Pharmacokinetics of a high-purity plasma-derived factor X concentrate in subjects with moderate or severe hereditary factor X deficiency.

INTRODUCTION: Hereditary factor X (FX) deficiency affects 1:500 000 to 1:1 000 000 of individuals. There are few published data on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of FX for existing treatments for FX deficiency, and no specific replacement factor concentrate exists. A high-purity plasma-derived FX concentrate (pdFX) has been developed for use as replacement therapy in subjects with hereditary FX deficiency. AIM: This analysis assessed pdFX PK after a single 25 IU kg(-1) bolus dose in subjects with hereditary moderate or severe FX deficiency (plasma FX activity [FX:C] <5 IU dL(-1) ). METHODS: For a baseline PK assessment, blood samples were taken predose and at intervals up to 144 h (7 days) post dose. After ≥6 months of on-demand pdFX treatment and treatment of ≥1 bleed with pdFX, subjects underwent repeat PK assessment. Samples were assayed for plasma FX:C (measured using the clotting and chromogenic assays) and FX antigen. RESULTS: FX:C peaked at 0.4-0.5 h and subsequently declined over the course of 144 h with a biphasic decay curve. PK parameters observed at the baseline (n = 16) and repeat (n = 15) assessments were equivalent, therefore summary PK values were obtained by combining data from both visits (n = 31). The mean terminal half-life and incremental recovery of pdFX was 29.4 h and 2.00 IU dL(-1) per IU kg(-1) respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the most comprehensive PK study to date in subjects with hereditary FX deficiency. These results are consistent with the observed haemostatic efficacy of pdFX and provide the PK data required for the treatment of hereditary FX deficiency using pdFX replacement therapy.

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of XR11576, an oral topoisomerase I and II inhibitor, administered on days 1-5 of a 3-weekly cycle in patients with advanced solid tumours.

XR11576 is an oral topoisomerase I and II inhibitor. The objectives of this phase I study were to assess the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and to describe the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of XR11576 when administered orally on days 1-5 every 3 weeks to patients with advanced solid tumours. Patients were treated with escalating doses of XR11576 at doses ranging from 30 to 180 mg day(-1). For PK analysis, plasma sampling was performed during the first and second courses of treatment and XR11576 concentrations were assayed using a validated high-performance liquid chromatographic assay with mass spectrometric detection. In all, 21 patients received a total of 47 courses. The MTD was reached at 180 mg day(-1), with diarrhoea and fatigue as DLT. Nausea and vomiting, although not qualifying for DLT, was ubiquitous. Only in combination with an extensive prophylactic antiemetic regimen consisting of a combination of both dexamethasone and a 5HT3 antagonist was treatment with XR11576 at 120 mg day(-1) tolerable. The systemic exposure of XR11576 increased more than proportionally with increasing dose, with a large interpatient variability. No objective responses were seen; four patients experienced stable disease for periods of 12-30 weeks. In this study, the DLTs of XR11576 were diarrhoea and fatigue. The recommended dose for phase II studies of XR11576 is 120 mg administered orally, on days 1-5 every 21 days. Alternative regimens are currently being explored.

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of continuous twice weekly intravenous administration of Cilengitide (EMD 121974), a novel inhibitor of the integrins alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 in patients with advanced solid tumours.

A single-agent dose escalating phase I and pharmacokinetic study with Cilengitide, an inhibitor of the integrins alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5, was performed to determine its safety and toxicity. Cilengitide was administered as a one-hour infusion twice weekly without interruption to patients with histologically- or cytologically-confirmed metastatic solid tumours. Plasma pharmacokinetics were determined at days 1 and 15. 37 patients were enrolled into the study. Dose levels studied were 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 400, 600, 850, 1200, and 1600 mg/m(2)/infusion. There was no dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Pharmacokinetics were dose-independent and time-invariant. Apparent terminal half-life ranged from 3 to 5 h. At 120 mg/m(2)/infusion, peak plasma concentrations were attained that optimally inhibited tumour growth in preclinical models. Cilengitide can be safely administered using a continuous twice-weekly infusion regimen. As DLT was not reached, future trials should explore Cilengitide at different doses.

Clinical pharmacokinetics of 2'-deoxy-2'-methylidenecytidine (DMDC), a deoxycytidine analogue antineoplastic agent.

