VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection

Each vial contains 3.5 mg bortezomib (as a mannitol boronic ester).

After reconstitution, 1 ml of solution for subcutaneous injection contains 2.5 mg bortezomib.

After reconstitution, 1 ml of solution for intravenous injection contains 1 mg bortezomib.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

Powder for solution for injection.

White to off-white cake or powder.

VELCADE as monotherapy or in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or dexamethasone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with progressive multiple myeloma who have received at least 1 prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

VELCADE in combination with melphalan and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

VELCADE in combination with dexamethasone, or with dexamethasone and thalidomide, is indicated for the induction treatment of adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

VELCADE in combination with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma who are unsuitable for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

VELCADE treatment must be initiated under supervision of a physician experienced in the treatment of cancer patients, however VELCADE may be administered by a healthcare professional experienced in use of chemotherapeutic agents. VELCADE must be reconstituted by a healthcare professional (see section 6.6).

Posology for treatment of progressive multiple myeloma (patients who have received at least one prior therapy)

Monotherapy

VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection is administered via intravenous or subcutaneous injection at the recommended dose of 1.3 mg/m2 body surface area twice weekly for two weeks on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 in a 21-day treatment cycle. This 3-week period is considered a treatment cycle. It is recommended that patients receive 2 cycles of VELCADE following a confirmation of a complete response. It is also recommended that responding patients who do not achieve a complete remission receive a total of 8 cycles of VELCADE therapy. At least 72 hours should elapse between consecutive doses of VELCADE.

Dose adjustments during treatment and re-initiation of treatment for monotherapy

VELCADE treatment must be withheld at the onset of any Grade 3 non-haematological or any Grade 4 haematological toxicities, excluding neuropathy as discussed below (see also section 4.4). Once the symptoms of the toxicity have resolved, VELCADE treatment may be re-initiated at a 25% reduced dose (1.3 mg/m2 reduced to 1.0 mg/m2; 1.0 mg/m2 reduced to 0.7 mg/m2). If the toxicity is not resolved or if it recurs at the lowest dose, discontinuation of VELCADE must be considered unless the benefit of treatment clearly outweighs the risk.

Neuropathic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy

Patients who experience bortezomib-related neuropathic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy are to be managed as presented in Table 1 (see section 4.4). Patients with pre-existing severe neuropathy may be treated with VELCADE only after careful risk/benefit assessment.

Table 1: Recommended* posology modifications for bortezomib-related neuropathy

* Based on posology modifications in Phase II and III multiple myeloma studies and post-marketing experience. Grading based on NCI Common Toxicity Criteria CTCAE v 4.0.

** Instrumental ADL: refers to preparing meals, shopping for groceries or clothes, using telephone, managing money, etc;

*** Self care ADL: refers to bathing, dressing and undressing, feeding self, using the toilet, taking medicinal products, and not bedridden.

Combination therapy with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin

VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection is administered via intravenous or subcutaneous injection at the recommended dose of 1.3 mg/m2 body surface area twice weekly for two weeks on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 in a 21-day treatment cycle. This 3-week period is considered a treatment cycle. At least 72 hours should elapse between consecutive doses of VELCADE.

Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin is administered at 30 mg/m2 on day 4 of the VELCADE treatment cycle as a 1 hour intravenous infusion administered after the VELCADE injection.

Up to 8 cycles of this combination therapy can be administered as long as patients have not progressed and tolerate treatment. Patients achieving a complete response can continue treatment for at least 2 cycles after the first evidence of complete response, even if this requires treatment for more than 8 cycles. Patients whose levels of paraprotein continue to decrease after 8 cycles can also continue for as long as treatment is tolerated and they continue to respond.

For additional information concerning pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, see the corresponding Summary of Product Characteristics.

Combination with dexamethasone

VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection is administered via intravenous or subcutaneous injection at the recommended dose of 1.3 mg/m2 body surface area twice weekly for two weeks on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 in a 21 day treatment cycle. This 3-week period is considered a treatment cycle. At least 72 hours should elapse between consecutive doses of VELCADE.

Dexamethasone is administered orally at 20 mg on days 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, and 12 of the VELCADE treatment cycle.

Patients achieving a response or a stable disease after 4 cycles of this combination therapy can continue to receive the same combination for a maximum of 4 additional cycles.

For additional information concerning dexamethasone, see the corresponding Summary of Product Characteristics.

Dose adjustments for combination therapy for patients with progressive multiple myeloma

For VELCADE dosage adjustments for combination therapy follow dose modification guidelines described under monotherapy above.

Posology for previously untreated multiple myeloma patients not eligible for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Combination therapy with melphalan and prednisone

VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection is administered via intravenous or subcutaneous injection in combination with oral melphalan and oral prednisone as shown in Table 2. A 6-week period is considered a treatment cycle. In Cycles 1-4, VELCADE is administered twice weekly on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 22, 25, 29 and 32. In Cycles 5-9, VELCADE is administered once weekly on days 1, 8, 22 and 29. At least 72 hours should elapse between consecutive doses of VELCADE.

Melphalan and prednisone should both be given orally on days 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the first week of each VELCADE treatment cycle.

Nine treatment cycles of this combination therapy are administered.

Table 2: Recommended posology for VELCADE in combination with melphalan and prednisone

Vc=VELCADE; M=melphalan, P=prednisone

Dose adjustments during treatment and re-initiation of treatment for combination therapy with melphalan and prednisone

Prior to initiating a new cycle of therapy:

• Platelet counts should be ≥ 70 x 109/l and the absolute neutrophils count should be ≥ 1.0 x 109/l

• Non-haematological toxicities should have resolved to Grade 1 or baseline

Table 3: Posology modifications during subsequent cycles of VELCADE therapy in combination with melphalan and prednisone

For additional information concerning melphalan and prednisone, see the corresponding Summary of Product Characteristics.

Posology for previously untreated multiple myeloma patients eligible for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (induction therapy)

Combination therapy with dexamethasone

VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection is administered via intravenous or subcutaneous injection at the recommended dose of 1.3 mg/m2 body surface area twice weekly for two weeks on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 in a 21-day treatment cycle. This 3-week period is considered a treatment cycle. At least 72 hours should elapse between consecutive doses of VELCADE.

Dexamethasone is administered orally at 40 mg on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the VELCADE treatment cycle.

Four treatment cycles of this combination therapy are administered.

Combination therapy with dexamethasone and thalidomide

VELCADE 3.5 mg powder for solution for injection is administered via intravenous or subcutaneous injection at the recommended dose of 1.3 mg/m2 body surface area twice weekly for two weeks on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 in a 28-day treatment cycle. This 4-week period is considered a treatment cycle. At least 72 hours should elapse between consecutive doses of VELCADE.

Dexamethasone is administered orally at 40 mg on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the VELCADE treatment cycle.

Thalidomide is administered orally at 50 mg daily on days 1-14 and if tolerated the dose is increased to 100 mg on days 15-28, and thereafter may be further increased to 200 mg daily from cycle 2 (see Table 4).

Four treatment cycles of this combination are administered. It is recommended that patients with at least partial response receive 2 additional cycles.

Table 4: Posology for VELCADE combination therapy for patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma eligible for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation