The first and only PN innovation with 100% fish oil that nurtures¹

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Protect the admixed PN solution from light. Prior to administration, correct severe fluid and electrolyte disorders and measure serum triglycerides to establish a baseline level. Initiate dosing in PN-dependent pediatric patients as soon as direct or conjugated bilirubin levels are 2 mg/dL or greater. The recommended nutritional requirements of fat and recommended dosage of Omegaven to meet those requirements for pediatric patients are provided in Table 1, along with recommendations for the initial and maximum infusion rates. Do not exceed the maximum infusion rate in Table 1. Administer Omegaven until direct or conjugated bilirubin levels are less than 2 mg/dL or until the patient no longer requires PN. Use a 1.2 micron in-line filter during administration.

Table 1: Recommended Pediatric Dosage and Infusion Rate

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Omegaven is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to fish or egg protein or to any of the active ingredients or excipients, severe hemorrhagic disorders due to a potential effect on platelet aggregation, severe disorders of lipid metabolism characterized by hypertriglyceridemia (serum triglyceride concentrations greater than 1,000 mg/dL).

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

• Clinical Decompensation with Rapid Infusion of Lipid Injectable Emulsions in Neonates and Infants
  In the postmarket setting, serious adverse reactions including acute respiratory distress, metabolic acidosis, and death have been reported in neonates and infants after rapid infusion of lipid injectable emulsions. Hypertriglyceridemia was commonly reported. Strictly adhere to the recommended total daily dosage; the hourly infusion rate should not exceed 1.5 mL/kg/hour. Preterm and small for gestational age infants have poor clearance of lipid injectable emulsions and increased free fatty acid plasma levels following infusion. Carefully monitor the infant’s ability to eliminate the infused lipids from the circulation (e.g., measure serum triglycerides and/or plasma free fatty acid levels). If signs of poor clearance of lipids from the circulation occur, stop the infusion and initiate a medical evaluation.
• Hypersensitivity Reactions: Omegaven contains fish oil and egg phospholipids, which may cause hypersensitivity reactions. Signs or symptoms of a hypersensitivity reaction may include: tachypnea, dyspnea, hypoxia, bronchospasm, tachycardia, hypotension, cyanosis, vomiting, nausea, headache, sweating, dizziness, altered mentation, flushing, rash, urticaria, erythema, fever, or chills. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, stop infusion of Omegaven immediately and initiate appropriate treatment and supportive measures.
• Infections: The risk of infection is increased in patients with malnutrition-associated immunosuppression, long-term use and poor maintenance of intravenous catheters, or immunosuppressive effects of other conditions or concomitant drugs. To decrease the risk of infectious complications, ensure aseptic technique in catheter placement and maintenance, as well as in the preparation and administration of Omegaven. Monitor for signs and symptoms of early infections including fever and chills, laboratory test results that might indicate infection (including leukocytosis and hyperglycemia), and frequently inspect the intravenous catheter insertion site for edema, redness, and discharge.
• Fat Overload Syndrome: A reduced or limited ability to metabolize lipids accompanied by prolonged plasma clearance may result in this syndrome, which is characterized by a sudden deterioration in the patient’s condition including fever, anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, coagulation disorders, hyperlipidemia, hepatomegaly, deteriorating liver function, and central nervous system manifestations (e.g., coma).
• Refeeding Syndrome: Administering PN to severely malnourished patients may result in refeeding syndrome, which is characterized by the intracellular shift of potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium as the patient becomes anabolic. Thiamine deficiency and fluid retention may also develop. To prevent these complications, closely monitor severely malnourished patients and slowly increase their nutrient intake.
• Hypertriglyceridemia: Impaired lipid metabolism with hypertriglyceridemia may occur in conditions such as inherited lipid disorders, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. Serum triglyceride levels greater than 1,000 mg/dL have been associated with an increased risk of pancreatitis. To evaluate the patient’s capacity to metabolize and eliminate the infused lipid emulsion, measure serum triglycerides before the start of infusion (baseline value), and regularly throughout treatment. If hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides greater than 250 mg/dL in neonates and infants or greater than 400 mg/dL in older children) develops, consider stopping the administration of Omegaven for 4 hours and obtain a repeat serum triglyceride level. Resume Omegaven based on new result as indicated.
• Aluminum Toxicity: Omegaven contains no more than 25 mcg/L of aluminum. Aluminum may reach toxic levels with prolonged parenteral administration if kidney function is impaired. Preterm infants are particularly at risk because their kidneys are immature, and they require large amounts of calcium and phosphate solutions, which contain aluminum. Patients with impaired kidney function, including preterm infants, who receive parenteral levels of aluminum at greater than 4 to 5 mcg/kg/day accumulate aluminum at levels associated with central nervous system and bone toxicity. Tissue loading may occur at even lower rates of administration.
• Monitoring and Laboratory Tests: Routine Monitoring: Monitor serum triglycerides, fluid and electrolyte status, serum osmolarity, blood glucose, liver and kidney function, coagulation parameters, and complete blood count including platelets throughout treatment. Essential Fatty Acids: Monitoring patients for laboratory evidence of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) is recommended. Laboratory tests are available to determine serum fatty acids levels. Reference values should be consulted to help determine adequacy of essential fatty acid status.
• Interference with Laboratory Tests: The lipids contained in Omegaven may interfere with some laboratory blood tests (e.g., hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, and oxygen saturation) if blood is sampled before lipids have cleared from the bloodstream. Lipids are normally cleared after a period of 5 to 6 hours once the lipid infusion is stopped.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse drug reactions (>15%) are: vomiting, agitation, bradycardia, apnea and viral infection.

