Pharmacokinetic/pharmaco-dynamic modelling and simulation of the effects of different cannabinoid receptor type 1 antagonists on Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol challenge tests

Overcoming the Psychiatric Side Effects of the Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Antagonists: Current Approaches for Therapeutics Development

The Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor (CB1R) is involved in a variety of physiological pathways and has long been considered a golden target for therapeutic manipulation. A large body of evidence in both animal and human studies suggests that CB1R antagonism is highly effective for the treatment of obesity, metabolic disorders and drug addiction. However, the first-in-class CB1R antagonist/inverse agonist, rimonabant, though demonstrating effectiveness for obesity treatment and smoking cessation, displays serious psychiatric side effects, including anxiety, depression and even suicidal ideation, resulting in its eventual withdrawal from the European market. Several strategies are currently being pursued to circumvent the mechanisms leading to these side effects by developing neutral antagonists, peripherally restricted ligands, and allosteric modulators. In this review, we describe the progress in the development of therapeutics targeting the CB1R in the last two decades.

Measuring blood-brain barrier penetration using the NeuroCart, a CNS test battery

To systematically study the pharmacodynamics of a CNS drug early in the development process, we developed and validated a battery of drug-sensitive CNS tests, which we call NeuroCart. Using this test battery, data-intensive phase 1 studies in healthy subjects can be performed to demonstrate the specific, time- and dose-dependent, neurophysiological and/or neuropsychological effects of a compound, thereby confirming whether the test compound reaches its intended target in the CNS - or does not reach its intended target. We use this test battery to demonstrate that a compound passes the blood-brain barrier.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmaco-dynamic modelling and simulation of the effects of different cannabinoid receptor type 1 antagonists on Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol challenge tests

AIM

The severe psychiatric side effects of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1 ) antagonists hampered their wide development but this might be overcome by careful management of drug development with pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analyses. PK/PD models suitable for direct comparison of different CB1 antagonists in Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) challenge tests in healthy volunteer were constructed.

METHODS

The pharmacokinetic models of THC and four CB1 antagonists were built separately. THC-induced effects on heart rate and the visual analogue scale of feeling high in healthy volunteers and inhibitive effects of CB1 antagonists on THC-induced effects were modelled in PD models linked to the PK models. Simulations were then applied to evaluate the reduction rate of each antagonist on the reversal of the THC-induced effect in a unified simulation scenario.

RESULTS

The final PK model of THC and antagonists was a two compartment model. An Emax model and logistic regression model were used for effect measures and the antagonist effect was added in these models in a competitive binding manner. t1/2ke0 ranged from 0.00462 to 63.7 h for heart rate and from 0.964 to 150 h for VAS. IC50 ranged from 6.42 to 202 ng ml(-1) for heart rate and from 12.1 to 376 ng ml(-1) for VAS. Benchmark simulation showed different dose-efficacy profiles of two efficacy measures for each CB1 antagonist.

CONCLUSIONS

PK/PD modelling and simulation approach was suitable for describing and predicting heart rate and feeling high for CB1 antagonists in THC challenge tests. Direct comparison of four antagonists based on simulated efficacy profiles might be of benefit to guide future studies.