Effect of GLPG1205, a GPR84 Modulator, on CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP1A2 Enzymes: In Vitro and Phase 1 Studies.

GLPG1205 is a novel agent being investigated for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. GLPG1205 may be concomitantly administered with pirfenidone in future clinical development; therefore, the potential for GLPG1205 to interact with enzymes involved in the metabolism of pirfenidone (cytochrome P450 [CYP] 1A2, CYP2C9, 2C19) was evaluated. In vitro experiments indicated weak inhibition of CYP1A2 and moderate but reversible inhibition of CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 by GLPG1205. A phase 1 randomized, double-blind crossover study in 14 healthy males (NCT02623296) evaluated the effect of GLPG1205 100 mg or placebo (once daily for 12 days) on the single-dose pharmacokinetics of a cocktail of CYP1A2, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 substrates (coadministered on day 13). GLPG1205 had no effect on the exposure of CYP2C9 and CYP1A2 substrates or metabolites; however, a trend toward increased omeprazole (CYP2C19 substrate) exposure was observed. Although considered not clinically relevant, GLPG1205 increased the elimination rate of 5-hydroxyomeprazole (CYP2C19 metabolite) 1.16-fold versus placebo. GLPG1205 had no effect on the elimination of all other substrates or metabolites. GLPG1205 had a favorable safety and tolerability profile. In conclusion, GLPG1205 100 mg once daily does not interact with CYP2C9, CYP2C19, or CYP1A2 to a clinically relevant extent and may be administered concomitantly with drugs metabolized by these enzymes.

GLPG1205, a GPR84 Modulator: Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics in Healthy Subjects.

GLPG1205 is a modulator of GPR84, a G-protein-coupled receptor reported to be associated with several diseases. Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of GLPG1205 in healthy subjects were evaluated in 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-site, phase 1 studies. In study 1, 16 (aged 21-48 years) and 24 (24-50 years) healthy men received single doses of GLPG1205 10 to 800 mg, and GLPG1205 50, 100, or 200 mg once daily for 14 days, respectively, or placebo. Study 2 evaluated the effect of aging on GLPG1205 pharmacokinetics: 24 healthy men (aged 37-83 years), weight-matched into 3 age cohorts (65-74, ≥75, and 18-50 years), received GLPG1205 50 mg or placebo once daily for 14 days; an open-label part of this study evaluated a GLPG1205 250-mg loading dose followed by 50 mg once daily for 13 days in 8 healthy men (aged 68-74 years). Single (up to 800 mg) and multiple (maximum tolerated dose 100 mg once daily) GLPG1205 doses had favorable safety and tolerability profiles. After single administration of GLPG1205, median time to occurrence of maximum observed plasma concentration and arithmetic mean apparent terminal half-life ranged from 2.0 to 4.0 and from 30.1 to 140 hours, respectively. Age did not affect GLPG1205 exposure. GPR84 receptor occupancy with GLPG1205 vs placebo confirmed target engagement. These results support further clinical development of GLPG1205.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of tangeretin-derived chalcones.

A series of chalcones polyoxygenated on the ring A (with pentamethoxy or 2'-hydroxy-3',4',5',6'-tetramethoxy substitution patterns) was synthesized from tangeretin, a natural Citrus flavonoid. These chalcones were evaluated for their antiproliferative, activation of apoptosis, inhibition of tubulin assembly and antileishmanial activities. Comparison with the reference analogous 3',4',5'-trimethoxylated chalcones showed that such peroxygenated substitution patterns on the ring A were less beneficial to these activities.