This article reviews the clinical pharmacokinetics of a deoxycytidine analogue of cytarabine, 2'-deoxy-2'-methylidenecytidine (DMDC). DMDC belongs to the antimetabolite class of anticancer drugs and is phosphorylated into its active, triphosphate, form within the tumour cell. Cancer cell death appears to be a result of the impairment of DNA synthesis by the triphosphate form. DMDC undergoes deamination to the inactive 2'-deoxy-2'-methylideneuridine (DMDU), its main plasma metabolite. Following intravenous administration at 30 to 450 mg/m2, DMDC has low systemic clearance (10 to 15 L/h/m2), moderate volume of distribution (nominally similar to total body water) and a short elimination half-life of between 2 and 6 hours. Renal clearance of DMDC accounts for approximately 30 to 50% of total clearance. Following oral administration of DMDC at 12 to 50 mg/m2, mean maximum DMDC plasma concentrations are within the 100 to 400 microg/L range and are generally reached within 2 hours. Oral bioavailability of DMDC is in the order of 40%, largely as a result of first-pass metabolism in the gut and liver. This first-pass effect results in considerable interpatient variability in systemic exposure to DMDC after oral administration. The systemic availability of DMDC is proportional to the administered dose and, although there was evidence that systemic exposure to DMDC decreased on repeated administration, there are no excessive time-dependent changes in systemic exposure to DMDC. Following oral administration, DMDC is metabolised in the gut wall and liver by deamination to DMDU. The kidneys eliminate DMDC and DMDU, with up to 50% of the administered dose recovered in urine, on average, as parent drug and metabolite. Dose escalation to the maximum tolerated dose was facilitated by a pharmacokinetically guided dose escalation strategy. DMDC has shown activity in non-small-cell lung cancer and colorectal cancers following oral administration. Several tumour responses are observed at the highest doses of DMDC, indicating a possible dose-response relationship with this drug. The main clinical adverse event of DMDC therapy is myelotoxicity. The haematological toxicity of DMDC was schedule dependent; twice daily administration was associated with greater toxic effects than a once daily regimen. A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model characterised the relationship between plasma DMDC concentrations and the time-dissociated toxicity. This model-dependent approach may be used to predict the consequences of as-yet-untested therapy as well as relating acceptable risks of haematological toxicity to target drug exposure.

Phase I study of ONO-4007, a synthetic analogue of the lipid A moiety of bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

ONO-4007 is a synthetic analogue of the lipid A moiety of bacterial lipopolysaccharide, which exhibits antitumor activity by the induction of intratumoral tumor necrosis factor alpha, the potentiation of tumor-infiltrating macrophages, and the inhibition of angiogenesis. Interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-6, and IL-12 induction by ONO-4007 activates cytotoxic natural killer cells to up-regulate IFN-gamma and nitric oxide synthase activity. ONO-4007 was given to 24 patients (13 males and 11 females; median age, 53 years) as a 30-min i.v. infusion on day 1, followed on day 15 by a first treatment cycle consisting of three weekly infusions at the same dose, followed by a rest period of 1 week. Cohorts of six patients received up to a maximum of four treatment cycles at increasing dose levels (75, 100, and 125 mg). The maximum tolerated dose was 125 mg, with grade 3 National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria toxicity (rigors with cyanosis) occurring in two of six patients at this dose level. An additional six patients were treated at 100 mg, the dose below the maximum tolerated dose. Other toxicities included grade 2 National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria myalgia, nausea, and hypotension. The pharmacokinetics of ONO-4007 appeared to be independent of dose and showed linearity with respect to time. ONO-4007 has a low systemic clearance (approximately 1.3 ml/min) and a small volume of distribution (5-8 liters) with a long t1/2 of 74-95 h. The administration of ONO-4007 was shown to result in a significant increase in circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-6. No objective antitumor responses were observed. Seven patients maintained stable disease for at least two cycles, whereas five patients maintained stable disease for the full four-cycle duration of the study. Additional studies are required to determine the antitumor activity of ONO-4007.

