Metabolism and Excretion of Therapeutic Peptides: Current Industry Practices, Perspectives, and Recommendations.

Therapeutic peptides (TPeps) have expanded from the initial endogenous peptides to complex modified peptides through medicinal chemistry efforts for almost a century. Different from small molecules and large proteins, the diverse submodalities of TPeps have distinct structures and carry different absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. There is no distinct regulatory guidance for the industry on conducting ADME studies (what, how, and when) for TPeps. Therefore, the Peptide ADME Working Group sponsored by the Translational and ADME Sciences Leadership Group of the International Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development (IQ) was formed with the goal to develop a white paper focusing on metabolism and excretion studies to support discovery and development of TPeps. In this paper, the key learnings from an IQ industry survey and U.S. Food and Drug Administration/European Medicines Agency submission documents of TPeps approved between 2011 and 2022 are outlined in detail. In addition, a comprehensive assessment of in vitro and in vivo metabolism and excretion studies, mitigation strategies for TPep metabolism, analytical tools to conduct studies, regulatory status, and Metabolites in Safety Testing considerations are provided. Finally, an industry recommendation on conducting metabolism and excretion studies is proposed for regulatory filing of TPeps. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This white paper presents current industry practices for metabolism and excretion studies of therapeutic peptides based on an industry survey, regulatory submission documents, and expert opinions from the participants in the Peptide Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion Working Group of the International Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development. The group also provides recommendations on the Metabolites in Safety Testing considerations and metabolism and excretion studies for regulatory filing of therapeutic peptides.

Meeting report: DMDG peptide and oligonucleotide ADME workshop 2022.

Challenges within peptide and oligonucleotide ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination) and scientific ideas on how to solve them were presented and discussed at the DMDG (Drug Metabolism and Discussion Group) Peptide and Oligonucleotide ADME Workshop 2022 (2nd and 3rd of October 2022). This meeting report summarises the presentations and discussions from this workshop.The following topics were covered:Overview of the drug modality landscapeMetabolism & modellingAnalytical challengesDrug-drug interactions reports from industry working groupsRegulatory interactions.

Meeting report: oligonucleotide ADME workshop.

The current regulatory landscape for the development of oligonucleotide drugs may lead companies to perform a variety of small molecule-focussed absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) studies in support of filing packages. Asking the question, if the current activities are suitable for these modalities and should science-driven decisions on development of such molecules be implemented more in the industry.Challenges and opportunities within oligonucleotide ADME were presented and discussed at the online oligonucleotide ADME workshop (17th and 18th of November 2021). This article summarises the presentations and discussions from the workshop.The following topics were covered: Introduction to Delivery of Antisense RNA Therapeutics (DARTER), Nucleic Acid Therapy Accelerator (NATA) and OligoNova initiatives.Presentation of various oligonucleotide ADME strategies.Update on the Oligonucleotide Safety Working Group (OSWG) pharmacokinetics (PK)/ADME subcommittee's recommendations.Oligonucleotide quantitative whole-body autoradiography (QWBA) hot or not?Multimodal imaging of therapeutic oligonucleotides.

Meeting report: 3rd workshop of the peptide ADME discussion group.

Challenges and opportunities within peptide ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination) were presented and discussed at the 3rd online workshop of the Peptide ADME Discussion Group (3rd of February 2021). This article summarises the presentations and discussions from this workshop.The following topics were covered:Peptide drug-drug interactionsImpact of septic shock on PK and PD of the peptide selepressinMS processing software for metabolite identification of peptidesProfiling of peptides in preclinical drug developmentStrategy for immunogenicity testing of peptidesIn vitro stability testing of peptides for inhalation and automated LC-MS.

Meeting report: 1st workshop of the peptide ADME discussion group.

1. Challenges and opportunities within peptide ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination) were presented and discussed at the 1st peptide workshop of the Peptide ADME Discussion Group in Gothenburg, Sweden (15th of October 2018). This article summarises the presentations and discussions from this 1st workshop. The following topics were covered: Background science presentation on peptidases Presentation of various peptide ADME packages Peptide drug-drug interactions (DDI).

Meeting report: 2nd workshop of the peptide ADME discussion group.

Challenges and opportunities within peptide ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination) were presented and discussed at the 2nd workshop of the Peptide ADME Discussion Group in Cambridge, UK (17th of September 2019). This article summarises the presentations and discussions from this workshop. The following topics were covered: Peptide drug-drug interactions (DDIs) Regulatory perspectives on peptide ADME studies Bioavailability of therapeutic peptides impacted by metabolism and oligomerization in the subcutaneous compartment Regulated bioanalysis of parent peptide and active metabolites by immunoaffinity LC-MS/MS Peptide radiopharmaceutical development.

Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, excretion, and metabolite profiling of PEGylated rFIX (nonacog beta pegol, N9-GP) in rats.

Nonacog beta pegol (N9-GP) is a novel recombinant factor IX conjugated with a 40-kDa branched polyethylene glycol (PEG) to extend plasma half-life (t½) compared with native FIX, developed for the treatment of haemophilia B. This is the first time distribution, metabolism, and excretion data of N9-GP have been presented. ADME studies were performed using single i.v. doses of radiolabelled N9-GP administered to rats, focussing on the biological fate of the 40-kDa PEG. Results indicated that N9-GP-related radioactivity was distributed throughout the body, being most abundant in highly vascularised tissues, and with lowest levels seen in the central nervous system. N9-GP was cleared from plasma within 1week after dosing, while total radioactivity was eliminated more slowly, in a more pronounced biphasic manner. N9-GP seems to be cleared via receptor-mediated uptake (e.g., in the liver) or via the reticuloendothelial system with subsequent proteolysis. PEG is thereafter either cleared alongside the protein or released back into circulation. Furthermore, N9-GP-related radioactivity was excreted in both faeces and urine as 40kDa PEG and degradation products. Some PEG-related radioactivity (not in any particular organ) was present in the carcass 12weeks postdose, consistent with the long terminal elimination t½ of plasma radioactivity. As shown here for N9-GP, and previously for other protein-PEG conjugate products, disposition kinetics of conjugates and individual constituents appears to be compound specific. In addition to the size/structure of the PEG and protein moieties, protein-specific clearance pathways may contribute to the disposition of intact conjugate and PEG moiety.