Assessment of the Drug Interaction Potential of Ertugliflozin With Sitagliptin, Metformin, Glimepiride, or Simvastatin in Healthy Subjects.

Ertugliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, is expected to be coadministered with sitagliptin, metformin, glimepiride, and/or simvastatin. Four separate open-label, randomized, single-dose, crossover studies were conducted in healthy adults to assess the potential pharmacokinetic interactions between ertugliflozin 15 mg and sitagliptin 100 mg (n = 12), metformin 1000 mg (n = 18), glimepiride 1 mg (n = 18), or simvastatin 40 mg (n = 18). Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters derived from plasma concentration-time data were analyzed using mixed-effects models to assess interactions. Coadministration of sitagliptin, metformin, glimepiride, or simvastatin with ertugliflozin had no effect on area under the plasma concentration-time profile from time 0 to infinity (AUCinf ) or maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax ) of ertugliflozin (per standard bioequivalence boundaries, 80% to 125%). Similarly, ertugliflozin did not have any impact on AUCinf or Cmax of sitagliptin, metformin, or glimepiride. AUCinf for simvastatin (24%) and simvastatin acid (30%) increased slightly after coadministration with ertugliflozin and was not considered clinically relevant. All treatments were well tolerated. The lack of clinically meaningful pharmacokinetic interactions demonstrates that ertugliflozin can be coadministered safely with sitagliptin, metformin, glimepiride, or simvastatin without any need for dose adjustment.

Pharmacokinetics of Single-dose Ertugliflozin in Patients With Hepatic Impairment.

PURPOSE: Ertugliflozin, an oral, highly selective inhibitor of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2, is approved in the United States and the European Union for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hepatic impairment may affect, to varying degrees, the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of drugs and may be associated with a lower plasma protein binding compared with that in healthy individuals. This study was conducted to assess the effect of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetic (PK), safety, and tolerability profiles of ertugliflozin after administration of a single, 15-mg oral dose. METHODS: This was a Phase I, open-label, single-dose study in healthy individuals (n = 8) and those with moderate hepatic impairment (n = 8). Eligible participants were men or women aged 18 to 75years with a body mass index of 18.0 to 40.5 kg/m2. Healthy individuals had normal hepatic function; patients with hepatic impairment had a Child-Pugh score of 7 to 9 points (moderate hepatic impairment). Blood samples were collected before dosing and during 96hours after dosing for evaluation of PK parameters. Adverse events were monitored throughout the study. FINDINGS: The adjusted least squares geometric meanratios for total ertugliflozin AUC0-∞ and Cmax inpatients with moderate hepatic impairment comparedwith healthy individuals were 87.4% (90% CI, 68.1%-112.2%) and 78.7% (90% CI, 65.7%-94.2%), respectively. The AUC0-∞ and Cmax for unbound ertugliflozin were also similar between patients with moderate hepatic impairment and healthy individuals. Mean half-life estimates for ertugliflozin were similar (14.6vs 13.8 hours) in patients with moderate hepatic impairment and healthy individuals. The number of participants with all-causality treatment-emergent adverse events was similar for both groups (2 of 8 patients with moderate hepatic impairment and 3 of 8 healthy individuals). IMPLICATIONS: Moderate hepatic impairment had no clinically relevant effect on the PK and safety profiles of ertugliflozin. The results of this study support a recommendation for no dose adjustment of ertugliflozin in patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment. Ertugliflozin was well tolerated when administered tohealthy individuals and patients with moderate hepatic impairment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02115347.

Effect of Rifampin on the Pharmacokinetics of Ertugliflozin in Healthy Subjects.

PURPOSE: Ertugliflozin is a selective sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor being developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The primary enzyme involved in the metabolism of ertugliflozin is uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A9, with minor contributions from UGT2B7 and cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes 3A4, 3A5, and 2C8. Rifampin induces UGT1A9, UGT2B7, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5. Because concurrent induction of these enzymes could affect ertugliflozin exposure, this study assessed the effect of multiple doses of rifampin on the pharmacokinetic properties of single-dose ertugliflozin. METHODS: Twelve healthy adult subjects were enrolled in this open-label, 2-period, fixed-sequence study and received ertugliflozin 15mg on day 1 of period 1, followed by rifampin 600mg once daily on days 1 to 10 in period 2. On day 8 of period 2, ertugliflozin 15mg was coadministered with rifampin 600mg. Plasma samples for ertugliflozin pharmacokinetic analysis were collected during 72hours after dosing on day 1 of period 1 and day 8 of period 2 and analyzed using a validated HPLC-MS/MS method. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis of concentration-time data. Natural log transformed AUC0-∞ and Cmax of ertugliflozin were analyzed using a mixed-effects model with treatment as a fixed effect and subject as a random effect. FINDINGS: After administration of ertugliflozin 15mg alone or with rifampin, the Tmax was 1hour. The mean t½ was 12.3hours for ertugliflozin alone and 9.2hours with steady-state rifampin. Geometric mean ratios for AUC0-∞ and Cmax were 61.2% (90% CI, 57.2%-65.4%) and 84.6% (90% CI, 74.2%-96.5%), respectively. Ertugliflozin was well tolerated when administered alone or with rifampin. IMPLICATIONS: Coadministration of ertugliflozin with rifampin decreased ertugliflozin AUC0-∞ and Cmax by 39% and 15%, respectively. The effect of the reduced exposure was evaluated using the ertugliflozin dose-response model. The model predicted that a 5-mg ertugliflozin dose after coadministration with rifampin is expected to maintain clinically meaningful glycemic efficacy. Therefore, no dose adjustment of ertugliflozin is recommended when ertugliflozin is coadministered with a UGT and CYP inducer, such as rifampin.

Novel Application of the Two-Period Microtracer Approach to Determine Absolute Oral Bioavailability and Fraction Absorbed of Ertugliflozin.

Ertugliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, is approved in the United States for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A novel two-period study design with 14 C microtracer dosing in each period was used to determine absolute oral bioavailability (F) and fraction absorbed (Fa ) of ertugliflozin. Eight healthy adult men received 100-µg i.v. 14 C-ertugliflozin (400 nCi) dose 1 h after a 15-mg oral unlabeled ertugliflozin dose (period 1), followed by 100 µg 14 C-ertugliflozin orally along with 15 mg oral unlabeled ertugliflozin (period 2). Unlabeled ertugliflozin plasma concentrations were determined using high-performance liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). 14 C-ertugliflozin plasma concentrations were determined using HPLC-accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and 14 C urine concentrations were determined using AMS. F ((area under the curve (AUC)p.o. /14 C-AUCi.v. )*(14 C-Dosei.v. /Dosep.o. )) and Fa ((14 C_Total_Urinep.o. /14 C_Total_Urinei.v. )* (14 C-Dosei.v. /14 C-Dosep.o. )) were estimated. Estimates of F and Fa were 105% and 111%, respectively. Oral absorption of ertugliflozin was complete under fasted conditions and F was ∼100%. Ertugliflozin was well tolerated.

A Phase 1, Randomized, Placebo- and Active-Controlled Crossover Study to Determine the Effect of Single-Dose Ertugliflozin on QTc Interval in Healthy Volunteers.

Ertugliflozin, a selective sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, is being developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This randomized, 6-sequence, 3-period crossover study assessed the effect of ertugliflozin (100 mg; supratherapeutic dose) vs placebo and moxifloxacin (400 mg; positive control) on the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) in 42 male or female healthy subjects. Triplicate electrocardiograms were performed predose and serially over 48 hours postdose in each treatment period. The maximum observed least-squares mean (90% CI) difference in QTc using the Fridericia correction (QTcF) between ertugliflozin and placebo was 2.99 (1.68, 4.30) milliseconds, 24 hours postdose, below the 5-millisecond threshold of potential clinical concern. The upper limits of the 2-sided 90% CI were less than 10 milliseconds at all postdose time points. The lower 90% CIs for the least-squares mean QTcF difference between moxifloxacin and placebo were greater than 5 milliseconds at the preselected time points of 2, 3, and 4 hours postdose, establishing study sensitivity. The majority of adverse events were mild in severity. In healthy volunteers, at a supratherapeutic dose of 100 mg, ertugliflozin was not associated with QTc interval prolongation.

