epletion of serotonin and norepinephrine in the cns. at least 20 days should elapse after stopping reserpine before starting tetrabenazine tablet. tetrabenazine tablet and reserpine should not be used concomitantly [see contraindications (4) ]. 7.3 monoamine oxidase inhibitors (maois) tetrabenazine tablet is contraindicated in patients taking maois. tetrabenazine tablet should not be used in combination with an maoi, or within a minimum of 14 days of discontinuing therapy with an maoi [see contraindications (4) ]. 7.4 alcohol or other sedating drugs concomitant use of alcohol or other sedating drugs may have additive effects and worsen sedation and somnolence [see warnings and precautions (5.7) ]. 7.5 drugs that cause qtc prolongation tetrabenazine tablet causes a small prolongation of qtc (about 8 msec), concomitant use with other drugs that are known to cause qtc prolongation should be avoided, these including antipsychotic medications (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thioridazine, ziprasidone), antibiotics (e.g., moxifloxacin), class 1a (e.g ., quinidine, procainamide), and class iii (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic medications or any other medications known to prolong the qtc interval. tetrabenazine tablet should be avoided in patients with congenital long qt syndrome and in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias. certain conditions may increase the risk for torsade de pointes or sudden death such as, (1) bradycardia; (2) hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia; (3) concomitant use of other drugs that prolong the qtc interval; and (4) presence of congenital prolongation of the qt interval [see warnings and precautions (5.8) , clinical pharmacology (12.2) ]. 7.6 neuroleptic drugs the risk for parkinsonism, nms, and akathisia may be increased by concomitant use of tetrabenazine tablet and dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics (e.g.chlorpromazine, haloperidol, olanzapine, risperidone, thioridazine, ziprasidone) [see warnings and precautions (5.4 , 5.5 , 5.6) ]. 7.7 concomitant deutetrabenazine or valbenazine tetrabenazine tablet is contraindicated in patients currently taking deutetrabenazine or valbenazine.

