INDOMETHACIN

Indomethacin Capsules, USP are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, available as capsules containing 25 mg or 50 mg of indomethacin USP, administered for oral use. The chemical name is 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indole-3-acetic acid. The molecular weight is 357.79. Its molecular formula is C 19H 16ClNO 4, and it has the following chemical structure. Indomethacin USP is a white to yellow crystalline powder. It is practically insoluble in water and sparingly soluble in alcohol, in chloroform and in ether. It has a pKa of 4.5 and is stable in neutral or slightly acidic media and decomposes in strong alkali. The inactive ingredients in indomethacin capsules 25 mg or 50 mg include: lactose monohydrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium starch glycolate, colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate. The hard gelatin shell consists of gelatin, titanium dioxide, FD & C Blue 1, D & C Yellow 10. The capsules are printed with black ink containing black iron oxide E172 dye. structure

Indomethacin Capsules are indicated for: • Moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis including acute flares of chronic disease • Moderate to severe ankylosing spondylitis • Moderate to severe osteoarthritis • Acute painful shoulder (bursitis and/or tendinitis) • Acute gouty arthritis Indomethacin Capsule is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indicated for: • Moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis including acute flares of chronic disease • Moderate to severe ankylosing spondylitis • Moderate to severe osteoarthritis • Acute painful shoulder (bursitis and/or tendinitis) • Acute gouty arthritis ( 1)

2.1 General Dosing Instructions Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of indomethacin capsules and other treatment options before deciding to use indomethacin capsules. Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5) ]. After observing the response to initial therapy with indomethacin, the dose and frequency should be adjusted to suit an individual patient’s needs. Adverse reactions generally appear to correlate with the dose of indomethacin. Therefore, every effort should be made to determine the lowest effective dosage for the individual patient. Dosage recommendations for active stages of the following: 2.2 Moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis including acute flares of chronic disease; Indomethacin capsules 25 mg twice a day or three times a day. If this is well tolerated, increase the daily dosage by 25 mg or by 50 mg, if required by continuing symptoms, at weekly intervals until a satisfactory response is obtained or until a total daily dose of 150 mg to 200 mg is reached. Doses above this amount generally do not increase the effectiveness of the drug. In patients who have persistent night pain and/or morning stiffness, the giving of a large portion, up to a maximum of 100 mg, of the total daily dose at bedtime may be helpful in affording relief. The total daily dose should not exceed 200 mg. In acute flares of chronic rheumatoid arthritis, it may be necessary to increase the dosage by 25 mg or, if required, by 50 mg daily. If minor adverse effects develop as the dosage is increased, reduce the dosage rapidly to a tolerated dose and observe the patient closely. If severe adverse reactions occur, stop the drug. After the acute phase of the disease is under control, an attempt to reduce the daily dose should be made repeatedly until the patient is receiving the smallest effective dose or the drug is discontinued. Careful instructions to, and observations of, the individual patient are essential to the prevention of serious, irreversible, including fatal, adverse reactions. As advancing years appear to increase the possibility of adverse reactions, indomethacin should be used with greater care in the elderly. [ see Use in Specific Populations ( 8.5) ] 2.3 Acute painful shoulder (bursitis and/or tendinitis) Indomethacin capsules 75 mg to 150 mg daily in 3 or 4 divided doses. The drug should be discontinued after the signs and symptoms of inflammation have been controlled for several days. The usual course of therapy is 7 to 14 days. 2.4 Acute Gouty Arthritis Indomethacin Capsules 50 mg three times a day, until pain is tolerable. The dose should then be rapidly reduced to complete cessation of the drug. Definite relief of pain has been reported within 2 to 4 hours. Tenderness and heat usually subside in 24 to 36 hours, and swelling gradually disappears in 3 to 5 days. • Use the lowest effective dosage for shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals ( 2.1) • The dosage for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis including acute flares of chronic disease; moderate to severe ankylosing spondylitis; and moderate to severe osteoarthritis is indomethacin capsules 25 mg two or three times a day ( 2.2) • The dosage for acute painful shoulder (bursitis and/or tendinitis) is 75 mg to 150 mg daily in 3 or 4 divided doses ( 2.3) • The dosage for acute gouty arthritis is indomethacin capsules 50 mg three times a day ( 2.4)

Indomethacin Capsule, USP is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to indomethacin or the excipients (see DESCRIPTION ). Indomethacin Capsule, USP should not be given to patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients (see WARNINGS: Anaphylactic/Anaphylactoid Reactions , and PRECAUTIONS: General: Preexisting Asthma ). Indomethacin Capsule, USP is contraindicated for the treatment of perioperative pain in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (see WARNINGS ). • Known hypersensitivity to indomethacin or any components of the drug product ( 4) • History of asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs ( 4) • In the setting of CABG surgery ( 4)