Population Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Analysis of GLPG1690, an Autotaxin Inhibitor, in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: GLPG1690 is an autotaxin inhibitor in development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Several publications suggested a role of autotaxin in the control of disease-affected lung function and of lysophosphatidic acid in lung remodeling processes. The aim of the current article was to describe the exposure-response relationship of GLPG1690 and further develop a rational basis to support dose selection for clinical trials in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS: Two trials were conducted in healthy volunteers: in the first trial, GLPG1690 was administered as single doses from 20 mg up to 1500 mg, and subsequently in multiple daily doses of 300-1000 mg. In a second trial, the interaction of rifampin with 600 mg of GLPG1690 was evaluated. A third trial was conducted in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis administered 600 mg of GLPG1690 once daily for 12 weeks. The exposure-response (lysophosphatidic acid C18:2 reduction) relationship of GLPG1690 was first described using non-linear mixed-effects modeling and the model was subsequently deployed to simulate a lysophosphatidic acid C18:2 reduction as a biomarker of autotaxin inhibition in the dose range from 50 to 1000 mg once or twice daily. RESULTS: The population pharmacokinetics and lysophosphatidic acid C18:2 response of GLPG1690 were adequately described by a combined population pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model. Dose, formulation, rifampin co-administration, health status (healthy volunteer vs. patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), and baseline lysophosphatidic acid C18:2 were identified as covariates in the model. The effect of dose on systemic clearance indicated that GLPG1690 followed a more than dose-proportional increase in exposure over the simulated dose range of 50-1000 mg once daily. Model-based simulations showed reductions in lysophosphatidic acid C18:2 of at least 80% with doses greater or equal to 200 mg once daily. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, 200 and 600 mg once-daily doses were selected for future clinical trials in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of the Autotaxin Inhibitor GLPG1690 in Healthy Subjects: Phase 1 Randomized Trials.

GLPG1690 is a novel autotaxin inhibitor in development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We report phase 1 studies investigating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of GLPG1690 in healthy subjects. We performed a first-in-human randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of single (20, 60, 150, 300, 600, 1000, 1500 mg) and multiple (14 days: 150 mg twice daily; 600 and 1000 mg once daily) ascending oral doses of GLPG1690 (NCT02179502), and a randomized, open-label, crossover relative bioavailability study to compare the PK of tablet and capsule formulations of GLPG1690 600 mg and to assess the effect of food on PK of the tablet formulation (NCT03143712). Forty and 13 subjects were randomized in the first-in-human and relative bioavailability studies, respectively. GLPG1690 was well tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicity at all single and multiple doses. GLPG1690 was rapidly absorbed and eliminated, with a median tmax and mean t1/2 of approximately 2 and 5 hours, respectively. GLPG1690 exposure increased with increasing dose (mean Cmax , 0.09-19.01 µg/mL; mean AUC0-inf , 0.501-168 µg·h/mL, following single doses of GLPG1690 20-1500 mg). PD response, evidenced by rapid reduction in plasma lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) C18:2 levels, increased with increasing GLPG1690 plasma levels, plateauing at approximately 80% reduction in LPA C18:2 at around 0.6 µg/mL GLPG1690. Tablet and capsule formulations had similar PK profiles, and no clinically significant food effect was observed when comparing tablets taken in fed and fasted states. The safety, tolerability, and PK/PD profiles of GLPG1690 support continued clinical development for IPF.

Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of GLPG1690, a novel autotaxin inhibitor, to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (FLORA): a phase 2a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) causes irreversible loss of lung function. People with IPF have increased concentrations of autotaxin in lung tissue and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and exhaled condensate. GLPG1690 (Galapagos, Mechelen, Belgium) is a novel, potent, selective autotaxin inhibitor with good oral exposure. We explored the effects of GLPG1690 in patients with IPF. METHODS: This was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2a study done in 17 centres in Italy, Ukraine and the UK. Eligible patients were aged 40 years or older, non-smokers, not taking pirfenidone or nintedanib, and had a centrally confirmed diagnosis of IPF. We used a computer-generated randomisation schedule to assign patients 1:3 to receive placebo or 600 mg oral GLPG1690 once daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes were safety (adverse events), tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Spirometry was assessed as a secondary outcome. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02738801. FINDINGS: Between March 24, 2016, and May 2, 2017, 72 patients were screened., of whom 49 were ineligible and 23 were enrolled in eight centres (six in Ukraine and two in the UK). Six patients were assigned to receive placebo and 17 to receive GLPG1690. 20 patients completed the study after one in each group discontinued because of adverse events and one in the GLPG1690 group withdrew consent. Four (67%) patients in the placebo group and 11 (65%) in the GLPG1690 group had treatment-emergent adverse events, most of which were mild to moderate. The most frequent events in the GLPG1690 group were infections and infestations (ten events) and respiratory, thoracic, and mediastinal disorders (eight events) with no apparent differences from the placebo group. Two (12%) patients in the GLPG1690 group had events that were judged to be related to treatment. Serious adverse events were seen in two patients in the placebo group (one had a urinary tract infection, acute kidney injury, and lower respiratory tract infection and the other had atrioventricular block, second degree) and one in the GLPG1690 group (cholangiocarcinoma that resulted in discontinuation of treatment). No patients died. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of GLPG1690 were similar to those previously shown in healthy controls. LPA C18:2 concentrations in plasma were consistently decreased. Mean change from baseline in forced vital capacity at week 12 was 25 mL (95% CI -75 to 124) for GLPG1690 and -70 mL (-208 to 68 mL) for placebo. INTERPRETATION: Our findings support further development of GLPG1690 as a novel treatment for IPF. FUNDING: Galapagos.

Metabolism of 2-substituted quinolines with antileishmanial activity studied in vitro with liver microsomes, hepatocytes and recombinantly expressed enzymes analyzed by LC/MS.

Liver microsome and hepatocyte-mediated biotransformation of three oral antileishmanial 2-substituted quinolines were investigated. One quinoline contains an n-propyl group (1) and the other a propenyl chain functionalized at the gamma position either by a nitrile (2) or an alcohol (3). The different isoforms of rat cytochrome P450 responsible for biotransformation of 1 were also investigated. Compounds 2 and 3 mainly reacted with glutathione, preventing further metabolism. Compound 3 however, the reaction being reversible, could be released from glutathione and take alternative reaction pathways. Microsomal incubations of 1 mainly led to hydroxylation of the side chain, involving many cytochromes, predominantly CYP2B1, CYP2A6 and CYP1A1 (at more than 80%). In contrary, minor metabolites hydroxylated on the quinoline ring involved a few cytochromes. The hydroxylated products of 1 were conjugated with glucuronic acid in rat hepatocyte incubations.

Development of a SPE/HPLC/DAD method for the determination of antileishmanial 2-substituted quinolines and metabolites in rat plasma.

A SPE/HPLC/DAD method was developed for the in vivo monitoring of three new antileishmanial 2-substituted quinolines under study in our laboratory for the development of an oral treatment. Three phase I metabolites were included in this work for the optimization of the method. Trifunctional tC(18) cartridges (resulting from the reaction of trifunctional silanes with silica surface) were selected among four sorbents tested. Two linear gradients were developed to ensure resolution of metabolites. Recovery of quinolines from rat plasma was comprised between 80.6 and 88.2%. In a drug development perspective, apparent pK(a), lipophilicity and solubility were determined, as well as the extent of plasma protein or albumin binding.

Antileishmanial 2-substituted quinolines: in vitro behaviour towards biological components.

Quinolines substituted on their carbon 2 have in vivo antileishmanial activity but some of them could not be detected in plasma when assayed for pharmacokinetic studies, suggesting a sequestration of the drugs by components of the blood compartment. The present study, performed on three quinolines (1, 2 and 3), showed strong affinity for two of them (2 and 3) with red blood cells (RBCs), whereas quinoline 1 did not react with them. This process was saturable, temperature dependant and positively correlated with the in vitro antileishmanial activity of the quinolines. In addition, a rapid and spontaneous reaction with thiol groups was demonstrated for unsaturated quinolines 2 and 3. The reactivity with RBCs could be part of the compounds targeting to the parasite. These results illustrate that derivatives of the quinoline series with similar antileishmanial in vivo activity have different behaviour in the blood compartment.

