Effects of the selective AMPA modulator NBI-1065845 on the pharmacokinetics of midazolam or ethinyl estradiol-levonorgestrel in healthy adults.

This parallel-arm, phase I study investigated the potential cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A induction effect of NBI-1065845 (TAK-653), an investigational α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor potentiator in phase II development for major depressive disorder. The midazolam treatment arm received the sensitive CYP3A substrate midazolam on Day 1, followed by NBI-1065845 alone on Days 5-13; on Day 14, NBI-1065845 was administered with midazolam, then NBI-1065845 alone on Day 15. The oral contraceptive treatment arm received ethinyl estradiol-levonorgestrel on Day 1, then NBI-1065845 alone on Days 5-13; on Day 14, NBI-1065845 was administered with ethinyl estradiol-levonorgestrel, then NBI-1065845 alone on Days 15-17. Blood samples were collected for pharmacokinetic analyses. The midazolam treatment arm comprised 14 men and 4 women, of whom 16 completed the study. Sixteen of the 17 healthy women completed the oral contraceptive treatment arm. After multiple daily doses of NBI-1065845, the geometric mean ratios (GMRs) (90% confidence interval) for maximum observed concentration were: midazolam, 0.94 (0.79-1.13); ethinyl estradiol, 1.00 (0.87-1.15); and levonorgestrel, 0.99 (0.87-1.13). For area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to infinity, the GMRs were as follows: midazolam, 0.88 (0.78-0.98); and ethinyl estradiol, 1.01 (0.88-1.15). For levonorgestrel, the GMR for AUC from time 0 to the last quantifiable concentration was 0.87 (0.78-0.96). These findings indicate that NBI-1065845 is not a CYP3A inducer and support its administration with CYP3A substrates. NBI-1065845 was generally well tolerated, with no new safety signals observed after coadministration of midazolam, ethinyl estradiol, or levonorgestrel.

Effects of Quinidine or Rifampin Co-administration on the Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Rilzabrutinib (PRN1008) in Healthy Participants.

This open-label, phase 1 study was conducted with healthy adult participants to evaluate the potential drug-drug interaction between rilzabrutinib and quinidine (an inhibitor of P-glycoprotein [P-gp] and CYP2D6) or rifampin (an inducer of CYP3A and P-gp). Plasma concentrations of rilzabrutinib were measured after a single oral dose of rilzabrutinib 400 mg administered on day 1 and again, following a wash-out period, after co-administration of rilzabrutinib and quinidine or rifampin. Specifically, quinidine was given at a dose of 300 mg every 8 hours for 5 days from day 7 to day 11 (N = 16) while rifampin was given as 600 mg once daily for 11 days from day 7 to day 17 (N = 16) with rilzabrutinib given in the morning of day 10 (during quinidine dosing) or day 16 (during rifampin dosing). Quinidine had no significant effect on rilzabrutinib pharmacokinetics. Rifampin decreased rilzabrutinib exposure (the geometric mean of Cmax and AUC0-∞ decreased by 80.5% and 79.5%, respectively). Single oral doses of rilzabrutinib, with or without quinidine or rifampin, appeared to be well tolerated. These findings indicate that rilzabrutinib is a substrate for CYP3A but not a substrate for P-gp.

Leveraging Human Plasma-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles as Liquid Biopsy to Study the Induction of Cytochrome P450 3A4 by Modafinil.

