Endothelial-protective effects of a G-protein-biased sphingosine-1 phosphate receptor-1 agonist, SAR247799, in type-2 diabetes rats and a randomized placebo-controlled patient trial

Aims

SAR247799 is a G‐protein‐biased sphingosine‐1 phosphate receptor‐1 (S1P₁) agonist designed to activate endothelial S1P₁ and provide endothelial‐protective properties, while limiting S1P₁ desensitization and consequent lymphocyte‐count reduction associated with higher doses. The aim was to show whether S1P₁ activation can promote endothelial effects in patients and, if so, select SAR247799 doses for further clinical investigation.

Methods

Type‐2 diabetes patients, enriched for endothelial dysfunction (flow‐mediated dilation, FMD <7%; n = 54), were randomized, in 2 sequential cohorts, to 28‐day once‐daily treatment with SAR247799 (1 or 5 mg in ascending cohorts), placebo or 50 mg sildenafil (positive control) in a 5:2:2 ratio per cohort. Endothelial function was assessed by brachial artery FMD. Renal function, biomarkers and lymphocytes were measured following 5‐week SAR247799 treatment (3 doses) to Zucker diabetic fatty rats and the data used to select the doses for human testing.

Results

The maximum FMD change from baseline vs placebo for all treatments was reached on day 35; mean differences vs placebo were 0.60% (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.34 to 1.53%; P = .203) for 1 mg SAR247799, 1.07% (95% CI 0.13 to 2.01%; P = .026) for 5 mg SAR247799 and 0.88% (95% CI −0.15 to 1.91%; P = .093) for 50 mg sildenafil. Both doses of SAR247799 were well tolerated, did not affect blood pressure, and were associated with minimal‐to‐no lymphocyte reduction and small‐to‐moderate heart rate decrease.

Conclusion

These data provide the first human evidence suggesting endothelial‐protective properties of S1P₁ activation, with SAR247799 being as effective as the clinical benchmark, sildenafil. Further clinical testing of SAR247799, at sub‐lymphocyte‐reducing doses (≤5 mg), is warranted in vascular diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction.

First-in-human study of the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of single and multiple oral doses of SAR247799, a selective G-protein-biased sphingosine-1 phosphate receptor-1 agonist for endothelial protection

Aims

SAR247799 is a selective G‐protein‐biased sphingosine‐1 phosphate receptor‐1 (S1P₁) agonist with potential to restore endothelial function in vascular pathologies. SAR247799, a first‐in‐class molecule differentiated from previous S1P₁‐desensitizing molecules developed for multiple sclerosis, can activate S1P₁ without desensitization and consequent lymphopenia. The aim was to characterize SAR247799 for its safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (activation and desensitization).

Methods

SAR247799 was administered orally to healthy subjects in a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study with single (2.5–37.5 mg) or 2‐week once‐daily (0.5–15 mg) doses. An open‐label single dose pilot food‐interaction arm with 10 mg SAR247799 in cross‐over design was also performed.

Results

SAR247799 was well tolerated and, at the higher end of the dose ranges, caused the expected dose‐dependent pharmacodynamics associated with S1P₁ activation (heart rate reduction) and S1P₁ desensitization (lymphocyte count reduction). SAR247799 demonstrated dose‐proportional increases in exposure and was eliminated with an apparent terminal half‐life of 31.2–33.1 hours. Food had a small effect on the pharmacokinetics of SAR247799. SAR247799 had a low volume of distribution (7–23 L), indicating a potential to achieve dose separation for endothelial vs cardiac S1P₁ activation pharmacology. A supratherapeutic dose (10 mg) of SAR247799 produced sustained heart rate reduction over 14 days, demonstrating cardiac S1P₁ activation without tachyphylaxis. Sub‐lymphocyte‐reducing doses (≤5 mg) of SAR247799, which, based on preclinical data, are projected to activate S1P₁ and exhibit endothelial‐protective properties, had minimal‐to‐no heart rate reduction and displayed no marked safety findings.

Conclusion

SAR247799 is suitable for exploring the biological role of endothelial S1P₁ activation without causing receptor desensitization.

A review of the pharmacokinetics, tolerability and pharmacodynamics of amisulpride in healthy volunteers

Amisulpride binds selectively to dopamine D(2) and D(3) receptors in the limbic system. Low doses of amisulpride preferentially block presynaptic D(2)/D(3)-dopamine autoreceptors, thereby enhancing dopaminergic transmission, whereas higher doses block postsynaptic receptors, thus inhibiting dopaminergic hyperactivity. Amisulpride is clinically effective on the negative symptoms of acute schizophrenia exacerbations at low dosages (50-300 mg/day), and also on the positive symptoms of the disease at high dosages (400-800 mg/day). Nineteen clinical studies involving 358 volunteers have investigated the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and tolerability of amisulpride. Amisulpride shows linear pharmacokinetics, a bioavailability of 48%, low protein binding (17%) and an elimination half-life of approximately 12 h. It is predominantly eliminated in the urine as the parent compound. It exhibits no significant detrimental effects in psychometric or memory tests up to the dose of 400 mg/day, inducing only mild impairment at high doses, whereas EEG data suggest an alertness-enhancing effect at low doses (<or= 50 mg). Moreover, amisulpride does not potentiate the depressant effects on the central nervous system of alcohol and lorazepam. This tolerability profile is clearly better than that of haloperidol 4 mg/day and is consistent with a weak blocking effect on striatal D(2) receptors. In summary, studies in humans have shown that amisulpride is free of behavioural toxicity at doses exerting clear antipsychotic efficacy and confirm that its CNS effects may vary with the dose administered.