be observed for new or worsening depression or suicidality. if depression or suicidality does not resolve, consider discontinuing treatment with tetrabenazine tablet. in a 12-week, double-blind placebo-controlled study in patients with chorea associated with huntington's disease, 10 of 54 patients (19%) treated with tetrabenazine tablet were reported to have an adverse event of depression or worsening depression compared to none of the 30 placebo-treated patients. in two open-label studies (in one study, 29 patients received tetrabenazine tablet for up to 48 weeks; in the second study, 75 patients received tetrabenazine tablet for up to 80 weeks), the rate of depression/worsening depression was 35%. in all of the hd chorea studies of tetrabenazine tablet (n=187), one patient committed suicide, one attempted suicide, and six had suicidal ideation. when considering the use of tetrabenazine tablet, the risk of suicidality should be balanced against the need for treatment of chorea. all patients treated with tetrabenazine tablet should be observed for new or worsening depression or suicidality. if depression or suicidality does not resolve, consider discontinuing treatment with tetrabenazine tablet. patients, their caregivers, and families should be informed of the risks of depression, worsening depression, and suicidality associated with tetrabenazine tablet and should be instructed to report behaviors of concern promptly to the treating physician. patients with hd who express suicidal ideation should be evaluated immediately. 5.2 clinical worsening and adverse effects huntington's disease is a progressive disorder characterized by changes in mood, cognition, chorea, rigidity, and functional capacity over time. in a 12-week controlled trial, tetrabenazine tablet was also shown to cause slight worsening in mood, cognition, rigidity, and functional capacity. whether these effects persist, resolve, or worsen with continued treatment is unknown. prescribers should periodically re-evaluate the need for tetrabenazine tablet in their patients by assessing the beneficial effect on chorea and possible adverse effects, including depression, cognitive decline, parkinsonism, dysphagia, sedation/somnolence, akathisia, restlessness and disability. it may be difficult to distinguish between drug-induced side-effects and progression of the underlying disease; decreasing the dose or stopping the drug may help the clinician distinguish between the two possibilities. in some patients, underlying chorea itself may improve over time, decreasing the need for tetrabenazine tablet. 5.3 laboratory tests before prescribing a daily dose of tetrabenazine tablet that is greater than 50 mg per day, patients should be genotyped to determine if they express the drug metabolizing enzyme, cyp2d6. cyp2d6 testing is necessary to determine whether patients are poor metabolizers (pms), extensive (ems) or intermediate metabolizers (ims) of tetrabenazine tablet. patients who are pms of tetrabenazine tablet will have substantially higher levels of the primary drug metabolites (about 3-fold for α-htbz and 9-fold for β-htbz) than patients who are ems. the dosage should be adjusted according to a patient's cyp2d6 metabolizer status. in patients who are identified as cyp2d6 pms, the maximum recommended total daily dose is 50 mg and the maximum recommended single dose is 25 mg [see dosage and administration (2.2) , use in specific populations (8.7) , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. 5.4 neuroleptic malignant syndrome (nms) a potentially fatal symptom complex sometimes referred to as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (nms) has been reported in association with tetrabenazine tablet and other drugs that reduce dopaminergic transmission [see drug interactions (7.6) ]. clinical manifestations of nms are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and evidence of autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia). additional signs may include elevated creatinine phosphokinase, myoglobinuria, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure. the diagnosis of nms can be complicated; other serious medical illness (e.g., pneumonia, systemic infection), and untreated or inadequately treated extrapyramidal disorders can present with similar signs and symptoms. other important considerations in the differential diagnosis include central anticholinergic toxicity, heat stroke, drug fever, and primary central nervous system pathology. the management of nms should include (1) immediate discontinuation of tetrabenazine tablet and other drugs not essential to concurrent therapy; (2) intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring; and (3) treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems for which specific treatments are available. there is no general agreement about specific pharmacological treatment regimens for nms. recurrence of nms has been reported. if treatment with tetrabenazine tablet is needed after recovery from nms, patients should be monitored for signs of recurrence. 5.5 akathisia, restlessness, and agitation in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with chorea associated with hd, akathisia was observed in 10 (19%) of tetrabenazine tablet -treated patients and 0% of placebo-treated patients. in an 80-week open-label study, akathisia was observed in 20% of tetrabenazine tablet -treated patients. akathisia was not observed in a 48-week open-label study. patients receiving tetrabenazine tablet should be monitored for the presence of akathisia. patients receiving tetrabenazine tablet should also be monitored for signs and symptoms of restlessness and agitation, as these may be indicators of developing akathisia. if a patient develops akathisia, the tetrabenazine tablet dose should be reduced; however, some patients may require discontinuation of therapy. 5.6 parkinsonism tetrabenazine tablet can cause parkinsonism. in a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with chorea associated with hd, symptoms suggestive of parkinsonism (i.e., bradykinesia, hypertonia and rigidity) were observed in 15% of tetrabenazine tablet-treated patients compared to 0% of placebo-treated patients. in 48-week and 80-week open-label studies, symptoms suggestive of parkinsonism were observed in 10% and 3% of tetrabenazine tablet -treated patients, respectively. because rigidity can develop as part of the underlying disease process in huntington's disease, it may be difficult to distinguish between this drug-induced side-effect and progression of the underlying disease process. drug-induced parkinsonism has the potential to cause more functional disability than untreated chorea for some patients with huntington's disease. if a patient develops parkinsonism during treatment with tetrabenazine tablet, dose reduction should be considered; in some patients, discontinuation of therapy may be necessary. 5.7 sedation and somnolence sedation is the most common dose-limiting adverse reaction of tetrabenazine tablet. in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with chorea associated with hd, sedation/somnolence occured in 17/54 (31%) tetrabenazine tablet-treated patients and in 1 (3%) placebo-treated patient. sedation was the reason upward titration of tetrabenazine tablet was stopped and/or the dose of tetrabenazine tablet was decreased in 15/54 (28%) patients. in all but one case, decreasing the dose of tetrabenazine tablet resulted in decreased sedation. in 48-week and 80-week open-label studies, sedation/ somnolence occured in 17% and 57% of tetrabenazine tablet-treated patients, respectively. in some patients, sedation occurred at doses that were lower than recommended doses. patients should not perform activities requiring mental alertness to maintain the safety of themselves or others, such as operating a motor vehicle or operating hazardous machinery, until they are on a maintenance dose of tetrabenazine tablet and know how the drug affects them. 5.8 qtc prolongation tetrabenazine tablet causes a small increase (about 8 msec) in the corrected qt (qtc) interval. qt prolongation can lead to development of torsade de pointes-type ventricular tachycardia with the risk increasing as the degree of prolongation increases [see clinical pharmacology (12.2) ]. the use of tetrabenazine tablet should be avoided in combination with other drugs that are known to prolong qtc, including antipsychotic medications (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thioridazine, ziprasidone), antibiotics (e.g., moxifloxacin), class 1a (e.g., quinidine, procainamide), and class iii (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic medications or any other medications known to prolong the qtc interval [see drug interactions (7.5)] tetrabenazine tablet should also be avoided in patients with congenital long qt syndrome and in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias. certain circumstances may increase the risk of the occurrence of torsade de pointes and/or sudden death in association with the use of drugs that prolong the qtc interval, including (1) bradycardia; (2) hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia; (3) concomitant use of other drugs that prolong the qtc interval; and (4) presence of congenital prolongation of the qt interval [see clinical pharmacology (12.2) ]. 5.9 hypotension and orthostatic hypotension tetrabenazine tablet induced postural dizziness in healthy volunteers receiving single doses of 25 or 50 mg. one subject had syncope and one subject with postural dizziness had documented orthostasis. dizziness occurred in 4% of tetrabenazine tablet -treated patients (vs. none on placebo) in the 12-week controlled trial; however, blood pressure was not measured during these events. monitoring of vital signs on standing should be considered in patients who are vulnerable to hypotension. 5.10 hyperprolactinemia tetrabenazine tablet elevates serum prolactin concentrations in humans. following administration of 25 mg to healthy volunteers, peak plasma prolactin levels increased 4- to 5-fold. tissue culture experiments indicate that approximately one third of human breast cancers are prolactin-dependent in vitro , a factor of potential importance if tetrabenazine tablet is being considered for a patient with previously detected breast cancer. although amenorrhea, galactorrhea, gynecomastia and impotence can be caused by elevated serum prolactin concentrations, the clinical significance of elevated serum prolactin concentrations for most patients is unknown. chronic increase in serum prolactin levels (although not evaluated in the tetrabenazine tablet development program) has been associated with low levels of estrogen and increased risk of osteoporosis. if there is a clinical suspicion of symptomatic hyperprolactinemia, appropriate laboratory testing should be done and consideration should be given to discontinuation of tetrabenazine tablet. 5.11 binding to melanin-containing tissues since tetrabenazine tablet or its metabolites bind to melanin-containing tissues, it could accumulate in these tissues over time. this raises the possibility that tetrabenazine tablet may cause toxicity in these tissues after extended use. neither ophthalmologic nor microscopic examination of the eye was conducted in the chronic toxicity study in dogs. ophthalmologic monitoring in humans was inadequate to exclude the possibility of injury occurring after long-term exposure. the clinical relevance of tetrabenazine tablet's binding to melanin-containing tissues is unknown. although there are no specific recommendations for periodic ophthalmologic monitoring, prescribers should be aware of the possibility of long-term ophthalmologic effects [see clinical pharmacology (12.2) ].

the hd chorea studies of tetrabenazine tablet (n=187), one patient committed suicide, one attempted suicide, and six had suicidal ideation. when considering the use of tetrabenazine tablet, the risk of suicidality should be balanced against the need for treatment of chorea. all patients treated with tetrabenazine tablet should be observed for new or worsening depression or suicidality. if depression or suicidality does not resolve, consider discontinuing treatment with tetrabenazine tablet. patients, their caregivers, and families should be informed of the risks of depression, worsening depression, and suicidality associated with tetrabenazine tablet and should be instructed to report behaviors of concern promptly to the treating physician. patients with hd who express suicidal ideation should be evaluated immediately.

time, decreasing the need for tetrabenazine tablet.

pathology. the management of nms should include (1) immediate discontinuation of tetrabenazine tablet and other drugs not essential to concurrent therapy; (2) intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring; and (3) treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems for which specific treatments are available. there is no general agreement about specific pharmacological treatment regimens for nms. recurrence of nms has been reported. if treatment with tetrabenazine tablet is needed after recovery from nms, patients should be monitored for signs of recurrence.

patients, discontinuation of therapy may be necessary.

ey are on a maintenance dose of tetrabenazine tablet and know how the drug affects them.

eath in association with the use of drugs that prolong the qtc interval, including (1) bradycardia; (2) hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia; (3) concomitant use of other drugs that prolong the qtc interval; and (4) presence of congenital prolongation of the qt interval [see clinical pharmacology (12.2) ].