Preparations of plasma-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) were deployed as liquid biopsy to study cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 (CYP3A4) induction following modafinil 400 mg once daily × 14 days (young healthy volunteers, N = 10 subjects). Induction was confirmed using the 4ß-hydroxycholesterol-to-cholesterol (4ßHC/C) ratio, a plasma CYP3A4/5 biomarker, with a mean 2.1-fold increase (Day 15 vs. Day 1; 90% confidence interval (CI) = 1.8-2.3; P value = 0.0004). Proteomic analysis revealed the induction (mean Day 15 vs. Day 1 fold-increase (90% CI)) of both liver (1.3 (1.1-1.5), P value = 0.014) and nonliver (1.9 (1.6-2.2), P value = 0.04) sEV CYP3A4 protein expression. In CYP3A5 nonexpresser subjects, the baseline (pre-dose) 4ßHC/C plasma ratio was more highly correlated with liver sEVs (r = 0.937, P value = 0.001) than nonliver sEVs (r = 0.619, P value = 0.101) CYP3A4 protein expression. When CYP3A5 expressers (CYP3A5*1/*3) were included, the correlation with liver sEVs (r = 0.761, P value = 0.011) and nonliver sEVs (r = 0.391, P value = 0.264) CYP3A4 protein was weaker. Although modafinil-induced changes in plasma 4ßHC/C ratio did not correlate with sEVs CYP3A4 protein expression, the individual subject sEVs proteomic data were used successfully to predict victim drug (midazolam, triazolam, dextromethorphan, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and abemaciclib) area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) ratios (AUCRs) following modafinil. Based on the AUCR values, modafinil was classified as a weak to moderate CYP3A4 inducer (vs. rifampicin). For the first time, it was possible to deploy plasma-derived sEVs to study CYP3A4 induction beyond rifampicin, a more potent CYP3A4 inducer.

Investigating the Utility of Humanized Pregnane X Receptor-Constitutive Androstane Receptor-CYP3A4/7 Mouse Model to Assess CYP3A-Mediated Induction.

Clinical induction liability is assessed with human hepatocytes. However, underpredictions in the magnitude of clinical induction have been reported. Unfortunately, in vivo studies in animals do not provide additional insight because of species differences in drug metabolizing enzymes and their regulatory pathways. To circumvent this limitation, transgenic animals expressing human orthologs were developed. The aim of this work was to investigate the utility of mouse models expressing human orthologs of pregnane X receptor, constitutive androstane receptor, and CYP3A4/7 (Tg-Composite) in evaluating clinical induction. Rifampin, efavirenz, and pioglitazone, which were employed to represent strong, moderate, and weak inducers, were administered at multiple doses to Tg-Composite animals. In vivo CYP3A activity was monitored by measuring changes in the exposure of the CYP3A probe substrate triazolam. After the in vivo studies, microsomes were prepared from their livers to measure changes of in vitro CYP3A4 activity. In both in vivo and in vitro, distinction of clinic induction was recapitulated as rifampin yielded the greatest inductive effect followed by efavirenz and pioglitazone. Interestingly, with rifampin, in vivo CYP3A activity was approximately 4-fold higher than in vitro activity. Conversely, there was no difference between in vivo and in vitro CYP3A activity with efavirenz. These findings are consistent with the report that, although rifampin exhibits differential inductive effects between the intestines and liver, efavirenz does not. These data highlight the promise of transgenic models, such as Tg-Composite, to complement human hepatocytes to enhance the translatability of clinical induction as well as become a powerful tool to further study mechanisms of drug disposition. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Underprediction of the magnitude of clinical induction when using human hepatocytes has been reported, and transgenic models may improve clinical translatability. The work presented here showcases the human orthologs of pregnane X receptor, constitutive androstane receptor, and CYP3A4/7 model, which was able to recapitulate the magnitude of clinical induction and to differentiate tissue-dependent induction observed with rifampin but not with efavirenz. These results not only foreshadow the potential application of such transgenic models in assessing clinical induction but also in further investigation of the mechanism of drug disposition.

Evaluation of iberdomide and cytochrome p450 drug-drug interaction potential in vitro and in a phase 1 study in healthy subjects.

PURPOSE: Iberdomide is a cereblon E3 ligase modulator capable of redirecting the protein degradation machinery of the cell towards the elimination of target proteins potentially driving therapeutic effects. In vitro studies demonstrated that iberdomide predominantly undergoes oxidative metabolism mediated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/5 but had no notable inhibition or induction of CYP enzymes. Consequently, the potential of iberdomide as a victim of drug-drug interactions (DDI) was evaluated in a clinical study with healthy subjects. METHODS: A total of 33 males and 5 females with 19 subjects per part were enrolled. Part 1 evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK) of iberdomide alone (0.6 mg) and when administered with the CYP3A and P-gp inhibitor itraconazole (200 mg twice daily on day 1 and 200 once daily on days 2 through 9). Part 2 evaluated the PK of iberdomide alone (0.6 mg) and with CYP3A4 inducer rifampin (600 mg QD days 1 through 13). Plasma concentrations of iberdomide and the active metabolite M12 were determined by validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. RESULTS: Coadministration of iberdomide with itraconazole increased iberdomide peak plasma concentration (Cmax) 17% and area under the concentration curve (AUC) approximately 2.4-fold relative to administration of iberdomide alone. The Cmax and AUC of iberdomide were reduced by approximately 70% and 82%, respectively, when iberdomide was administered with rifampin compared with iberdomide administered alone. Exploratory assessment of metabolite M12 concentrations demonstrated that CYP3A is responsible for M12 formation. CONCLUSIONS: Caution should be taken when coadministering iberdomide with strong CYP3A inhibitors. Coadministration of iberdomide with strong CYP3A inducers is not advised. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial identification number is NCT02820935 and was registered in July 2016.

