Etelcalcetide (Monograph)
Brand name: Parsabiv
Drug class: Antiparathyroid Agents
- Calcium-sensing Receptor Agonists
- Calcimetic Agents
Chemical name: Disulfide with l-cysteine,N-acetyl-d-cysteinyl-d-alanyl-d-arginyl-d-arginyl-d-arginyl-d-alanyl-d-argininamide hydrochloride
Molecular formula: C38H73N21O10S2•xHCl
CAS number: 1334237-71-6
Introduction
Calcimimetic agent; binds to and increases sensitivity of calcium-sensing receptors on parathyroid glands to extracellular calcium, resulting in reduced serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium concentrations.
Uses for Etelcalcetide
Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Associated with Chronic Renal Disease
Treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with chronic renal disease in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
Additional studies needed to determine effects on clinical outcomes, including cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Safety and efficacy not established in patients with chronic renal disease who are not undergoing hemodialysis; use not recommended in these patients.
Other Uses
Safety and efficacy not established in patients with parathyroid carcinoma or primary hyperparathyroidism; use not recommended in these patients.
Etelcalcetide Dosage and Administration
Administration
IV Administration
Administer by direct (“bolus”) IV injection into the venous line of the dialysis circuit during the rinse-back procedure at the end of hemodialysis or IV after completion of the rinse-back procedure.
Administer only at the end of hemodialysis sessions. If a regularly scheduled hemodialysis session is missed, do not administer the missed dose. (See Dosage under Dosage and Administration.)
Do not admix with any other solutions or dilute prior to administration.
Dosage
Available as etelcalcetide hydrochloride; dosage expressed in terms of etelcalcetide.
Adults
Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Associated with Chronic Renal Disease
IV
Initially, 5 mg 3 times weekly.
In patients being switched from cinacalcet to etelcalcetide, allow ≥7 days to elapse between discontinuance of cinacalcet and initiation of etelcalcetide; use initial etelcalcetide dose of 5 mg.
Do not initiate etelcalcetide, increase dosage, or reinitiate following an interruption in therapy if albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration is below the lower limit of normal (LLN).
Titrate dosage to achieve a maintenance dosage within the range of 2.5–15 mg 3 times weekly that maintains PTH concentration within the recommended target range and albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration within the normal range.
Mean dosage in clinical trials was 7.2 mg 3 times weekly; patients with lower baseline PTH concentrations received lower average dosages.
Measure albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration 1 week following initiation or subsequent dosage adjustment and every 4 weeks during maintenance therapy. Measure PTH concentration 4 weeks following initiation or subsequent dosage adjustment and according to standard practice during maintenance therapy.
If albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration is within the normal range and PTH concentration is above the recommended target range, increase dosage in 2.5- or 5-mg increments no more frequently than every 4 weeks based on PTH concentration.
If PTH concentration is below target range, reduce dosage or withhold drug. If albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration is less than LLN but ≥7.5 mg/dL and there are no manifestations of hypocalcemia, consider reducing or withholding etelcalcetide or using concomitant therapies to increase albumin-corrected serum calcium. If withheld, reinitiate etelcalcetide at a lower dosage when PTH returns to target range and hypocalcemia is corrected.
If albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration is <7.5 mg/dL or if manifestations of hypocalcemia occur, withhold drug and treat hypocalcemia. Reinitiate at a dose 5 mg lower than the last administered dose (or 2.5 mg if the last administered dose was 2.5 or 5 mg) once albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration has returned to normal, manifestations of hypocalcemia have resolved, and predisposing factors for hypocalcemia have been addressed.
If a regularly scheduled hemodialysis session is missed, do not administer the missed dose. Resume therapy at the prescribed dosage with the next scheduled hemodialysis session. If doses are missed for >2 weeks, reinitiate at the recommended initial dose of 5 mg (or 2.5 mg if that was the patient's last dose).
Prescribing Limits
Adults
Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Associated with Chronic Renal Disease
IV
Maximum 15 mg 3 times weekly.
Special Populations
No special population dosage recommendations at this time.
Cautions for Etelcalcetide
Contraindications
-
Known hypersensitivity to etelcalcetide or any ingredient in the formulation.
Warnings/Precautions
Sensitivity Reactions
Hypersensitivity
Pruritic rash, urticaria, and facial edema reported.
Hypocalcemia
Can cause hypocalcemia, including severe hypocalcemia. Substantial lowering of serum calcium can cause paresthesias, myalgia, muscle spasms, seizures, QT-interval prolongation, and ventricular arrhythmias.
A maximum increase from baseline in QT interval (corrected for heart rate using Fridericia's method; QTcF) of >60 msec occurred in 1.2 or 0% of patients receiving etelcalcetide or placebo, respectively; maximum postbaseline predialysis QTcF interval of >500 msec occurred in 4.8 or 1.9% of patients receiving etelcalcetide or placebo, respectively.
Patients with congenital long QT syndrome, history of QT-interval prolongation, family history of long QT syndrome or sudden cardiac death, or other conditions that predispose to QT-interval prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias may be at increased risk for QT-interval prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias if hypocalcemia occurs.
Substantial reductions in albumin-corrected serum calcium concentration may lower seizure threshold. Patients with a history of seizure disorder may be at increased risk for seizures if hypocalcemia occurs.
Concomitant use of etelcalcetide with another calcium-sensing receptor agonist (e.g., cinacalcet) could result in severe, life-threatening hypocalcemia.
Monitor patients regularly for hypocalcemia, including severe hypocalcemia. (See Dosage under Dosage and Administration.) Particularly close monitoring of albumin-corrected serum calcium concentrations required in patients predisposed to QT-interval prolongation, ventricular arrhythmias, or seizures and in those receiving concomitant therapies that can lower serum calcium concentrations. In addition, closely monitor QT interval in patients at risk for QT-interval prolongation or ventricular arrhythmias.
If albumin-corrected serum calcium falls below the LLN or if manifestations of hypocalcemia develop, take appropriate steps (e.g., supplement calcium, initiate or increase dosage of calcium-containing phosphate binders and/or vitamin D analogs, increase dialysate calcium concentration, reduce dosage or discontinue etelcalcetide) to increase serum calcium concentrations. (See Dosage under Dosage and Administration.)
Heart Failure
Hypotension, congestive heart failure, and decreased myocardial performance reported. Reductions in albumin-corrected serum calcium may be associated with congestive heart failure, but causal relationship to etelcalcetide not completely excluded. Closely monitor patients receiving etelcalcetide for worsening symptoms of heart failure.
Upper GI Bleeding
Upper GI bleeding reported, but causal relationship to etelcalcetide not established. Patients with risk factors for upper GI bleeding (e.g., gastritis, esophagitis, ulcers, severe vomiting) may be at increased risk.
Monitor patients for worsening of nausea and vomiting and for signs and symptoms of GI bleeding or ulceration. Immediately evaluate and treat if GI bleeding is suspected.
Adynamic Bone Disease
Adynamic bone disease may develop if PTH concentration is chronically suppressed. If PTH concentration falls below the recommended target range, reduce dosage or discontinue vitamin D analogs and/or etelcalcetide. (See Dosage under Dosage and Administration.)
Immunogenicity
Potential for immunogenicity. Anti-etelcalcetide antibodies detected in 7.1% of patients who received etelcalcetide for up to 6 months.
No alterations in pharmacokinetics, clinical response, or safety associated with preexisting or developing anti-etelcalcetide antibodies.
If antibody formation resulting in clinically important effects is suspected, contact Amgen at 800-772-6436 to discuss antibody testing.
Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Data lacking on use in pregnant women. Effects in animal studies (reduced fetal growth, slight increase in perinatal pup mortality, delay in parturition, and transient effects on pup growth) observed at dosages that produced maternal toxicity, including hypocalcemia.
Lactation
Present in milk in lactating rats at concentrations similar to plasma concentrations. Not known whether etelcalcetide distributes into human milk, affects milk production, or affects the breast-fed infant. Use not recommended because of potential for adverse effects, including hypocalcemia, in nursing infants.
Pediatric Use
Safety and efficacy not established.
Geriatric Use
No clinically important differences in plasma concentrations and no overall differences in safety or efficacy observed between geriatric patients and younger adults.