nsideration should be given to discontinuation of tetrabenazine tablet.

of tetrabenazine tablet (2.2) 2.1 general dosing considerations the chronic daily dose of tetrabenazine tablet used to treat chorea associated with huntington's disease (hd) is determined individually for each patient. when first prescribed, tetrabenazine tablet therapy should be titrated slowly over several weeks to identify a dose of tetrabenazine tablet that reduces chorea and is tolerated. tetrabenazine tablet can be administered without regard to food [see clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. 2.2 individualization of dose the dose of tetrabenazine tablet should be individualized. dosing recommendations up to 50 mg per day the starting dose should be 12.5 mg per day given once in the morning. after one week, the dose should be increased to 25 mg per day given as 12.5 mg twice a day. tetrabenazine tablet should be titrated up slowly at weekly intervals by 12.5 mg daily, to allow the identification of a tolerated dose that reduces chorea. if a dose of 37.5 to 50 mg per day is needed, it should be given in a three times a day regimen. the maximum recommended single dose is 25 mg. if adverse reactions such as akathisia, restlessness, parkinsonism, depression, insomnia, anxiety or sedation occur, titration should be stopped and the dose should be reduced. if the adverse reaction does not resolve, consideration should be given to withdrawing tetrabenazine tablet treatment or initiating other specific treatment (e.g: antidepressants) [see adverse reactions (6.1) ]. dosing recommendations above 50 mg per day patients who require doses of tetrabenazine tablet greater than 50 mg per day should be first tested and genotyped to determine if they are poor metabolizers (pms) or extensive metabolizers (ems) by their ability to express the drug metabolizing enzyme, cyp2d6. the dose of tetrabenazine tablet should then be individualized accordingly to their status as pms or ems see warnings and precautions (5.3), , use in specific populations (8.7) , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. extensive and intermediate cyp2d6 metabolizers genotyped patients who are identified as extensive (ems) or intermediate metabolizers (ims) of cyp2d6, who need doses of tetrabenazine tablet above 50 mg per day, should be titrated up slowly at weekly intervals by 12.5 mg daily, to allow the identification of a tolerated dose that reduces chorea. doses above 50 mg per day should be given in a three times a day regimen. the maximum recommended daily dose is 100 mg and the maximum recommended single dose is 37.5 mg. if adverse reactions such as akathisia, parkinsonism, depression, insomnia, anxiety or sedation occur, titration should be stopped and the dose should be reduced. if the adverse reaction does not resolve, consideration should be given to withdrawing tetrabenazine tablet treatment or initiating other specific treatment (e.g, antidepressants) [see warnings and precautions (5.3), use in specific populations (8.7), , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. poor cyp2d6 metabolizers in pms, the initial dose and titration is similar to ems except that the recommended maximum single dose is 25 mg , and the recommended daily dose should not exceed a maximum of 50 mg [see use in specific populations (8.7) , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. 2.3 dosage adjustments with cyp2d6 inhibitors strong cyp2d6 inhibitors medications that are strong cyp2d6 inhibitors such as quinidine or antidepressants (e.g, fluoxetine, paroxetine) significantly increase the exposure to α-htbz and β-htbz, therefore, the total dose of tetrabenazine tablet should not exceed a maximum of 50 mg and the maximum single dose should not exceed 25 mg [see warnings and precautions (5.3) , drug interactions (7.1) , use in specific populations (8.7) , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. 2.4 discontinuation of treatment treatment with tetrabenazine tablet can be discontinued without tapering. re-emergence of chorea may occur within 12 to 18 hours after the last dose of tetrabenazine tablet [see drug abuse and dependence (9.2) ]. 2.5 resumption of treatment following treatment interruption of greater than five (5) days, tetrabenazine tablet therapy should be re-titrated when resumed. for short-term treatment interruption of less than five (5) days, treatment can be resumed at the previous maintenance dose without titration.

ations above 50 mg per day patients who require doses of tetrabenazine tablet greater than 50 mg per day should be first tested and genotyped to determine if they are poor metabolizers (pms) or extensive metabolizers (ems) by their ability to express the drug metabolizing enzyme, cyp2d6. the dose of tetrabenazine tablet should then be individualized accordingly to their status as pms or ems see warnings and precautions (5.3), , use in specific populations (8.7) , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. extensive and intermediate cyp2d6 metabolizers genotyped patients who are identified as extensive (ems) or intermediate metabolizers (ims) of cyp2d6, who need doses of tetrabenazine tablet above 50 mg per day, should be titrated up slowly at weekly intervals by 12.5 mg daily, to allow the identification of a tolerated dose that reduces chorea. doses above 50 mg per day should be given in a three times a day regimen. the maximum recommended daily dose is 100 mg and the maximum recommended single dose is 37.5 mg. if adverse reactions such as akathisia, parkinsonism, depression, insomnia, anxiety or sedation occur, titration should be stopped and the dose should be reduced. if the adverse reaction does not resolve, consideration should be given to withdrawing tetrabenazine tablet treatment or initiating other specific treatment (e.g, antidepressants) [see warnings and precautions (5.3), use in specific populations (8.7), , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. poor cyp2d6 metabolizers in pms, the initial dose and titration is similar to ems except that the recommended maximum single dose is 25 mg , and the recommended daily dose should not exceed a maximum of 50 mg [see use in specific populations (8.7) , and clinical pharmacology (12.3) ].