Rifampin Reduces the Plasma Concentrations of Oral and Intravenous Hydromorphone in Healthy Volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Several opioids are metabolized by the inducible cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A isozymes. Coadministration with strong inducers of drug metabolism, such as rifampin, can dramatically reduce systemic exposure to these opioids. As the CYP metabolism of hydromorphone is of minor importance, we studied in healthy volunteers whether hydromorphone would be an effective analgesic for patients who concomitantly receive the prototypical enzyme inducer rifampin. METHODS: In this paired, randomized, crossover study, 12 participants received oral placebo or rifampin for 8 days. Oral hydromorphone (2.6 mg) was administered on day 6 followed by intravenous hydromorphone (0.02 mg/kg) on day 8. Hydromorphone and hydromorphone-3-glucuronide (HM3G) plasma concentrations were measured for 24 hours and psychomotor responses, including perceived drug effect, change in pupil diameter, and cold pressor threshold were evaluated for 6 hours. Our primary outcome was the change in the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-last) of oral and intravenous hydromorphone after pretreatment with rifampin or placebo. Pharmacodynamic parameters and other pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Rifampin reduced the AUC0-last of oral and intravenous hydromorphone by 43% (ratio to control: 0.57, 90% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.65) and 26% (ratio to control: 0.74, 90% CI, 0.69-0.79), respectively. The maximum concentration of oral hydromorphone was reduced by 37% (ratio to control: 0.63, 90% CI, 0.55-0.72), and oral bioavailability decreased from 33% to 26% (ratio to control: 0.78, 90% CI, 0.67-0.91) in the rifampin phase compared with placebo. The HM3G-to-hydromorphone ratio increased by 50% (90% CI, 25-79) and 42% (90% CI, 29-55) after oral and intravenous hydromorphone, respectively. Rifampin did not significantly affect the pharmacodynamic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Rifampin significantly reduces the concentrations of oral and intravenous hydromorphone. This interaction is due to an increase in the first-pass and systemic metabolism of hydromorphone, likely involving induction of uridine 5'-diphospho- glucuronosyltransferase enzymes by rifampin. The enhancement of hydromorphone elimination should be considered when managing pain of patients who are treated with strong enzyme inducers.

Assessment of Clinical Drug-Drug Interactions of Elagolix, a Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor Antagonist.

Elagolix is an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist indicated for the management of endometriosis-associated pain and in combination with estradiol/norethindrone acetate indicated for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) in premenopausal women. Elagolix coadministered with estradiol/norethindrone acetate is in late-stage development for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids. Based on the in vitro profile of elagolix metabolism and disposition, 9 drug-drug interaction (DDI) studies evaluating the victim and perpetrator characteristics of elagolix were conducted in 144 healthy volunteers. As a victim of cytochrome P450 (CYPs) and transporter-mediated DDIs, elagolix area under the curve (AUC) increased by ∼2-fold following coadministration with ketoconazole and by ∼5- and ∼2-fold with single and multiple doses of rifampin, respectively. As a perpetrator, elagolix decreased midazolam AUC (90% confidence interval) by 54% (50%-59%) and increased digoxin AUC by 32% (23%-41%). Elagolix decreased rosuvastatin AUC by 40% (29%-50%). No clinically significant changes in exposure on coadministration with sertraline or fluconazole occurred. A elagolix 150-mg once-daily regimen should be limited to 6 months with strong CYP3A inhibitors and rifampin because of the potential increase in bone mineral density loss, as described in the drug label. A 200-mg twice-daily regimen is recommended for no more than 1 month with strong CYP3A inhibitors and not recommended with rifampin. Elagolix is contraindicated with strong organic anion transporter polypeptide B1 inhibitors (eg, cyclosporine and gemfibrozil). Consider increasing the doses of midazolam and rosuvastatin when coadministered with elagolix, and individualize therapy based on patient response. Clinical monitoring is recommended for P-glycoprotein substrates with a narrow therapeutic window (eg, digoxin). Dose adjustments are not required for sertraline, fluconazole, bupropion (or any CYP2B6 substrate), or elagolix when coadministered.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation to predict drug-drug interactions of ivosidenib with CYP3A perpetrators in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

