Effect of Roxadustat on the Pharmacokinetics of Simvastatin, Rosuvastatin, and Atorvastatin in Healthy Subjects: Results From 3 Phase 1, Open-Label, 1-Sequence, Crossover Studies

Roxadustat inhibits breast cancer resistance protein and organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1, which can affect coadministered statin concentrations. Three open‐label, 1‐sequence crossover phase 1 studies in healthy subjects were conducted to assess effects from steady‐state 200‐mg roxadustat on pharmacokinetics and tolerability of 40‐mg simvastatin (CL‐0537 and CL‐0541), 40‐mg atorvastatin (CL‐0538), or 10‐mg rosuvastatin (CL‐0537). Statins were dosed concomitantly with roxadustat in 28 (CL‐0537) and 24 (CL‐0538) healthy subjects, resulting in increases of maximum plasma concentration (C_max) and area under the plasma concentration–time curve from the time of dosing extrapolated to infinity (AUC_inf) 1.87‐ and 1.75‐fold for simvastatin, 2.76‐ and 1.85‐fold for simvastatin acid, 4.47‐ and 2.93‐fold for rosuvastatin, and 1.34‐ and 1.96‐fold for atorvastatin, respectively. Additionally, simvastatin dosed 2 hours before, and 4 and 10 hours after roxadustat in 28 (CL‐0541) healthy subjects, resulted in increases of C_max and AUC_inf 2.32‐ to 3.10‐fold and 1.56‐ to 1.74‐fold for simvastatin and 2.34‐ to 5.98‐fold and 1.89‐ to 3.42‐fold for simvastatin acid, respectively. These increases were not attenuated by time‐separated statin dosing. No clinically relevant differences were observed for terminal elimination half‐life. Concomitant 200‐mg roxadustat and a statin was generally well tolerated during the study period. Roxadustat effects on statin C_max and AUC_inf were statin and administration time dependent. When coadministered with roxadustat, statin‐associated adverse reactions and the need for statin dose reduction should be evaluated.

Effect of the Phosphate Binders Sevelamer Carbonate and Calcium Acetate on the Pharmacokinetics of Roxadustat After Concomitant or Time-Separated Administration in Healthy Individuals

PURPOSE

Roxadustat, a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, treats anemia in chronic kidney disease. Hyperphosphatemia, a common complication in chronic kidney disease, is treated with phosphate binders (PBs). This study in healthy individuals investigated the effect of 2 PBs, sevelamer carbonate and calcium acetate, on the pharmacokinetic properties of a single oral dose of roxadustat administered concomitantly or with a time lag.

METHODS

This 2-part, Phase I study was conducted with an open-label, randomized, 3-way (part 1) or 5-way (part 2) crossover design, with 5-day treatment periods. On day 1 of each period, participants received 200 mg roxadustat administered alone or (1) concomitantly with sevelamer carbonate (2400 mg) or calcium acetate (1900 mg) (part 1) or (2) 1 hour before or 1, 2, or 3 hours after sevelamer carbonate (part 2A) or calcium acetate (part 2B); 5 additional PB doses were administered during 2 days. In both parts, PBs were administered with meals. Primary pharmacokinetic variables were AUC_0-∞ and C_max. FINDINGS: Twenty-four individuals were randomized in part 1; 60 individuals were randomized in part 2 (part 2A, n = 30; part 2B, n = 30). All participants completed the study in part 1; 28 and 27 individuals completed the study in part 2A and part 2B, respectively. Compared with roxadustat alone, concomitant sevelamer carbonate and calcium acetate administration reduced roxadustat's AUC_0-∞ by 67% (90% CI, 63.5%-69.3%) and 46% (90% CI, 41.7%-50.9%), respectively, and reduced roxadustat's C_max by 66% (90% CI, 61.6%-69.4%) and 52% (90% CI, 46.2%-57.2%), respectively. This effect was attenuated when roxadustat and PB administration occurred with a time lag. Roxadustat's AUC_0-∞ was reduced by 41% and 22% to 25%, respectively, when roxadustat was administered 1 hour before or 1 to 3 hours after sevelamer carbonate and by 31% and 14% to 18%, respectively, when administered 1 hour before or 1 to 3 hours after calcium acetate. Roxadustat's C_max was reduced by 26% and 12%, respectively, when roxadustat was administered 1 hour before and 1 hour after sevelamer carbonate; it was reduced by 19% when administered 1 hour before calcium acetate and was not affected when administered 1 hour after. Roxadustat was well tolerated.

IMPLICATIONS

Concomitant administration of roxadustat with sevelamer carbonate or calcium acetate reduced exposure to roxadustat in healthy individuals. This effect was attenuated when roxadustat was administered ≥1 hour before or after either PB. Results from this study helped inform dosing and administration guidelines aimed at reducing interactions between roxadustat and these PBs. (Clin Ther. 2021;XX:XXX-XXX) © 2021 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.

