which leads to [1:<1> <1 2 Most Common Adverse Reactions The most common adverse reactions, defined as those occurring at a frequency of at least 5% in patients receiving 10 mg/day and twice the placebo rate, are largely predicted by ARICEPT s cholinomimetic effects. These include nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, vomiting, muscle cramp, fatigue, and anorexia. These adverse reactions were often transient, resolving during continued ARICEPT treatment without the need for dose modification. There is evidence to suggest that the frequency of these common adverse reactions may be affected by the rate of titration. An open-label study was conducted with 269 patients who received placebo in the 15- and 30-week studies. These patients were titrated to a dose of 10 mg/day over a 6-week period. The rates of common adverse reactions were lower than those seen in patients titrated to 10 mg/day over one week in the controlled clinical trials and were comparable to those seen in patients on 5 mg/day. See Table 2 for a comparison of the most common adverse reactions following one and six week titration regimens. Table 2. Comparison of Rates of Adverse Reactions in Mild to M oderate Patients Titrated to 10 mg/day over 1 and 6 Weeks No titration One week titration Six week titration Adverse Reaction Placebo (n=315) % 5 mg/day (n=311) % 10 mg/day (n=315) % 10 mg/day (n=269) % Nausea 6 5 19 6 Diarrhea 5 8 15 9 Insomnia 6 6 14 6 Fatigue 3 4 8 3 Vomiting 3 3 8 5 Muscle cramps 2 6 8 3 Anorexia 2 3 7 3 Table 3 lists adverse reactions that occurred in at least 2% of patients in pooled placebo-controlled trials who received either ARICEPT 5 mg or 10 mg and for which the rate of occurrence was greater for patients treated with ARICEPT than with placebo. In general, adverse reactions occurred more frequently in female patients and with advancing age. Table 3. Adverse Reactions in Pooled Placebo- Controlled Clinical Trials in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer s Disease Adverse Reaction Placebo (n=355) % ARICEPT (n=747) % Percent of Pa tients with any Adverse Reaction 72 74 Nausea 6 11 Diarrhea 5 10 Headache 9 10 Insomnia 6 9 Pain, various locations 8 9 Dizziness 6 8 Accident 6 7 Muscle Cramps 2 6 Fatigue 3 5 Vomiting 3 5 Anorexia 2 4 Ecchymosis 3 4 Abnormal Dreams 0 3 Depression> <1 3 Weight Loss 1 3 Arthritis 1 2 Frequent Urination 1 2 Somnolence> <1 2 Syncope 1 2 Severe Alzheimer s Disease (ARICEPT 5 mg/day and 10 mg/day) ARICEPT has been administered to over 600 patients with severe Alzheimer s disease during clinical trials of at least 6 months duration, including three double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, two of which had an open label extension. Adverse Reactions Leading to Discontinuation The rates of discontinuation from controlled clinical trials of ARICEPT due to adverse reactions for the ARICEPT patients were approximately 12% compared to 7% for placebo patients. The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation, defined as those occurring in at least 2% of ARICEPT patients and at twice or more the incidence seen in placebo, were anorexia (2% vs. 1% placebo), nausea (2% vs.> <1% placebo), diarrhea (2% vs. 0% placebo), and urinary tract infection (2% vs. 1% placebo). Most Common Adverse Reactions The most common adverse reactions, defined as those occurring at a frequency of at least 5% in patients receiving ARICEPT and at twice or more the placebo rate, are largely predicted by ARICEPT s cholinomimetic effects. These include diarrhea, anorexia, vomiting, nausea, and ecchymosis. These adverse reactions were often transient, resolving during continued ARICEPT treatment without the need for dose modification. Table 4 lists adverse reactions that occurred in at least 2% of patients in pooled placebo-controlled trials who received ARICEPT 5 mg or 10 mg and for which the rate of occurrence was greater for patients treated with ARICEPT than with placebo. Table 4. Adverse Reactions in Pooled Controlled Clinical Trials in Severe Alzheimer s Disease Body System/Adverse Reaction Placebo (n=392) % ARICEPT (n=501) % Percent of Patients with any Adverse Reaction 73 81 Accident 12 13 Infection 9 11 Diarrhea 4 10 Anorexia 4 8 Vomiting 4 8 Nausea 2 6 Insomnia 4 5 Ecchymosis 2 5 Headache 3 4 Hypertension 2 3 Pain 2 3 Back Pain 2 3 Eczema 2 3 Hallucinations 1 3 Hostility 2 3 Increase in Creatine Phosphokinase 1 3 Nervousness 2 3 Fever 1 2 Chest Pain> <1 2 Confusion 1 2 Dehydration 1 2 Depression 1 2 Dizziness 1 2 Emotional Lability 1 2 Hemorrhage 1 2 Hyperlipemia> <1 2 Personality Disorder 1 2 Somnolence 1 2 Syncope 1 2 Urinary Incontinence 1 2 Moderate to Severe Alzheimer s Disease (ARICEPT 23 mg/day) ARICEPT 