PURPOSE: Develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of ivosidenib using in vitro and clinical PK data from healthy participants (HPs), refine it with clinical data on ivosidenib co-administered with itraconazole, and develop a model for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and apply it to predict ivosidenib drug-drug interactions (DDI). METHODS: An HP PBPK model was developed in Simcyp Population-Based Simulator (version 15.1), with the CYP3A4 component refined based on a clinical DDI study. A separate model accounting for the reduced apparent oral clearance in patients with AML was used to assess the DDI potential of ivosidenib as the victim of CYP3A perpetrators. RESULTS: For a single 250 mg ivosidenib dose, the HP model predicted geometric mean ratios of 2.14 (plasma area under concentration-time curve, to infinity [AUC0-∞]) and 1.04 (maximum plasma concentration [Cmax]) with the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, itraconazole, within 1.26-fold of the observed values (2.69 and 1.0, respectively). The AML model reasonably predicted the observed ivosidenib concentration-time profiles across all dose levels in patients. Predicted ivosidenib geometric mean steady-state AUC0-∞ and Cmax ratios were 3.23 and 2.26 with ketoconazole, and 1.90 and 1.52 with fluconazole, respectively. Co-administration of the strong CYP3A4 inducer, rifampin, predicted a greater DDI effect on a single dose of ivosidenib than on multiple doses (AUC ratios 0.35 and 0.67, Cmax ratios 0.91 and 0.81, respectively). CONCLUSION: Potentially clinically relevant DDI effects with CYP3A4 inducers and moderate and strong inhibitors co-administered with ivosidenib were predicted. Considering the challenges of conducting clinical DDI studies in patients, this PBPK approach is valuable in ivosidenib DDI risk assessment and management.

Drug interactions with Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors: clinical implications and management.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) plays an essential role in B-cell development, differentiation and B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling. The use of Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) in the treatment of lymphoid malignancies has dramatically increased, owing to both impressive efficacy and ease of administration. However, BTKi have a range of drug-drug and drug-food interactions, which may alter drug efficacy and/or increase toxicity. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the probability of drug interactions with BTKi and make recommendations accordingly. In this article, we discuss the relevant drug-drug and drug-food interactions associated with ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, and zanubrutinib, and provide clinical practice recommendations for managing these interactions based on the available literature.

Composite midazolam and 1'-OH midazolam population pharmacokinetic model for constitutive, inhibited and induced CYP3A activity.

CYP3A plays an important role in drug metabolism and, thus, can be a considerable liability for drug-drug interactions. Population pharmacokinetics may be an efficient tool for detecting such drug-drug interactions. Multiple models have been developed for midazolam, the typical probe substrate for CYP3A activity, but no population pharmacokinetic models have been developed for use with inhibition or induction. The objective of the current analysis was to develop a composite parent-metabolite model for midazolam which could adequately describe CYP3A drug-drug interactions. As an exploratory objective, parameters were assessed for potential cut-points which may allow for determination of drug-drug interactions when a baseline profile is not available. The final interaction model adequately described midazolam and 1'-OH midazolam concentrations for constitutive, inhibited, and induced CYP3A activity. The model showed good internal and external validity, both with full profiles and limited sampling (2, 2.5, 3, and 4 h), and the model predicted parameters were congruent with values found in clinical studies. Assessment of potential cut-points for model predicted parameters to assess drug-drug interaction liability with a single profile suggested that midazolam clearance may reasonably be used to detect inhibition (4.82-16.4 L/h), induction (41.8-88.9 L/h), and no modulation (16.4-41.8 L/h), with sensitivities for potent inhibition and induction of 87.9% and 83.3%, respectively, and a specificity of 98.2% for no modulation. Thus, the current model and cut-points could provide efficient and accurate tools for drug-drug liability detection, both during drug development and in the clinic, following prospective validation in healthy volunteers and patient populations.

