Cytochrome P450 3A4 Induction: Lumacaftor versus Ivacaftor Potentially Resulting in Significantly Reduced Plasma Concentration of Ivacaftor

Title:Cytochrome P450 3A4 Induction: Lumacaftor versus Ivacaftor Potentially Resulting in Significantly Reduced Plasma Concentration of Ivacaftor

Volume: 12 Issue: 1

Author(s): Elena K. Schneider*

Affiliation:

• Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010,Australia

Keywords: Cystic fibrosis, ivacaftor, lumacaftor, CFTR modulator, cytochrome, drug interactions.

Abstract: Background & Objective: Since the release of ivacaftor-lumacaftor, several red-flags have been raised that highlight the clinical efficacy of this combination strategy that may be limited due to antagonistic drug-drug interactions.

Method: The effect of ivacaftor, its major metabolites M1 and M6, lumacaftor and the novel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator tezacaftor at 10 g/mL on the enzymatic activity of the major xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 as well as the minor enzymes CYP2B6 and CYP2C9 was assayed.

Results: Lumacaftor (3.74 x 105 ± 3.11 x 104 RLU), and ivacaftor-M6 (3.43 x 105 ± 7.61 x 103 RLU) markedly induced the activity of CYP3A4. Ivacaftor (2.22 x 105 ± 3.94 x 104 RLU) showed a lower relative ratio of luminescence units compared to chloramphenicol (3.17 x 105 ± 1.55 x 104 RLU). Interestingly, ivacaftor-M1 (6.74 x 104 ± 3.09 x 104 RLU) and the novel CFTR modulator tezacaftor (2.40 x 104 ± 8.14 x 104 RLU) did not show CYP3A4 induction. In the CYP1A2 and CYP2C9 assay, all metabolites showed a decrease in the ratio of luminescence units compared to the controls. Ivacaftor, its major metabolites, lumacaftor and tezacaftor all showed a slight increase in the ratio of luminescence units compared to the control rifampin with CYP2B6.

Conclusion: All in all, present findings would suggest that lumacaftor and ivacaftor-M6 are strong inducers of CYP3A4, potentially reducing ivacaftor concentrations; ivacaftor itself induces CYP3A4 to some extent.

Cite this article as:

Schneider K. Elena *, Cytochrome P450 3A4 Induction: Lumacaftor versus Ivacaftor Potentially Resulting in Significantly Reduced Plasma Concentration of Ivacaftor, Drug Metabolism Letters 2018; 12 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1872312812666180328105259