Active metabolite concentration of clopidogrel in patients taking different doses of aspirin: results of the interaction trial

Development and assessment of immediate-release tablets containing clopidogrel bisulphate & aspirin-strategy for optimizing the combination formulation

The main goal of the study was to improve the compliance and convenience of patients by designing and development of an immediate release (IR) fixed-dose combination (Clopidogrel bisulphate and Aspirin) tablets. The proposed combination product utilizes Clopidogrel to protect the moisture-sensitive aspirin component, enhancing its stability against atmospheric conditions. Response-surface approach (Design Expert vs. 13) was used to generate this IR tablet by calculating the right composition of independent variables such as Microcrystalline cellulose 102, pregelatinized starch and Hydroxypropyl cellulose. 32 factorial design was used to estimate the effects of these independent variables on the responses of dependent variables (disintegration & friability) and constructed a total of nine (9) formulations. Pre and Post formulation, quality control parameters were investigated as per pharmacopeia. A systematic approach was used for the optimization process and a prototype checkpoint batch (CPB) based on the better contrast of independent variables was prepared. In vitro analysis of formulations was carried out to estimate the responses. Friability was found in the range of 0.088-1.076%w/w, except F1 = 1.076 all are within limits (NMT 1.0%). Disintegration time was recorded 7.3 ± 1.20 as lower and 24.5 ± 1.63 min was the highest. The release of drugs from their dosage form was fast and rapid, for clopidogrel after 15min was 70.42-96.82% with SD ± 8.71 and aspirin was 69.88-91.49% in 15 min with SD ± 6.41, all the tablets were released more than 80% in 20 min. The stability outcomes of CPB tablets after 15 days of stress study (60 ± 2°C and 75 ± 5%) indicated good compatibility and stability of APIs with excipients. It was concluded that the direct compression method can be preferred to prepare a combination product with cost-effectiveness. It was also concluded that the proposed methodology could increase Aspirin's stability and allow for an aqueous coating system to finish the product with a film coating. By using Design Expert software, the best composition of the formulation can be selected and optimized in a short period of time with minimum trial and errors. The results also demonstrated that the use of a fixed-dose combination tablet instead of the individual is expected to be more convenient to patients and thus improves patient compliance and decreases the occurrence of adverse effects and side effects.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Approved and Investigational P2Y12 Receptor Antagonists

Coronary artery disease remains the major cause of mortality worldwide. Antiplatelet drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid and P2Y12 receptor antagonists are cornerstone treatments for the prevention of thrombotic events in patients with coronary artery disease. Clopidogrel has long been the gold standard but has major pharmacological limitations such as a slow onset and long duration of effect, as well as weak platelet inhibition with high inter-individual pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability. There has been a strong need to develop potent P2Y12 receptor antagonists with more favorable pharmacological properties. Prasugrel and ticagrelor are more potent and have a faster onset of action; however, they have shown an increased bleeding risk compared with clopidogrel. Cangrelor is highly potent and has a very rapid onset and offset of effect; however, its indication is limited to P2Y12 antagonist-naïve patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Two novel P2Y12 receptor antagonists are currently in clinical development, namely vicagrel and selatogrel. Vicagrel is an analog of clopidogrel with enhanced and more efficient formation of its active metabolite. Selatogrel is characterized by a rapid onset of action following subcutaneous administration and developed for early treatment of a suspected acute myocardial infarction. This review article describes the clinical pharmacology profile of marketed P2Y12 receptor antagonists and those under development focusing on pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and drug-drug interaction liability.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics analysis of XQ-1H and its combination therapy with clopidogrel on cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury in rats

Ischemic stroke is the main cause of disability and mortality worldwide. 10-O-(N N-dimethylaminoethyl)-ginkgolide B methane-sulfonate (XQ-1 H) is a novel drug based on the remedial approach for ischemic stroke. Clopidogrel, a widely used anti-platelet drug, is often co-prescribed in the clinic. In this study, we established an UPLC-MS/MS spectrometry method for the determination of XQ-1H and investigated the pharmacokinetic effect of clopidogrel on XQ-1H in rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Meanwhile, the anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects of XQ-1H and its combination with clopidogrel were also studied. The results revealed that XQ-1H and its combination with clopidogrel abridged brain infarct volume, cerebral edema and alleviated neurological dysfunction caused by cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury. Further study demonstrated that XQ-1H combined with clopidogrel lessened TUNEL positive cells, up-regulated bcl-2 expression notably and down-regulated bax expression as compared to both XQ-1H and clopidogrel individually. In addition, a rapid, sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to quantify the concentration of XQ-1H in MCAO/R rats. Our pharmacokinetic results showed that clopidogrel significantly increased the exposure of XQ-1H, increased the peak plasma concentration (C_max), area under the curve (AUC) and slowed elimination of XQ-1H in the co-administered group. Besides, for further exploring which CYP450 isoforms are involved in the XQ-1H metabolism, XQ-1H was incubated in human liver microsomes (HLMs) system with or without P450 isoform-selective inhibitors. Our results revealed that clopidogrel altered pharmacokinetics of XQ-1H potentially and subsequently enhanced the pharmacological effect of XQ-1H. Moreover, XQ-1H could be applied as an efficacious neuroprotective agent for ischemic stroke because of its considerable effect on averting neuronal apoptosis.

Pharmacokinetic drug interactions with clopidogrel: updated review and risk management in combination therapy

Background

Coprescribing of clopidogrel and other drugs is common. Available reviews have addressed the drug–drug interactions (DDIs) when clopidogrel is as an object drug, or focused on combination use of clopidogrel and a special class of drugs. Clinicians may still be ignorant of those DDIs when clopidogrel is a precipitant drug, the factors determining the degree of DDIs, and corresponding risk management.

Methods

A literature search was performed using PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to analyze the pharmacokinetic DDIs of clopidogrel and new P2Y₁₂ receptor inhibitors.

Results

Clopidogrel affects the pharmacokinetics of cerivastatin, repaglinide, ferulic acid, sibutramine, efavirenz, and omeprazole. Low efficacy of clopidogrel is anticipated in the presence of omeprazole, esomeprazole, morphine, grapefruit juice, scutellarin, fluoxetine, azole antifungals, calcium channel blockers, sulfonylureas, and ritonavir. Augmented antiplatelet effects are anticipated when clopidogrel is coprescribed with aspirin, curcumin, cyclosporin, St John’s wort, rifampicin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The factors determining the degree of DDIs with clopidogrel include genetic status (eg, cytochrome P540 [CYP]2B6*6, CYP2C19 polymorphism, CYP3A5*3, CYP3A4*1G, and CYP1A2-163C.A), species differences, and dose strength. The DDI risk does not exhibit a class effect, eg, the effects of clopidogrel on cerivastatin versus other statins, the effects of proton pump inhibitors on clopidogrel (omeprazole, esomeprazole versus pantoprazole, rabeprazole), the effects of rifampicin on clopidogrel versus ticagrelor and prasugrel, and the effects of calcium channel blockers on clopidogrel (amlodipine versus P-glycoprotein-inhibiting calcium channel blockers). The mechanism of the DDIs with clopidogrel involves modulating CYP enzymes (eg, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4), paraoxonase-1, hepatic carboxylesterase 1, P-glycoprotein, and organic anion transporter family member 1B1.

Conclusion

Effective and safe clopidogrel combination therapy can be achieved by increasing the awareness of potential changes in efficacy and toxicity, rationally selecting alternatives, tailoring drug therapy based on genotype, checking the appropriateness of physician orders, and performing therapeutic monitoring.