88 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 clinical trials experience because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, a dverse 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. during its development, tetrabenazine tablet was administered to 773 unique subjects and patients. the conditions and duration of exposure to tetrabenazine tablet varied greatly, and included single and multiple dose clinical pharmacology studies in healthy volunteers (n=259) and open-label (n=529) and double-blind studies (n=84) in patients. in a randomized, 12-week, placebo-controlled clinical trial of hd subjects, adverse reactions were more common in the tetrabenazine tablet group than in the placebo group. forty-nine of 54 (91%) patients who received tetrabenazine tablet experienced one or more adverse reactions at any time during the study. the most common adverse reactions (over 10%, and at least 5% greater than placebo) were sedation/ somnolence, fatigue, insomnia, depression, akathisia, anxiety/anxiety aggravated and nausea. adverse reactions occurring in ≥4% patients the number and percentage of the most common adverse reactions that occurred at any time during the study in ≥4% of tetrabenazine tablet-treated patients, and with a greater frequency than in placebo-treated patients, are presented in table 1. table 1. adverse reactions in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with huntington's disease. adverse reaction tetrabenazine tablet n = 54 (%) placebo n = 30 (%) sedation/somnolence 31 3 insomnia 22 0 depression 19 0 anxiety/anxiety aggravated 15 3 irritability 9 3 decreased appetite 4 0 obsessive reaction 4 0 akathisia 19 0 balance difficulty 9 0 parkinsonism/bradykinesia 9 0 dizziness 4 0 dysarthria 4 0 unsteady gait 4 0 headache 4 3 nausea 13 7 vomiting 6 3 fatigue 22 13 fall 15 13 laceration (head) 6 0 ecchymosis 6 0 upper respiratory tract infection 11 7 shortness of breath 4 0 bronchitis 4 0 dysuria 4 0 dose escalation was discontinued or dosage of study drug was reduced because of one or more adverse reactions in 28 of 54 (52%) patients randomized to tetrabenazine tablet. these adverse reactions consisted of sedation (15), akathisia (7), parkinsonism (4), depression (3), anxiety (2), fatigue (1) and diarrhea (1). some patients had more than one adverse reaction and are, therefore, counted more than once. adverse reactions due to extrapyramidal symptoms table 2 describes the incidence of events considered to be extrapyramidal adverse reactions which occurred at a greater frequency in tetrabenazine tablet –treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. table 2. adverse reactions due to extrapyramidal symptons in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with huntington's disease. tetrabenazine tablet n = 54 placebo n = 30 % akathisia patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: akathisia, hyperkinesia, restlessness.patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: bradykinesia, parkinsonism, extrapyramidal disorder, hypertonia. 19 0 extrapyramidal event patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: akathisia, hyperkinesia, restlessness.patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: bradykinesia, parkinsonism, extrapyramidal disorder, hypertonia. 15 0 any extrapyramidal event 33 0 patients may have had events in more than one category 6.2 postmarketing experience the following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of tetrabenazine tablet. because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. nervous system disorders: tremor psychiatric disorders: confusion, worsening aggression respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders: pneumonia skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: hyperhidrosis, skin rash

at least 5% greater than placebo) were sedation/ somnolence, fatigue, insomnia, depression, akathisia, anxiety/anxiety aggravated and nausea. adverse reactions occurring in ≥4% patients the number and percentage of the most common adverse reactions that occurred at any time during the study in ≥4% of tetrabenazine tablet-treated patients, and with a greater frequency than in placebo-treated patients, are presented in table 1. table 1. adverse reactions in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with huntington's disease. adverse reaction tetrabenazine tablet n = 54 (%) placebo n = 30 (%) sedation/somnolence 31 3 insomnia 22 0 depression 19 0 anxiety/anxiety aggravated 15 3 irritability 9 3 decreased appetite 4 0 obsessive reaction 4 0 akathisia 19 0 balance difficulty 9 0 parkinsonism/bradykinesia 9 0 dizziness 4 0 dysarthria 4 0 unsteady gait 4 0 headache 4 3 nausea 13 7 vomiting 6 3 fatigue 22 13 fall 15 13 laceration (head) 6 0 ecchymosis 6 0 upper respiratory tract infection 11 7 shortness of breath 4 0 bronchitis 4 0 dysuria 4 0 dose escalation was discontinued or dosage of study drug was reduced because of one or more adverse reactions in 28 of 54 (52%) patients randomized to tetrabenazine tablet. these adverse reactions consisted of sedation (15), akathisia (7), parkinsonism (4), depression (3), anxiety (2), fatigue (1) and diarrhea (1). some patients had more than one adverse reaction and are, therefore, counted more than once. adverse reactions due to extrapyramidal symptoms table 2 describes the incidence of events considered to be extrapyramidal adverse reactions which occurred at a greater frequency in tetrabenazine tablet –treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. table 2. adverse reactions due to extrapyramidal symptons in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with huntington's disease. tetrabenazine tablet n = 54 placebo n = 30 % akathisia patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: akathisia, hyperkinesia, restlessness.patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: bradykinesia, parkinsonism, extrapyramidal disorder, hypertonia. 19 0 extrapyramidal event patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: akathisia, hyperkinesia, restlessness.patients with the following adverse event preferred terms were counted in this category: bradykinesia, parkinsonism, extrapyramidal disorder, hypertonia. 15 0 any extrapyramidal event 33 0 patients may have had events in more than one category

epletion of serotonin and norepinephrine in the cns. at least 20 days should elapse after stopping reserpine before starting tetrabenazine tablet. tetrabenazine tablet and reserpine should not be used concomitantly [see contraindications (4) ]. 7.3 monoamine oxidase inhibitors (maois) tetrabenazine tablet is contraindicated in patients taking maois. tetrabenazine tablet should not be used in combination with an maoi, or within a minimum of 14 days of discontinuing therapy with an maoi [see contraindications (4) ]. 7.4 alcohol or other sedating drugs concomitant use of alcohol or other sedating drugs may have additive effects and worsen sedation and somnolence [see warnings and precautions (5.7) ]. 7.5 drugs that cause qtc prolongation tetrabenazine tablet causes a small prolongation of qtc (about 8 msec), concomitant use with other drugs that are known to cause qtc prolongation should be avoided, these including antipsychotic medications (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thioridazine, ziprasidone), antibiotics (e.g., moxifloxacin), class 1a (e.g ., quinidine, procainamide), and class iii (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic medications or any other medications known to prolong the qtc interval. tetrabenazine tablet should be avoided in patients with congenital long qt syndrome and in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias. certain conditions may increase the risk for torsade de pointes or sudden death such as, (1) bradycardia; (2) hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia; (3) concomitant use of other drugs that prolong the qtc interval; and (4) presence of congenital prolongation of the qt interval [see warnings and precautions (5.8) , clinical pharmacology (12.2) ]. 7.6 neuroleptic drugs the risk for parkinsonism, nms, and akathisia may be increased by concomitant use of tetrabenazine tablet and dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics (e.g.chlorpromazine, haloperidol, olanzapine, risperidone, thioridazine, ziprasidone) [see warnings and precautions (5.4 , 5.5 , 5.6) ]. 7.7 concomitant deutetrabenazine or valbenazine tetrabenazine tablet is contraindicated in patients currently taking deutetrabenazine or valbenazine.