Absorption kinetics after inhalation of fluticasone propionate via the Diskhaler, Diskus and metered-dose inhaler in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this analysis was to assess the rate and extent of systemic availability of inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) from 2 dry powder systems (Diskhaler and Diskus) and a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) by deconvolution analysis. METHODS: The inhalation devices were evaluated in 3 separate studies with identical protocols. 12 healthy male volunteers were randomised to receive FP given as a 1000 microg inhaled dose and 250 microg by intravenous infusion according to a double-blind double-dummy crossover design. The bioavailability of FP after inhalation represents absorption of the drug from the lungs, since the bioavailability of the swallowed portion of the inhaled dose is negligible. RESULTS: When corrected for the bioavailability (of FP) achieved by each inhalation device, the rate of absorption of FP over the first 2 hours was rapid from all devices. The mean time for absorption of 50% of the bioavailable dose was 1.6, 2.4, and 2.2 hours for the Diskhaler, Diskus and MDI, respectively. Thereafter, absorption from each device was prolonged, with approximately 10% of the dose remaining in the lungs 12 hours after inhalation. CONCLUSION: Irrespective of the inhalation device used, the prolonged absorption of FP into the systemic circulation indicates a long residence time in the lungs.

Models of schedule dependent haematological toxicity of 2'-deoxy-2'-methylidenecytidine (DMDC).

OBJECTIVE: DMDC (2'-deoxy-2'-methylidenecytidine) is-a potential antitumour deoxycytidine analogue of cytosine arabinoside. The major dose-limiting toxicity of DMDC is haematological depression, particularly neutropenia, and therefore quantitative exposure-toxicity relationships for DMDC are warranted. METHODS: Data on the survival fraction at nadir of leukocytes, neutrophils and platelets from 66 patients receiving a once-daily regimen and 85 patients receiving a twice-daily regimen of DMDC were related to DMDC concentration-time profiles using area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), threshold and general models. A semiphysiological model of neutrophils versus time after DMDC administration included transient compartments to imitate the differentiation stages in the bone marrow. RESULTS: The relationship between plasma DMDC concentration-time profiles and the haematological toxicity at nadir was best described using an AUC-dependent model with separate functions for once- and twice-daily dosing, indicating schedule dependence of DMDC effects, even if differences in treatment duration had a similar explanatory value. Twice-daily dosing was associated with greater toxic effects than once-daily dosing. The AUC required for a 70% reduction in the neutrophils was 16 mg.h/l and 4.2 mg.h/l for the once- and twice-daily regimens, respectively. The semiphysiological model included nine proliferating transient compartments that were sensitive to DMDC in a schedule-dependent manner, five non-mitotic, non-sensitive compartments and one compartment for circulating neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS: The haematological toxicity of DMDC is schedule dependent. The survival fractions of leukocytes, neutrophils and platelets are predicted to be lower when given on a twice-daily regimen than on a once-daily regimen. A semiphysiological model with transient compartments successfully described the entire time course of neutropenia after DMDC administration.

Metabolic fate of 14C-camostat mesylate in man, rat and dog after intravenous administration.

1. The metabolic fate of N,N-dimethylcarbamoylmethyl 4-(4-guanidino[14C]benzoyloxy)phenylacetate methanesulphonate (14C-camostat mesylate) was investigated after i.v. administration to man (12-h infusion), and to rat and dog (bolus injection). 2. Renal excretion (mainly in 24 h) accounted for at least 80% dose in all three species, and the only two important metabolites were identified as 4-(4-guanidinobenzoyloxy)phenylacetic acid (GBPA) and 4-guanidinobenzoic acid (GBA). 3. Parent drug was not detected in human plasma either during or after infusion of 14C-camostat mesylate owing to rapid hydrolysis of the side-chain ester group (t1/2 < 1 min). Steady-state levels of both GBPA and GBA in plasma were apparently attained by the end of the infusion period. Mean terminal half-life, systemic clearance and apparent volume of distribution at steady-state of GBPA in man were 1.0 h, 6.4 ml/min per kg and 0.38 l/kg, respectively, and the corresponding values for GBA were 2.4 h, 4.7 ml/min per kg and 1.01/kg respectively. 4. Radioactivity was rapidly distributed to most tissues after bolus i.v. doses of 14C-camostat mesylate to rats and dogs, with highest levels being associated with the liver and kidney, the two main organs of drug elimination. Concentrations in the pancreas, a possible site for drug action, were generally lower than those in plasma.

Relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of tinzaparin (logiparin), a low molecular weight heparin, in dogs.

