What is Cometriq?

Gastrointestinal (GI) perforations, fistula formation, and severe hemorrhage have occurred in patients treated with cabozantinib malate. Discontinue therapy if GI perforation or fistula develop. Monitor patients for bleeding, and do not administer cabozantinib malate to patients with severe hemorrhage .

Cabozantinib capsules are used to treat medullary thyroid cancer that has already spread to different parts of the body. It interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed by the body. Cabozantinib is an antineoplastic (cancer) medicine.

Cabozantinib tablets are used to treat patients with advanced kidney cancer.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Medicines used to treat cancer are very strong and can have many side effects. Before taking this medicine, make sure you understand all the risks and benefits. It is important for you to work closely with your doctor during your treatment.

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of unwanted effects.

This medicine comes with a patient information insert. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Do not substitute Cabometyx® tablets with cabozantinib capsules. Do not substitute Cometriq® capsules with cabozantinib tablets.

Take this medicine on an empty stomach. Do not eat for at least 2 hours before and at least 1 hour after taking this medicine.

Swallow the medicine whole with a full glass (at least 8 ounces) of water. Do not crush, break, chew, or open the capsule.

Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you are using this medicine. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may increase the amount of this medicine in the blood.

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For oral dosage form (capsules):
  • For the treatment of thyroid cancer:
    • Adults—140 milligrams (mg) (one 80 mg and three 20 mg capsules) per day as a single dose. Your doctor may adjust the dose if needed.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For the treatment of advanced kidney cancer:
    • Adults—60 milligrams (mg) once a day.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

If you miss a dose of this medicine and it is less than 12 hours since your regular time, take it as soon as possible and take your next dose at the normal time. If you miss a dose and it is more than 12 hours since your regular time, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the normal time.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of cabozantinib in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of cabozantinib tablets in the elderly.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of cabozantinib capsules in the geriatric population. However, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date.

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Boceprevir
• Carbamazepine
• Ceritinib
• Clarithromycin
• Cobicistat
• Conivaptan
• Enzalutamide
• Fosnetupitant
• Fosphenytoin
• Idelalisib
• Indinavir
• Itraconazole
• Ketoconazole
• Lopinavir
• Mitotane
• Nefazodone
• Nelfinavir
• Netupitant
• Phenytoin
• Posaconazole
• Rifampin
• Ritonavir
• Saquinavir
• St John's Wort
• Telaprevir
• Telithromycin
• Voriconazole
• Warfarin

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Grapefruit Juice

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Bleeding problems or
• Blood clots or
• Heart attack, acute or
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) or
• Proteinuria (protein in the urine) or
• Stomach fistula or perforation (a hole in the stomach) or
• Stroke, recent—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Dental or tooth problems or
• Dental procedures or surgery or
• Poor oral hygiene or
• Tooth infection—May increase risk for severe jaw problems.

• Hemoptysis (coughing up blood), recent or
• Hemorrhage (severe bleeding), recent history—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

• Liver disease, mild or moderate—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.

• Liver disease, severe—Use is not recommended in patients with these conditions.

If you will be taking this medicine for a long time, it is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. You should continue to use birth control during treatment with this medicine and for at least 4 months after the last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.

Check with your doctor right away if you have severe stomach pain, gagging, coughing, or choking when you eat or drink. These could be symptoms of a perforation (tear) or fistula (hole) in the bowel.

This medicine may increase your risk of bleeding. Tell your doctor right away if you cough up blood or have bleeding gums, difficulty with breathing or swallowing, dizziness, increased menstrual flow or vaginal bleeding, nosebleeds, prolonged bleeding from cuts, red or dark brown urine, or red or black, tarry stools. Stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or discomfort, nausea, pain or discomfort in your arms, jaw, back, or neck, shortness of breath, sweating, or vomiting. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using this medicine at least 28 days before having surgery, including dental procedures.

Your doctor will check your blood pressure on a regular basis while you are taking this medicine. You might need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Tell your doctor right away if you have a severe headache, lightheadedness, or changes in your vision.

Tell your doctor right away if you have jaw tightness, swelling, numbness, pain, or a loose tooth. This could be symptoms of a severe jaw problem.

This medicine may cause a serious skin problem called hand-foot syndrome or palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome. Check with your doctor if you have a rash that doesn't go away or redness, pain, swelling, or blisters on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet.

Check with your doctor right away if you have a headache, seizures, confusion, blurred vision or other visual problems. These may be symptoms of a rare and serious brain condition called reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome.

Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children. Some men and women who use this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children).

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.