✅ Uses & Indications
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE VICTOZA is indicated: • as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus, • to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] . Limitations of Use : VICTOZA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. VICTOZA contains liraglutide and should not be coadministered with other liraglutide-containing products. VICTOZA is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist indicated: • as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus (1) . • to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease ( 1 ). Limitations of Use : • Not for treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. • Should not be coadministered with other liraglutide-containing products.
📏 Dosage & Administration
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION • Inspect visually prior to each injection. Only use if solution is clear, colorless, and contains no particles ( 2.1 ). • Inject VICTOZA subcutaneously once-daily at any time of day, independently of meals, in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm ( 2.1 ). • When using VICTOZA with insulin, administer as separate injections. Never mix. ( 2.1 ). • Adult Dosage: Initiate at 0.6 mg daily for one week then increase to 1.2 mg daily. If additional glycemic control is required, increase the dose to 1.8 mg daily after one week of treatment with the 1.2 mg daily dose ( 2.2 ). • Pediatric Dosage: Initiate at 0.6 mg daily for at least one week. If additional glycemic control is required increase the dose to 1.2 mg daily and if additional glycemic control is still required, increase the dose to 1.8 mg daily after at least one week of treatment with the 1.2 mg daily dose ( 2.3 ). 2.1 Important Dosing and Administration Instructions • Inspect visually prior to each injection. Only use if solution is clear, colorless, and contains no particles. • Inject VICTOZA subcutaneously once-daily at any time of day, independently of meals. • Inject VICTOZA subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. No dose adjustment is needed if changing the injection site and/or timing. • Rotate injection sites within the same region in order to reduce the risk of cutaneous amyloidosis [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.3 )]. • When using VICTOZA with insulin, administer as separate injections. Never mix. It is acceptable to inject VICTOZA and insulin in the same body region but the injections should not be adjacent to each other. • If a dose is missed, resume the once-daily regimen as prescribed with the next scheduled dose. Do not administer an extra dose or increase the dose to make up for the missed dose. • If more than 3 days have elapsed since the last VICTOZA dose, reinitiate VICTOZA at 0.6 mg to mitigate any gastrointestinal symptoms associated with reinitiation of treatment. Upon reinitiation, VICTOZA should be titrated at the discretion of the prescriber. 2.2 Adult Dosage • Initiate VICTOZA with a dose of 0.6 mg daily for one week. The 0.6 mg dose is a starting dose intended to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms during initial titration, and is not effective for glycemic control in adults. After one week at 0.6 mg per day, increase the dose to 1.2 mg daily. • If additional glycemic control is required, increase the dose to 1.8 mg daily after at least one week of treatment with the 1.2 mg daily dose. 2.3 Pediatric Dosage • Initiate VICTOZA with a dose of 0.6 mg daily. • After at least one week at 0.6 mg daily, the dose may be increased to 1.2 mg daily if additional glycemic control is required. • If additional glycemic control is required, increase the dose to 1.8 mg daily after at least one week of treatment with the 1.2 mg daily dose.
