AXT914 a novel, orally-active parathyroid hormone-releasing drug in two early studies of healthy volunteers and postmenopausal women.

Antagonism of the calcium-sensing receptor in the parathyroid gland leads to parathyroid hormone (PTH) release. Calcilytics are a new class of molecules designed to exploit this mechanism. In order to mimic the known bone-anabolic pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of s.c. administered PTH, such molecules must trigger sharp, transient and robust release of PTH. The results of two early clinical studies with the orally-active calcilytic AXT914, a quinazolin-2ne derivative are reported. These were GCP-compliant, single and multiple dose studies of PK/PD and tolerability in healthy volunteers and postmenopausal women. The first study, examined single ascending doses (4 to 120 mg) and limited multiple doses (60 or 120 mgq.d. for 12 days) of AXT914. The second study was a randomized, double-blind, active- and placebo-controlled, 4-week repeat-dose parallel group study of healthy postmenopausal women (45 and 60 mg AXT914, placebo, 20 µg Forteo/teriparatide/PTH(1-34) fragment). AXT914 was well tolerated at all doses and reproducibly induced the desired PTH-release profiles. Yet, 4 weeks of 45 or 60 mg AXT914 did not result in the expected changes in circulating bone biomarkers seen with teriparatide. However total serum calcium levels increased above baseline in the 45 and 60 mg AXT914 treatment groups (8.0% and 10.7%, respectively), compared to that in the teriparatide and placebo groups (1.3% and 1.0%, respectively). Thus the trial was terminated after a planned interim analysis due to lack of effect on bone formation biomarkers and dose-limiting effects on serum calcium. In conclusion, AXT914 was well tolerated but the observed transient and reproducible PTH-release after repeat oral administration of AXT914 which showed an exposure profile close to that of s c. PTH, did not translate into a bone anabolic response and was associated with a persistent dose-related increase in serum calcium concentrations.

The single dose pharmacokinetic profile of a novel oral human parathyroid hormone formulation in healthy postmenopausal women.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH), currently the only marketed anabolic treatment for osteoporosis, is available as the full-length hormone, human PTH1-84, or as the human PTH1-34 fragment (teriparatide). Both must be administered as a daily subcutaneous (sc) injection. A new oral formulation of human PTH1-34 (PTH134) is being developed as a more convenient option for patients. In this single-center, partially-blinded, incomplete cross-over study, the safety, tolerability, and exposure of oral PTH134 (teriparatide combined with 2 different quantities of the absorption enhancer 5-CNAC) were assessed in 32 healthy postmenopausal women. 16 subjects were randomized to receive 4 single doses out of 6 different treatments: placebo, teriparatide 20 µg sc, or 1, 2.5, 5 or 10 mg of oral PTH134 formulated with 200 mg 5-CNAC. Subsequently, another 16 subjects were randomized to receive 4 out of 6 different treatments: placebo, teriparatide 20 µg sc, or 2.5 or 5 mg of oral PTH134 formulated with either 100 or 200 mg 5-CNAC. Doses were given ≥6 days apart. All doses of PTH134 were rapidly absorbed, and showed robust blood concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, PTH1-34 disappeared from blood faster after oral than after sc administration. Specifically, 2.5 and 5 mg PTH134 (containing 200 mg 5-CNAC) demonstrated Cmax and AUC0-last values closest to those of sc teriparatide 20 µg (Forsteo®). Mean+/-SD hPTH134 Cmax values were, respectively, 74+/-59, 138+/-101, 717+/-496, and 1624+/-1579 pg/mL for 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg doses of this peptide administered with 200 mg 5-CNAC; while mean+/-SD AUC (0-last) values were, respectively, 30+/-40, 62+/-69, 320+/-269, and 627+/-633 h*pg/mL. The corresponding estimates for teriparatide 20 µg sc were 149+/-35 for Cmax and 236+/-58 for AUC (0-last) Ionized calcium remained within normal limits in all treatment groups except for 3 isolated events. Nine subjects withdrew due to treatment-related AEs. Of those, seven were taking PTH134 2.5 or 5 mg: three withdrew for symptomatic hypotension (two of whom were in the 200 mg 5-CNAC group), three because of delayed vomiting (two from the 200 mg 5-CNAC group), one was proactively withdrawn by the investigator for symptomatic hypercalcemia (receiving 2.5 mg/100 mg 5-CNAC) at slightly supra-normal total calcium but normal ionized serum calcium levels. One subject receiving teriparatide and one receiving placebo withdrew for symptomatic hypotension. No serious AEs were reported. In conclusion, the study demonstrated potential therapeutically relevant PTH1-34 systemic exposure levels after oral administration of PTH1-34 formulated with the absorption enhancer 5-CNAC. Doses of 2.5 and 5 mg of oral PTH134 achieved exposure levels closest to those of teriparatide 20 µg sc, with a comparable incidence of AEs in healthy postmenopausal women.

Construction and analyses of mutant ftsH alleles of Bacillus subtilis involving the ATPase- and Zn-binding domains.

The ftsH gene, present in all eubacterial species, is anchored in the cytoplasmic membrane and contains an ATP- and a Zn-binding domain that are both part of a metalloprotease activity. The Bacillus subtilis ftsH is not essential, but null mutants exhibit a pleiotropic phenotype including filamentous growth; hypersensitivity towards heat and salt stress and a failure to sporulate. To find out whether one or the other functional domain is involved in these different phenotypes, point mutations were introduced into the coding region for both domains leading to a replacement of conserved amino acid residues. The mutant alleles were fused to a xylose-inducible promoter and integrated ectopically into two different strains, one expressing the wild-type ftsH allele and the other carrying a ftsH knockout. While none of the strains exhibited a growth defect in rich medium at 37 degrees C, those strains expressing only the mutant alleles did not resume growth after heat or salt stress challenge. Furthermore, none of the mutant alleles promoted sporulation. While only those purified mutant FtsH proteins with an intact Walker A box exhibited ATPase activity, all of them failed to degrade beta-casein.