23 mg/day has been administered to over 1300 individuals globally in clinical trials. Approximately 1050 of these patients have been treated for at least three months and more than 950 patients have been treated for at least six months. The range of patient exposure was from 1 to over 500 days. Adverse Reactions Leading to Discontinuation The rate of discontinuation from a controlled clinical trial of ARICEPT 23 mg/day due to adverse reactions was higher (19%) than for the 10 mg/day treatment group (8%). The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation, defined as those occurring in at least 1% of patients and greater than those occurring with 10 mg/day are shown in Table 5. Table 5. Most Common Adverse Reactions Leading to Discontinuation in Patients with Moderate to Severe Alzheimer s Disease Adverse Reaction 23 mg/day ARICEPT (n=963) % 10 mg/day ARICEPT (n=471) % Vomiting 3 0 Diarrhea 2 0 Nausea 2 0 Dizziness 1 0 The majority of discontinuations due to adverse reactions in the 23 mg group occurred during the first month of treatment. Most Common Adverse Reactions with ARICEPT 23 mg /day The most common adverse reactions, defined as those occurring at a frequency of at least 5%, include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and anorexia. Table 6 lists adverse reactions that occurred in at least 2% of patients who received 23 mg/day of ARICEPT and at a higher frequency than those receiving 10 mg/day of ARICEPT in a controlled clinical trial that compared the two doses. In this study, there were no important differences in the type of adverse reactions in patients taking ARICEPT with or without memantine. Table 6. Adverse Reactions in a Controlled Clinical Trial in Moderate to Severe Alzheimer s Disease Adverse Reaction 23 mg/day ARICEPT (n=963) % 10 mg/day ARICEPT (n=471) % Percent of Patie nts with any Adverse Reaction 74 64 Nausea 12 3 Vomiting 9 3 Diarrhea 8 5 Anorexia 5 2 Dizziness 5 3 Weight Loss 5 3 Headache 4 3 Insomnia 3 2 Urinary Incontinence 3 1 Asthenia 2 1 Contusion 2 0 Fatigue 2 1 Somnolence 2 1 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of ARICEPT. 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. Abdominal pain, agitation, aggression, cholecystitis, confusion, convulsions, hallucinations, heart block (all types), hemolytic anemia, hepatitis, hyponatremia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, pancreatitis, rash, rhabdomyolysis, QTc prolongation, and torsade de pointes. 7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Use with Anticholinergics Because of their mechanism of action, cholinesterase inhibitors have the potential to interfere with the activity of anticholinergic medications. 7.2 Use with Cholinomimetics and Other Cholinesterase Inhibitors A synergistic effect may be expected when cholinesterase inhibitors are given concurrently with succinylcholine, similar neuromuscular blocking agents, or cholinergic agonists such as bethanechol. 8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS 8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Category C There are no adequate or well-controlled studies in pregnant women. ARICEPT should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Oral administration of donepezil to pregnant rats and rabbits during the period of organogenesis did not produce any teratogenic effects at doses up to 16 mg/kg/day (approximately 6 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] of 23 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis) and 10 mg/kg/day (approximately 7 times the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis), respectively. Oral administration of donepezil (1, 3, 10 mg/kg/day) to rats during late gestation and throughout lactation to weaning produced an increase in stillbirths and reduced offspring survival through postpartum day 4 at the highest dose. The no-effect dose of 3 mg/kg/day is approximately equal to the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis. 8.3 Nursing Mothers It is not known whether donepezil is excreted in human milk. Caution should be exercised when ARICEPT is administered to a nursing woman. 8.4 Pediatric Use The safety and effectiveness of ARICEPT in pediatric patients have not been established. 8. 5 Geriatric Use Alzheimer s disease is a disorder occurring primarily in individuals over 55 years of age. The mean age of patients enrolled in the clinical studies with ARICEPT was 73 years; 80% of these patients were between 65 and 84 years old, and 49% of patients were at or above the age of 75. The efficacy and safety data presented in the clinical trials section were obtained from these patients. There were no clinically significant differences in most adverse reactions reported by patient groups 65 years old and> < 65 years old. 8.6 Lower Weight Individuals In the controlled clinical trial, among patients in the ARICEPT 23 mg treatment group, those patients weighing < 55 kg reported more nausea, vomiting, and decreased weight than patients weighing 55 kg or more. There were more withdrawals due to adverse reactions as well. This finding may be related to higher plasma exposure associated with lower weight. 