Drug-Drug Interaction Risk Assessment of Esaxerenone as a Perpetrator by In Vitro Studies and Static and Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Models.

Esaxerenone (CS-3150) is a novel, oral, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor blocker approved for the treatment of hypertension in Japan. Here, the drug-drug interaction (DDI) potential of esaxerenone was evaluated in vitro, and its impact in clinical practice was estimated. Esaxerenone exhibited time-dependent inhibition and induction of CYP3A. When the clinical impacts of esaxerenone on the inhibition and induction of CYP3A were estimated separately by using a mechanistic static model, the predicted area under the curve ratios (AUCRs) of midazolam, a typical CYP3A substrate, were 1.80 and 0.31, respectively, suggesting that the DDI potential of esaxerenone cannot be neglected. Because it was suggested that DDIs mainly occur in the intestine, predictions using concentration-time profiles in each segment of the gastrointestinal tract were performed with GastroPlus, a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling software. The predicted AUCR of midazolam was approximately 1.2, which is close to that in a clinical study, despite the difficulty of predicting DDIs for compounds with both inhibition and induction effects. When only inhibition or induction was incorporated into a model, the AUCR of midazolam changed depending on the dosing period and dose level of esaxerenone and the timing of midazolam administration. However, the AUCR calculated by incorporating both effects remained almost constant. This study shows the ability of PBPK models to simulate weak DDIs via intestinal CYP3A and that esaxerenone has low DDI potential as a perpetrator because of the offset of inhibition and induction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Weak CYP3A inhibition and/or induction sometimes cause DDIs in the intestine but not the liver. Because strong inhibitors maximally inhibit intestinal CYP3A, the predictability of weak DDIs in the intestine should be evaluated further. Here, we simulate the DDIs of esaxerenone as a perpetrator by using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling focusing on the intestine and offset of inhibition and induction.

An Open-Label Study to Assess the Effect of Itraconazole and Rifampin on Parsaclisib Pharmacokinetics When Administered Orally in Healthy Participants.

Parsaclisib, a selective, potent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase delta inhibitor being developed for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, is primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. This study assessed the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of parsaclisib alone or combined with itraconazole (potent CYP3A inhibitor) or rifampin (potent CYP3A4 inducer) in healthy participants. In this open-label, fixed-sequence study, cohort 1 received oral parsaclisib 10 mg once daily on days 1 and 8 and oral itraconazole 200 mg once daily on days 4-11; cohort 2 received oral parsaclisib 20 mg once daily on days 1 and 11 and oral rifampin 600 mg once daily on days 4-12. Parsaclisib plasma concentration was tested and PK parameters calculated by noncompartmental analysis. Geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and 2-sided 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by 2-factor analysis of variance. Thirty-six healthy participants were enrolled (18 per cohort). Parsaclisib maximum plasma drug concentration (Cmax ) and area under the concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinity (AUC0-∞ ) were increased by 21% and 107% with concomitant itraconazole versus parsaclisib alone (GMR, 1.21; 90%CI, 1.14-1.29; and 2.07; 90%CI, 1.97-2.17, respectively). Parsaclisib Cmax and AUC were reduced by 43% and 77%, respectively, with concomitant rifampin versus parsaclisib alone (GMR, 0.57; 90%CI, 0.53-0.60; and 0.23; 90%CI, 0.21-0.24, respectively). Headache was the most common adverse event, reported by 13.9% of participants (all in cohort 2). Single-dose parsaclisib alone or combined with itraconazole or rifampin appeared safe and well tolerated in healthy participants. Parsaclisib dose adjustment may be necessary with concomitant administration of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers.

Ribociclib Drug-Drug Interactions: Clinical Evaluations and Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Guide Drug Labeling.