💊 Side Effects
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions are described below or elsewhere in the prescribing information: • Risk of Thyroid C-cell Tumors [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] • Pancreatitis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] • Hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] • Renal Impairment [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] • Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )] • Acute Gallbladder Disease [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 )] • The most common adverse reactions, reported in ≥5% of patients treated with VICTOZA are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, dyspepsia, constipation (6.1) . • Immunogenicity-related events, including urticaria, were more common among VICTOZA-treated patients (0.8%) than among comparator-treated patients (0.4%) in clinical trials (6.2) . To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Novo Nordisk Inc. at 1-877-484-2869 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Common Adverse Reactions The safety of VICTOZA in subjects with type 2 diabetes was evaluated in 5 glycemic control, placebo-controlled trials in adults and one trial of 52 weeks duration in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older [see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )] . The data in Table 1 reflect exposure of 1673 adult patients to VICTOZA and a mean duration of exposure to VICTOZA of 37.3 weeks. The mean age of adult patients was 58 years, 4% were 75 years or older and 54% were male. The population was 79% White, 6% Black or African American, 13% Asian; 4% were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. At baseline the population had diabetes for an average of 9.1 years and a mean HbA 1c of 8.4%. Baseline estimated renal function was normal or mildly impaired in 88.1% and moderately impaired in 11.9% of the pooled population. Table 1 shows common adverse reactions in adults, excluding hypoglycemia, associated with the use of VICTOZA. These adverse reactions occurred more commonly on VICTOZA than on placebo and occurred in at least 5% of patients treated with VICTOZA. Overall, the type, and severity of adverse reactions in adolescents and children aged 10 years and above were comparable to that observed in the adult population. Table 1 Adverse reactions reported in ≥ 5% of VICTOZA-treated patients Placebo N=661 Liraglutide 1.2 mg N= 645 Liraglutide 1.8 mg N= 1024 Adverse Reaction (%) (%) (%) Nausea 5 18 20 Diarrhea 4 10 12 Headache 7 11 10 Nasopharyngitis 8 9 10 Vomiting 2 6 9 Decreased appetite 1 10 9 Dyspepsia 1 4 7 Upper Respiratory Tract Infection 6 7 6 Constipation 1 5 5 Back Pain 3 4 5 Cumulative proportions were calculated combining studies using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel weights. In an analysis of placebo- and active-controlled trials, the types and frequency of common adverse reactions, excluding hypoglycemia, were similar to those listed in Table 1. Other Adverse Reactions Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions In the pool of 5 glycemic control, placebo-controlled clinical trials, withdrawals due to gastrointestinal adverse reactions, occurred in 4.3% of VICTOZA-treated patients and 0.5% of placebo-treated patients. Withdrawal due to gastrointestinal adverse events mainly occurred during the first 2-3 months of the trials. Injection site reactions Injection site reactions (e.g., injection site rash, erythema) were reported in approximately 2% of VICTOZA-treated patients in the five double-blind, glycemic control trials of at least 26 weeks duration. Less than 0.2% of VICTOZA-treated patients discontinued due to injection site reactions. Hypoglycemia In 5 adult glycemic control, placebo-controlled clinical trials of at least 26 weeks duration, hypoglycemia requiring the assistance of another person for treatment occurred in 8 VICTOZA-treated patients (7.5 events per 1000 patient-years). Of these 8 VICTOZA-treated patients, 7 patients were concomitantly using a sulfonylurea. Table 2 Adult Incidence (%) and Rate (episodes/patient year) of Hypoglycemia in 26-Week Combination Therapy Placebo-controlled Trials Placebo Comparator VICTOZA Treatment Add-on to Metformin Placebo + Metformin (N = 121) VICTOZA + Metformin (N = 724) Patient not able to self-treat 0 0.1 (0.001) Patient able to self-treat 2.5 (0.06) 3.6 (0.05) Add-on to Glimepiride Placebo + Glimepiride (N = 114) VICTOZA + Glimepiride (N = 695) Patient not able to self-treat 0 0.1 (0.003) Patient able to self-treat 2.6 (0.17) 7.5 (0.38) Not classified 0 0.9 (0.05) Add-on to Metformin + Rosiglitazone Placebo + Metformin + Rosiglitazone (N = 175) VICTOZA + Metformin + Rosiglitazone (N = 355) Patient not able to self-treat 0 0 Patient able to self-treat 4.6 (0.15) 7.9 (0.49) Not classified 1.1 (0.03) 0.6 (0.01) Add-on to Metformin + Glimepiride Placebo + Metformin + Glimepiride (N = 114) VICTOZA + Metformin + Glimepiride (N = 230) Patient not able to self-treat 0 2.2 (0.06) Patient able to self-treat 16.7 (0.95) 27.4 (1.16) Not classified 0 0 “Patient not able to self-treat” is defined as an event requiring the assistance of another person for