Association between Nephrotoxic Drug Combinations and Acute Kidney Injury in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in infants exposed to nephrotoxic drug combinations admitted to 268 neonatal intensive care units managed by the Pediatrix Medical Group. STUDY DESIGN: We included infants born at 22-36 weeks gestational age, ≤120 days postnatal age, exposed to nephrotoxic drug combinations, with serum creatinine measurements available, and discharged between 2007 and 2016. To identify risk factors associated with a serum creatinine definition of AKI based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria, we performed multivariable logistic and Cox regression adjusting for gestational age, sex, birth weight, postnatal age, race/ethnicity, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, baseline serum creatinine, and duration of combination drug exposure. The adjusted odds of AKI were determined relative to gentamicin + indomethacin for the following nephrotoxic drug combinations: chlorothiazide + ibuprofen; chlorothiazide + indomethacin; furosemide + gentamicin; furosemide + ibuprofen; furosemide + tobramycin; ibuprofen + spironolactone; and vancomycin + piperacillin-tazobactam. RESULTS: Among 8286 included infants, 1384 (17%) experienced AKI. On multivariable analysis, sepsis, lower baseline creatinine, and duration of combination therapy were associated with increased odds of AKI. Furosemide + tobramycin and vancomycin + piperacillin-tazobactam were associated with a decreased risk of AKI relative to gentamicin + indomethacin in both the multivariable and Cox regression models. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, infants receiving longer durations of nephrotoxic combination therapy had an increased odds of developing AKI.

Leveraging Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Experimental Data to Guide Dosing Modification of CYP3A-Mediated Drug-Drug Interactions in the Pediatric Population.

Solithromycin is a novel fluoroketolide antibiotic that is both a substrate and time-dependent inhibitor of CYP3A. Solithromycin has demonstrated efficacy in adults with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and has also been investigated in pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to develop a framework for leveraging physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to predict CYP3A-mediated drug-drug interaction (DDI) potential in the pediatric population using solithromycin as a case study. To account for age, we performed in vitro metabolism and time-dependent inhibition studies for solithromycin for CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7. The PBPK model included CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 metabolism and time-dependent inhibition, glomerular filtration, P-glycoprotein transport, and enterohepatic recirculation. The average fold error of simulated and observed plasma concentrations of solithromycin in both adults (1966 plasma samples) and pediatric patients from 4 days to 17.9 years (684 plasma samples) were within 0.5- to 2.0-fold. The geometric mean ratios for the simulated area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) extrapolated to infinity were within 0.75- to 1.25-fold of observed values in healthy adults receiving solithromycin with midazolam or ketoconazole. DDI potential was simulated in pediatric patients (1 month to 17 years of age) and adults. Solithromycin increased the simulated midazolam AUC 4- to 6-fold, and ketoconazole increased the simulated solithromycin AUC 1- to 2-fold in virtual subjects ranging from 1 month to 65 years of age. This study presents a systematic approach for incorporating CYP3A in vitro data into adult and pediatric PBPK models to predict pediatric CYP3A-mediated DDI potential. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Using solithromycin, this study presents a framework for investigating and incorporating CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7 in vitro data into adult and pediatric physiologically based pharmacokinetic models to predict CYP3A-mediated DDI potential in adult and pediatric subjects during drug development. In this study, minor age-related differences in inhibitor concentration resulted in differences in the magnitude of the DDI. Therefore, age-related differences in DDI potential for substrates metabolized primarily by CYP3A4 can be minimized by closely matching adult and pediatric inhibitor concentrations.

Validation of ITD mutations in FLT3 as a therapeutic target in human acute myeloid leukaemia.

Effective targeted cancer therapeutic development depends upon distinguishing disease-associated 'driver' mutations, which have causative roles in malignancy pathogenesis, from 'passenger' mutations, which are dispensable for cancer initiation and maintenance. Translational studies of clinically active targeted therapeutics can definitively discriminate driver from passenger lesions and provide valuable insights into human cancer biology. Activating internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations in FLT3 (FLT3-ITD) are detected in approximately 20% of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients and are associated with a poor prognosis. Abundant scientific and clinical evidence, including the lack of convincing clinical activity of early FLT3 inhibitors, suggests that FLT3-ITD probably represents a passenger lesion. Here we report point mutations at three residues within the kinase domain of FLT3-ITD that confer substantial in vitro resistance to AC220 (quizartinib), an active investigational inhibitor of FLT3, KIT, PDGFRA, PDGFRB and RET; evolution of AC220-resistant substitutions at two of these amino acid positions was observed in eight of eight FLT3-ITD-positive AML patients with acquired resistance to AC220. Our findings demonstrate that FLT3-ITD can represent a driver lesion and valid therapeutic target in human AML. AC220-resistant FLT3 kinase domain mutants represent high-value targets for future FLT3 inhibitor development efforts.

