EMA calls for suspended authorisation of gadolinium contrast agents

Published: 14-Mar-2017

After an assessment of gadolinium agents used in MRI body scans, and EMA committee finds evidence of gadolinium deposits in the brain

EMA’s Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) has recommended the suspension of the marketing authorisations for four linear gadolinium contrast agents because of evidence that small amounts of the gadolinium they contain are deposited in the brain.

The agents concerned are intravenous injections of gadobenic acid, gadodiamide, gadopentetic acid and gadoversetamide, which are given to patients to enhance images from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) body scans.

The PRAC’s review of gadolinium agents found convincing evidence of accumulation of gadolinium in the brain from studies directly measuring gadolinium in brain tissues and areas of increased signal intensity seen on MRI scan images many months after the last injection of a gadolinium contrast agent.

The PRAC’s final recommendations will be sent to the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for its opinion.

Although no symptoms or diseases linked to gadolinium in the brain have been reported, the PRAC took a precautionary approach, noting that data on the long-term effects in the brain are limited.

Deposition of gadolinium has been associated with kidney impairment.

Deposition of gadolinium in other organs and tissues has been associated with rare side effects of skin plaques and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, a scarring condition in patients with kidney impairment. Furthermore, non-clinical laboratory studies have shown that gadolinium can be harmful to tissues.

The four agents recommended for suspension are referred to as linear agents. Linear agents have a structure more likely to release gadolinium, which can build up in body tissues.

Other agents, known as macrocyclic agents, are more stable and have a much lower propensity to release gadolinium. The PRAC recommends that macrocyclic agents be used at the lowest dose that enhances images sufficiently to make diagnoses and only if unenhanced body scans are not suitable.

Some linear agents will remain available: gadoxetic acid, a linear agent used at a low dose for liver scans, can remain on the market as it meets an important diagnostic need in patients with few alternatives.

In addition, a formulation of gadopentetic acid injected directly into joints is to remain available because its gadolinium concentration is very low – around 200 times lower than those of intravenous products.

Both agents should be used at the lowest dose that enhances images sufficiently to make diagnoses and only if unenhanced scans are not suitable.

Authorisation suspensions can be lifted if the companies provide evidence of new benefits in an identified patient group that outweigh its risks; show that their product does not release gadolinium significantly; or show that their product does not lead to gadolinium retention in tissues.

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