The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: • Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1) ] • GI Bleeding, Ulceration and Perforation [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2) ] • Hepatotoxicity [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3) ] • Hypertension [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4) ] • Heart Failure and Edema [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5) ] • Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6) ] • Anaphylactic Reactions [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7) ] • Serious Skin Reactions [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.9) ] • Hematologic Toxicity [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.11) ] Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 3%) are headache, dizziness, dyspepsia, and nausea. ( 6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AvKARE at 1-855-361-3993 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 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 clinical practice. In a gastroscopic study in 45 healthy subjects, the number of gastric mucosal abnormalities was significantly higher in the group receiving indomethacin capsules than in the group taking indomethacin Suppositories or placebo. In a double-blind comparative clinical study involving 175 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, however, the incidence of upper gastrointestinal adverse effects with indomethacin capsules Suppositories or Capsules was comparable. The incidence of lower gastrointestinal adverse effects was greater in the suppository group. The adverse reactions for indomethacin capsules listed in the following table have been arranged into two groups: (1) incidence greater than 1%; and (2) incidence less than 1%. The incidence for group (1) was obtained from 33 double-blind controlled clinical trials reported in the literature (1,092 patients). The incidence for group (2) was based on reports in clinical trials, in the literature, and on voluntary reports since marketing. The probability of a causal relationship exists between indomethacin and these adverse reactions, some of which have been reported only rarely. The adverse reactions reported with indomethacin capsules may occur with use of the suppositories. In addition, rectal irritation and tenesmus have been reported in patients who have received the capsules. Table 1: Summary of Adverse reactions for Indomethacin Capsules Causal relationship unknown: Other reactions have been reported but occurred under circumstances where a causal relationship could not be established. However, in these rarely reported events, the possibility cannot be excluded. Therefore, these observations are being listed to serve as alerting information to physicians: Cardiovascular: Thrombophlebitis Hematologic: Although there have been several reports of leukemia, the supporting information is weak Genitourinary: Urinary frequency A rare occurrence of fulminant necrotizing fasciitis, particularly in association with Group Aβ hemolytic streptococcus, has been described in persons treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, including indomethacin, sometimes with fatal outcome. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AvKARE at 1-855-361-3993 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. a b c 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 clinical practice. In a gastroscopic study in 45 healthy subjects, the number of gastric mucosal abnormalities was significantly higher in the group receiving indomethacin capsules than in the group taking indomethacin Suppositories or placebo. In a double-blind comparative clinical study involving 175 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, however, the incidence of upper gastrointestinal adverse effects with indomethacin capsules Suppositories or Capsules was comparable. The incidence of lower gastrointestinal adverse effects was greater in the suppository group. The adverse reactions for indomethacin capsules listed in the following table have been arranged into two groups: (1) incidence greater than 1%; and (2) incidence less than 1%. The incidence for group (1) was obtained from 33 double-blind controlled clinical trials reported in the literature (1,092 patients). The incidence for group (2) was based on reports in clinical trials, in the literature, and on voluntary reports since marketing. The probability of a causal relationship exists between indomethacin and these adverse reactions, some of which have been reported only rarely. The adverse reactions reported with indomethacin capsules may occur with use of the suppositories. In addition, rectal irritation and tenesmus have been reported in patients who have received the capsules. Table 1: Summary of Adverse reactions for Indomethacin Capsules Causal relationship unknown: Other reactions have been reported but occurred under circumstances where a causal relationship could not be established. However, in these rarely reported events, the possibility cannot be excluded. Therefore, these observations are being listed to serve as alerting information to physicians: Cardiovascular: Thrombophlebitis Hematologic: Although there have been several reports of leukemia, the supporting information is weak Genitourinary: Urinary frequency A rare occurrence of fulminant necrotizing fasciitis, particularly in association with Group Aβ hemolytic streptococcus, has been described in persons treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, including indomethacin, sometimes with fatal outcome. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AvKARE at 1-855-361-3993 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. a b c

See Table 2 for clinically significant drug interactions with indomethacin. Table 2: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with Indomethacin Effects on Laboratory Tests Indomethacin reduces basal plasma renin activity (PRA), as well as those elevations of PRA induced by furosemide administration, or salt or volume depletion. These facts should be considered when evaluating plasma renin activity in hypertensive patients. False-negative results in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in patients being treated with indomethacin have been reported. Thus, results of the DST should be interpreted with caution in these patients. • Drugs that Interfere with Hemostasis (e.g. warfarin, aspirin, SSRIs/SNRIs): Monitor patients for bleeding who are concomitantly taking indomethacin with drugs that interfere with hemostasis. Concomitant use of indomethacin and analgesic doses of aspirin is not generally recommended ( 7) • ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB), or Beta-Blockers: Concomitant use with indomethacin may diminish the antihypertensive effect of these drugs. Monitor blood pressure ( 7) • ACE Inhibitors and ARBs: Concomitant use with indomethacin in elderly, volume depleted, or those with renal impairment may result in deterioration of renal function. In such high risk patients, monitor for signs of worsening renal function ( 7) • Diuretics: NSAIDs can reduce natriuretic effect of furosemide and thiazide diuretics. Monitor patients to assure diuretic efficacy including antihypertensive effects ( 7) • Digoxin: Concomitant use with indomethacin can increase serum concentration and prolong half-life of digoxin. Monitor serum digoxin levels ( 7) a b c d