10 OVERDOSAGE Because strategies for the management of overdose are continually evolving, it is advisable to contact a Poison Control Center to determine the latest recommendations for the management of an overdose of any drug. As in any case of overdose, general supportive measures should be utilized. Overdosage with cholinesterase inhibitors can result in cholinergic crisis characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, salivation, sweating, bradycardia, hypotension, respiratory depression, collapse, and convulsions. Increasing muscle weakness is a possibility and may result in death if respiratory muscles are involved. Tertiary anticholinergics such as atropine may be used as an antidote for ARICEPT overdosage. Intravenous atropine sulfate titrated to effect is recommended: an initial dose of 1.0 to 2.0 mg IV with subsequent doses based upon clinical response. Atypical responses in blood pressure and heart rate have been reported with other cholinomimetics when co-administered with quaternary anticholinergics such as glycopyrrolate. It is not known whether ARICEPT and/or its metabolites can be removed by dialysis (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or hemofiltration). Dose-related signs of toxicity in animals included reduced spontaneous movement, prone position, staggering gait, lacrimation, clonic convulsions, depressed respiration, salivation, miosis, tremors, fasciculation, and lower body surface temperature. 11 DESCRIPTION ARICEPT (donepezil hydrochloride) is a reversible inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, known chemically as ( )-2, 3-dihydro-5, 6-dimethoxy-2-[[1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl]methyl]-1 H -inden-1-one hydrochloride. Donepezil hydrochloride is commonly referred to in the pharmacological literature as E2020. It has an empirical formula of C 24 H 29 NO 3 HCl and a molecular weight of 415.96. Donepezil hydrochloride is a white crystalline powder and is freely soluble in chloroform, soluble in water and in glacial acetic acid, slightly soluble in ethanol and in acetonitrile, and practically insoluble in ethyl acetate and in n-hexane. ARICEPT is available for oral administration in film-coated tablets containing 5, 10, or 23 mg of donepezil hydrochloride. Inactive ingredients in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets are lactose monohydrate, corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and magnesium stearate. The film coating contains talc, polyethylene glycol, hypromellose, and titanium dioxide. Additionally, the 10 mg tablet contains yellow iron oxide (synthetic) as a coloring agent. Inactive ingredients in 23 mg tablets include ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, and methacrylic acid copolymer, Type C. The film coating includes ferric oxide, hypromellose 2910, polyethylene glycol 8000, talc, and titanium dioxide. Aricept ODT tablets are available for oral administration. Each Aricept ODT tablet contains 5 or 10 mg of donepezil hydrochloride. Inactive ingredients are carrageenan, mannitol, colloidal silicon dioxide, and polyvinyl alcohol. Additionally, the 10 mg tablet contains ferric oxide (yellow) as a coloring agent. 12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY 12.1 Mechanism of Action Current theories on the pathogenesis of the cognitive signs and symptoms of Alzheimer s disease attribute some of them to a deficiency of cholinergic neurotransmission. Donepezil hydrochloride is postulated to exert its therapeutic effect by enhancing cholinergic function. This is accomplished by increasing the concentration of acetylcholine through reversible inhibition of its hydrolysis by acetylcholinesterase. There is no evidence that donepezil alters the course of the underlying dementing process. 