Antiparasitic activity of some New Caledonian medicinal plants.

Twenty-nine extracts of 18 medicinal plants used in New Caledonia by traditional healers to treat inflammation, fever and in cicatrizing remedies were evaluated in vitro against several parasites (Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trichomonas vaginalis and Caenorhabditis elegans). Among the selected plants, Scaevola balansae and Premna serratifolia L. were the most active against Leishmania donovani with IC(50) values between 5 and 10microg/ml. The almond and aril extracts from Myristica fatua had an IC(50) value of 0.5-5microg/ml against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Only Scaevola balansae extract presented a weak activity against Trichomonas vaginalis. The almond extract from Myristica fatua presented significant activity against Caenorhabditis elegans (IC(50) value of 6.6+/-1.2microg/ml).

Clinical Confirmation that the Selective JAK1 Inhibitor Filgotinib (GLPG0634) has a Low Liability for Drug-drug Interactions.

OBJECTIVE: The selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor filgotinib (GLPG0634), which is currently in clinical development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease, demonstrated encouraging safety and efficacy profiles in RA patients after 4 weeks of daily dosing. As RA patients might be treated with multiple medications simultaneously, possible drug-drug interactions of filgotinib with cytochrome P450 enzymes and with key drug transporters were evaluated in vitro and in clinical studies. METHODS: The enzymes involved in filgotinib's metabolism and the potential interactions of the parent and its active major metabolite with drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, were identified using recombinant enzymes, human microsomes, and cell systems. Furthermore, filgotinib's interaction potential with CYP3A4 was examined in an open-label study in healthy volunteers, which evaluated the impact of filgotinib co-administration on the CYP3A4-sensitive substrate midazolam. The potential interaction with the common RA drug methotrexate was investigated in a clinical study in RA patients. RESULTS: In vitro, filgotinib and its active metabolite at clinically relevant concentrations did not interact with cytochrome P450 enzymes and uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferases, and did not inhibit key drug transporters. In the clinic, a lack of relevant pharmacokinetic drug interactions by filgotinib and its active metabolite with substrates of CYP3A4, as well as with organic anion transporters involved in methotrexate elimination were found. CONCLUSION: the collective in vivo and in vitro data on drug-metabolizing enzymes and on key drug transporters, support co-administration of filgotinib with commonly used RA drugs to patients without the need for dose adjustments.

High content analysis of primary macrophages hosting proliferating Leishmania amastigotes: application to anti-leishmanial drug discovery.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Human leishmaniases are parasitic diseases causing severe morbidity and mortality. No vaccine is available and numerous factors limit the use of current therapies. There is thus an urgent need for innovative initiatives to identify new chemotypes displaying selective activity against intracellular Leishmania amastigotes that develop and proliferate inside macrophages, thereby causing the pathology of leishmaniasis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have developed a biologically sound High Content Analysis assay, based on the use of homogeneous populations of primary mouse macrophages hosting Leishmania amazonensis amastigotes. In contrast to classical promastigote-based screens, our assay more closely mimics the environment where intracellular amastigotes are growing within acidic parasitophorous vacuoles of their host cells. This multi-parametric assay provides quantitative data that accurately monitors the parasitic load of amastigotes-hosting macrophage cultures for the discovery of leishmanicidal compounds, but also their potential toxic effect on host macrophages. We validated our approach by using a small set of compounds of leishmanicidal drugs and recently published chemical entities. Based on their intramacrophagic leishmanicidal activity and their toxicity against host cells, compounds were classified as irrelevant or relevant for entering the next step in the drug discovery pipeline. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our assay represents a new screening platform that overcomes several limitations in anti-leishmanial drug discovery. First, the ability to detect toxicity on primary macrophages allows for discovery of compounds able to cross the membranes of macrophage, vacuole and amastigote, thereby accelerating the hit to lead development process for compounds selectively targeting intracellular parasites. Second, our assay allows discovery of anti-leishmanials that interfere with biological functions of the macrophage required for parasite development and growth, such as organelle trafficking/acidification or production of microbicidal effectors. These data thus validate a novel phenotypic screening assay using virulent Leishmania amastigotes growing inside primary macrophage to identify new chemical entities with bona fide drug potential.

