Addressing bedaquiline treatment interruptions in the treatment of drug-resistant TB.

SETTING: The recommended dosing regimen for bedaquiline (BDQ), consisting of a 2-week loading phase (400 mg/day), followed by a maintenance phase (200 mg three times/week), might pose challenges when treatment is interrupted and needs to be reinitiated. Guidance on BDQ treatment re-initiation is, therefore, needed.OBJECTIVE: This pharmacokinetic-based simulation study aimed to provide recommendations for re-initiating BDQ following treatment interruptions.DESIGN: Simulations of treatment interruptions, defined as any time a patient misses ≥2 consecutive BDQ doses for up to 56 consecutive days (2 months), were assessed using the BDQ population-pharmacokinetic model.RESULTS: Any treatment interruption lasting ≤28 days prior to completing the 14-day loading phase can be managed by completing the remaining loading doses. Scenarios when it is sufficient to simply restart maintenance dosing are discussed. In some scenarios, treatment interruptions require reloading for 1 week prior to restarting maintenance dosing.CONCLUSIONS: This simulation study provided recommendations for managing BDQ treatment interruptions and underscores the importance of having a robust population-pharmacokinetic model for TB drugs to inform clinical guidance. Such recommendations are valuable to help ensure optimal treatment with BDQ for treating multidrug-resistant TB.

Bedaquiline: a review of human pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions.

Bedaquiline has recently been approved for the treatment of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) as part of combination therapy in adults. It is metabolized primarily by the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4 (CYP3A4) to a less-active N-monodesmethyl metabolite. Phase I and Phase II studies in healthy subjects and patients with drug-susceptible or multidrug-resistant TB have assessed the pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interaction profile of bedaquiline. Potential interactions have been assessed between bedaquiline and first- and second-line anti-TB drugs (rifampicin, rifapentine, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, kanamycin, ofloxacin and cycloserine), commonly used antiretroviral agents (lopinavir/ritonavir, nevirapine and efavirenz) and a potent CYP3A inhibitor (ketoconazole). This review summarizes the pharmacokinetic profile of bedaquiline as well as the results of the drug-drug interaction studies.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor etravirine in treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected patients.

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the antiretroviral agent etravirine were evaluated in two phase III clinical trials. Pharmacokinetic data were available in 577 patients randomized to receive etravirine. The mean (SD) population-pharmacokinetics-derived area under the concentration-time curve at 12 h (AUC(12 h)) and concentration at 0 h (C(0 h)) were 5,501 (4,544) ng·h/ml and 393 (378) ng/ml, respectively. Hepatitis C coinfection raised etravarine exposure, and concomitant use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate lowered etravirine exposure, but these changes were not considered clinically relevant. Etravirine apparent oral clearance was not affected by age, weight, sex, race, hepatitis B coinfection status, creatinine clearance, or concomitant use of enfuvirtide. Virologic response (<50 copies/ml) at week 24 was 59% in patients randomized to etravirine vs. 41% in those receiving placebo (P < 0.0001). There was no apparent relationship between etravirine pharmacokinetics and either efficacy or safety. Factors other than the pharmacokinetics of etravirine such as the characteristics of the patients and the disease, as well as characteristics of the treatment regimen, predict virologic response.

Assessment of the steady-state pharmacokinetic interaction between etravirine administered as two different formulations and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: Two open-label, randomized, cross-over trials in healthy volunteers were conducted to investigate the pharmacokinetic interaction between etravirine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. METHODS: Etravirine was administered as either 800 mg twice a day (bid) (phase II formulation in Study 1) or 200 mg bid (phase III formulation in Study 2) for 8 days followed by a 12 h pharmacokinetic evaluation. After a minimum of 14 days washout, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg once a day was administered for 16 days. Volunteers were randomized to receive co-administration of etravirine with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate on either days 1-8 or days 9-16 followed by a 12 h pharmacokinetic evaluation for etravirine on day 8 or 16, respectively. Plasma and urine tenofovir concentrations were determined on days 8 and 16 over 24 h. RESULTS: The least square mean (LSM) ratio [90% confidence interval (CI)] for the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 h (AUC(12 h)) for etravirine co-administered with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate vs. etravirine alone was 0.69 (0.61-0.79) and 0.81 (0.75-0.88) in Studies 1 and 2, respectively. The LSM ratio (90% CI) for the effect of etravirine on tenofovir AUC(24 h) was 1.16 (1.09-1.23) in Study 1 and 1.15 (1.09-1.21) in Study 2. CONCLUSIONS: These alterations are not considered clinically relevant for either drug and no dose adjustment is necessary when etravirine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate are co-administered.