Clinical Pharmacology Studies in Critically Ill Children.

Developmental and physiological changes in children contribute to variation in drug disposition with age. Additionally, critically ill children suffer from various life-threatening conditions that can lead to pathophysiological alterations that further affect pharmacokinetics (PK). Some factors that can alter PK in this patient population include variability in tissue distribution caused by protein binding changes and fluid shifts, altered drug elimination due to organ dysfunction, and use of medical interventions that can affect drug disposition (e.g., extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and continuous renal replacement therapy). Performing clinical studies in critically ill children is challenging because there is large inter-subject variability in the severity and time course of organ dysfunction; some critical illnesses are rare, which can affect subject enrollment; and critically ill children usually have multiple organ failure, necessitating careful selection of a study design. As a result, drug dosing in critically ill children is often based on extrapolations from adults or non-critically ill children. Dedicated clinical studies in critically ill children are urgently needed to identify optimal dosing of drugs in this vulnerable population. This review will summarize the effect of critical illness on pediatric PK, the challenges associated with performing studies in this vulnerable subpopulation, and the clinical PK studies performed to date for commonly used drugs.

Activity of ponatinib against clinically-relevant AC220-resistant kinase domain mutants of FLT3-ITD.

Secondary point mutations in the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) tyrosine kinase domain (KD) are common causes of acquired clinical resistance to the FLT3 inhibitors AC220 (quizartinib) and sorafenib. Ponatinib (AP24534) is a multikinase inhibitor with in vitro and clinical activity in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia, irrespective of BCR-ABL KD mutation. Ponatinib has demonstrated early clinical efficacy in chemotherapy-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations in FLT3. We assessed the in vitro activity of ponatinib against clinically relevant FLT3-ITD mutant isoforms that confer resistance to AC220 or sorafenib. Substitution of the FLT3 "gatekeeper" phenylalanine with leucine (F691L) conferred mild resistance to ponatinib, but substitutions at the FLT3 activation loop (AL) residue D835 conferred a high degree of resistance. Saturation mutagenesis of FLT3-ITD exclusively identified FLT3 AL mutations at positions D835, D839, and Y842. The switch control inhibitor DCC-2036 was similarly inactive against FLT3 AL mutations. On the basis of its in vitro activity against FLT3 TKI-resistant F691 substitutions, further clinical evaluation of ponatinib in TKI-naïve and select TKI-resistant FLT3-ITD+ AML patients is warranted. Alternative strategies will be required for patients with TKI-resistant FLT3-ITD D835 mutations.

