Eulexin^® capsules are indicated for use in combination with LHRH-agonists for the management of locally confined Stage B₂-C and Stage D₂ metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.

Treatment with Eulexin^® capsules and the goserelin acetate implant should start eight weeks prior to initiating radiation therapy and continue during radiation therapy.

To achieve benefit from treatment, Eulexin^® capsules should be initiated with the LHRH-agonist and continued until progression.

The recommended dosage is 2 capsules 3 times a day at 8 hour intervals for a total daily dose of 750 mg.

Eulexin^® capsules are contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to Eulexin^® or any component of this preparation.

Eulexin^® capsules are contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (baseline hepatic enzymes should be evaluated prior to treatment).

SEE BOXED WARNINGS

Eulexin^® capsules are for use only in men. This product has no indication for women and should not be used in this population, particularly for nonserious or nonlife-threatening conditions.

Eulexin^® may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman (see Pregnancy ).

One metabolite of Eulexin^® is 4-nitro-3-fluoro-methylaniline. Several toxicities consistent with aniline exposure, including methemoglobinemia, hemolytic anemia and cholestatic jaundice have been observed in both animals and humans after Eulexin^® administration. In patients susceptible to aniline toxicity (e.g. persons with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, hemoglobin M disease and smokers), monitoring of methemoglobin levels should be considered.

In clinical trials, gynecomastia occurred in 9% of patients receiving Eulexin^® together with medical castration.

Patients should be informed that Eulexin^® capsules and the drug used for medical castration should be administered concomitantly, and that they should not interrupt their dosing or stop taking these medications without consulting their physician.

Regular assessment of serum Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) may be helpful in monitoring the patient's response. If PSA levels rise significantly and consistently during Eulexin^® therapy the patient should be evaluated for clinical progression. For patients who have objective progression of disease together with an elevated PSA, a treatment period free of antiandrogen while continuing the LHRH analogue may be considered.

Increases in prothrombin time have been noted in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy after Eulexin^® was initiated. Therefore close monitoring of prothrombin time is recommended and adjustment of the anticoagulant dose may be necessary when Eulexin^® capsules are administered concomitantly with warfarin.

In a 1 year dietary study in male rats, interstitial cell adenomas of the testes were present in 49% to 75% of all treated rats (daily doses of 10, 30, and 50 mg/kg/day were administered). These produced plasma C_max values that are 1, 2, 3, and 4 fold respectively, those associated with therapeutic doses in humans. In male rats similarly dosed for 1 year, tumors were still present after 1 year of a drug-free period, but the incidences were 43% to 47%. In a 2 year carcinogenicity study in male rats, daily administration of Eulexin^® at t hese same doses produced testicular interstitial cell adenomas in 91% to 95% of all treated rats as opposed to 11% of untreated control rats. Mammary adenomas, adenocarcinomas, and fibroadenomas were increased in treated male rats at exposure levels that were 1 to 4 fold those observed during therapeutic dosing in humans. There are likewise reports of malignant breast neoplasms in men treated with Eulexin^® capsules (see ADVERSE REACTIONS section).

Eulexin^® did not demonstrate DNA modifying activity in the Ames Salmonella/microsome Mutagenesis Assay. Dominant lethal tests in rats were negative. Reduced sperm counts were observed during a 6 week study of Eulexin^® monotherapy in normal human volunteers.

Eulexin^® did not affect estrous cycles or interfere with the mating behavior of male and female rats when the drug was administered at 25 and 75 mg/kg/day prior to mating. Males treated with 150 mg/kg/day (30 times the minimum effective antiandrogenic dose) failed to mate; mating behavior returned to normal after dosing was stopped. Conception rates were decreased in all dosing groups. Suppression of spermatogenesis was observed in rats dosed for 52 weeks at approximately 3, 8, or 17 times the human dose and in dogs dosed for 78 weeks at 1.4, 2.3, and 3.7 times the human dose.