ively. the background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. data animal data tetrabenazine had no clear effects on embryofetal development when administered to pregnant rats throughout the period of organogenesis at oral doses up to 30 mg/kg/day (or 3 times the maximum recommended human dose [mrhd] of 100 mg/day on a mg/m2 basis). tetrabenazine had no effects on embryofetal development when administered to pregnant rabbits during the period of organogenesis at oral doses up to 60 mg/kg/day (or 12 times the mrhd on a mg/m2 basis). when tetrabenazine (5, 15, and 30 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to pregnant rats from the beginning of organogenesis through the lactation period, an increase in stillbirths and offspring postnatal mortality was observed at 15 and 30 mg/kg/day and delayed pup maturation was observed at all doses. a no-effect dose for pre- and postnatal development toxicity in rats was not identified. the lowest dose tested (5 mg/kg/day) was less than the mrhd on a mg/m2 basis. because rats dosed orally with tetrabenazine do not produce 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz, a major human metabolite of tetrabenazine, the metabolite was directly administered to pregnant and lactating rats. oral administration of 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz (8, 15, and 40 mg/kg/day) throughout the period of organogenesis produced increases in embryofetal mortality at 15 and 40 mg/kg/day and reductions in fetal body weighs at 40 mg/kg/day, which was also maternally toxic. when 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz (8, 15, and 40 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to pregnant rats from the beginning of organogenesis through the lactation period, increases in gestation duration, stillbirths and offsprings postnatal mortality (40 mg/kg/day); decreases in pup weights (40 mg/kg/day); and neurobehavioral (increased activity, learning and memory deficits) and reproductive (decreased litter size) impairment (15 and 40 mg/kg/day) were observed. maternal toxicity was seen at the highest dose. the no-effect dose for development toxicity in rats (8 mg/kg/day) was associated with plasma exposures (auc) of 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz in pregnant rats lower than that in humans at mrhd. 8.2 lactation risk summary there are no data on the presence of tetrabenazine or its metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects of the drug on milk production. the development and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for tetrabenazine tablet and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from tetrabenazine tablet or from the underlying maternal condition. 8.4 pediatric use the safety and efficacy of tetrabenazine tablet in pediatric patients have not been established. 8.5 geriatric use the pharmacokinetics of tetrabenazine tablet and its primary metabolites have not been formally studied in geriatric subjects. 8.6 hepatic impairment because the safety and efficacy of the increased exposure to tetrabenazine tablet and other circulating metabolites are unknown, it is not possible to adjust the dosage of tetrabenazine tablet in hepatic impairment to ensure safe use. the use of tetrabenazine tablet in patients with hepatic impairment is contraindicated [see contraindications (4) , clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. 8.7 pooror extensive cyp2d6 metabolizers patients who require doses of tetrabenazine tablet greater than 50 mg per day, should be first tested and genotyped to determine if they are poor (pms) or extensive metabolizers (ems) by their ability to express the drug metabolizing enzyme, cyp2d6. the dose of tetrabenazine tablet should then be individualized accordingly to their status as either poor (pms) or extensive metabolizers (ems) [see dosage and administration (2.2), warnings and precautions (5.3) , clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. poor metabolizers poor cyp2d6 metabolizers (pms) will have substantially higher levels of exposure to the primary metabolites (about 3-fold for α-htbz and 9-fold for β-htbz) compared to ems. the dosage should, therefore, be adjusted according to a patient's cyp2d6 metabolizer status by limiting a single dose to a maximum of 25 mg and the recommended daily dose to not exceed a maximum of 50 mg/day in patients who are cyp2d6 pms [see dosage and administration (2.2), warnings and precautions (5.3) , clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. extensive/intermediate metabolizers in extensive (ems) or intermediate metabolizers (ims), the dosage of tetrabenazine tablet can be titrated to a maximum single dose of 37.5 mg and a recommended maximum daily dose of 100 mg [see dosage and administration (2.2), drug interactions (7.1) , clinical pharmacology (12.3) ].

ation (2.2), warnings and precautions (5.3) , clinical pharmacology (12.3) ]. extensive/intermediate metabolizers in extensive (ems) or intermediate metabolizers (ims), the dosage of tetrabenazine tablet can be titrated to a maximum single dose of 37.5 mg and a recommended maximum daily dose of 100 mg [see dosage and administration (2.2), drug interactions (7.1) , clinical pharmacology (12.3) ].

data animal data tetrabenazine had no clear effects on embryofetal development when administered to pregnant rats throughout the period of organogenesis at oral doses up to 30 mg/kg/day (or 3 times the maximum recommended human dose [mrhd] of 100 mg/day on a mg/m2 basis). tetrabenazine had no effects on embryofetal development when administered to pregnant rabbits during the period of organogenesis at oral doses up to 60 mg/kg/day (or 12 times the mrhd on a mg/m2 basis). when tetrabenazine (5, 15, and 30 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to pregnant rats from the beginning of organogenesis through the lactation period, an increase in stillbirths and offspring postnatal mortality was observed at 15 and 30 mg/kg/day and delayed pup maturation was observed at all doses. a no-effect dose for pre- and postnatal development toxicity in rats was not identified. the lowest dose tested (5 mg/kg/day) was less than the mrhd on a mg/m2 basis. because rats dosed orally with tetrabenazine do not produce 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz, a major human metabolite of tetrabenazine, the metabolite was directly administered to pregnant and lactating rats. oral administration of 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz (8, 15, and 40 mg/kg/day) throughout the period of organogenesis produced increases in embryofetal mortality at 15 and 40 mg/kg/day and reductions in fetal body weighs at 40 mg/kg/day, which was also maternally toxic. when 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz (8, 15, and 40 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to pregnant rats from the beginning of organogenesis through the lactation period, increases in gestation duration, stillbirths and offsprings postnatal mortality (40 mg/kg/day); decreases in pup weights (40 mg/kg/day); and neurobehavioral (increased activity, learning and memory deficits) and reproductive (decreased litter size) impairment (15 and 40 mg/kg/day) were observed. maternal toxicity was seen at the highest dose. the no-effect dose for development toxicity in rats (8 mg/kg/day) was associated with plasma exposures (auc) of 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz in pregnant rats lower than that in humans at mrhd.

acebo controlled crossover study in healthy male and female subjects with moxifloxacin as a positive control. at 50 mg, tetrabenazine caused an approximately 8 msec mean increase in qtc (90 % ci: 5.0, 10.4 msec). additional data suggest that inhibition of cyp2d6 in healthy subjects given a single 50 mg dose of tetrabenazine does not further increase the effect on the qtc interval. effects at higher exposures to either tetrabenazine or its metabolites have not been evaluated [see warnings and precautions (5.8) , drug interactions (7.5) ]. melanin binding tetrabenazine or its metabolites bind to melanin-containing tissues (i.e., eye, skin, fur) in pigmented rats. after a single oral dose of radiolabeled tetrabenazine, radioactivity was still detected in eye and fur at 21 days post dosing [see warnings and precautions (5.11) ]. 12.3 pharmacokinetics absorption following oral administration of tetrabenazine, the extent of absorption is at least 75%. after single oral doses ranging from 12.5 to 50 mg, plasma concentrations of tetrabenazine are generally below the limit of detection because of the rapid and extensive hepatic metabolism of tetrabenazine by carbonyl reductase to the active metabolites α-htbz and β-htbz. α-htbz and β-htbz are metabolized principally by cyp2d6. peak plasma concentrations (c max ) of α-htbz and β-htbz are reached within 1 to 1½ hours post-dosing. α-htbz is subsequently metabolized to a minor metabolite, 9-desmethyl-α-dhtbz. β-htbz is subsequently, metabolized to another major circulating metabolite, 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz, for which cmax is reached approximately 2 hours post-dosing. food effects the effects of food on the bioavailability of tetrabenazine tablet were studied in subjects administered a single dose with and without food. food had no effect on mean plasma concentrations, c max , or the area under the concentration time course (auc) of α-htbz or β-htbz [see dosage and administration (2.1) ] distribution results of pet-scan studies in humans show that radioactivity is rapidly distributed to the brain following intravenous injection of 11 c-labeled tetrabenazine or α-htbz, with the highest binding in the striatum and lowest binding in the cortex. the in vitro protein binding of tetrabenazine, α-htbz, and β-htbz was examined in human plasma for concentrations ranging from 50 to 200 ng/ml. tetrabenazine binding ranged from 82% to 85%, α-htbz binding ranged from 60% to 68%, and β-htbz binding ranged from 59% to 63%. metabolism after oral administration in humans, at least 19 metabolites of tetrabenazine have been identified. α-htbz, β-htbz and 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz, are the major circulating metabolites, and they are, subsequently, metabolized to sulfate or glucuronide conjugates. α-htbz and β-htbz are formed by carbonyl reductase that occurs mainly in the liver. α-htbz is o-dealkylated by cyp4 50 enzymes, principally cyp2d6 , with some contribution of cyp1a2 to form 9-desmethyl-α-dht bz, a minor metabolite. β-htbz is o-dealkylated principally by cyp2d6 to form 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz. the results of in vitro studies do not suggest that tetrabenazine, α-htbz, or β-htbz or 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz are likely to result in clinically significant inhibition of cyp2d6, cyp1a2, cyp2b6, cyp2c8, cyp2c9, cyp2c19, cyp2e1, or cyp3a. in vitro studies suggest that neither tetrabenazine nor its α- or β-htbz or 9-desmethyl-α-dhtbz metabolites are likely to result in clinically significant induction of cyp1a2, cyp3a4, cyp2b6, cyp2c8, cyp2c9, or cyp2c19. neither tetrabenazine nor its α- or β-htbz or 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz is likely to be a substrates or inhibitors of p-glycoprotein at clinically relevant concentrations in vivo . no in vitro metabolism studies have been conducted to evaluate the potential of the 9-desmethyl-β- dhtbz metabolite to interact with other drugs. the activity of this metabolite relative to the parent drug is unknown. elimination after oral administration, tetrabenazine is extensively hepatically metabolized, and the metabolites are primarily renally eliminated. α-htbz, β-htbz and 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz have half-lives of 7 hours, 5 hours and 12 hours respectively. in a mass balance study in 6 healthy volunteers, approximately 75% of the dose was excreted in the urine and fecal recovery accounted for approximately 7-16% of the dose. unchanged tetrabenazine has not been found in human urine. urinary excretion of α-htbz or β- htbz accounted for less than 10% of the administered dose. circulating metabolites, including sulfate and glucuronide conjugates of htbz metabolites as well as products of oxidative metabolism, account for the majority of metabolites in the urine. specific populations gender there is no apparent effect of gender on the pharmacokinetics of α-htbz or β-htbz. hepatic impairment the disposition of tetrabenazine was compared in 12 patients with mild to moderate chronic liver impairment (child-pugh scores of 5-9) and 12 age- and gender-matched subjects with normal hepatic function who received a single 25 mg dose of tetrabenazine. in patients with hepatic impairment, tetrabenazine plasma concentrations were similar to or higher than concentrations of α-htbz, reflecting the markedly decreased metabolism of tetrabenazine to α-htbz. the mean tetrabenazine c max in subjects with hepatic impairment was approximately 7- to 190-fold higher than the detectable peak concentrations in healthy subjects. the elimination half-life of tetrabenazine in subjects with hepatic impairment was approximately 17.5 hours. the time to peak concentrations (t max ) of α-htbz and β-htbz was slightly delayed in subjects with hepatic impairment compared to age-matched controls (1.75 hrs vs. 1.0 hrs), and the elimination half-lives of the α-htbz and β-htbz were prolonged to approximately 10 and 8 hours, respectively. the exposure to α-htbz and β-htbz was approximately 30-39% greater in patients with liver impairment than in age-matched controls. the safety and efficacy of this increased exposure to tetrabenazine and other circulating metabolites are unknown so that it is not possible to adjust the dosage of tetrabenazine in hepatic impairment to ensure safe use. therefore, tetrabenazine tablet is contraindicated in patients with hepatic impairment [see contraindications (4) , use in specific populations (8.6)] . poor cyp2d6 metabolizers although the pharmacokinetics of tetrabenazine and its metabolites in patients who do not express the drug metabolizing enzyme, cyp2d6, poor metabolizers, (pms), have not been systematically evaluated, it is likely that the exposure to α-htbz and β-htbz would be increased similar to that observed in patients taking strong cyp2d6 inhibitors (3- and 9-fold, respectively) [see dosage and administration (2.3) , warnings and precautions (5.3) , use in specific populations (8.7) ]. drug interactions cyp2d6 inhibitors in vitro studies indicate that α-htbz and β-htbz are substrates for cyp2d6. the effect of cyp2d6 inhibition on the pharmacokinetics of tetrabenazine and its metabolites was studied in 25 healthy subjects following a single 50 mg dose of tetrabenazine given after 10 days of administration of the strong cyp2d6 inhibitor paroxetine 20 mg daily. there was an approximately 30% increase in c max and an approximately 3-fold increase in auc for α-htbz in subjects given paroxetine prior to tetrabenazine compared to tetrabenazine given alone. for β-htbz, the c max and auc were increased 2.4- and 9-fold, respectively, in subjects given paroxetine prior to tetrabenazine given alone. the elimination half-life of α-htbz and β-htbz was approximately 14 hours when tetrabenazine was given with paroxetine. strong cyp2d6 inhibitors (e.g., paroxetine, fluoxetine, quinidine) markedly increase exposure to these metabolites. the effect of moderate or weak cyp2d6 inhibitors such as duloxetine, terbinafine, amiodarone, or sertraline on the exposure to tetrabenazine and its metabolites has not been evaluated [see dosage and administration (2.3) , warnings and precautions (5.3) , drug interactions (7.1) , and use in specific populations (8.7) ]. digoxin digoxin is a substrate for p-glycoprotein. a study in healthy volunteers showed that tetrabenazine tablet (25 mg twice daily for 3 days) did not affect the bioavailability of digoxin, suggesting that at this dose, tetrabenazine does not affect p-glycoprotein in the intestinal tract. in vitro studies also do not suggest that tetrabenazine or its metabolites are p-glycoprotein inhibitors.