1. Pharmacodynamic models relating the plasma concentrations (C) of radioactive heparin material to anticoagulant effect (E) have been investigated after single i.v. and s.c. doses of 3H-tinzaparin (1 and 4 mg/kg), a radiolabelled low molecular weight heparin, to six dogs. 2. A counterclockwise hysteresis, characterizing the C versus E relationship, was observed in all animals after s.c., but not i.v., doses indicating a possible delay (lag-time) in the systemic availability of pharmacologically-active heparin material following extravascular administration. A constant (Ke) was introduced into the model to account for this hysteresis. 3. At high plasma concentrations of radioactivity (> 10 micrograms/ml), E was related to C by a sum of two sigmoid Emax models, whereas, at lower concentrations, this reduced to the well-known sigmoid Emax model. It was proposed that tinzaparin activates two 'receptors' having different affinities for the drug. The values of EC50 associated with the activation of a single 'receptor' and of a proposed additional 'receptor' were 3 and 13 micrograms/ml of heparin material, respectively. 4. Heparin material was predominantly eliminated by renal excretion and underwent widespread tissue distribution. After s.c. administration, input of heparin material into systemic plasma was complete within 12 h post-dose, and the absorption process was characterized by a bi-exponential function. 5. We conclude that sigmoid Emax models adequately describe the C versus E relationship after s.c. and i.v. doses of 3H-tinzaparin in dogs and that the interindividual variation of the pharmacodynamic parameters derived from this model was relatively small.

Percutaneous absorption of co-administered N-methyl-2-[14C]pyrrolidinone and 2-[14C]pyrrolidinone in the rat.

The percutaneous absorption has been investigated in rats of a mixture (3:2, w/w) of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) and 2-pyrrolidinone (2-P), a combination intended for use as a vehicle in the formulation of an antimycotic drug to enhance skin penetration on dermal application, following co-administration of the two 14C-radiolabelled compounds by the dermal and oral routes. Radioactivity was excreted predominantly in the urine after either route of administration, and comparison of the respective excretion profiles indicated that about three-quarters of the applied dose was absorbed through the skin. Plasma concentrations of each parent compound, as determined by radio-HPLC, reached peak values at 2 hr after oral dosing, and remained relatively uniform during 1-6 hr after application to the skin, suggesting constant percutaneous absorption during this period. NMP appeared to be absorbed through the skin more extensively and at a slightly faster rate than 2-P; total percutaneous absorption tended to be more extensive in female than in male rats. Together, these two 14C-compounds accounted for most of the plasma radioactivity up to 6-8 hr post-administration. However, by 12 hr (when plasma levels were relatively low), most of the radioactivity was associated with unknown polar metabolites. In view of the extensive percutaneous absorption and little first-pass metabolism of the two pyrrolidinones, the oral route was considered to represent a valid alternative to the dermal route for the assessment of the systemic toxicity of the two compounds.

Dose-proportional pharmacokinetics of cefepime in rats.

Cefepime (BMY-28142) is a new parenteral cephalosporin antibiotic with excellent activity against a broad-spectrum of clinically important pathogens resistant to other new cephalosporins. A single bolus dose of 10, 20 or 40 mg/kg cefepime was given i.v. to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats from which blood and urine samples were collected. For statistical reasons, pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC, Kel) were derived by fitting an exponential curve to the plasma concentrations; subsequently, contrasts were made between the different doses for AUC and Kel and, in addition, plasma concentrations observed after the first sampling time (Cmax). Cmax and AUC appeared to be linearly related to the administered dose in both males and females. The dose increased in the ratio 1:2:4 and mean Cmax in male and female rats increased in the ratio 1:2.3:4.1 and 1:2.3:4.4 respectively; similarly, AUC increased in the ratio 1:2.2:4.3 and 1:2.0:4.2 respectively. Deviations from linearity and proportionality were not significant (P0.05). The systemic clearance of cefepime in rats was 2.3 ml/min. The volume of distribution was about 60 ml and cefepime appears to be selectively distributed into the extracellular water. Plasma concentrations declined monoexponentially with a mean half-life of 15-20 min which did not significantly change with increasing doses. The renal clearance of cefepime was 1.8 ml/min and approximately 80% of the dose was excreted in the urine unchanged; renal excretion of cefepime is the major route of elimination in rats. The elimination and distribution characteristics of cefepime in rats were similar to those observed in man.

Pharmacokinetics of acitretin and its 13-cis metabolite in patients on haemodialysis.

1. Plasma concentrations of acitretin and its metabolite (13-cis acitretin) were measured in six patients on haemodialysis and six subjects without renal failure following a single oral dose of 50 mg of acitretin. 2. The mean areas under the plasma concentration vs time curves of acitretin and its metabolite were about 50% lower in patients on haemodialysis. 3. No retinoids were detectable in the dialysate.

Determination of acitretin and 13-cis-acitretin in skin.