The acute effects of amisulpride (50 mg and 200 mg) and haloperidol (2 mg) on cognitive function in healthy elderly volunteers

In this double-blind, placebo controlled, four-way cross-over trial in 16 healthy elderly volunteers, the acute effects of haloperidol 2 mg, amisulpride 50 mg and 200 mg, were assessed on a range of tests of cognitive function. On each study day, cognitive performance was assessed prior to dosing and at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 24 h after dosing with the following tests from the Cognitive Drug Research computerized assessment system: simple reaction time, digit vigilance task, choice reaction time, visual tracking, Critical Flicker Fusion, body sway, numeric working memory, immediate and delayed word recall, word recognition and self-ratings of mood and alertness. Haloperidol showed a general tendency to impair performance, and although this did not reach significance compared to placebo, for two tasks there were significant impairments with haloperidol compared to amisulpride. Amisulpride 50 mg and 200 mg, was not associated with impairment. In fact, there was some suggestion of improvement over placebo on three measures. The timings of assessment were appropriate for the study compounds. Furthermore, in a recent study in which a smaller number of elderly volunteers was tested on the same cognitive assessment system, a clear profile of acute impairments of haloperidol 3 mg, was identified. This indicates that haloperidol 2 mg, is not a sufficient dose to affect cognitive function in the elderly, supporting the general absence of effects with this dose in the young. Thus, the general absence of cognitive impairments with amisulpride at the doses used in this study suggests that this compound does not impair cognitive function in the elderly.

Modulation by external Ca2+ and nicardipine of Ca2+ influx and cytosolic concentration in human erythrocytes

Variations of Ca2+ influx (evaluated by the initial rate of 45Ca2+ uptake) and cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i, measured with fura-2) were investigated in human erythrocytes. When external Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) rose from 1 to 2 mM, the initial rate of Ca2+ influx nearly doubled whereas [Ca2+]i increased only by 15%. Nicardipine dose-dependently decreased both initial rate of Ca2+ influx and [Ca2+]i (up to 53 and 18%. respectively at 10(-6) M). The less marked changes in [Ca2+]i than in Ca2+ influx indicate a partial adjustment of the Ca2+ extruding-pump activity to of Ca2+ influx. In vivo administration of nicardipine reduced [Ca2+]i only when its initial value exceeded 80 nM and prevented the rise in [Ca2+]i induced by the increase in [Ca2+]o. Our results indicate that nicardipine may reduce Ca2+ influx in human erythrocytes and participate in the control of [Ca2+]i when elevated.

Troleandomycin-triazolam interaction in healthy volunteers: pharmacokinetic and psychometric evaluation

Seven healthy volunteers received a single oral dose of triazolam 0.25 mg after 7 days on troleandomycin 2 g/day p.o. or placebo in a double-blind cross-over study. Plasma triazolam and psychometric and memory tests (including Critical Flicker Fusion threshold, Choice Reaction Time, Digit Symbol Substitution and Self-Rating Scales) were assessed at regular intervals after the final treatment. Troleandomycin was found to prolong the psychomotor impairment and amnesia produced by triazolam. There was a significant enhancement of the AUC, the peak concentration and the delay to tmax of triazolam after 7 days treatment with troleandomycin compared to placebo. Thus, there is a pharmacokinetic interaction, and the combination of triazolam and troleandomycin should be avoided or the dose of triazolam should be adjusted. The most likely mechanism is a diminished hepatic first-pass effect, and a decrease in the apparent oral clearance of triazolam.

Beta-adrenoceptor blocking effects and plasma levels of bornaprolol and propranolol in man

The beta-adrenoceptor blocking effects and pharmacokinetics of bornaprolol (FM 24), a new beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent, have been compared with those of propranolol and a placebo in a double-blind trial in 6 healthy volunteers. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and peak expiratory flow rate were measured at rest and at the end of 3 min vigorous exercise on a bicycle ergometer, before and 2,24 and 48 h after single oral doses of bornaprolol (120, 240 and 480 mg) and propranolol (40, 80 and 160 mg). Plasma renin activity at rest and the plasma concentrations of the two drugs were determined. Bornaprolol significantly reduced resting heart rate, dose-dependently lowered exercise-induced tachycardia and decreased peak expiratory flow rate and plasma renin activity. In addition, exercise-induced tachycardia was significantly reduced by bornaprolol up to 48 hours after drug intake (pharmacodynamic half-life approximately 63-86 h) and there was a correlation between this reduction and the log plasma bornaprolol concentration over the 48-h period. Thus, bornaprolol behaved in man as a non-cardioselective and long-lasting beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug, probably devoid of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity.