1. Name Of The Medicinal Product
Metformin 850mg Tablets
2. Qualitative And Quantitative Composition
1 film-coated tablet contains:
Metformin hydrochloride 850 mg
For excipients see 6.1.
3. Pharmaceutical Form
Film-coated tablets
White, biconvex, round, film-coated tablets, embossed S138 on one side.
4. Clinical Particulars
4.1 Therapeutic Indications
Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in overweight patients, when dietary management and exercise alone does not result in adequate glycaemic control.
• In adults, Metformin film-coated tablets may be used as monotherapy or in combination with other oral anti-diabetic agents or with insulin.
• In children from 10 years of age and adolescents, Metformin film-coated tablets may be used as monotherapy or in combination with insulin.
A reduction of diabetic complications has been shown in overweight type 2 diabetic adult patients treated with metformin as first-line therapy after diet failure (see 5.1. “Pharmacodynamic properties”).
4.2 Posology And Method Of Administration
Adults
Monotherapy and combination with other oral antidiabetic agents:
• The usual starting dose is one tablet 2 or 3 times daily given during or after meals.
• After 10 to 15 days the dose should be adjusted on the basis of blood glucose measurements. A slow increase of dose may improve gastrointestinal tolerability. The maximum recommended dose of metformin is 3 g daily.
• If transfer from another oral antidiabetic agent is intended: discontinue the other agent and initiate metformin at the dose indicated above.
Combination with insulin:
Metformin and insulin may be used in combination therapy to achieve better blood glucose control. Metformin is given at the usual starting dose of one tablet 2-3 times daily, while insulin dosage is adjusted on the basis of blood glucose measurements.
Elderly: due to the potential for decreased renal function in elderly subjects, the metformin dosage should be adjusted based on renal function. Regular assessment of renal function is necessary (see section 4.4 “Special warnings and precautions for use”).
Children and adolescents
Monotherapy and combination with insulin:
• Metformin film-coated tablets can be used in children from 10 years of age and adolescents.
• The usual starting dose is one tablet of 500 mg or 850 mg once daily, given during meals or after meals.
• After 10 to 15 days the dose should be adjusted on the basis of blood glucose measurements. A slow increase of dose may improve gastrointestinal tolerability. The maximum recommended dose of metformin is 2 g daily, taken as 2 or 3 divided doses.
4.3 Contraindications
• Hypersensitivity to metformin hydrochloride or to any of the other excipients.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic pre-coma.
• Renal failure or renal dysfunction (e.g., serum creatinine levels> 135 μmol/L in males and> 110 μmol/L in females)
• Acute conditions with the potential to alter renal function such as:
- dehydration
- severe infection
- shock- intravascular administration of iodinated contrast agents (see 4.4 “Special warnings and precautions for use”)
• Acute or chronic disease which may cause tissue hypoxia such as:
- cardiac or respiratory failure
- recent myocardial infarction
- shock
• Hepatic insufficiency, acute alcohol intoxication, alcoholism
• Lactation
4.4 Special Warnings And Precautions For Use
Lactic acidosis:
Lactic acidosis is a rare, but serious (high mortality in the absence of prompt treatment), metabolic complication that can occur due to metformin accumulation. Reported cases of lactic acidosis in patients on metformin have occurred primarily in diabetic patients with significant renal failure. The incidence of lactic acidosis can and should be reduced by assessing also other associated risk factors such as poorly controlled diabetes, ketosis, prolonged fasting, excessive alcohol intake, hepatic insufficiency and any condition associated with hypoxia.
Diagnosis:
Lactic acidosis is characterised by acidotic dyspnoea, abdominal pain and hypothermia followed by coma. Diagnostic laboratory findings are decreased blood pH, plasma lactate levels above 5 mmol/L, and an increased anion gap and lactate/pyruvate ratio. If metabolic acidosis is suspected, metformin should be discontinued and the patient should be hospitalised immediately (see section 4.9 “Overdose”).
Renal function:
As metformin is excreted by the kidney, serum creatinine levels should be determined before initiating treatment and regularly thereafter:
* at least annually in patients with normal renal function,
* at least two to four times a year in patients with serum creatinine levels at the upper limit of normal and in elderly subjects.
Decreased renal function in elderly subjects is frequent and asymptomatic. Special caution should be exercised in situations where renal function may become impaired, for example when initiating antihypertensive therapy or diuretic therapy and when starting therapy with an NSAID.
Administration of iodinated contrast agent:
As the intravascular administration of iodinated contrast materials in radiologic studies can lead to renal failure, metformin should be discontinued prior to, or at the time of the test and not reinstituted until 48 hours afterwards, and only after renal function has been re-evaluated and found to be normal.
Surgery:
Metformin hydrochloride should be discontinued 48 hours before elective surgery with general anaesthesia and should not be usually resumed earlier than 48 hours afterwards.
Children and adolescents:
The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus should be confirmed before treatment with metformin is initiated.
No effect of metformin on growth and puberty has been detected during controlled clinical studies of one-year duration but no long-term data on these specific points are available. Therefore, a careful follow-up of the effect of metformin on these parameters in metformin-treated children, especially pre-pubescent children, is recommended.
Children aged between 10 and 12 years:
Only 15 subjects aged between 10 and 12 years were included in the controlled clinical studies conducted in children and adolescents. Although metformin efficacy and safety in children below 12 did not differ from efficacy and safety in older children, particular caution is recommended when prescribing to children aged between 10 and 12 years.
Other precautions:
• All patients should continue their diet with a regular distribution of carbohydrate intake during the day. Overweight patients should continue their energy-restricted diet.
• The usual laboratory tests for diabetes monitoring should be performed regularly.
Metormin alone never causes hypoglycaemia, although caution is advised when it is used in combination with insulin or sulphonylureas.
4.5 Interaction With Other Medicinal Products And Other Forms Of Interaction
Concomitant use not recommended
Alcohol:
Increased risk of lactic acidosis in acute alcohol intoxication, particularly in case of:
• fasting or malnutrition
• hepatic insufficiency
Avoid consumption of alcohol and alcohol-containing medications.
Iodinated contrast agents (see section 4.4 “Special warnings and precautions for use”):
Intravascular administration of iodinated contrast agents may lead to renal failure, resulting in metformin accumulation and a risk of lactic acidosis.
Metformin should be discontinued prior to, or at the time of the test and not reinstituted until 48 hours afterwards, and only after renal function has been re-evaluated and found to be normal.
Combinations requiring precautions for use
Glucocorticoids (systemic and local routes), beta-2-agonists, and diuretics have intrinsic hyperglycaemic activity. Inform the patient and perform more frequent blood glucose monitoring, especially at the beginning of treatment. If necessary, adjust the dosage of the antidiabetic drug during therapy with the other drug and upon its discontinuation.
ACE-inhibitors may decrease the blood glucose levels. If necessary, adjust the dosage of the antidiabetic drug during therapy with the other drug and upon its discontinuation.
4.6 Pregnancy And Lactation
To date, no relevant epidemiological data are available. Animal studies do not indicate harmful effects with respect to pregnancy, embryonal or foetal development, parturition or postnatal development (see also section 5.3 “Preclinical safety data”).
When the patient plans to become pregnant and during pregnancy, diabetes should not be treated with metformin but insulin should be used to maintain blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible in order to lower the risk of foetal malformations associated with abnormal blood glucose levels.
Metformin is excreted into milk in lactating rats. Similar data are not available in humans and a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue metformin, taking into account the importance of the compound to the mother.
4.7 Effects On Ability To Drive And Use Machines
Metformin monotherapy does not cause hypoglycaemia and therefore has no effect on the ability to drive or to use machines.
However, patients should be alerted to the risk of hypoglycaemia when metformin is used in combination with other antidiabetic agents (sulphonylureas, insulin, repaglinide).
4.8 Undesirable Effects
The following undesirable effects may occur with Metformin.
Frequencies are as follows:
Very common: 1/10
Common: 1/100 to <1/10
Uncommon: <1/100
Rare: 1/10,000 to <1/1000
Very rare: <1/10,000
Gastrointestinal Disorders:
Very common: Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and loss of appetite are very common: these occur most frequently during initiation of therapy and resolve spontaneously in most cases. To prevent these gastrointestinal symptoms, it is recommended that metformin be taken in 2 or 3 daily doses during or after meals. A slow increase of the dose may also improve gastrointestinal tolerability.
Nervous system disorders:
Common: Taste disturbance
Metabolism and nutrition disorders:
Very rare: A decrease of vitamin B12 absorption with decrease of serum levels has been observed in patients treated long-term with metformin and appears generally to be without clinical significance. Consideration of such aetiology is recommended is a patient presents with megaloplastic anaemia.
Lactic acidosis is very rare (see 4.4 “Special warnings and precautions for use”).
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders:
Very rare: Skin reactions such as erythema, pruritus, urticaria
In published and post marketing data and in controlled clinical studies in a limited paediatric population aged 10-16 years treated during 1 year, adverse event reporting was similar in nature and severity to that reported in adults.
Hepatobiliary disorders:
Isolated reports: Liver function test abnormalities or hepatitis resolving upon metformin discontinuation.
4.9 Overdose
Hypoglycaemia has not been seen with metformin doses of up to 85g, although lactic acidosis has occurred in such circumstances. High overdose or concomitant risks of metformin may lead to lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency and must be treated in hospital. The most effective method to remove lactate and metformin is haemodialysis.
5. Pharmacological Properties
5.1 Pharmacodynamic Properties
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Oral blood glucose lowering drugs, A10B A02
Metformin is a biguanide with antihyperglycaemic effects, lowering both basal and postprandial plasma glucose. It does not stimulate insulin secretion and therefore does not produce hypoglycaemia.
Metformin may act via 3 mechanisms:
(1) reduction of hepatic glucose production by inhibiting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis (2) in muscle, by increasing insulin sensitivity, improving peripheral glucose uptake and utilisation (3) and delay of intestinal glucose absorption.
Metformin stimulates intracellular glycogen synthesis by acting on glycogen synthase.
Metformin increases the transport capacity of all types of membrane glucose transporters (GLUT).
In humans, independently of its action on glycaemia, metformin has favourable effects on lipid metabolism. This has been shown at therapeutic doses in controlled, medium-term or long-term clinical studies: metformin reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Clinical efficacy:
The prospective randomised (UKPDS) study has established the long-term benefit of intensive blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes.
Analysis of the results for overweight patients treated with metformin after failure of diet alone showed:
• a significant reduction of the absolute risk of any diabetes-related complication in the metformin group (29.8 events/1000 patient-years) versus diet alone (43.3 events/1000 patient-years), p=0.0023, and versus the combined sulphonylurea and insulin monotherapy groups (40.1 events/1000 patient-years), p=0.0034.
• a significant reduction of the absolute risk of diabetes-related mortality: metformin 7.5 events/1000 patient-years, diet alone 12.7 events/1000 patient-years, p=0.017;
• a significant reduction of the absolute risk of overall mortality: metformin 13.5 events/1000 patient-years versus diet alone 20.6 events/1000 patient-years (p=0.011), and versus the combined sulphonylurea and insulin monotherapy groups 18.9 events/1000 patient-years (p=0.021);
• a significant reduction in the absolute risk of myocardial infarction: metformin 11 events/1000 patient-years, diet alone 18 events/1000 patient-years (p=0.01)
For metformin used as second-line therapy, in combination with a sulphonylurea, benefit regarding clinical outcome has not been shown.
In type 1 diabetes, the combination of metformin and insulin has been used in selected patients, but the clinical benefit of this combination has not been formally established.
Controlled clinical studies in a limited paediatric population aged 10-16 years treated during 1 year demonstrated a similar response in glycaemic control to that seen in adults.
5.2 Pharmacokinetic Properties
Absorption:
After an oral dose of metformin, Tmax is reached in 2.5 hours. Absolute bioavailability of a 500mg or 850mg metformin tablet is approximately 50-60% in healthy subjects. After an oral dose, the non-absorbed fraction recovered in faeces was 20-30%.
After oral administration, metformin absorption is saturable and incomplete. It is assumed that the pharmacokinetics of metformin absorption are non-linear.
At the usual metformin doses and dosing schedules, steady state plasma concentrations are reached within 24 to 48 hours and are generally less than 1 μg/ml. In controlled clinical trials, maximum metformin plasma levels (Cmax) did not exceed 4 μg/ml, even at maximum doses.
Food decreases the extent and slightly delays the absorption of metformin. Following administration of a dose of 850 mg, a 40% lower plasma peak concentration, a 25% decrease in AUC (area under the curve) and a 35 minute prolongation of time to peak plasma concentration were observed. The clinical relevance of these decreases is unknown.
Distribution:
Plasma protein binding is negligible. Metformin partitions into erythrocytes. The blood peak is lower than the plasma peak and appears at approximately the same time. The red blood cells most likely represent a secondary compartment of distribution. The mean Vd ranged between 63-276 L.
Metabolism:
Metformin is excreted unchanged in the urine. No metabolites have been identified in humans.
Elimination:
Renal clearance of metformin is> 400 ml/min, indicating that metformin is eliminated by glomerular filtration and tubular secretion. Following an oral dose, the apparent terminal elimination half-life is approximately 6.5 hours.
When renal function is impaired, renal clearance is decreased in proportion to that of creatinine and thus the elimination half-life is prolonged, leading to increased levels of metformin in plasma.
Paediatrics:
Single dose study: After single doses of metformin 500 mg, paediatric patients have shown similar pharmacokinetic profile to that observed in healthy adults.
Multiple dose study: Data are restricted to one study. After repeated doses of 500 mg BID for 7 days in paediatric patients the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC0-t) were reduced by approximately 33% and 40%, respectively compared to diabetic adults who received repeated doses of 500 mg BID for 14 days. As the dose is individually titratedbased on glycaemic control, this is of limited clinical relevance.
5.3 Preclinical Safety Data
Preclinical data reveal no special hazard for humans based on conventional studies on safety pharmacology, repeated dose toxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenic potential, toxicity reproduction.
6. Pharmaceutical Particulars
6.1 List Of Excipients
Core
Sodium starch glycollate
Maize starch
Povidone
Colloidal anhydrous silica
Magnesium stearate
Film-coating
Methylhydroxypropylcellulose
Titanium dioxide E 171
Propylene glycol
Macrogol 6000
Purified talc
6.2 Incompatibilities
Not applicable.
6.3 Shelf Life
3 years
6.4 Special Precautions For Storage
Do not store above 25°C.
6.5 Nature And Contents Of Container
Blister pack of 28, 56, 300 and 500 film-coated tablets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
6.6 Special Precautions For Disposal And Other Handling
No special requirements.
7. Marketing Authorisation Holder
Winthrop Pharmaceuticals UK Limited
One Onslow Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4YS
UK
8. Marketing Authorisation Number(S)
PL 17780/0081
9. Date Of First Authorisation/Renewal Of The Authorisation
01 October 2001
10. Date Of Revision Of The Text
15 September 2008.
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