treatment. In a 26-week pediatric placebo-controlled clinical trial with a 26-week open-label extension, 21.2% of VICTOZA treated patients (mean age 14.6 years) with type 2 diabetes, had hypoglycemia with a blood glucose 20 ng/L occurred in 0.7% of VICTOZA-treated patients, 0.3% of placebo-treated patients, and 0.5% of active-comparator-treated patients. The clinical significance of these findings is unknown. Lipase and Amylase In one glycemic control trial in renal impairment patients, a mean increase of 33% for lipase and 15% for amylase from baseline was observed for VICTOZA-treated patients while placebo-treated patients had a mean decrease in lipase of 3% and a mean increase in amylase of 1%. In the LEADER trial, serum lipase and amylase were routinely measured. Among VICTOZA-treated patients, 7.9% had a lipase value at any time during treatment of greater than or equal to 3 times the upper limit of normal compared with 4.5% of placebo-treated patients, and 1% of VICTOZA-treated patients had an amylase value at any time during treatment of greater than or equal to 3 times the upper limit of normal versus 0.7% of placebo-treated patients. The clinical significance of elevations in lipase or amylase with VICTOZA is unknown in the absence of other signs and symptoms of pancreatitis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )]. Vital signs VICTOZA did not have adverse effects on blood pressure. Mean increases from baseline in heart rate of 2 to 3 beats per minute have been observed with VICTOZA compared to placebo. 6.2 Immunogenicity Consistent with the potentially immunogenic properties of protein and peptide pharmaceuticals, patients treated with VICTOZA may develop anti-liraglutide antibodies. The detection of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. Additionally, the observed incidence of antibody (including neutralizing antibody) positivity in an assay may be influenced by several factors including assay methodology, sample handling, timing of sample collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. For these reasons, the incidence of antibodies to liraglutide cannot be directly compared with the incidence of antibodies of other products. Approximately 50-70% of VICTOZA-treated patients in five double-blind clinical trials of 26 weeks duration or longer were tested for the presence of anti-liraglutide antibodies at the end of treatment. Low titers (concentrations not requiring dilution of serum) of anti-liraglutide antibodies were detected in 8.6% of these VICTOZA-treated patients. Cross-reacting anti-liraglutide antibodies to native glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) occurred in 6.9% of the VICTOZA-treated patients in the double-blind 52-week monotherapy trial and in 4.8% of the VICTOZA-treated patients in the double-blind 26-week add-on combination therapy trials. These cross-reacting antibodies were not tested for neutralizing effect against native GLP-1, and thus the potential for clinically significant neutralization of native GLP-1 was not assessed. Antibodies that had a neutralizing effect on liraglutide in an in vitro assay occurred in 2.3% of the VICTOZA-treated patients in the double-blind 52-week monotherapy trial and in 1.0% of the VICTOZA-treated patients in the double-blind 26-week add-on combination therapy trials. Antibody formation was not associated with reduced efficacy of VICTOZA when comparing mean HbA1c of all antibody-positive and all antibody-negative patients. However, the 3 patients with the highest titers of anti-liraglutide antibodies had no reduction in HbA1c with VICTOZA treatment. In five double-blind glycemic control trials of VICTOZA, events from a composite of adverse events potentially related to immunogenicity (e.g., urticaria, angioedema) occurred among 0.8% of VICTOZA-treated patients and among 0.4% of comparator-treated patients. Urticaria accounted for approximately one-half of the events in this composite for VICTOZA-treated patients. Patients who developed anti-liraglutide antibodies were not more likely to develop events from the immunogenicity events composite than were patients who did not develop anti-liraglutide antibodies. In the LEADER trial [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] , anti-liraglutide antibodies were detected in 11 out of the 1247 (0.9%) VICTOZA-treated patients with antibody measurements. Of the 11 VICTOZA-treated patients who developed anti-liraglutide antibodies, none were observed to develop neutralizing antibodies to liraglutide, and 5 patients (0.4%) developed cross-reacting antibodies against native GLP-1. In a clinical trial with pediatric patients 10 to 17 years [see Clinical Studies ( 14.2 )], anti-liraglutide antibodies were detected in 1 (1.5%) VICTOZA treated patient at week 26 and 5 (8.5%) VICTOZA treated patients at week 53. None of the 5 had antibodies cross reactive to native GLP-1 or had neutralizing antibodies. 6.3 Post-Marketing Experience The following additional adverse reactions have been reported during post-approval use of VICTOZA. Because these events are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is generally not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. • Medullary thyroid carcinoma • Dehydration resulting from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. • Increased serum creatinine, acute renal failure or worsening of chronic renal failure, sometimes requiring hemodialysis. • Angioedema and anaphylactic reactions. • Allergic reactions: rash and pruritus • Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorder: cutaneous amyloidosis • Acute pancreatitis, hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis sometimes resulting in death • Hepatobiliary disorders: hyperbilirubinemia, elevations of liver enzymes, cholestasis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis requiring cholecystectomy