Leveraging physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to optimize dosing for lopinavir/ritonavir with rifampin in pediatric patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Treatment of HIV and tuberculosis co-infection leads to significant mortality in pediatric patients, and treatment can be challenging due to the clinically significant drug-drug interaction (DDI) between lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/RTV) and rifampin. Doubling LPV/RTV results in insufficient lopinavir trough concentrations in pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to leverage physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to optimize the adjusted doses of LPV/RTV in children receiving the WHO-revised doses of rifampin (15 mg/kg daily). DESIGN: Adult and pediatric PBPK models for LPV/RTV with rifampin were developed, including CYP3A and P-glycoprotein inhibition and induction. SETTING (OR DATA SOURCE): Data for LPV/RTV model development and evaluation were available from the pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group. PATIENTS: Dosing simulations were next performed to optimize dosing in children (2 months to 8 years of age). INTERVENTION: Exposure following super-boosted LPV/RTV with 10 and 15 mg/kg PO daily rifampin was simulated. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Simulated parameters were within twofold observations for LPV, RTV, and rifampin in adults and children ≥2 weeks old. The model predicted that, in healthy adults receiving 400/100 mg oral LPV/RTV twice daily (BID), co-treatment with 600 mg oral rifampin daily decreased the steady-state area under the concentration vs. time curve of LPV by 79%, in line with the observed change of 75%. Simulated and observed concentration profiles were comparable for LPV/RTV (230/57.5 mg/m2 ) PO BID without rifampin and 230/230 mg/m2 LPV/RTV PO BID with 10 mg/kg PO daily rifampin in pediatric patients. Sixteen mg/kg of super-boosted LPV (LPV/RTV 1:1) PO BID with 15 mg/kg PO daily rifampin achieved simulated LPV troughs >1 mg/L in ≥93% of virtual children weighing 3.0-24.9 kg, which was comparable with 10 mg/kg PO daily rifampin. CONCLUSIONS: Super-boosted LPV/RTV with 15 mg/kg rifampin achieves therapeutic LPV troughs in HIV/TB-infected simulated children.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling of immunoglobulin and antibody coadministration in patients with primary human immunodeficiency.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (2000 mg/kg) increased the clearance of the mouse monoclonal antibody 7E3, directed against platelet integrin IIb/IIIa (alpha IIb beta 3, CD41/CD61) in rodents. We wanted to investigate the effect of IVIG on clearance of monoclonal antibodies in humans as there is extremely limited data regarding this interaction in the literature. Using the tyrosine protein kinase KIT anti-cluster of differentiation 117 (c-Kit) humanized monoclonal antibody (JSP191) as a case study, we used physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to evaluate the pharmacokinetic interaction between monoclonal antibodies and IVIG at doses (300-600 mg/kg) administered to patients with primary human immunodeficiency (PI). We first characterized the interaction between monoclonal antibodies and IVIG in PK-Sim®/MoBi® using published literature data, including the following: IVIG plus 7E3 in mice and rats and IVIG plus the human anti-C5 monoclonal antibody tesidolumab in adults with end-stage renal disease. We next developed a PBPK model using digitized data for JSPI91 alone in older adults with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia and in pediatric patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Finally, we simulated the impact of IVIG (300-2000 mg/kg) coadministration with JSP191 on the area under the curve of JSP191 in patients with SCID. Model predictions were within 1.5-fold of observed values for 7E3 plus IVIG and tesidolumab plus IVIG as well as for JSP191 administered alone. Based on our simulations, IVIG doses ≥500 mg exceeded the 80%-125% no-effect boundaries. IVIG treatment with monoclonal antibodies in patients with PI may result in a clinically significant interaction depending on the IVIG dose administered and the exposure-response relationship for the specific monoclonal antibody.

Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling Characterizes the CYP3A-Mediated Drug-Drug Interaction Between Fluconazole and Sildenafil in Infants.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling can potentially predict pediatric drug-drug interactions (DDIs) when clinical DDI data are limited. In infants for whom treatment of pulmonary hypertension and prevention or treatment of invasive candidiasis are indicated, sildenafil with fluconazole may be given concurrently. To account for developmental changes in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A, we determined and incorporated fluconazole inhibition constants (KI ) for CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP3A7 into a PBPK model developed for sildenafil and its active metabolite, N-desmethylsildenafil. Pharmacokinetic (PK) data in preterm infants receiving sildenafil with and without fluconazole were used for model development and evaluation. The simulated PK parameters were comparable to observed values. Following fluconazole co-administration, differences in the fold change for simulated steady-state area under the plasma concentration vs. time curve from 0 to 24 hours (AUCss,0-24 ) were observed between virtual adults and infants (2.11-fold vs. 2.82-fold change). When given in combination with treatment doses of fluconazole (12 mg/kg i.v. daily), reducing the sildenafil dose by ~ 60% resulted in a geometric mean ratio of 1.01 for simulated AUCss,0-24 relative to virtual infants receiving sildenafil alone. This study highlights the feasibility of PBPK modeling to predict DDIs in infants and the need to include CYP3A7 parameters.

Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Fluconazole Using Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples From Preterm and Term Infants.