12.3 Pharmacokinetics Pharmacokinetics of donepezil are linear over a dose range of 1-10 mg given once daily. The rate and extent of absorption of ARICEPT tablets are not influenced by food. Based on population pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma donepezil concentrations measured in patients with Alzheimer s disease, following oral dosing, peak plasma concentration is achieved for ARICEPT 23 mg tablets in approximately 8 hours, compared with 3 hours for ARICEPT 10 mg tablets. Peak plasma concentrations were about 2-fold higher for ARICEPT 23 mg tablets than ARICEPT 10 mg tablets. Aricept ODT 5 mg and 10 mg are bioequivalent to ARICEPT 5 mg and 10 mg tablets, respectively. A food effect study has not been conducted with Aricept ODT; however, the effect of food with Aricept ODT is expected to be minimal. Aricept ODT can be taken without regard to meals. The elimination half life of donepezil is about 70 hours, and the mean apparent plasma clearance (Cl/F) is 0.13-0.19 L/hr/kg. Following multiple dose administration, donepezil accumulates in plasma by 4-7 fold, and steady state is reached within 15 days. The steady state volume of distribution is 12-16 L/kg. Donepezil is approximately 96% bound to human plasma proteins, mainly to albumins (about 75%) and alpha 1 - acid glycoprotein (about 21%) over the concentration range of 2-1000 ng/mL. Donepezil is both excreted in the urine intact and extensively metabolized to four major metabolites, two of which are known to be active, and a number of minor metabolites, not all of which have been identified. Donepezil is metabolized by CYP 450 isoenzymes 2D6 and 3A4 and undergoes glucuronidation. Following administration of 14 C-labeled donepezil, plasma radioactivity, expressed as a percent of the administered dose, was present primarily as intact donepezil (53%) and as 6-O-desmethyl donepezil (11%), which has been reported to inhibit AChE to the same extent as donepezil in vitro and was found in plasma at concentrations equal to about 20% of donepezil. Approximately 57% and 15% of the total radioactivity was recovered in urine and feces, respectively, over a period of 10 days, while 28% remained unrecovered, with about 17% of the donepezil dose recovered in the urine as unchanged drug. Examination of the effect of CYP2D6 genotype in Alzheimer s patients showed differences in clearance values among CYP2D6 genotype subgroups. When compared to the extensive metabolizers, poor metabolizers had a 31.5% slower clearance and ultra-rapid metabolizers had a 24% faster clearance. Hepatic Disease In a study of 10 patients with stable alcoholic cirrhosis, the clearance of ARICEPT was decreased by 20% relative to 10 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects. Renal Disease In a study of 11 patients with moderate to severe renal impairment (Cl C < 18 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) the clearance of ARICEPT did not differ from 11 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Age No formal pharmacokinetic study was conducted to examine age-related differences in the pharmacokinetics of ARICEPT. Population pharmacokinetic analysis suggested that the clearance of donepezil in patients decreases with increasing age. When compared with 65-year old subjects, 90-year old subjects have a 17% decrease in clearance, while 40-year old subjects have a 33% increase in clearance. The effect of age on donepezil clearance may not be clinically significant. Gender and Race No specific pharmacokinetic study was conducted to investigate the effects of gender and race on the disposition of ARICEPT. However, retrospective pharmacokinetic analysis and population pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma donepezil concentrations measured in patients with Alzheimer s disease indicates that gender and race (Japanese and Caucasians) did not affect the clearance of ARICEPT to an important degree. Body W eight There was a relationship noted between body weight and clearance. Over the range of body weight from 50 kg to 110 kg, clearance increased from 7.77 L/h to 14.04 L/h, with a value of 10 L/hr for 70 kg individuals. Drug Interactions Effect of ARICEPT on the Metabolism of Other Drugs No in vivo clinical trials have investigated the effect of ARICEPT on the clearance of drugs metabolized by CYP 3A4 (e.g., cisapride, terfenadine) or by CYP 2D6 (e.g., imipramine). However, in vitro studies show a low rate of binding to these enzymes (mean K i about 50-130 μM), that, given the therapeutic plasma concentrations of donepezil (164 nM), indicates little likelihood of interference. Based on in vitro studies, donepezil shows little or no evidence of direct inhibition of CYP2B6, CYP2C8, and CYP2C19 at clinically relevant concentrations. Whether ARICEPT has any potential for enzyme induction is not known. Formal pharmacokinetic studies evaluated the potential of ARICEPT for interaction with theophylline, cimetidine, warfarin, digoxin, and ketoconazole. No effects of ARICEPT on the pharmacokinetics of these drugs were observed. Effect of Other Drugs on the Metabolism of ARICEPT Ketoconazole and quinidine, strong inhibitors of CYP450 3A and 