⚠️ Warnings & Precautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS • Thyroid C-cell Tumors : See Boxed Warning (5.1) . • Pancreatitis : Postmarketing reports, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis. Discontinue promptly if pancreatitis is suspected. Do not restart if pancreatitis is confirmed ( 5.2 ). • Never share a VICTOZA pen between patients, even if the needle is changed (5.3) . • Hypoglycemia : Adult patients taking an insulin secretagogue or insulin may have an increased risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. In pediatric patients 10 years of age and older, the risk of hypoglycemia was higher with VICTOZA regardless of insulin and/or metformin use. Reduction in the dose of insulin secretagogues or insulin may be necessary (5.4) . • Renal Impairment : Postmarketing, usually in association with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration which may sometimes require hemodialysis. Use caution when initiating or escalating doses of VICTOZA in patients with renal impairment (5.5) . • Hypersensitivity : Postmarketing reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylactic reactions and angioedema). Discontinue VICTOZA and promptly seek medical advice (5.6) . • Acute Gallbladder Disease : If cholelithiasis or cholecystitis are suspected, gallbladder studies are indicated (5.7) . 5.1 Risk of Thyroid C-cell Tumors Liraglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors (adenomas and/or carcinomas) at clinically relevant exposures in both genders of rats and mice [see Nonclinical Toxicology ( 13.1 ) ]. Malignant thyroid C-cell carcinomas were detected in rats and mice. It is unknown whether VICTOZA will cause thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans, as the human relevance of liraglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined. Cases of MTC in patients treated with VICTOZA have been reported in the postmarketing period; the data in these reports are insufficient to establish or exclude a causal relationship between MTC and VICTOZA use in humans. VICTOZA is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2. Counsel patients regarding the potential risk for MTC with the use of VICTOZA and inform them of symptoms of thyroid tumors (e.g., a mass in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness). Routine monitoring of serum calcitonin or using thyroid ultrasound is of uncertain value for early detection of MTC in patients treated with VICTOZA. Such monitoring may increase the risk of unnecessary procedures, due to low test specificity for serum calcitonin and a high background incidence of thyroid disease. Significantly elevated serum calcitonin may indicate MTC and patients with MTC usually have calcitonin values >50 ng/L. If serum calcitonin is measured and found to be elevated, the patient should be further evaluated. Patients with thyroid nodules noted on physical examination or neck imaging should also be further evaluated. 5.2 Pancreatitis Based on spontaneous postmarketing reports, acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, has been observed in patients treated with VICTOZA. After initiation of VICTOZA, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis (including persistent severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back and which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting). If pancreatitis is suspected, VICTOZA should promptly be discontinued and appropriate management should be initiated. If pancreatitis is confirmed, VICTOZA should not be restarted. In glycemic control trials of VICTOZA, there have been 13 cases of pancreatitis among VICTOZA-treated patients and 1 case in a comparator (glimepiride) treated patient (2.7 vs. 0.5 cases per 1000 patient-years). Nine of the 13 cases with VICTOZA were reported as acute pancreatitis and four were reported as chronic pancreatitis. In one case in a VICTOZA-treated patient, pancreatitis, with necrosis, was observed and led to death; however clinical causality could not be established. Some patients had other risk factors for pancreatitis, such as a history of cholelithiasis or alcohol abuse. VICTOZA has been studied in a limited number of patients with a history of pancreatitis. It is unknown if patients with a history of pancreatitis are at higher risk for development of pancreatitis on VICTOZA. 5.3 Never Share a VICTOZA Pen Between Patients VICTOZA pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed. Pen-sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens. 5.4 Hypoglycemia Adult patients receiving VICTOZA in combination with an insulin secretagogue (e.g., sulfonylurea) or insulin may have an increased risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. In pediatric patients 10 years of age and older, the risk of hypoglycemia was higher with VICTOZA regardless of insulin and/or metformin use. [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) , Drug Interactions (7.2) ]. The risk of hypoglycemia may be lowered by a reduction in the dose of sulfonylurea (or other concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues) or insulin. Inform patients using these concomitant medications and pediatric patients of the risk of hypoglycemia and educate them on the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. 5.5 Renal Impairment VICTOZA has not been found to be directly nephrotoxic in animal studies or clinical trials. There have been postmarketing reports of acute renal failure and worsening of chronic renal failure, which may sometimes require hemodialysis in VICTOZA-treated patients [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.2 )] . Some of these events were reported in patients without known underlying renal disease. A majority of the reported events occurred in patients who had experienced nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Some of the reported events occurred in patients receiving one or more medications known to affect renal function or hydration status. Altered renal function has been reversed in many of the reported cases with supportive treatment and discontinuation of potentially causative agents, including VICTOZA. Use caution when initiating or escalating doses of VICTOZA in patients with renal impairment [see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.6 )] . 5.6 Hypersensitivity Reactions There have been postmarketing reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylactic reactions and angioedema) in patients treated with VICTOZA. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue VICTOZA; treat promptly per standard of care, and monitor until signs and symptoms resolve. Do not use in patients with a previous hypersensitivity reaction to VICTOZA [see Contraindications ( 4 )] . Anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported with other GLP-1 receptor agonists. Use caution in a patient with a history of anaphylaxis or angioedema with another GLP-receptor agonist because it is unknown whether such patients will be predisposed to these reactions with VICTOZA. 5.7 Acute Gallbladder Disease Acute events of gallbladder disease such as cholelithiasis or cholecystitis have been reported in GLP-1 receptor agonist trials and postmarketing. In the LEADER trial [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )], 3.1% of VICTOZA-treated patients versus 1.9% of placebo-treated patients reported an acute event of gallbladder disease, such as cholelithiasis or cholecystitis [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . If cholelithiasis is suspected, gallbladder studies and appropriate clinical follow-up are indicated .
🔄 Drug Interactions
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Oral Medications: VICTOZA delays gastric emptying and may impact absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications ( 7 ). Concomitant Use with an Insulin Secretagogue (e.g., Sulfonylurea) or with Insulin: when initiating, consider reducing the dose of concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues (such as sulfonylureas) or insulin to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia ( 7 ). 7.1 Oral Medications VICTOZA causes a delay of gastric emptying, and thereby has the potential to impact the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications. In clinical pharmacology trials, VICTOZA did not affect the absorption of the tested orally administered medications to any clinically relevant degree. Nonetheless, caution should be exercised when oral medications are concomitantly administered with VICTOZA. 7.2 Concomitant Use with an Insulin Secretagogue (e.g., Sulfonylurea) or with Insulin When initiating VICTOZA, consider reducing the dose of concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues (such as sulfonylureas) or insulin to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 ) and Adverse Reactions ( 6 )].
🚫 Contraindications
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS • Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma VICTOZA is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). • Hypersensitivity VICTOZA is contraindicated in patients with a serious hypersensitivity reaction to liraglutide or to any of the excipients in VICTOZA. Serious hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylactic reactions and angioedema have been reported with VICTOZA [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )]. VICTOZA is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (4) . VICTOZA is contraindicated in patients with a serious hypersensitivity reaction to liraglutide or any of the excipients in VICTOZA (4) .
📦 Storage & Handling
16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING Product: 50090-2853 NDC: 50090-2853-0 3 mL in a SYRINGE, PLASTIC / 3 in a CARTON