on mean plasma concentrations, c max , or the area under the concentration time course (auc) of α-htbz or β-htbz [see dosage and administration (2.1) ] distribution results of pet-scan studies in humans show that radioactivity is rapidly distributed to the brain following intravenous injection of 11 c-labeled tetrabenazine or α-htbz, with the highest binding in the striatum and lowest binding in the cortex. the in vitro protein binding of tetrabenazine, α-htbz, and β-htbz was examined in human plasma for concentrations ranging from 50 to 200 ng/ml. tetrabenazine binding ranged from 82% to 85%, α-htbz binding ranged from 60% to 68%, and β-htbz binding ranged from 59% to 63%. metabolism after oral administration in humans, at least 19 metabolites of tetrabenazine have been identified. α-htbz, β-htbz and 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz, are the major circulating metabolites, and they are, subsequently, metabolized to sulfate or glucuronide conjugates. α-htbz and β-htbz are formed by carbonyl reductase that occurs mainly in the liver. α-htbz is o-dealkylated by cyp4 50 enzymes, principally cyp2d6 , with some contribution of cyp1a2 to form 9-desmethyl-α-dht bz, a minor metabolite. β-htbz is o-dealkylated principally by cyp2d6 to form 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz. the results of in vitro studies do not suggest that tetrabenazine, α-htbz, or β-htbz or 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz are likely to result in clinically significant inhibition of cyp2d6, cyp1a2, cyp2b6, cyp2c8, cyp2c9, cyp2c19, cyp2e1, or cyp3a. in vitro studies suggest that neither tetrabenazine nor its α- or β-htbz or 9-desmethyl-α-dhtbz metabolites are likely to result in clinically significant induction of cyp1a2, cyp3a4, cyp2b6, cyp2c8, cyp2c9, or cyp2c19. neither tetrabenazine nor its α- or β-htbz or 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz is likely to be a substrates or inhibitors of p-glycoprotein at clinically relevant concentrations in vivo . no in vitro metabolism studies have been conducted to evaluate the potential of the 9-desmethyl-β- dhtbz metabolite to interact with other drugs. the activity of this metabolite relative to the parent drug is unknown. elimination after oral administration, tetrabenazine is extensively hepatically metabolized, and the metabolites are primarily renally eliminated. α-htbz, β-htbz and 9-desmethyl-β-dhtbz have half-lives of 7 hours, 5 hours and 12 hours respectively. in a mass balance study in 6 healthy volunteers, approximately 75% of the dose was excreted in the urine and fecal recovery accounted for approximately 7-16% of the dose. unchanged tetrabenazine has not been found in human urine. urinary excretion of α-htbz or β- htbz accounted for less than 10% of the administered dose. circulating metabolites, including sulfate and glucuronide conjugates of htbz metabolites as well as products of oxidative metabolism, account for the majority of metabolites in the urine. specific populations gender there is no apparent effect of gender on the pharmacokinetics of α-htbz or β-htbz. hepatic impairment the disposition of tetrabenazine was compared in 12 patients with mild to moderate chronic liver impairment (child-pugh scores of 5-9) and 12 age- and gender-matched subjects with normal hepatic function who received a single 25 mg dose of tetrabenazine. in patients with hepatic impairment, tetrabenazine plasma concentrations were similar to or higher than concentrations of α-htbz, reflecting the markedly decreased metabolism of tetrabenazine to α-htbz. the mean tetrabenazine c max in subjects with hepatic impairment was approximately 7- to 190-fold higher than the detectable peak concentrations in healthy subjects. the elimination half-life of tetrabenazine in subjects with hepatic impairment was approximately 17.5 hours. the time to peak concentrations (t max ) of α-htbz and β-htbz was slightly delayed in subjects with hepatic impairment compared to age-matched controls (1.75 hrs vs. 1.0 hrs), and the elimination half-lives of the α-htbz and β-htbz were prolonged to approximately 10 and 8 hours, respectively. the exposure to α-htbz and β-htbz was approximately 30-39% greater in patients with liver impairment than in age-matched controls. the safety and efficacy of this increased exposure to tetrabenazine and other circulating metabolites are unknown so that it is not possible to adjust the dosage of tetrabenazine in hepatic impairment to ensure safe use. therefore, tetrabenazine tablet is contraindicated in patients with hepatic impairment [see contraindications (4) , use in specific populations (8.6)] . poor cyp2d6 metabolizers although the pharmacokinetics of tetrabenazine and its metabolites in patients who do not express the drug metabolizing enzyme, cyp2d6, poor metabolizers, (pms), have not been systematically evaluated, it is likely that the exposure to α-htbz and β-htbz would be increased similar to that observed in patients taking strong cyp2d6 inhibitors (3- and 9-fold, respectively) [see dosage and administration (2.3) , warnings and precautions (5.3) , use in specific populations (8.7) ]. drug interactions cyp2d6 inhibitors in vitro studies indicate that α-htbz and β-htbz are substrates for cyp2d6. the effect of cyp2d6 inhibition on the pharmacokinetics of tetrabenazine and its metabolites was studied in 25 healthy subjects following a single 50 mg dose of tetrabenazine given after 10 days of administration of the strong cyp2d6 inhibitor paroxetine 20 mg daily. there was an approximately 30% increase in c max and an approximately 3-fold increase in auc for α-htbz in subjects given paroxetine prior to tetrabenazine compared to tetrabenazine given alone. for β-htbz, the c max and auc were increased 2.4- and 9-fold, respectively, in subjects given paroxetine prior to tetrabenazine given alone. the elimination half-life of α-htbz and β-htbz was approximately 14 hours when tetrabenazine was given with paroxetine. strong cyp2d6 inhibitors (e.g., paroxetine, fluoxetine, quinidine) markedly increase exposure to these metabolites. the effect of moderate or weak cyp2d6 inhibitors such as duloxetine, terbinafine, amiodarone, or sertraline on the exposure to tetrabenazine and its metabolites has not been evaluated [see dosage and administration (2.3) , warnings and precautions (5.3) , drug interactions (7.1) , and use in specific populations (8.7) ]. digoxin digoxin is a substrate for p-glycoprotein. a study in healthy volunteers showed that tetrabenazine tablet (25 mg twice daily for 3 days) did not affect the bioavailability of digoxin, suggesting that at this dose, tetrabenazine does not affect p-glycoprotein in the intestinal tract. in vitro studies also do not suggest that tetrabenazine or its metabolites are p-glycoprotein inhibitors.

