VEXOL 1% (10 mg/ml) eye drops, suspension

Rimexolone 10 mg/ml.

For excipients, see section 6.1.

Eye drops, suspension.

Vexol is a white to off-white suspension.

VEXOL is indicated for the treatment of postoperative inflammation following ocular surgery, for the treatment of anterior uveitis, and for the treatment of corticosteroid responsive inflammation of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea, and anterior segment of the globe. The inflammation should be of a non-infectious nature. In more serious cases, and if the posterior part of the globe is affected, subconjunctival injection or systemic treatment is recommended (see section 4.4).

Postoperative Inflammation

Apply one drop of VEXOL into the conjunctival sac of the affected eye four times daily beginning 24 hours after surgery and continuing throughout the first 2 weeks of the postoperative period. There are no clinical data on the use of VEXOL immediately after surgery.

Steroid Responsive Inflammation

Apply one drop of VEXOL into the conjunctival sac of the affected eye four times or more daily. The duration of treatment should be determined by the prescribing physician according to the severity of the disease, but should not exceed four weeks.

Uveitis

Apply one drop of VEXOL into the conjunctival sac of the affected eye every hour during the daytime for the first week, one drop every two hours during the daytime of the second week, four times per day during the third week; then twice per day during the first 4 days of week four and then once per day during the last 3 days of week four. Alternative dosing may be appropriate in some circumstances.

Use in elderly

Clinical studies have indicated that dosage modifications are not required for use in the elderly.

Use in children

Safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.

Use in hepatic and renal impairment

No clinical experience in patients with impaired renal or hepatic function is available.

Instructions for Use

Shake well before use. Do not touch dropper tip to any surface, as this may contaminate the suspension. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or any of the excipients.

VEXOL is contraindicated in epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, varicella, and most other viral diseases of cornea and conjunctiva; mycobacterial infection of the eye; fungal diseases of the eye; acute purulent untreated infections which, like other diseases caused by microorganisms may be masked or enhanced by the presence of the steroid; red eye, where the diagnosis is unconfirmed; and amoebic infections.

In more serious cases, and if the posterior part of the globe is affected, subconjunctival injection or treatment is recommended. But Vexol is not for injection. Prolonged use may result in ocular hypertension/glaucoma, damage to the optic nerve, defects in visual acuity and visual fields, and posterior subcapsular cataract formation. Prolonged use may also result in secondary ocular infections due to suppression of host response. Acute purulent infections of the eye may be masked or exacerbated by the presence of corticosteroid medication. In those diseases causing thinning of the cornea or sclera, perforation has been known to occur with topical steroids. It is advisable that the intraocular pressure be checked frequently.

General: Fungal infections of the cornea are particularly prone to develop coincidentally with long-term local steroid application. Fungus invasion must be considered in any persistent corneal ulceration where a steroid has been or is in use.

The wearing of contact lenses (hard or soft) is discouraged during treatment of an ocular inflammation. VEXOL should not be instilled while wearing contact lenses; lenses should not be inserted for 15 minutes after instillation of VEXOL. Additionally, the preservative benzalkonium chloride may cause eye irritation and is known to discolour soft lenses.

Specific drug interaction studies have not been conducted with VEXOL. No drug interactions were identified during the clinical development program.

If concomitant eye preparations are to be used, the patient should be advised to wait about 15 minutes between the two applications.

Pregnancy

There are no adequate data from the use of Vexol in pregnant women.

Studies in animals have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). The potential risk for humans is unknown.

Vexol should not be used during pregnancy unless clearly necessary.

Infants born to mothers who have received substantial doses of corticosteroids during pregnancy should be observed carefully for signs of hypoadrenalism.

Lactation

It is not known whether topical ophthalmic administration of corticosteroids could result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in human breast milk. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when topical corticosteroids are administered to a nursing woman; a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue therapy, taking into consideration the importance of the drug to the mother.

In clinical studies with Vexol, the most frequently reported adverse events and local symptoms were: blurred vision (2.6%) and ocular discharge (2.2%).

The following undesirable effects were reported during clinical trials with Vexol:

Infections and Infestations

Uncommon ( 0.1% < 1%): rhinitis, pharyngitis.

Nervous System Disorders

Uncommon ( 0.1% < 1%): headache (including browache), dysgeusia (taste perversion).

