to pregnant rabbits…