Effect of Moderate Hepatic Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Roxadustat, an Oral Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Roxadustat is a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor in phase III development for the treatment of anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease. This study evaluated the effects of moderate hepatic impairment on roxadustat pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and tolerability.

METHODS

This was an open-label study in which eight subjects with moderate hepatic impairment (liver cirrhosis Child-Pugh score 7-9) and eight subjects with normal hepatic function (matched for body mass index, age and sex) received a single oral 100 mg roxadustat dose under fasted conditions. Blood samples were collected until 144 h post-dose in subjects with moderate hepatic impairment and until 96 h post-dose in subjects with normal hepatic function.

RESULTS

In subjects with moderate hepatic impairment, area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) from the time of drug administration to infinity (AUC∞) and observed maximum concentration (C max) were 23 % higher [geometric least-squares mean ratio (GMR) 123 %; 90 % CI 86.1-175] and 16 % lower (GMR 83.6 %; 90 % CI 67.5-104), respectively, than in subjects with normal hepatic function. Mean terminal half-life (t ½) appeared to be longer (17.7 vs. 12.8 h) in subjects with moderate hepatic impairment, however intersubject variability on apparent total systemic clearance after single oral dosing (CL/F), apparent volume of distribution at equilibrium after oral administration (V z/F) and t ½ was approximately twofold higher. Erythropoietin (EPO) baseline-corrected AUC from administration to the last measurable EPO concentration (AUCE,last) and maximum effect (E max) were 31 % (GMR 68.95 %; 90 % CI 29.29-162.29) and 48 % (GMR 52.29 %; 90 % CI 28.95-94.46) lower, respectively, than in subjects with normal hepatic function. The single oral roxadustat dose was generally well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the effect of moderate hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of roxadustat relative to subjects with normal hepatic function. These differences are not expected to be of clinical significance.

A quantitative benefit-risk assessment approach to improve decision making in drug development: Application of a multicriteria decision analysis model in the development of combination therapy for overactive bladder

A multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach was developed and used to estimate the benefit-risk of solifenacin and mirabegron and their combination in the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). The objectives were 1) to develop an MCDA tool to compare drug effects in OAB quantitatively, 2) to establish transparency in the evaluation of the benefit-risk profile of various dose combinations, and 3) to quantify the added value of combination use compared to monotherapies. The MCDA model was developed using efficacy, safety, and tolerability attributes and the results of a phase II factorial design combination study were evaluated. Combinations of solifenacin 5 mg and mirabegron 25 mg and mirabegron 50 (5+25 and 5+50) scored the highest clinical utility and supported combination therapy development of solifenacin and mirabegron for phase III clinical development at these dose regimens. This case study underlines the benefit of using a quantitative approach in clinical drug development programs.

Pharmacokinetic properties of mirabegron, a β3-adrenoceptor agonist: results from two phase I, randomized, multiple-dose studies in healthy young and elderly men and women

BACKGROUND

Mirabegron (YM178) is a β(3)-adrenoceptor agonist for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). As part of the clinical development program for mirabegron, 2 human volunteer studies were performed to derive detailed data on the multiple-dose pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of mirabegron.

OBJECTIVE

Two randomized Phase I studies were conducted to evaluate the PK properties of mirabegron, including metabolic profile and effects of age and sex, following multiple oral doses in healthy subjects.

METHODS

In study 1, mirabegron oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) tablets were administered once daily to healthy young subjects (18-55 years) at doses of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg and in elderly subjects (65-80 years) at 50 and 200 mg in a double-blind placebo-controlled, parallel-group design. In study 2, mirabegron OCAS was administered once daily to healthy young (18-45 years) and older (≥55 years) subjects at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg in an open-label crossover design. Blood samples were collected up to 72 hours (study 1) and 168 hours (study 2) after the last dose. Urine samples were collected up to 24 hours after the last dose. Plasma and urine concentrations of mirabegron and its metabolites (study 2 only) were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. PK parameters were determined using noncompartmental methods. Tolerability assessments included physical examinations, supine blood pressure and pulse rate, orthostatic stress testing (study 1), resting 12-lead ECGs, clinical laboratory tests (biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis), and adverse-events (AE) monitoring using investigators' questionnaires and subjects' spontaneous reports.

