Journal of Clinical Pharmacology最新文献

Trastuzumab is a key component of treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer in both the early and metastatic settings. It is administered intravenously, with between 17 and 52 infusions in standard regimens over 1 year. Intravenous administration of trastuzumab requires substantial time commitments for patients and health care professionals and can result in patient discomfort. A subcutaneous formulation of trastuzumab, containing recombinant human hyaluronidase to overcome subcutaneous absorption barriers, would reduce the administration duration and remove the need to establish intravenous access, thus improving the overall convenience of trastuzumab administration. This open-label, 2-part, phase I/Ib study (NCT00800436) was undertaken in healthy male volunteers and female patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer to identify the dose of subcutaneous trastuzumab that resulted in exposure comparable with the approved intravenous trastuzumab dose. A subcutaneous trastuzumab dose of 8 mg/kg was found to result in exposure comparable with the intravenous trastuzumab dose of 6 mg/kg. The subcutaneous formulation was well tolerated, with a trend toward fewer adverse events versus intravenous administration; most adverse events were mild in intensity. These results support an ongoing phase III efficacy and safety study comparing a fixed subcutaneous trastuzumab dose with intravenous trastuzumab administration.

Relationships between tocilizumab exposure and response were evaluated using data from 4 phase III studies. Increased tocilizumab exposure was associated with improvements in Disease Activity Score using 28 joints (DAS28) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and with a decrease in inflammation markers. A population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PKPD) model was developed to describe data from 2 studies. An indirect-response model with a sigmoid E_max (maximal drug effect) inhibitory drug effect on DAS28 "production" rate adequately described the relationship between tocilizumab concentration and DAS28. Mean minimum serum tocilizumab concentration at steady state was greater than the EC₅₀ (concentration at which 50% of E_max on DAS28 is reached) with the 8-mg/kg dose but not with the 4-mg/kgdose. Simulations within a large rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population showed that DAS remission rates were 38% for 8 mg/kg and 24% for 4 mg/kg. Tocilizumab was more potent in RA patients with higher baseline interleukin-6 levels, but this effect was not clinically significant. Other covariates (eg, presence of neutralizing antitocilizumab antibodies) did not demonstrate a clinically meaningful effect on tocilizumab DAS28 dose-response relationships. These data support clinical observations that tocilizumab 8 mg/kg is more effective than 4 mg/kg in reducing disease activity.

The internationalization of clinical and regulatory guidelines and disease treatment and the globalization of the pharmaceutical industry have led drug development strategies in Japan to shift from bridging studies to multinational trials. However, the current standard for adequate dose-finding processes may sometimes complicate the timely participation of Japan in these multinational trials. The objective of this study is to investigate different factors that might influence dosage selection in Japan. Approved drug dosages in Japan and the United States during the period 2003-2008 were compared and assessed across different therapeutic areas and approval timings. Factors such as company type and daily dosage indication were demonstrated to have a statistically significant relationship with different dosages in Japan and the United States. Anticancer, antiviral, and enzyme drugs showed similar dosages in the 2 regions, whereas neurological drugs were observed to undergo more careful dosage-finding processes, resulting in the approval of generally lower doses in Japan. A broader analysis is needed for detailed assessment. The findings in this study serve as an initial review to identify important factors that should be considered before planning global drug development.

This study established the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationships of the bispectral index (BIS) and Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (OAA/S) scale with effect site drug concentrations during and after brief etomidate infusion. Eighteen American Society of Anesthesiologists status I or II volunteers received etomidate (0.2%) infusion at 5 mg/min until the loss of eyelash reflexes, and spontaneous recovery was allowed. Data for plasma etomidate concentrations, BIS, and OAA/S were collected every minute and analyzed by NONMEM. A 2-compartment pharmacokinetic model and a pharmacodynamic sigmoid E(max) model fit the data best, with volumes of distribution at central and peripheral compartments of 4.45 and 74.90 L, respectively, and systemic and intercompartmental clearances of 0.63 and 3.16 L/min, respectively. t(1/2)k(e0) was 1.550 min. EC(50) values were 0.526 and 0.554 µg/mL, and gamma values were 2.25 and 6.24 for BIS and OAA/S, respectively. The prediction probability between OAA/S and BIS was 0.8. The slopes of the curves suggest that BIS is a better monitor of depth of sedation and hypnosis, whereas OAA/S may be more useful for monitoring sleep versus wakefulness. These results should be interpreted within the context of short-term etomidate infusion of less than 10 minutes.

This study was designed to investigate the multiple-dose pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of the selective α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine partial agonist, varenicline, in elderly (65-85 years old) nonsmokers. Fifty male and female subjects with normal renal function for their age were randomized to receive varenicline or placebo once or twice daily for 3 weeks in an investigator- and subject-blinded parallel-group design. Treatment regimens included weekly titration (n = 14; days 1-7, 0.5 mg once daily; days 8-14, 0.5 mg twice daily; days 15-21, 1 mg twice daily); 2-week twice-daily titration (n = 13; days 1-14, 0.5 mg once daily; days 15-21, 0.5 mg twice daily); 2-week once-daily titration (n = 13; days 1-14, 0.5 mg once daily; days 15-21, 1 mg once daily); and placebo (n = 10). Approximate dose-proportional increases in systemic exposure of varenicline at steady state, based on maximum concentration and area under the plasma concentration-time curve over the 24-hour period at steady state, were observed across the dose range of 0.5 to 2 mg/d. Median time to maximum concentration was 3 hours. Mean elimination half-life was estimated to be approximately 24 to 32 hours and independent of dose. Varenicline was considered to be safe and well tolerated in this elderly nonsmoking population.