Hepatic Impairment
Pharmacokinetics not formally studied in patients with hepatic impairment.
Renal Impairment
Principally eliminated via hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. Not indicated in patients with chronic renal disease who are not undergoing hemodialysis.
Common Adverse Effects
Asymptomatic reductions in blood calcium concentration, muscle spasms, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, symptomatic hypocalcemia, paresthesia.
Drug Interactions
Not a substrate nor an inhibitor or inducer of CYP isoenzymes.
Not a substrate nor an inhibitor of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), organic anion transporters (OAT) 1 and 3, organic anion transport proteins (OATP) 1B1 and 1B3, and organic cation transporter (OCT) 2; not a substrate of peptide transporters (PEPT) 1 and 2; and not an inhibitor of bile salt export pump (BSEP).
Specific Drugs
Drug |
Interaction |
---|---|
Calcimimetic agents (e.g., cinacalcet) |
Possible severe, life-threatening hypocalcemia |
Etelcalcetide Pharmacokinetics
Absorption
Onset
PTH concentrations decrease within 30 minutes following an IV dose.
Duration
Duration and extent of PTH reduction increase with increasing dose.
Distribution
Extent
Not known if distributed into human milk.
Plasma Protein Binding
Principally bound to albumin by reversible covalent binding. Noncovalent plasma protein binding is low.
Elimination
Metabolism
Undergoes reversible disulfide exchange with endogenous thiols in blood, principally forming conjugates with serum albumin. Not metabolized by CYP isoenzymes.
Elimination Route
Eliminated mainly in urine in patients with normal renal function; hemodialysis is the principal elimination pathway in patients with chronic renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. In hemodialysis patients, 60% of dose recovered in dialysate and approximately 7% recovered in urine and feces over 175 days.
Half-life
3–4 days in patients receiving etelcalcetide 3 times weekly at the end of each 3- to 6-hour hemodialysis session.
Special Populations
Body weight (29–163 kg), gender, race, and age (20–93 years of age) do not influence etelcalcetide pharmacokinetics.
Stability
Storage
Parenteral
Injection
2–8°C. Store in original container to protect from light.
Once removed from refrigerator, use within 7 days if stored in original container; if removed from original container, protect from light and use within 4 hours. Do not expose to temperatures >25° C.
Actions
-
Calcimimetic agent consisting of 7 D-amino acids linked to L-cysteine by a disulfide bond.
-
Binds to and allosterically modulates calcium-sensing receptors (principal regulators of PTH secretion) on parathyroid glands to increase their sensitivity to activation by extracellular calcium, thereby inhibiting PTH secretion.
-
Lowers serum PTH concentration within 30 minutes after IV administration.
-
In hemodialysis patients, the reduction in PTH concentrations results in reductions in serum calcium concentrations and attenuation of postdialysis phosphate elevations.
Advice to Patients
-
Advise patients to report symptoms of hypocalcemia (e.g., paresthesias, myalgia, muscle spasms, seizures) to their clinician.
-
Advise patients with heart failure that use of etelcalcetide may worsen heart failure and that additional monitoring may be warranted.
-
Advise patients to report any symptoms of upper GI bleeding to their clinician.
-
Inform patients of the importance of routine blood tests to monitor safety and efficacy of etelcalcetide therapy.
-
Importance of informing clinicians of existing or contemplated concomitant therapy, including prescription and OTC drugs, as well as any concomitant illnesses.
-
Importance of women informing clinicians if they are or plan to become pregnant or plan to breast-feed.
-
Importance of informing patients of other important precautionary information. (See Cautions.)
Preparations
Excipients in commercially available drug preparations may have clinically important effects in some individuals; consult specific product labeling for details.
Please refer to the ASHP Drug Shortages Resource Center for information on shortages of one or more of these preparations.
Routes |
Dosage Forms |
Strengths |
Brand Names |
Manufacturer |
---|---|---|---|---|
Parenteral |
Injection, for IV use |
5 mg (of etelcalcetide) per mL (2.5, 5, and 10 mg) |
Parsabiv |
Amgen |
AHFS DI Essentials™. © Copyright 2025, Selected Revisions August 28, 2017. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.
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