The aim of the study was to investigate the concentrations of Ro 10-1670 (acitretin) and its isomeric metabolite Ro 13-7652 (cis-acitretin) after multiple oral dosing of acitretin. We used a highly sensitive HPLC method for simultaneous determination of the 2 retinoids with a quantification limit of 2 ng/ml in plasma and 10 ng/g in total skin (epidermis and dermis). In hairless rats receiving orally 8 mg/kg acitretin once daily during 8 days, blood and skin samples were taken at different time points between 5 and 96 h after the last dose. After 96 h, appreciable concentrations of Ro 10-1670, but not Ro 13-7652 could be measured in the skin, whereas both isomers were below the quantification limit in plasma. In psoriatic patients treated with a once daily dose of 30 mg acitretin, blood samples and biopsies were taken after 1 month of treatment (i.e. under steady state conditions). 24 h after the last drug intake, skin concentrations of acitretin were approximately 10 times higher than those observed in plasma. Ro 10-1670 concentrations in the skin were approximately 3-5 times higher than for Ro 13-7652 and concentrations of both isomers were higher in lesional compared to uninvolved skin.

Overview of recent clinical pharmacokinetic studies with acitretin (Ro 10-1670, etretin).

Following oral administration of acitretin with food, peak plasma concentrations of unchanged drug (Ro 10-1670) are reached within 4 h. The mean absolute bioavailability of acitretin is 59% with high interpatient variability consistent with that of etretinate. Taking acitretin with food results in an increased and more consistent bioavailability. The drug appears to be extensively distributed throughout the body without unexpected accumulation and the elimination half-life is approximately 50 h. Acitretin has a profound pharmacokinetic advantage over etretinate because it is eliminated more rapidly from the body; etretinate is sequestered into fatty tissue due to its greater lipophilicity creating a deep compartment from which it is only slowly released. Acitretin is eliminated entirely by the metabolism and the resultant metabolites are excreted via the kidney and bile.

Food increases the bioavailability of acitretin.

Eighteen healthy male volunteers received 50 mg oral doses of acitretin on two occasions, according to a random crossover design. Acitretin was administered during a complete fast or following a moderate breakfast. Plasma samples were obtained at various times and the concentration of acitretin and its 13-cis isomeric metabolite (Ro 13-7652) were quantified by a specific HPLC assay. The AUC0-15 for acitretin was increased when administered with food for all subjects (except one) with a mean increase of 90% (from 1175 to 2249 ng/ml.hr). The maximum plasma concentration of acitretin (Cmax) was increased by 70% when administered with food (from 245 to 416 ng/ml), while the time to reach Cmax was unaffected. The ratio of AUC of Ro 13-7652 to acitretin was the same for both the fasted and fed conditions; therefore, the formation of metabolite was not influenced by concomitant ingestion of food. The presence of food increases the apparent bioavailability of acitretin. A likely mechanism behind this observation is an increase in acitretin solubility in addition to an increase in the lymphatic absorption and a prolonged residence time of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract.

Acitretin versus etretinate in psoriasis. Clinical and pharmacokinetic results of a German multicenter study.

175 patients with severe psoriasis of different types were treated with 10, 25, or 50 mg acitretin and compared with patients receiving 50 mg etretinate over a period of 8 weeks in a randomized, double-blind multicenter study in the Federal Republic of Germany. Plasma concentrations of etretinate and its metabolite acitretin were measured during therapy and also 3 weeks after cessation of treatment. After 4 weeks of treatment, a trend toward clinical improvement was shown in all groups with increasing dosage. Those groups receiving the lower acitretin doses (i.e., 10 and 25 mg/day) had more dropouts than the groups taking 50 mg acitretin or 50 mg etretinate. Complete remissions before the end of therapy occurred only among those receiving higher doses. Enlargement of psoriatic lesions, however, could be observed during treatment with both retinoids, despite improvement of other parameters, as measured by psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and psoriasis severity index (PSI). After 8 weeks, a significant improvement was calculated by the PASI score and by a newly defined, corrected PASI score for all four dose regimens compared with baseline levels. A greater than 50% PSI score improvement was seen in 50% of patients treated with 10 mg acitretin, 40.5% with 25 mg acitretin, 53.8% with 50 mg acitretin, and 61.1% with 50 mg etretinate. No statistical differences were found among these groups at any time during the 8-week period. No new or unexpected side effects occurred during acitretin treatment. Moreover, cholesterol levels did not significantly change. Three weeks after cessation of drug administration, the plasma concentrations of acitretin were below the sensitivity level of the assay, whereas etretinate was still quantifiable. It is interesting that acitretin plasma concentrations during therapy with 50 mg acitretin were markedly lower (means = 18 ng/ml) than were acitretin levels during treatment with 50 mg etretinate (means = 36 ng/ml).