2D6, respectively, inhibit donepezil metabolism in vitro . Whether there is a clinical effect of quinidine is not known. Population pharmacokinetic analysis showed that in the presence of concomitant CYP2D6 inhibitors donepezil AUC was increased by approximately 17% to 20% in Alzheimer s disease patients taking ARICEPT 10 and 23 mg. This represented an average effect of weak, moderate, and strong CYP2D6 inhibitors. In a 7-day crossover study in 18 healthy volunteers, ketoconazole (200 mg q.d.) increased mean donepezil (5 mg q.d.) concentrations (AUC 0-24 and C max ) by 36%. The clinical relevance of this increase in concentration is unknown. Inducers of CYP 3A (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, dexamethasone, rifampin, and phenobarbital) could increase the rate of elimination of ARICEPT. Formal pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that the metabolism of ARICEPT is not significantly affected by concurrent administration of digoxin or cimetidine. An in vitro study showed that donepezil was not a substrate of P-glycoprotein. Drugs Highly Bound to Plasma Proteins Drug displacement studies have been performed in vitro between this highly bound drug (96%) and other drugs such as furosemide, digoxin, and warfarin. ARICEPT at concentrations of 0.3-10 micrograms/mL did not affect the binding of furosemide (5 micrograms/mL), digoxin (2 ng/mL), and warfarin (3 micrograms/mL) to human albumin. Similarly, the binding of ARICEPT to human albumin was not affected by furosemide, digoxin, and warfarin. 13 NONCLINICAL TOXICOLOGY 13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility No evidence of carcinogenic potential was obtained in an 88-week carcinogenicity study of donepezil conducted in mice at oral doses up to 180 mg/kg/day (approximately 40 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] of 23 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis), or in a 104-week carcinogenicity study in rats at oral doses up to 30 mg/kg/day (approximately 13 times the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis). Donepezil was negative in a battery of genotoxicity assays ( in vitro bacterial reverse mutation, in vitro mouse lymphoma tk , in vitro chromosomal aberration, and in vivo mouse micronucleus). Donepezil had no effect on fertility in rats at oral doses up to 10 mg/kg/day (approximately 4 times the MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis) when administered to males and females prior to and during mating and continuing in females through implantation. 13.2 Animal Toxicology and/or Pharmacology In an acute dose neurotoxicity study in female rats, oral administration of donepezil and memantine in combination resulted in increased incidence, severity, and distribution of neurodegeneration compared with memantine alone. The no-effect levels of the combination were associated with clinically relevant plasma donepezil and memantine levels. The relevance of this finding to humans is unknown. 14 CLINICAL STUDIES 14.1 Mild to Moderate Alzheimer s Disease The effectiveness of ARICEPT as a treatment for mild to moderate Alzheimer s disease is demonstrated by the results of two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical investigations in patients with Alzheimer s disease (diagnosed by NINCDS and DSM III-R criteria, Mini-Mental State Examination 10 and 26 and Clinical Dementia Rating of 1 or 2). The mean age of patients participating in ARICEPT trials was 73 years with a range of 50 to 94. Approximately 62% of patients were women and 38% were men. The racial distribution was white 95%, black 3%, and other races 2%. The higher dose of 10 mg did not provide a statistically significantly greater clinical benefit than 5 mg. There is a suggestion, however, based upon order of group mean scores and dose trend analyses of data from these clinical trials, that a daily dose of 10 mg of ARICEPT might provide additional benefit for some patients. Accordingly, whether or not to employ a dose of 10 mg is a matter of prescriber and patient preference. Study Outcome Measures In each study, the effectiveness of treatment with ARICEPT was evaluated using a dual outcome assessment strategy. The ability of ARICEPT to improve cognitive performance was assessed with the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog), a multi-item instrument that has been extensively validated in longitudinal cohorts of Alzheimer s disease patients. The ADAS-cog examines selected aspects of cognitive performance including elements of memory, orientation, attention, reasoning, language, and praxis. The ADAS-cog scoring range is from 0 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive impairment. Elderly normal adults