Serious cardiac lesions were observed in 2/10 beagle dogs receiving 25 mg/kg/day for 78 weeks and 3/16 receiving 40 mg/kg/day for 2 to 4 years. These lesions, indicative of chronic injury and repair processes, included chronic myxomatous degeneration, intra-atrial fibrosis, myocardial acidophilic degeneration, vasculitis and perivasculitis. The doses at which these lesions occurred were associated with 2-hydroxyflutamide levels that were 1 to 12 fold greater than those observed in humans at therapeutic levels.

There was decreased 24 hour survival in the offspring of pregnant rats treated with Eulexin^® at doses of 30, 100 or 200 mg/kg/day (approximately 3, 9 and 19 times the human dose). A slight increase in minor variations in the development of the sternebrae and vertebrae was seen in fetuses of rats treated with two higher doses. Feminization of the male rats also occurred at the two higher dose levels. There was a decreased survival rate in the offspring of rabbits receiving the highest dose (15 mg/kg/day, equal to 1.4 times the human dose).

Treatment with Eulexin^® capsules and the goserelin acetate implant did not add substantially to the toxicity of radiation treatment alone. The following adverse experiences were reported during a multicenter clinical trial comparing Eulexin ^® + goserelin acetate implant + radiation versus radiation alone. The most frequently reported (greater than 5%) adverse experiences are listed below:

Additional adverse event data were collected for the combination therapy with radiation group over both the hormonal treatment and hormonal treatment plus radiation phases of the study. Adverse experiences occurring in more than 5% of patients in this group, over both parts of the study, were hot flashes (46%), diarrhea (40%), nausea (9%), and skin rash (8%).

The following adverse experiences were reported during a multicenter clinical trial comparing Eulexin ^® + LHRH agonist versus placebo + LHRH agonist.

The most frequently reported (greater than 5%) adverse experiences during treatment with Eulexin ^® capsules in combination with an LHRH agonist are listed in the table below. For comparison, adverse experiences seen with an LHRH agonist and placebo are also listed in the following table.

As shown in the table, for both treatment groups, the most frequently occurring adverse experiences (hot flashes, impotence, loss of libido) were those known to be associated with low serum androgen levels and known to occur with LHRH agonists alone.

The only notable difference was the higher incidence of diarrhea in the Eulexin ^® + LHRH agonist group (12%), which was severe in 5% as opposed to the placebo + LHRH agonist (4%), which was severe in less than 1%.

In addition, the following adverse reactions were reported during treatment with Eulexin ^® + LHRH agonist.

Cardiovascular System: hypertension in 1% of patients.

Central Nervous System: CNS (drowsiness/confusion/depression/anxiety/nervousness) reactions occurred in 1% of patients.

Gastrointestinal System: anorexia 4%, and other GI disorders occurred in 6% of patients.

Hematopoietic System: anemia occurred in 6%, leukopenia in 3%, and thrombocytopenia in 1% of patients.

Liver and Biliary System: hepatitis and jaundice in less than 1% of patients.

Skin: irritation at the injection site and rash occurred in 3% of patients.

Other: edema occurred in 4%, genitourinary and neuromuscular symptoms in 2%, and pulmonary symptoms in less than 1% of patients.

In addition, the following spontaneous adverse experiences have been reported during the marketing of Eulexin ^® : hemolytic anemia,macrocytic anemia,methemoglobinemia, sulfhemoglobinemia, photosensitivity reactions (including erythema, ulceration, bullous eruptions, and epidermal necrolysis) and urine discoloration. The urine was noted to change to an amber or yellow-green appearance which can be attributed to the Eulexin ^® and/or its metabolites. Also reported were cholestatic jaundice, hepatic encephalopathy, and hepatic necrosis. The hepatic conditions were often reversible after discontinuing therapy; however, there have been reports of death following severe hepatic injury associated with use of Eulexin ^® .