ar cells in the presence or absence of metabolic activation. in vivo micronucleus assay were conducted in male and female rats and male mice. tetrabenazine was negative in male mice and rats but produced an equivocal response in female rats. impairment of fertility oral administration of tetrabenazine (5, 15, or 30 mg /kg /day) to female rats prior to and throughout mating, and continuing through day 7 of gestation resulted in disrupted estrous cyclicity at doses greater than 5 mg /kg /day(less than the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). no effects on mating and fertility indices or sperm parameters (motility, count, density) were observed when males were treated orally with tetrabenazine (5, 15 or 30 mg/kg/day; up to 3 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) prior to and throughout mating with untreated females. because rats dosed with tetrabenazine do not produce 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz, a major human metabolite, these studies may not have adequately assessed the potential of tetrabenazine to impair fertility in humans.

r absence of metabolic activation. in vivo micronucleus assay were conducted in male and female rats and male mice. tetrabenazine was negative in male mice and rats but produced an equivocal response in female rats. impairment of fertility oral administration of tetrabenazine (5, 15, or 30 mg /kg /day) to female rats prior to and throughout mating, and continuing through day 7 of gestation resulted in disrupted estrous cyclicity at doses greater than 5 mg /kg /day(less than the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). no effects on mating and fertility indices or sperm parameters (motility, count, density) were observed when males were treated orally with tetrabenazine (5, 15 or 30 mg/kg/day; up to 3 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) prior to and throughout mating with untreated females. because rats dosed with tetrabenazine do not produce 9-desmethyl-beta-dhtbz, a major human metabolite, these studies may not have adequately assessed the potential of tetrabenazine to impair fertility in humans.

ts of the body. the total score ranges from 0 to 28. as shown in figure 1, total chorea scores for patients in the drug group declined by an estimated 5.0 units during maintenance therapy (average of week 9 and week 12 scores versus baseline), compared to an estimated 1.5 units in the placebo group. the treatment effect of 3.5 units was statistically significant. at the week 13 follow-up in study 1 (1 week after discontinuation of the study medication), the total chorea scores of patients receiving tetrabenazine returned to baseline. figure 1. mean ± s.e.m. changes from baseline in total chorea score in 84 hd patients treated with tetrabenazine tablet (n=54) or placebo (n=30) figure 2 illustrates the cumulative percentages of patients from the tetrabenazine tablet and placebo treatment groups who achieved the level of reduction in the total chorea score shown on the x axis. the left-ward shift of the figure1.jpg curve (toward greater improvement) for the tetrabenazine tablet-treated patients indicates that these patients were more likely to have any given degree of improvement in chorea score. for example, about 7% of placebo patients had a 6-point or greater improvement compared to 50% of tetrabenazine tablet - treated patients. the percentage of patients achieving reductions of at least 10, 6, and 3-points from baseline to week 12 are shown in the inset table. figure 2. cumulative percentage of patients with specified changes from baseline in total chorea score. the percentages of randomized patients within each treatment group who completed study 1 were: placebo 97%, tetrabenazine 91%. a physician-rated clinical global impression (cgi) favored tetrabenazine tablet statistically. in general, measures of functional capacity and cognition showed no difference between tetrabenazine tablet and placebo. however, one functional measure (part 4 of the uhdrs), a 25-item scale assessing the capacity for patients to perform certain activities of daily living, showed a decrement for patients treated with tetrabenazine tablet compared to placebo, a difference that was nominally statistically significant. a 3-item cognitive battery specifically developed to assess cognitive function in patients with hd (part 2 of the uhdrs) also showed a decrement for patients treated with tetrabenazine tablet compared to placebo, but the difference was not statistically significant. study 2 a second controlled study was performed in patients who had been treated with open-label tetrabenazine tablet for at least 2 months (mean duration of treatment was 2 years). they were randomized to continuation of tetrabenazine tablet at the same dose (n=12) or to placebo (n=6) for three days, at which time their chorea scores were compared. although the comparison did not reach statistical significance (p=0.1), the estimate of the treatment effect was similar to that seen in study 1 (about 3.5 units). figure 1 figure 2

let inform patients and their families that the dose of tetrabenazine tablet will be increased slowly to the dose that is best for each patient. sedation, akathisia, parkinsonism, depression, and difficulty swallowing may occur. such symptoms should be promptly reported to the physician and the tetrabenazine tablet dose may need to be reduced or discontinued [see dosage and administration (2.2) ]. risk of sedation and somnolence inform patients that tetrabenazine tablet may induce sedation and somnolence and may impair the ability to perform tasks that require complex motor and mental skills. advise patients that until they learn how they respond to tetrabenazine tablet, they should be careful doing activities that require them to be alert, such as driving a car or operating machinery [see warnings and precautions (5.7) ] . interaction with alcohol advise patients and their families that alcohol may potentiate the sedation induced by tetrabenazine tablet [see drug interactions (7.4) ]. usage in pregnancy advise patients and their families to notify the physician if the patient becomes pregnant or intends to become pregnant during tetrabenazine tablet therapy, or is breast-feeding or intending to breast-feed an infant during therapy [see use in specific populations (8.1) ]. manufactured for: tagi pharma, inc. 722 progressive lane, room 205 south beloit, il 61080 revised: 01/2018