may score as low as 0 or 1, but it is not unusual for non-demented adults to score slightly higher. The patients recruited as participants in each study had mean scores on the ADAS-cog of approximately 26 points, with a range from 4 to 61. Experience based on longitudinal studies of ambulatory patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer s disease suggest that scores on the ADAS-cog increase (worsen) by 6-12 points per year. However, smaller changes may be seen in patients with very mild or very advanced disease since the ADAS-cog is not uniformly sensitive to change over the course of the disease. The annualized rate of decline in the placebo patients participating in ARICEPT trials was approximately 2 to 4 points per year. The ability of ARICEPT to produce an overall clinical effect was assessed using a Clinician s Interview-Based Impression of Change that required the use of caregiver information, the CIBIC-plus. The CIBIC-plus is not a single instrument and is not a standardized instrument like the ADAS-cog. Clinical trials for investigational drugs have used a variety of CIBIC formats, each different in terms of depth and structure. As such, results from a CIBIC-plus reflect clinical experience from the trial or trials in which it was used and cannot be compared directly with the results of CIBIC-plus evaluations from other clinical trials. The CIBIC-plus used in ARICEPT trials was a semi-structured instrument that was intended to examine four major areas of patient function: General, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Activities of Daily Living. It represents the assessment of a skilled clinician based upon his/her observations at an interview with the patient, in combination with information supplied by a caregiver familiar with the behavior of the patient over the interval rated. The CIBIC-plus is scored as a seven-point categorical rating, ranging from a score of 1, indicating markedly improved, to a score of 4, indicating no change to a score of 7, indicating markedly worse. The CIBIC-plus has not been systematically compared directly to assessments not using information from caregivers (CIBIC) or other global methods. Thirty-Week Study In a study of 30 weeks duration, 473 patients were randomized to receive single daily doses of placebo, 5 mg/day or 10 mg/day of ARICEPT. The 30-week study was divided into a 24-week double-blind active treatment phase followed by a 6-week single-blind placebo washout period. The study was designed to compare 5 mg/day or 10 mg/day fixed doses of ARICEPT to placebo. However, to reduce the likelihood of cholinergic effects, the 10 mg/day treatment was started following an initial 7-day treatment with 5 mg/day doses. Effects on the ADAS-cog Figure 1 illustrates the time course for the change from baseline in ADAS-cog scores for all three dose groups over the 30 weeks of the study. After 24 weeks of treatment, the mean differences in the ADAS-cog change scores for ARICEPT treated patients compared to the patients on placebo were 2.8 and 3.1 points for the 5 mg/day and 10 mg/day treatments, respectively. These differences were statistically significant. While the treatment effect size may appear to be slightly greater for the 10 mg/day treatment, there was no statistically significant difference between the two active treatments. Following 6 weeks of placebo washout, scores on the ADAS-cog for both the ARICEPT treatment groups were indistinguishable from those patients who had received only placebo for 30 weeks. This suggests that the beneficial effects of ARICEPT abate over 6 weeks following discontinuation of treatment and do not represent a change in the underlying disease. There was no evidence of a rebound effect 6 weeks after abrupt discontinuation of therapy. Figure 1. Time-course of the Change from Baseline in ADAS-cog Score for Patients Completing 24 Weeks of Treatment. Figure 2 illustrates the cumulative percentages of patients from each of the three treatment groups who had attained the measure of improvement in ADAS-cog score shown on the X axis. Three change scores (7-point and 4-point reductions from baseline or no change in score) have been identified for illustrative purposes, and the percent of patients in each group achieving that result is shown in the inset table. The curves demonstrate that both patients assigned to placebo and ARICEPT have a wide range of responses, but that the active treatment groups are more likely to show greater improvements. A curve for an effective treatment would be shifted to the left of the curve for placebo, while an ineffective or deleterious treatment would be superimposed upon or shifted to the right of the curve for placebo. Figure 