Malignant breast neoplasms have occurred rarely in male patients being treated with Eulexin ^® capsules.

Abnormal Laboratory Test Values: Laboratory abnormalities including elevated SGOT, SGPT, bilirubin values, SGGT, BUN, and serum creatinine have been reported.

In clinical trials, gynecomastia occurred in 9% of patients receiving Eulexin^® together with medical castration.

Patients should be informed that Eulexin^® capsules and the drug used for medical castration should be administered concomitantly, and that they should not interrupt their dosing or stop taking these medications without consulting their physician.

Regular assessment of serum Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) may be helpful in monitoring the patient's response. If PSA levels rise significantly and consistently during Eulexin^® therapy the patient should be evaluated for clinical progression. For patients who have objective progression of disease together with an elevated PSA, a treatment period free of antiandrogen while continuing the LHRH analogue may be considered.

Increases in prothrombin time have been noted in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy after Eulexin^® was initiated. Therefore close monitoring of prothrombin time is recommended and adjustment of the anticoagulant dose may be necessary when Eulexin^® capsules are administered concomitantly with warfarin.

In a 1 year dietary study in male rats, interstitial cell adenomas of the testes were present in 49% to 75% of all treated rats (daily doses of 10, 30, and 50 mg/kg/day were administered). These produced plasma C_max values that are 1, 2, 3, and 4 fold respectively, those associated with therapeutic doses in humans. In male rats similarly dosed for 1 year, tumors were still present after 1 year of a drug-free period, but the incidences were 43% to 47%. In a 2 year carcinogenicity study in male rats, daily administration of Eulexin^® at t hese same doses produced testicular interstitial cell adenomas in 91% to 95% of all treated rats as opposed to 11% of untreated control rats. Mammary adenomas, adenocarcinomas, and fibroadenomas were increased in treated male rats at exposure levels that were 1 to 4 fold those observed during therapeutic dosing in humans. There are likewise reports of malignant breast neoplasms in men treated with Eulexin^® capsules (see ADVERSE REACTIONS section).

Eulexin^® did not demonstrate DNA modifying activity in the Ames Salmonella/microsome Mutagenesis Assay. Dominant lethal tests in rats were negative. Reduced sperm counts were observed during a 6 week study of Eulexin^® monotherapy in normal human volunteers.

Eulexin^® did not affect estrous cycles or interfere with the mating behavior of male and female rats when the drug was administered at 25 and 75 mg/kg/day prior to mating. Males treated with 150 mg/kg/day (30 times the minimum effective antiandrogenic dose) failed to mate; mating behavior returned to normal after dosing was stopped. Conception rates were decreased in all dosing groups. Suppression of spermatogenesis was observed in rats dosed for 52 weeks at approximately 3, 8, or 17 times the human dose and in dogs dosed for 78 weeks at 1.4, 2.3, and 3.7 times the human dose.

Serious cardiac lesions were observed in 2/10 beagle dogs receiving 25 mg/kg/day for 78 weeks and 3/16 receiving 40 mg/kg/day for 2 to 4 years. These lesions, indicative of chronic injury and repair processes, included chronic myxomatous degeneration, intra-atrial fibrosis, myocardial acidophilic degeneration, vasculitis and perivasculitis. The doses at which these lesions occurred were associated with 2-hydroxyflutamide levels that were 1 to 12 fold greater than those observed in humans at therapeutic levels.

There was decreased 24 hour survival in the offspring of pregnant rats treated with Eulexin^® at doses of 30, 100 or 200 mg/kg/day (approximately 3, 9 and 19 times the human dose). A slight increase in minor variations in the development of the sternebrae and vertebrae was seen in fetuses of rats treated with two higher doses. Feminization of the male rats also occurred at the two higher dose levels. There was a decreased survival rate in the offspring of rabbits receiving the highest dose (15 mg/kg/day, equal to 1.4 times the human dose).