QSAR Modelling of CYP3A4 Inhibition as a Screening Tool in the Context of DrugDrug Interaction Studies.

Drugdrug interaction potential (DDI), especially cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibition potential, is one of the most important parameters to be optimized before preclinical and clinical pharmaceutical development as regard to the number of marketed drug metabolized mainly by this CYP and potentially co-administered with the future drug. The present study aims to develop in silico models for CYP3A4 inhibition prediction to help medicinal chemists during the discovery phase and even before the synthesis of new chemical entities (NCEs), focusing on NCEs devoid of any inhibitory potential toward this CYP. In order to find a relevant relationship between CYP3A4 inhibition and chemical features of the screened compounds, we applied a genetic-algorithm-based QSAR exploratory tool SQS (Stochastic QSAR Sampler) in combination with different description approaches comprising alignment-independent Volsurf descriptors, ISIDA fragments and Topological Fuzzy Pharmacophore Triplets. The experimental data used to build models were extracted from an in-house database. We derived a model with good prediction ability that was confirmed on both newly synthesized compound and public dataset retrieved from Pubchem database. This model is a promising efficient tool for filtering out potentially problematic compounds.

Synthesis and antiprotozoal activity of some new synthetic substituted quinoxalines.

A series of 29 new quinoxalines was synthesized and evaluated in vitro against several parasites (Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, and Trichomonas vaginalis). Several of them displayed interesting activities, and particularly four quinoxaline amides showed in vitro antileishmanial properties (IC50 less than 20 microM).

Antileishmanial and trypanocidal activity of Brazilian Cerrado plants.

The side effects and the emerging resistance to the available drugs against leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis led to the urgent need for new therapeutic agents against these diseases. Thirty one extracts of thirteen medicinal plants from the Brazilian Cerrado were therefore evaluated in vitro for their antiprotozoal activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, and amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Among the selected plants, Casearia sylvestris var. lingua was the most active against both L. donovani and T. cruzi. Fifteen extracts were active against promastigotes of L. donovani with concentrations inhibiting 50% of parasite growth (IC50) between 0.1-10 microg/ml, particularly those of Annona crassiflora (Annonaceae), Himatanthus obovatus (Apocynaceae), Guarea kunthiana (Meliaceae), Cupania vernalis (Sapindaceae), and Serjania lethalis (Sapindaceae). With regard to amastigotes of T. cruzi, extracts of A. crassiflora, Duguetia furfuracea (Annonaceae), and C. sylvestris var. lingua were active with IC50 values between 0.3-10 microg/ml. Bioassay fractionations of the more active extracts are under progress to identify the active antiparasite compounds.

Antileishmanial and trypanocidal activity of Brazilian Cerrado plants

The side effects and the emerging resistance to the available drugs against leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis led to the urgent need for new therapeutic agents against these diseases. Thirty one extracts of thirteen medicinal plants from the Brazilian Cerrado were therefore evaluated in vitro for their antiprotozoal activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, and amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Among the selected plants, Casearia sylvestris var. lingua was the most active against both L. donovani and T. cruzi. Fifteen extracts were active against promastigotes of L. donovani with concentrations inhibiting 50 percent of parasite growth (IC50) between 0.1-10 æg/ml, particularly those of Annona crassiflora (Annonaceae), Himatanthus obovatus (Apocynaceae), Guarea kunthiana (Meliaceae), Cupania vernalis (Sapindaceae), and Serjania lethalis (Sapindaceae). With regard to amastigotes of T. cruzi, extracts of A. crassiflora, Duguetia furfuracea (Annonaceae), and C. sylvestris var. lingua were active with IC50 values between 0.3-10 æg/ml. Bioassay fractionations of the more active extracts are under progress to identify the active antiparasite compounds.