Ribociclib is approved in combination with endocrine therapy as initial endocrine-based therapy for HR-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. Ribociclib is primarily metabolized by CYP3A4 and, in vitro, is an inhibitor of CYP3A and CYP1A2. Ritonavir (a strong CYP3A inhibitor) increased ribociclib 400 mg single-dose area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) by 3.2-fold, whereas rifampin (a strong CYP3A inducer) decreased ribociclib AUC by 89% in healthy volunteers (HVs). Multiple 400 mg ribociclib doses increased midazolam (CYP3A substrate) AUC by 3.8-fold and caffeine (CYP1A2 substrate) AUC by 1.2-fold vs. each agent alone. A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed integrating in vitro, preclinical, and clinical data of HVs and patients with cancer. Data predictions indicated that multiple 600 mg ribociclib doses increased midazolam AUC by 5.85-fold and ritonavir increased ribociclib 600 mg multiple dose AUC by 1.31-fold in cancer patients. Based on pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy data, and PBPK modeling, dosing modifications for ribociclib recommend avoiding concurrent use of strong CYP3A inhibitors/inducers, and caution regarding using CYP3A substrates with narrow therapeutic indices.

The Effects of Weak and Strong CYP3A Induction by Rifampicin on the Pharmacokinetics of Five Progestins and Ethinylestradiol Compared to Midazolam.

It is known that co-administration of CYP3A inducers may decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives containing progestins as mono-preparations or combined with ethinylestradiol. In a randomized clinical drug-drug interaction study, we investigated the effects of CYP3A induction on the pharmacokinetics of commonly used progestins and ethinylestradiol. Rifampicin was used to induce CYP3A. The progestins chosen as victim drugs were levonorgestrel, norethindrone, desogestrel, and dienogest as mono-products, and drospirenone combined with ethinylestradiol. Postmenopausal women (n = 12-14 per treatment group) received, in fixed sequence, a single dose of the victim drug plus midazolam without rifampicin, with rifampicin 10 mg/day (weak induction), and with rifampicin 600 mg/day (strong induction). The effects on progestin exposure were compared with the effects on midazolam exposure (as a benchmark). Unbound concentrations were evaluated for drugs binding to sex hormone binding globulin. Weak CYP3A induction, as confirmed by a mean decrease in midazolam exposure by 46%, resulted in minor changes in progestin exposure (mean decreases: 15-37%). Strong CYP3A induction, in contrast, resulted in mean decreases by 57-90% (mean decrease in midazolam exposure: 86%). Namely, the magnitude of the observed induction effects varied from weak to strong. Our data might provide an impetus to revisit the currently applied clinical recommendations for oral contraceptives, especially for levonorgestrel and norethindrone-containing products, and they might give an indication as to which progestin could be used, if requested, by women taking weak CYP3A inducers-although it is acknowledged that the exact exposure-response relationship for contraceptive efficacy is currently unclear for most progestins.

The Effect of CYP3A Induction and Inhibition on the Pharmacokinetics of Laquinimod, a Novel Neuroimmunomodulator.

Laquinimod, a neuroimmunomodulator, is extensively metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, and modulations of CYP3A4 activity may lead to alterations in the pharmacokinetics and/or clinical effects of laquinimod. To determine the drug-drug interaction potential of laquinimod with CYP3A inhibitors and inducers, interaction assessments were conducted in healthy volunteers using single-dose administration of laquinimod before and after multiple dosing of CYP3A inhibitors (ketoconazole, fluconazole, and cimetidine) or a CYP3A4 inducer (rifampin). For ketoconazole, subjects (n = 14) received laquinimod 0.6 mg following 1 day of ketoconazole (400 mg daily) pretreatment, a single concomitant dose, and 28 additional days. For fluconazole, subjects (n = 14) received laquinimod 0.6 mg after a single fluconazole dose of 400 mg followed by 200-mg daily fluconazole administration for 20 additional days. For cimetidine, subjects (n = 14) received laquinimod 0.6 mg following 1 day of cimetidine (800 mg twice daily) pretreatment, a single concomitant dose, and 21 additional days. For rifampin, subjects (n = 14) received laquinimod 0.6 mg following 9 days of rifampin (600 mg daily) pretreatment, a single concomitant dose, and 12 additional days. Coadministration of laquinimod with CYP3A inhibitors, ketoconazole, fluconazole, and cimetidine increased laquinimod area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity by approximately 3.1-, 2.5-, and 1.1-fold, respectively. Coadministration of laquinimod with rifampin decreased laquinimod area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity by 5-fold. These results indicate that coadministration of laquinimod with moderate to strong inhibitors of CYP3A or strong inducers of CYP3A may give rise to significant pharmacokinetic drug interactions.