Fluconazole is used to treat hematogenous Candida meningoencephalitis in preterm and term infants. To characterize plasma and central nervous system exposure, an adult fluconazole physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was scaled to infants, accounting for age dependencies in glomerular filtration and metabolism. The model was optimized using 760 plasma samples from 166 infants (median postmenstrual age (range) 28 weeks (24-50)) and 27 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 22 infants (postmenstrual age 28 weeks (24-33)). Simulations evaluated achievement of the surrogate efficacy target of area under the unbound concentration-time curve ≥ 400 mg • hour/L over the dosing interval in plasma and CSF using dosing guidelines. Average fold error of predicted concentrations was 0.73 and 1.14 for plasma and CSF, respectively. Target attainment in plasma and CSF was reached faster after incorporating a loading dose of 25 mg/kg. PBPK modeling can be useful in exploring CNS kinetics of drugs in children.

Pharmacokinetics of Ceftaroline in a Preterm Infant With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Pneumonia.

We report here the first pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship for ceftaroline in a preterm infant born at <28 weeks' gestational age who was given ceftaroline (8.5 mg/kg every 8 hours) for pneumonia attributable to methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus. This dose of ceftaroline was adequate to achieve the pharmacodynamic endpoint associated with efficacy for methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus.

Use of Population Pharmacokinetics and Electronic Health Records to Assess Piperacillin-Tazobactam Safety in Infants.

BACKGROUND: Piperacillin, in combination with tazobactam, is frequently used in infants for treating nosocomial infections, although safety data in this population are limited. Electronic health record (EHR) data can be used to evaluate drug safety in infants, but measures of drug exposure are lacking. METHODS: To relate simulated piperacillin exposure with adverse events (AEs) in infants using EHR data, we identified infants discharged from 333 neonatal intensive care units managed by the Pediatrix Medical Group between 1997 and 2012. Using a previously published population pharmacokinetic model in the target population, we simulated piperacillin steady state area under the concentration versus time curve from zero to τ (AUCss,0-τ) and steady state maximal drug concentration (Cmaxss). Next, we used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between simulated AUCss,0-τ and Cmaxss with clinical AEs (seizure and rash) and laboratory AEs controlling for gestational age. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) comparing the third versus the first tertiles for AUCss,0-τ and Cmaxss were reported. RESULTS: We identified 746 infants with a median (interquartile range) gestational age of 30 weeks (26-33) and postnatal age of 11 days (6-25). The median (interquartile range) piperacillin dose was 225 mg/kg/d (176-300). No significant associations were found between simulated piperacillin exposure (AUCss,0-τ and Cmaxss) and clinical and laboratory AEs. CONCLUSIONS: We found no associations between predicted piperacillin exposures and the occurrence of AEs. This study confirms the feasibility of using population pharmacokinetics and EHR to relate drug exposure with safety.

Development of an Adult Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of Solithromycin in Plasma and Epithelial Lining Fluid.

Solithromycin is a fluoroketolide antibiotic under investigation for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). We developed a whole-body physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for solithromycin in adults using PK-Sim and MoBi version 6.2, which incorporated time-dependent CYP3A4 auto-inhibition. The model was developed and evaluated using plasma and epithelial lining fluid (ELF) concentration data from 100 healthy subjects and 22 patients with CABP (1,966 plasma, 30 ELF samples). We performed population simulations and calculated the number of observations falling outside the 90% prediction interval. For the oral regimen (800 mg on day 1 and 400 mg daily on days 2-5) that was evaluated in phase III studies, 11% and 23% of observations from healthy adults fell outside the 90% prediction interval for plasma and ELF, respectively. This regimen should be effective because ≥97% of simulated adults achieved area under the concentration vs. time curve (AUC) to minimum inhibitory concentration ratios associated with a log10 colony forming unit reduction in ELF.

Activation state-dependent binding of small molecule kinase inhibitors: structural insights from biochemistry.

Interactions between kinases and small molecule inhibitors can be activation state dependent. A detailed understanding of inhibitor binding therefore requires characterizing interactions across multiple activation states. We have systematically explored the effects of ABL1 activation loop phosphorylation and PDGFR family autoinhibitory juxtamembrane domain docking on inhibitor binding affinity. For a diverse compound set, the affinity patterns correctly classify inhibitors as having type I or type II binding modes, and we show that juxtamembrane domain docking can have dramatic negative effects on inhibitor affinity. The results have allowed us to associate ligand-induced conformational changes observed in cocrystal structures with specific energetic costs. The approach we describe enables investigation of the complex relationship between kinase activation state and compound binding affinity and should facilitate strategic inhibitor design.