Eye Disorders:

Common ( 1% < 10%): vision blurred, eye discharge, ocular discomfort, eye pain, foreign body sensation in eye.Uncommon ( 0.1% < 1%): ocular hyperaemia, eye pruritus, abnormal sensation in eye (sticky sensation), anterior chamber fibrin, dry eye, conjunctival oedema, keratitis, lacrimation increased, photophobia, eye oedema, eye irritation, corneal ulcer, eyelid margin crusting, corneal oedema, corneal infiltrates, corneal erosion.

Vascular Disorders

Uncommon ( 0.1% < 1%): hypotension.

Investigations:

Common ( 1% < 10%): intraocular pressure increased.

Uncommon ( 0.1% < 1%): corneal staining.

In post-marketing experience, the most frequently reported events are eye irritation, lid margin crusting, ocular hyperaemia and intraocular pressure increase. These events are similar to those identified during clinical trials.

Use of topical corticosteroids may cause increased intraocular pressure (see section 4.4).

A topical overdose is not likely to be associated with toxicity. A topical overdosage of VEXOL may be flushed from the eye(s) with luke warm tap water.

Accidental oral ingestion is also unlikely to be associated with toxicity. Treatment of a suspected ingestion is symptomatic and supportive.

Pharmacotherapeutic Group: SO1BA13: Ophthalmological anti-inflammatory corticosteroid.

Corticosteroids suppress the inflammatory response to a variety of inciting agents of a mechanical, chemical, or immunological nature. They prevent or suppress redness, swelling, tenderness, exudation, cellular infiltration, capillary dilatation, fibroblastic proliferation, deposition of collagen and late cicatrization. Placebo controlled clinical studies demonstrated that VEXOL is efficacious for the treatment of anterior chamber inflammation following cataract surgery.

In two controlled clinical trials, VEXOL demonstrated clinical and statistical equivalence to 1% prednisolone acetate in controlling uvetic inflammation. Supportive studies have confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of VEXOL in steroid responsive ocular inflammation.

Corticosteroids are capable of producing a rise in intraocular pressure in susceptible individuals. In a controlled 6 week study of steroid responsive subjects the time to raise intraocular pressure was similar to VEXOL and 0.1% fluorometholone given four times daily.

As with other topically administered drugs, VEXOL is absorbed systemically. Studies in normal volunteers dosed bilaterally once every hour during waking hours for one week have demonstrated maximal serum concentrations ranging from less than 80 pg/ml to approximately 460 pg/ml. The mean maximal serum concentrations were approximately 150 pg/ml (n = 15). Serum concentrations were at or near steady state on day one of the dosing regimen. After decreasing the dosing frequency to once every two hours while awake during the second week of administration, mean maximal serum concentrations were approximately 100 pg/ml. The serum half-life of rimexolone could not be reliably estimated due to the large number of samples below the quantitation limit of the assay (80 pg/ml). However, based on the time required to reach steady-state, the half-life appears to be short (1 - 2 hours).

Based upon in vivo and in vitro preclinical metabolism studies and on in vitro results with human liver preparations, Rimexolone undergoes extensive metabolism with primary

(> 80%) excretion via the faeces. Metabolites have been shown to be less active than parent drug, or inactive in human glucocorticoid binding assays.

Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, impairment of fertility: Rimexolone has been shown to be not mutagenic in a battery of in vitro and in vivo mutagenicity assays. Fertility and reproductive capability was not impaired in a study in rats with plasma levels (42 nanograms/ml) approximately 200 times those obtained in clinical studies after topical administration (<0.2 nanogram/ml). Long-term studies have not been conducted in animals to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of rimexolone.

Rimexolone has been shown to be teratogenic and embryotoxic in rabbits following subcutaneous administration, but was not teratogenic or embryotoxic in rats. Corticosteroids are recognised to cause foetal resorptions and malformations in animals, though the association in humans has not been firmly established.

Benzalkonium chloride ,

Mannitol

Carbomer,

Polysorbate 80,

Sodium chloride,

Disodium edetate,

Sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid

Purified water.

Not applicable

1 year for the 3 mL bottle.

2 years for the 5 mL and 10 mL bottles.

In use shelf life - one month after first opening.

Do not store above 30C. Do not freeze.

Low density polyethylene bottles (droptainer) containing 3ml, 5ml or 10ml and with polypropylene screw caps.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

No special requirements.

Alcon Laboratories (UK) Limited,

Pentagon Park,

Boundary Way

Hemel Hempstead,

Hertfordshire,

HP2 7UD

United Kingdom

PL 00649/0136

26/09/2005

26 /09/2005