2. Cumulative Percentage of Patients Completing 24 Weeks of Double-blind Treatment with Specified Changes from Baseline ADAS-cog Scores. The Percentages of Randomized Patients who Completed the Study were: Placebo 80%, 5 mg/day 85%, and 10 mg/day 68%. Effects on the CIBIC-plus Figure 3 is a histogram of the frequency distribution of CIBIC-plus scores attained by patients assigned to each of the three treatment groups who completed 24 weeks of treatment. The mean drug-placebo differences for these groups of patients were 0.35 points and 0.39 points for 5 mg/day and 10 mg/day of ARICEPT, respectively. These differences were statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference between the two active treatments. Figure 3. Frequency Distribution of CIBIC-plus Scores at Week 24. Fifteen-Week Study In a study of 15 weeks duration, patients were randomized to receive single daily doses of placebo or either 5 mg/day or 10 mg/day of ARICEPT for 12 weeks, followed by a 3-week placebo washout period. As in the 30-week study, to avoid acute cholinergic effects, the 10 mg/day treatment followed an initial 7-day treatment with 5 mg/day doses. Effects on the ADAS- c og Figure 4 illustrates the time course of the change from baseline in ADAS-cog scores for all three dose groups over the 15 weeks of the study. After 12 weeks of treatment, the differences in mean ADAS-cog change scores for the ARICEPT treated patients compared to the patients on placebo were 2.7 and 3.0 points each, for the 5 and 10 mg/day ARICEPT treatment groups, respectively. These differences were statistically significant. The effect size for the 10 mg/day group may appear to be slightly larger than that for 5 mg/day. However, the differences between active treatments were not statistically significant. Figure 4. Time-course of the Change from Baseline in ADAS-cog Score for Patients Completing the 15-week Study. Following 3 weeks of placebo washout, scores on the ADAS-cog for both the ARICEPT treatment groups increased, indicating that discontinuation of ARICEPT resulted in a loss of its treatment effect. The duration of this placebo washout period was not sufficient to characterize the rate of loss of the treatment effect, but the 30-week study (see above) demonstrated that treatment effects associated with the use of ARICEPT abate within 6 weeks of treatment discontinuation. Figure 5 illustrates the cumulative percentages of patients from each of the three treatment groups who attained the measure of improvement in ADAS-cog score shown on the X axis. The same three change scores (7-point and 4-point reductions from baseline or no change in score) as selected for the 30-week study have been used for this illustration. The percentages of patients achieving those results are shown in the inset table. As observed in the 30-week study, the curves demonstrate that patients assigned to either placebo or to ARICEPT have a wide range of responses, but that the ARICEPT treated patients are more likely to show greater improvements in cognitive performance. Figure 5. Cumulative Percentage of Patients with Specified Changes from Baseline ADAS-cog Scores. The Percentages of Randomized Patients Within Each Treatment Group Who Completed the Study Were: Placebo 93%, 5 mg/day 90%, and 10 mg/day 82%. Effects on the CIBIC-plus Figure 6 is a histogram of the frequency distribution of CIBIC-plus scores attained by patients assigned to each of the three treatment groups who completed 12 weeks of treatment. The differences in mean scores for ARICEPT treated patients compared to the patients on placebo at Week 12 were 0.36 and 0.38 points for the 5 mg/day and 10 mg/day treatment groups, respectively. These differences were statistically significant. Figure 6. Frequency Distribution of CIBIC-plus Scores at Week 12. In both studies, patient age, sex, and race were not found to predict the clinical outcome of ARICEPT treatment. 14.2 Moderate to Severe Alzheimer's Disease The effectiveness of ARICEPT in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer s disease was established in studies employing doses of 10 mg/day and 23 mg/day. Results of a controlled clinical trial in moderate to severe Alzheimer s Disease that compared ARICEPT 23 mg once daily to 10 mg once daily suggest that a 23 mg dose of ARICEPT provided additional benefit. Swedish 6 Month Study (10 mg/day) The effectiveness of ARICEPT as a treatment for severe Alzheimer s disease is demonstrated by the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study conducted in Sweden (6 month study) in patients with probable or possible Alzheimer s disease diagnosed by NINCDS-AD most luxurious
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