Predicting Clinical Effects of CYP3A4 Modulators on Abemaciclib and Active Metabolites Exposure Using Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling.

Abemaciclib, a selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6, is metabolized mainly by cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4. Clinical studies were performed to assess the impact of strong inhibitor (clarithromycin) and inducer (rifampin) on the exposure of abemaciclib and active metabolites. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model incorporating the metabolites was developed to predict the effect of other strong and moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors and inducers. Clarithromycin increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of abemaciclib and potency-adjusted unbound active species 3.4-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively. Rifampin decreased corresponding exposures 95% and 77%, respectively. These changes influenced the fraction metabolized via CYP3A4 in the model. An absolute bioavailability study informed the hepatic and gastric availability. In vitro data and a human radiolabel study determined the fraction and rate of formation of the active metabolites as well as absorption-related parameters. The predicted AUC ratios of potency-adjusted unbound active species with rifampin and clarithromycin were within 0.7- and 1.25-fold of those observed. The PBPK model predicted 3.78- and 7.15-fold increases in the AUC of the potency-adjusted unbound active species with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors itraconazole and ketoconazole, respectively; and 1.62- and 2.37-fold increases with the concomitant use of moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors verapamil and diltiazem, respectively. The model predicted modafinil, bosentan, and efavirenz would decrease the AUC of the potency-adjusted unbound active species by 29%, 42%, and 52%, respectively. The current PBPK model, which considers changes in unbound potency-adjusted active species, can be used to inform dosing recommendations when abemaciclib is coadministered with CYP3A4 perpetrators.

Semimechanistic Modeling to Guide Venetoclax Coadministration with Ritonavir and Digoxin.

Venetoclax is a cytochrome P450, family 3, subfamily A (CYP3A) substrate and was shown to inhibit P-gp efflux transporters in vitro. To quantify the impact of CYP3A inhibition by ritonavir on venetoclax disposition and P-gp inhibition by venetoclax on digoxin pharmacokinetics, two semimechanistic drug-drug interaction (DDI) models of venetoclax were developed using clinical data from healthy volunteers who received subtherapeutic doses of venetoclax with ritonavir 50-100 mg or digoxin 0.5 mg. These models were then used to assess the magnitude of interaction at therapeutic venetoclax doses and to explore various clinical dosing strategies that maintain venetoclax and digoxin concentrations within their respective therapeutic windows. Simulations demonstrated that venetoclax dose reductions of at least 75% are needed when venetoclax is coadministered with ritonavir and administering digoxin at least 2 hours before venetoclax would minimize DDI. Semimechanistic modeling leveraging clinical data is a plausible approach to predict DDI and propose dose adjustments, and administration time of interacting drugs.

Perspectives from the Innovation and Quality Consortium Induction Working Group on Factors Impacting Clinical Drug-Drug Interactions Resulting from Induction: Focus on Cytochrome 3A Substrates.

A recent publication from the Innovation and Quality Consortium Induction Working Group collated a large clinical data set with the goal of evaluating the accuracy of drug-drug interaction (DDI) prediction from in vitro data. Somewhat surprisingly, comparison across studies of the mean- or median-reported area under the curve ratio showed appreciable variability in the magnitude of outcome. This commentary explores the possible drivers of this range of outcomes observed in clinical induction studies. While recommendations on clinical study design are not being proposed, some key observations were informative during the aggregate analysis of clinical data. Although DDI data are often presented using median data, individual data would enable evaluation of how differences in study design, baseline expression, and the number of subjects contribute. Since variability in perpetrator pharmacokinetics (PK) could impact the overall DDI interpretation, should this be routinely captured? Maximal induction was typically observed after 5-7 days of dosing. Thus, when the half-life of the inducer is less than 30 hours, are there benefits to a more standardized study design? A large proportion of CYP3A4 inducers were also CYP3A4 inhibitors and/or inactivators based on in vitro data. In these cases, using CYP3A selective substrates has limitations. More intensive monitoring of changes in area under the curve over time is warranted. With selective CYP3A substrates, the net effect was often inhibition, whereas less selective substrates could discern induction through mechanisms not susceptible to inhibition. The latter included oral contraceptives, which raise concerns of reduced efficacy following induction. Alternative approaches for modeling induction, such as applying biomarkers and physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling (PBPK), are also considered. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The goal of this commentary is to stimulate discussion on whether there are opportunities to optimize clinical drug-drug interaction study design. The overall aim is to reduce, understand and contextualize the variability observed in the magnitude of induction across reported clinical studies. A large clinical CYP3A induction dataset was collected and further analyzed to identify trends and gaps. Reporting individual victim PK data, characterizing perpetrator PK and including additional PK assessments for mixed-mechanism perpetrators may provide insights into how these factors impact differences observed in clinical outcomes. The potential utility of biomarkers and PBPK modeling are discussed in considering future directions.

Simultaneously predict pharmacokinetic interaction of rifampicin with oral versus intravenous substrates of cytochrome P450 3A/P­glycoprotein to healthy human using a semi-physiologically based pharmacokinetic model involving both enzyme and transporter turnover.

Several reports demonstrated that rifampicin affected pharmacokinetics of victim drugs following oral more than intravenous administration. We aimed to establish a semi-physiologically based pharmacokinetic (semi-PBPK) model involving both enzyme and transporter turnover to simultaneously predict pharmacokinetic interaction of rifampicin with oral versus intravenous substrates of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/P­glycoprotein (P-GP) in human. Rifampicin was chosen as the CYP3A /P-GP inducer. Thirteen victim drugs including P-GP substrates (digoxin and talinolol), CYP3A substrates (alfentanil, midazolam, nifedipine, ondansetron and oxycodone), dual substrates of CYP3A/P-GP (quinidine, cyclosporine A, tacrolimus and verapamil) and complex substrates (S-ketamine and tramadol) were chosen to investigate drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with rifampicin. Corresponding parameters were cited from literatures. Before and after multi-dose of oral rifampicin, the pharmacokinetic profiles of victim drugs for oral or intravenous administration to human were predicted using the semi-PBPK model and compared with the observed values. Contribution of both CYP3A and P-GP induction in intestine and liver by rifampicin to pharmacokinetic profiles of victim drugs was investigated. The predicted pharmacokinetic profiles of drugs before and after rifampicin administration accorded with the observations. The predicted pharmacokinetic parameters and DDIs were successful, whose fold-errors were within 2. It was consistent with observations that the DDIs of rifampicin with oral victim drugs were larger than those with intravenous victim drugs. DDIs of rifampicin with CYP3A or P-GP substrates following oral versus intravenous administration to human were successfully predicted using the developed semi-PBPK model.

Clinical implications of an analysis of pharmacokinetics of crizotinib coadministered with dexamethasone in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Dexamethasone is a systemic corticosteroid and a known cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A inducer. Crizotinib is a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor of ALK, ROS1, and MET and a substrate of CYP3A. This post hoc analysis characterized the use of concomitant CYP3A inducers with crizotinib and estimated the effect of dexamethasone use on crizotinib pharmacokinetics at steady state. METHODS: This analysis used data from four clinical studies (PROFILE 1001, 1005, 1007, and 1014) including 1690 patients with non-small cell lung cancer with ALK or ROS1 rearrangements treated with crizotinib at 250 mg twice daily. Frequency and reasons for use of concomitant CYP3A inducers, including dexamethasone, with crizotinib were characterized. Multiple steady-state trough concentrations (Ctrough,ss) of crizotinib were measured for each patient. A linear mixed-effects model was used for within-patient comparison of crizotinib Ctrough,ss between dosing of crizotinib alone and crizotinib coadministered with dexamethasone consecutively for ≥ 21 days. RESULTS: Dexamethasone was the most commonly used CYP3A inducer (30.4%). A total of 15 patients had crizotinib Ctrough,ss for both crizotinib dosing with and without dexamethasone. The adjusted geometric mean ratio of crizotinib Ctrough,ss following coadministration with dexamethasone relative to crizotinib without dexamethasone, as a percentage, was 98.2% (90% confidence interval, 79.1-122.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Crizotinib plasma exposure following coadministration with dexamethasone was similar to that when crizotinib was administered without dexamethasone, indicating dexamethasone has no effect on crizotinib exposure or efficacy. Other CYP3A inducers with similar potency would likewise have no clinically relevant effect on crizotinib exposure.