Effect of ertugliflozin on glucose control, body weight, blood pressure and bone density in type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled on metformin monotherapy (VERTIS MET).

AIM: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ertugliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled (HbA1c, 7.0%-10.5%) with metformin monotherapy (≥1500 mg/d for ≥8 weeks). METHODS: This was a double-blind, 26-week, multicentre study with ongoing 78-week extension (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02033889). A total of 621 participants were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, or ertugliflozin 5 or 15 mg/d. The primary endpoint was change from baseline at week 26 in HbA1c. Secondary efficacy endpoints were change from baseline at week 26 in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), body weight, systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) and number of participants with HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol). Pre-specified adverse events (AEs) of special interest and percent change from baseline in bone mineral density (BMD) were also assessed at week 26. RESULTS: At week 26, the placebo-adjusted least-squares mean change from baseline HbA1c (8.1%) was -0.7% and -0.9% for ertugliflozin 5 and 15 mg, respectively (both P < .001), to final means of 7.3% and 7.2%, respectively. The odds of HbA1c <7.0% were significantly greater in both ertugliflozin groups vs placebo. Ertugliflozin significantly reduced FPG, body weight, SBP and DBP vs placebo. The incidence of genital mycotic infections was higher in the ertugliflozin groups (female subjects: placebo, 0.9%; ertugliflozin 5 mg, 5.5%; ertugliflozin 15 mg, 6.3% [P = .032]; male subjects: 0%; 3.1%; 3.2%, respectively), as was the incidence of urinary tract infections and symptomatic hypoglycaemia. The incidence of hypovolaemia AEs was similar across groups. Ertugliflozin had no adverse impact on BMD at week 26. CONCLUSIONS: Ertugliflozin added to metformin in patients with inadequately controlled T2DM improved glycaemic control, reduced body weight and BP, but increased the incidence of genital mycotic infections.

Phase III, efficacy and safety study of ertugliflozin monotherapy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with diet and exercise alone.

AIMS: To conduct a phase III study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ertugliflozin monotherapy in people with type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a 52-week, double-blind, multicentre, randomized, parallel-group study with a 26-week, placebo-controlled treatment period (phase A), followed by a 26-week active-controlled treatment period (phase B) in 461 men and women, aged ≥18 years with inadequate glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c] concentration 7.0% to 10.5% [53-91 mmol/mol], inclusive) despite diet and exercise. Results from phase A are reported in the present paper. The primary endpoint was the change in HbA1c from baseline to week 26. RESULTS: At week 26, the placebo-adjusted least squares mean HbA1c changes from baseline were -0.99% and -1.16% for the ertugliflozin 5 and 15 mg doses, respectively ( P < .001 for both doses). The odds of having HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol) were significantly greater in the ertugliflozin 5 and 15 mg groups compared with the placebo group. Both doses of ertugliflozin significantly lowered fasting plasma glucose and 2-hour postprandial glucose levels and body weight. The placebo-adjusted differences in changes from baseline in systolic blood pressure were not statistically significant. A higher incidence of genital mycotic infections occurred in men and women treated with ertugliflozin compared with placebo. There was no significant difference between treatments in the proportion of participants with symptomatic hypoglycaemia or adverse events associated with urinary tract infection or hypovolaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Ertugliflozin 5 and 15 mg treatment for 26 weeks provides effective glycaemic control, reduces body weight and is generally well tolerated, when used as monotherapy.