Cis-trans interconversion of acitretin in man.

The major plasma metabolite of acitretin (trans-acitretin) is its 13-cis isomer, cis-acitretin. Interconversion of cis-acitretin to trans-acitretin was demonstrated in man following administration of a single oral dose of cis-acitretin. Plasma concentrations of Ro 13-7652 (cis-acitretin) and Ro 10-1670 (trans-acitretin) were much higher after cis-acitretin administration than after trans-acitretin administration. Surprisingly, these high concentrations were not associated with a clear therapeutic effect in dermatoses (e.g. psoriasis) which are usually responsive to oral retinoids. Interactions between the cis and trans isomers formed in vivo may explain the difference in therapeutic activity of each stereoisomer when administered orally.

Activity and distribution studies of etoposide and mitozolomide in vivo and in vitro against human choriocarcinoma cell lines.

The in vivo antitumor activity of etoposide and mitozolomide was assessed in nude mice bearing a xenograft (CC3) of human gestational choriocarcinoma. Both agents demonstrated, at best, marginal activity observed as a delay in tumour growth. This lack of sensitivity suggests that the CC3 xenograft is not a good model for selection of agents for clinical evaluation in gestational choriocarcinoma. Plasma and tissue concentrations of etoposide and mitozolomide were measured in nude mice. Drug concentrations found in tumour tissue were 60% and 30% of plasma levels for mitozolomide and etoposide respectively. Etoposide and mitozolomide activity was also evaluated in vitro with another choriocarcinoma cell line (JAR). Maximum cell-kill was achieved after exposure to etoposide 0.05-1 microgram/ml for 3-24 h. In vitro response to etoposide demonstrates the importance of exposure time in determining cytotoxicity. In contrast, mitozolomide at concentrations from 1-100 micrograms/ml did not have a marked effect against JAR after exposure for 3-24 h.

Plasma and tissue disposition of mitozolomide in mice.

When mitozolomide was administered i.p. to mice, drug disposition appeared to fit a simple, one-compartment kinetic model with an elimination half-life of less than 1 h. The disposition of mitozolomide in mice bearing the ROS osteosarcoma, also followed a first-order process but in this case the elimination of the drug was significantly faster from plasma, liver, lung and kidney tissue compared to the elimination half-life of the drug from the same tissues of mice without tumour (P less than 0.05). Mitozolomide was rapidly and extensively distributed into tissues, including the tumour. Mitozolomide was not concentrated in any particular tissue although the brain contained the lowest drug concentration compared to any tissue studied. After 4 h following administration, mitozolomide could not be measured in plasma or tissues. AUC values calculated from mitozolomide concentration versus time profiles in plasma, liver and kidney homogenates were 27-29% lower in mice pretreated with phenobarbitone compared to those values obtained from mice administered saline only, (P less than 0.02). Since phenobarbitone is known to induce liver microsomal enzymes, it is possible that hepatic metabolism is involved in the degredation of mitozolomide.

Phase I clinical trial of mitozolomide.

Mitozolomide (NSC-353451; CCRG 81010; M and B 39565) is a novel potential anticancer agent that was selected for phase I study on the basis of broad spectrum activity in mouse tumors. Initially, mitozolomide was given iv as a short infusion to 37 patients in doses ranging from 8 to 153 mg/m2. Nausea and vomiting was dose-related but was not severe. The dose-limiting toxic effect was thrombocytopenia at doses greater than 115 mg/m2, and recovery from the thrombocytopenia was delayed up to 8 weeks. Partial responses were seen in two patients with adenocarcinoma of the ovary. The pharmacokinetics of mitozolomide showed that the half-life of the intact drug in the plasma was between 1 and 1.3 hours. The area under the curve was proportional to the dose administered. Mitozolomide is well-absorbed; therefore, future studies are recommended using a single-dose schedule orally or iv. In the phase I study reported here, a dose of 115 mg/m2 appeared to be safe, but additional studies have shown that when given orally to an older population, most patients experienced thrombocytopenia less than 50,000 cells/mm3. The recommended dose using current data is 90 mg/m2 iv or orally.