Clinical Trials Experience

The safety database for Omegaven reflects exposure in 189 pediatric patients (19 days to 15 years of age) treated for a median of 14 weeks (3 days to 8 years) in two clinical trials.

Adverse reactions that occurred in more than 5% of patients who received Omegaven and with a higher incidence than the comparator group are: vomiting, agitation, bradycardia, apnea, viral infection, erythema, rash, abscess, neutropenia, hypertonia and incision site erythema. Patients had a complicated medical and surgical history prior to receiving Omegaven treatment and the mortality was 13%. Underlying clinical conditions prior to the initiation of Omegaven therapy included prematurity, low birth weight, necrotizing enterocolitis, short bowel syndrome, ventilator dependence, coagulopathy, intraventricular hemorrhage, and sepsis.

Twelve (6%) Omegaven-treated patients were listed for liver transplantation (1 patient was listed 18 days before treatment, and 11 patients after a median of 42 days [range: 2 days to 8 months] of treatment); 9 (5%) received a transplant after a median of 121 days (range: 25 days to 6 months) of treatment, and 3 (2%) were taken off the waiting list because cholestasis resolved.

One hundred thirteen (60%) Omegaven-treated patients reached DBil levels less than 2 mg/dL and AST or ALT levels less than 3 times the upper limit of normal, with median AST and ALT levels for Omegaven-treated patients at 89 and 65 U/L, respectively, by the end of the study.

Median hemoglobin levels and platelet counts for Omegaven-treated patients at baseline were 10.2 g/dL and 173 × 10⁹/L, and by the end of the study these levels were 10.5 g/dL and 217 × 10⁹/L, respectively. Adverse reactions associated with bleeding were experienced by 74 (39%) of Omegaven-treated patients.

Median glucose levels at baseline and the end of the study were 86 and 87 mg/dL for Omegaven-treated patients, respectively. Hyperglycemia was experienced by 13 (7%) Omegaven-treated patients.

Median triglyceride levels at baseline and the end of the study were 121 mg/dL and 72 mg/dL for Omegaven-treated patients respectively. Hypertriglyceridemia was experienced by 5 (3%) Omegaven-treated patients.

The triene:tetraene (Mead acid:arachidonic acid) ratio was used to monitor essential fatty acid status in Omegaven-treated patients only in Study 1 (n = 123). The median triene:tetraene ratio was 0.02 (interquartile range: 0.01 to 0.03) at both baseline and the end of the study. Blood samples for analysis may have been drawn while the lipid emulsion was being infused and patients received enteral or oral nutrition.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reaction has been identified with use of Omegaven in another country. Life-threatening hemorrhage following a central venous catheter change was reported in a 9-month-old infant with intestinal failure who received PN with Omegaven as the sole lipid source; he had no prior history of bleeding, coagulopathy, or portal hypertension.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, at 1-800-551-7176, option 5, or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Prolonged bleeding time has been reported in patients taking antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants and oral omega-3 fatty acids. Periodically monitor bleeding time in patients receiving Omegaven and concomitant antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

• Pregnancy: There are no available data on Omegaven use in pregnant women to establish a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with fish oil triglycerides. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the US general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively.
• Lactation: No data available regarding the presence of fish oil triglycerides from Omegaven in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Lactating women receiving oral omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their milk. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Omegaven, and any potential adverse effects of Omegaven on the breastfed infant.
• Pediatric Use: The safety of Omegaven was established in 189 pediatric patients (19 days to 15 years of age). The most common adverse reactions in Omegaven-treated patients were vomiting, agitation, bradycardia, apnea and viral infection. In the postmarketing setting, clinical decompensation with rapid infusion of lipid injectable emulsions in neonates and infants, sometimes fatal has been reported. Preterm neonates and infants who receive treatment with Omegaven may be at risk of aluminum toxicity and other metabolic abnormalities.
• Geriatric Use: Clinical trials of Omegaven did not include patients 65 years of age and older.

OVERDOSE

In the event of an overdose, serious adverse reactions may occur. Stop the infusion of Omegaven until triglyceride levels have normalized and any symptoms have abated. The effects are usually reversible by stopping the lipid infusion. If medically appropriate, further intervention may be indicated. Lipids are not dialyzable from serum.