Longitudinal stability of CSF biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease.

Biomarker levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may serve as surrogate markers for treatment efficacy in clinical trials of disease-modifying drugs against Alzheimer's disease (AD). A prerequisite, however, is that the marker is sufficiently stable over time in individual patients. Here, we tested the stability of the three established CSF biomarkers for AD, total tau (T-tau), tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau(181)) and the 42 amino acid isoform of beta-amyloid (Abeta42), over 6 months in a cohort of AD patients on stable treatment with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. Fifty-three patients completed the study, 29 men and 24 women, mean age (+/-S.D.) 76.1+/-7.9 years. Mean levels of CSF biomarkers were very stable between baseline and endpoint, with coefficients of variation (CVs) of 4.4-6.1%. Intra-individual biomarker levels at baseline and endpoint were also highly correlated with Pearson r-values above 0.95 (p<0.0001), for all three markers. We conclude that T-tau, P-tau and Abeta42 concentrations in CSF are remarkably stable over a 6-month period in individual AD patients. This suggest that these biomarkers may have a potential to identify and monitor very minor biochemical changes induced by treatment, and thus support their possible usefulness as surrogate markers in clinical trials with drug candidates with disease-modifying potential, such as secretase inhibitors, Abeta immunotherapy and tau phosphorylation inhibitors.

NXY-059 does not significantly interact with furosemide in healthy volunteers.

NXY-059 is a free radical-trapping neuroprotectant that reduces infarct size and preserves brain function in animal models of acute ischemic stroke. Acute ischemic stroke patients receiving NXY-059 may also be exposed to diuretics for treatment of heart failure or hypertension. NXY-059 and furosemide are partly eliminated by active tubular secretion via an organic anion transporter. This double-blind, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled study investigated whether an infusion of NXY-059 (15 mg/mL) during 12 hours affects the diuretic and saluretic effects of a 30-mg intravenous bolus dose of furosemide (10 mg/mL) administered after 6 hours' infusion, in 13 male and 11 female healthy subjects. The net increase in urine volume and sodium excretion in the interval of 6 to 12 hours was 4.15 L and 178 mmol/L, respectively, during NXY-059 treatment (P = .93) and 4.34 L and 190 mmol/L, respectively, during placebo treatment (P = .54). NXY-059 reduced the renal clearance of furosemide by 19% (P = .019), and furosemide reduced the renal clearance of NXY-059 by 8% (P = .005). NXY-059 was well tolerated.

Pharmacokinetics of NXY-059, a nitrone-based free radical trapping agent, in healthy young and elderly subjects.

The tolerability, safety, and pharmacokinetics of NXY-059, a nitrone-based free radical trapping agent under development for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, were investigated in 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-escalation studies in healthy subjects. In the first study in 6 panels of young male subjects (n = 48, 22-45 years), constant rate infusions lasted 8 hours and ranged from 0.16 to 5.25 micromol/kg/h (0.06 to 2.0 mg/kg/h). In the second study, elderly male and female subjects (n = 24, 57-72 years) were infused over 24 hours or 72 hours to reach target plasma levels of 30 micromol/L or 60 micromol/L, respectively, using doses in the range 1.4-4.0 micromol/kg/h. With a 1-hour loading infusion set at 3 times the maintenance infusion rate, the target plasma level was reached in 1 hour. Adverse events were mild or moderate, and no clinically relevant changes in vital signs, ECG recordings, or laboratory values were noted. Steady-state levels in both studies increased proportionally to the infusion rate, indicating linear kinetics. Renal elimination was predominant, the recovery of unchanged drug in urine being 80% to 90% irrespective of age. The average plasma clearance in young and elderly subjects was 7.0 L/h and 4.1 L/h, respectively. It was estimated that glomerular filtration and active tubular secretion of NXY-059 accounted for approximately two-thirds and one-third of its renal clearance, respectively. In the elderly, clearance of NXY-059 was significantly correlated to creatinine clearance. The renal clearance was insensitive to variations in urine pH and urine flow rate. It appears that NXY-059 is well tolerated and has a highly predictable pharmacokinetic profile.

Pharmacokinetics in renally impaired subjects of NXY-059, a nitrone-based, free-radical trapping agent developed for the treatment of acute stroke.

OBJECTIVE: NXY-059 is a nitrone-based, free-radical trapping agent being developed for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke. Elimination of NXY-059 is primarily renal. The objective of the study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of NXY-059 in subjects with renal impairment. METHODS: Twenty-four subjects with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ranging from 19 ml/min to 100 ml/min received NXY-059 intravenously over a 24-h period. Drug in plasma and urine was measured for 72 h. One-hour loading infusion rates were proportional to body weight, while maintenance infusion rates were proportional to GFR. Target plasma levels were 60 micro mol/l for subjects with mild (GFR 50-100 ml/min) and moderate (GFR 30-49 ml/min) renal impairment, and 30 micro mol/l for subjects with severe renal impairment (GFR <30 ml/min). GFR was measured as sinistrin clearance. RESULTS: The data indicated no tolerability or safety concerns with NXY-059. The half-life, which normally is approximately 2-4 h, was in the order of 10-12 h in subjects with moderate and severe renal impairment. The distribution parameters steady-state volume of distribution (V(ss)) and unbound fraction in plasma at 13-15 l and 0.53-0.58, respectively, were virtually the same as previously observed in healthy subjects. Plasma clearance of NXY-059, which ranged from 9 ml/min to 76 ml/min, was directly proportional to kidney function (GFR) with no discernible contribution by non-renal clearance. The correlation coefficient squared (r(2)) was 0.93, both when the renal function parameter was GFR and when it was creatinine clearance estimated from serum creatinine, age, weight and sex. CONCLUSION: Non-renal elimination of NXY-059 appeared to be insignificant even in subjects with low renal capacity. Patients with renal impairment should have their dose of NXY-059 adjusted for renal function, conveniently assessed from serum creatinine.