RESULTS

Thirty-two young male (mean age, 30.3 years; mean weight, 77.1 kg), 32 young female (27.6 years; 64.6 kg), 16 elderly male (69.8 years; 79.3 kg), and 16 elderly female (68.1 years; 67.4 kg) subjects were enrolled in study 1. Eighteen young male (mean age, 28.6 years; mean weight, 68.9 kg), 18 young female (28.7 years; 58.8 kg), 21 older male (63.4 years; 72.6 kg), and 18 older female (65.1 years; 62.3 kg) subjects were enrolled in study 2. Most of the subjects were white (91% in study 1 and 88% in study 2). Mirabegron plasma concentrations peaked at ∼3 to 5 hours and declined multiexponentially with a t of ∼32 hours in study 1 and 60 hours in study 2. Steady state was achieved within 7 days of once daily administration, with an accumulation ratio of ∼2. Mirabegron and its metabolites demonstrated a greater-than-dose-proportional increase in C(max) and AUC(0-τ) after multiple-dose administration. Two major circulating metabolites were observed, representing 17% and 10% of total drug-related AUC(0-τ). Excretion of unchanged mirabegron in urine over the 24-hour dosing interval (Ae(0-τ)%) increased from approximately 7% at 25 mg to 18% at 300 mg once daily in young subjects. Renal clearance (CL(R)) of mirabegron was independent of dose and averaged ∼13 L/h. Mirabegron C(max) and AUC(0-τ) were similar in older and young subjects. Women exhibited ∼40% higher mirabegron C(max) and AUC(0-τ) than men; weight-corrected values were ∼20% higher in women. Mirabegron was generally well tolerated up to 300 mg once daily. No clear trends for increased incidence of AEs occurred with higher doses of mirabegron. The AE with the highest incidence was headache.

CONCLUSION

Oral mirabegron exhibited a greater-than-dose-proportional increase in exposure. Sex but not age significantly affected mirabegron exposure. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01478503 (Study 1) and NCT01285596 (Study 2).

Absorption, metabolism and excretion of [(14)C]mirabegron (YM178), a potent and selective β(3)-adrenoceptor agonist, after oral administration to healthy male volunteers

The mass balance and metabolite profiles of 2-(2-amino-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)-N-[4-(2-{[(2R)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl]amino}ethyl)[U-(14)C]phenyl]acetamide ([(14)C]mirabegron, YM178), a β(3)-adrenoceptor agonist for the treatment of overactive bladder, were characterized in four young, healthy, fasted male subjects after a single oral dose of [(14)C]mirabegron (160 mg, 1.85 MBq) in a solution. [(14)C]Mirabegron was rapidly absorbed with a plasma t(max) for mirabegron and total radioactivity of 1.0 and 2.3 h postdose, respectively. Unchanged mirabegron was the most abundant component of radioactivity, accounting for approximately 22% of circulating radioactivity in plasma. Mean recovery in urine and feces amounted to 55 and 34%, respectively. No radioactivity was detected in expired air. The main component of radioactivity in urine was unchanged mirabegron, which accounted for 45% of the excreted radioactivity. A total of 10 metabolites were found in urine. On the basis of the metabolites found in urine, major primary metabolic reactions of mirabegron were estimated to be amide hydrolysis (M5, M16, and M17), accounting for 48% of the identified metabolites in urine, followed by glucuronidation (M11, M12, M13, and M14) and N-dealkylation or oxidation of the secondary amine (M8, M9, and M15), accounting for 34 and 18% of the identified metabolites, respectively. In feces, the radioactivity was recovered almost entirely as the unchanged form. Eight of the metabolites characterized in urine were also observed in plasma. These findings indicate that mirabegron, administered as a solution, is rapidly absorbed after oral administration, circulates in plasma as the unchanged form and metabolites, and is recovered in urine and feces mainly as the unchanged form.

An example of optimal phase II design for exposure response modelling

This paper presents an example of how optimal design methodology was used to help design a phase II clinical study. The planned analysis would relate the clinical endpoint to exposure (measured via the area under the curve (AUC)), rather than dose. Optimal design methodology was used to compare a number of candidate phase II designs, and an algorithm for finding optimal designs was employed. The sigmoidal E(max) with baseline (E₀) model was used to relate the clinical endpoint to individual subject AUCs, and the primary metrics were D optimality and the standard error (SE) of the AUC required to yield a clinically relevant change in the clinical endpoint. The performance of the candidate designs were compared across four different 'true' exposure response relationships (determined from the analysis of an earlier proof of concept (PoC) study). The results suggested the total sample size should be increased from the planned 540 individuals, and that the optimal design with 700 individuals would be equivalent to 812 individuals with the reference design (a 16% gain). The performance with this design was considered acceptable, although all designs performed poorly if the true exposure response relationship was very flat. This work allowed a prospective assessment of the likely performance and precision from the exposure response modelling prior to the start of the phase II study, and hence allowed the design to be revised to ensure the subsequent analysis would be of most value.