Drug interactions are a significant clinical concern, particularly in patients with conditions such as heart disease and hypertension, in whom coadministration of multiple drugs is common. Nebivolol is a selective β(1)-blocker with vasodilatory properties approved for the treatment of hypertension. Drug-drug interactions were investigated when nebivolol was coadministered to subjects classified as poor CYP2D6 metabolizers and extensive CYP2D6 metabolizers who were receiving other drugs commonly administered to patients with hypertension or compounds metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6. There were no drug-drug interactions when nebivolol was coadministered with hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, ramipril, losartan, digoxin, or warfarin. Coadministration with fluoxetine (also metabolized by CYP2D6) in extensive CYP2D6 metabolizers impeded the apparent clearance of nebivolol. The authors conclude that nebivolol is safe and well tolerated regardless of genotype and type of medication coadministered.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of vitamin K epoxide reductase antagonists tecarfarin and warfarin were assessed before and after coadministration for 21 days of the CYP450 inhibitor fluconazole in a randomized, open-label, single-center drug interaction study. Twenty healthy adult participants were randomized 1:1 to receive approximately equipotent single oral doses of tecarfarin (50 mg) or warfarin (17.5 mg). Following 7 days of baseline serial blood level collections, each participant received oral fluconazole 400 mg daily for 21 days. A second identical single oral dose of tecarfarin or warfarin was given 14 days after starting fluconazole with serial pharmacokinetic sampling. Key pharmacokinetic parameters C(max), t(max), AUC(0-168), apparent clearance, and t(1/2) demonstrated no tecarfarin-fluconazole interaction but a strong warfarin-fluconazole interaction. The ratio of log-transformed mean AUC(0-168) with versus without fluconazole for tecarfarin was 91.2% (90% confidence interval [CI]: 83.3-99.8) and for racemic warfarin was 213% (90% CI: 202-226). The 90% CI was entirely within the standard 80% to 125% bioequivalence interval for tecarfarin but well outside the bioequivalence interval for warfarin, confirming a clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction between warfarin and fluconazole. In contrast, tecarfarin pharmacokinetics were apparently unchanged by fluconazole.

Varenicline is a novel selective α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine partial agonist developed for smoking cessation. Single- and multiple dose studies were conducted to investigate pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of varenicline in healthy male Japanese smokers. The single-dose study was conducted as a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-way crossover study. Subjects received varenicline (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg) or placebo at an interval of 2 weeks. The double-blind, placebo-controlled multiple-dose study was conducted as 2 cohorts, each consisting of 8 subjects randomized to varenicline tablets twice daily (0.5 or 1.0 mg) and 4 subjects randomized to placebo administered for 14 days. In both studies, varenicline was well tolerated at doses up to and including 2 mg daily. Dose-proportional increases in varenicline systemic exposure were observed following single and multiple dosing. Peak plasma concentrations generally occurred within 2 to 4 hours after dosing. Mean half-life estimates ranged from approximately 13 to 19 hours after single dosing and 24 to 28 hours after repeat dosing. Consistent with this, both 0.5 and 1.0 mg twice daily resulted, on average, in an approximate 3-fold increase in varenicline systemic exposure. These results showed that the single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of varenicline in Japanese smokers were similar to those previously reported in Western smokers.

Roflumilast is an oral phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is metabolized by CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 to its primary metabolite, roflumilast N-oxide, through which >90% total PDE4 inhibitory activity (tPDE4i) is mediated. Fluoroquinolones, of which enoxacin is the most potent CYP1A2 inhibitor, are used to treat COPD exacerbations. This phase I, open, nonrandomized, fixed-sequence, 2-period study evaluated the effects of steady-state enoxacin on the single-dose pharmacokinetics of roflumilast and roflumilast N-oxide. Twenty healthy participants received roflumilast, 500 µg once daily, on days 1 and 12, and enoxacin, 400 mg twice daily, on days 7 to 18. Pharmacokinetic profiles were obtained for days 1 to 6 and 12 to 19. The safety and tolerability of all treatments were also assessed. In 19 evaluable participants, coadministration led to 56% higher mean systemic exposure, 20% higher mean peak concentrations, and 36% lower mean apparent oral clearance compared with roflumilast alone. For roflumilast N-oxide, 23% higher mean systemic exposure and 14% lower mean peak concentrations were seen after coadministration. Roflumilast was well tolerated both alone and in combination with enoxacin. A weak interaction was shown between roflumilast and enoxacin, as mean tPDE4i increased by 25%, but is unlikely to have clinical relevance.