Effect of repeated doses of darunavir plus low-dose ritonavir on the pharmacokinetics of sildenafil in healthy male subjects: phase I randomized, open-label, two-way crossover study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Darunavir (DRV, TMC114) is a novel protease inhibitor administered in combination with low-dose ritonavir (DRV/r) and is highly active against both wild-type and multidrug-resistant HIV-1 strains. Sildenafil is an oral therapy for erectile dysfunction. Concomitant administration of protease inhibitors and sildenafil increases sildenafil plasma concentrations. The potential for a pharmacokinetic drug interaction exists when sildenafil and DRV/r are co-administered, as these drugs are primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A, and darunavir and ritonavir are CYP3A inhibitors. The primary objective of this open-label, crossover, phase I study was to assess the effect of multiple doses of DRV/r on the pharmacokinetics of sildenafil and its active metabolite N-desmethyl sildenafil. The secondary objective was to assess the short-term safety and tolerability of co-administration of sildenafil and DRV/r. METHODS: Sixteen HIV-negative healthy male subjects were randomized to one of two sequences. In two sessions each subject received treatments A and B. In treatment A, a single dose of sildenafil 100 mg was administered. In treatment B, the subjects received DRV/r 400/100 mg twice daily for 8 days and on day 7 a single dose of sildenafil 25 mg was co-administered. Full pharmacokinetic profiles of sildenafil, N-desmethyl sildenafil, darunavir and ritonavir were determined. Safety and tolerability were also assessed. RESULTS: Sildenafil exposure (area under the plasma concentration-time curve [AUC]) was comparable between the two treatments despite administration of a lower dose of sildenafil (25 mg) with DRV/r than when sildenafil (100 mg) was administered alone. When sildenafil 25 mg was co-administered with DRV/r, the sildenafil maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) was 38% lower compared with Cmax after administration of sildenafil alone at a dose of 100 mg. N-desmethyl sildenafil Cmax and AUC from the time of administration until the last time point with a measurable concentration after dosing (calculated by linear trapezoidal summation [AUClast]) values decreased by approximately 95% when sildenafil 25 mg was co-administered with DRV/r compared with sildenafil 100 mg alone. Combined treatment with DRV/r and sildenafil was generally safe and well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Sildenafil exposure is increased in the presence of DRV/r. In this setting, a dose adjustment for sildenafil is warranted; no more than 25 mg of sildenafil is recommended over a 48-hour period when co-administered with DRV/r.

Pharmacokinetics of stavudine and didanosine coadministered with nelfinavir in human immunodeficiency virus-exposed neonates.

We evaluated the pharmacokinetics of stavudine (d4T) and didanosine (ddI) in neonates. Eight neonates born to human immunodeficiency virus-infected mothers were enrolled to receive 1 mg of d4T per kg of body weight twice daily and 100 mg of ddI per m(2) once daily in combination with nelfinavir for 4 weeks after birth. Pharmacokinetic evaluations were performed at 14 and 28 days of age. For d4T, on days 14 and 28, the median areas under the concentration-time curves from 0 to 12 h (AUC(0-12)s) were 1,866 and 1,603, ng x h/ml, respectively, and the median peak concentrations (C(max)s) were 463 and 507 ng/ml, respectively. For ddI, on days 14 and 28, the median AUC(0-10)s were 1,573 and 1,562 h x ng/ml, respectively, and the median C(max)s were 627 and 687 ng/ml, respectively. Systemic levels of exposure to d4T were comparable to those seen in children, suggesting that the pediatric dose of 1 mg/kg twice daily is appropriate for neonates at 2 to 4 weeks of age. Levels of exposure to ddI were modestly higher than those seen in children. Whether this observation warrants a reduction of the ddI dose in neonates is unclear.

Limited patient adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection in an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for human immunodeficiency syndrome type 1 (HIV-1) infection is essential to sustain viral suppression and prevent drug resistance. We investigated adherence to HAART among patients in a clinical cohort study. METHODS: Patients receiving HAART had their plasma concentrations of protease inhibitors or nevirapine measured and completed a questionnaire on adherence. We determined the percentage of patients who reported taking all antiretroviral medication on time and according to dietary instructions in the past week. Drug exposure was compared between patients reporting deviation from their regimen and fully adherent patients. Among patients who received HAART for at least 24 weeks, we assessed the association between adherence and virologic outcome. RESULTS: A total of 224 of 261 eligible patients completed a questionnaire. Forty-seven percent reported taking all antiretroviral medication on time and according to dietary instructions. Patients who reported deviation from their regimen showed lower drug exposure compared with fully adherent patients (median concentration ratio, 0.81 vs 1.07; P =.001). Among those receiving HAART for at least 24 weeks, patients reporting deviation from their regimen were less likely to have plasma HIV-1 RNA levels below 500 copies/mL (adjusted odds ratio, 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-11.6) compared with fully adherent patients. CONCLUSIONS: Only half of the patients took all antiretroviral medication in accordance with time and dietary instructions in the preceding week. Deviation from the antiretroviral regimen was associated with decreased drug exposure and a decreased likelihood of having suppressed plasma HIV-1 RNA loads. Patient adherence should remain a prime concern in the management of HIV-1 infection.

Pharmacokinetic profiles of nevirapine and indinavir in various fractions of seminal plasma.

Limited data are available on antiretroviral drug concentrations in seminal plasma during a dosing interval. Further, since human ejaculate is composed of fluids originating from the testes, the seminal vesicles, and the prostate, all having different physiological characteristics, drug concentrations in total seminal plasma do not necessarily reflect concentrations in the separate compartments. Five human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients on nevirapine (NVP; 200 mg twice a day [b.i.d.]) and/or indinavir (IDV; 800 mg b.i.d. with ritonavir, 100 mg b.i.d.) regimens used a split ejaculate technique to separate seminal plasma in two fractions, representing fluids from the testes and prostate (first fraction) and fluids from the seminal vesicles (second fraction). Split-ejaculate samples were provided at 0, 2, 5, and 8 h after drug ingestion, on separate days after 3 days of sexual abstinence. NVP and IDV showed time-dependent concentrations in seminal plasma, with peak concentrations in both fractions at 2 and 2 to 5 h, respectively, after drug ingestion. The NVP concentrations were not significantly different between the first and second fractions of the ejaculate at all time points measured and were in the therapeutic range, except for the predose concentration in two patients. The median (range) predose IDV concentrations in the first and second fractions of the ejaculate were 448 (353 to 1,015) ng/ml and 527 (240 to 849) ng/ml, respectively (P = 0.7). In conclusion, NVP and IDV concentrations in seminal plasma are dependent on the time after drug ingestion. Furthermore, our data suggest that NVP and IDV achieve therapeutic concentrations in both the testes and prostate and the seminal vesicles throughout the dosing interval.

Penetration of the nucleoside analogue abacavir into the genital tract of men infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

The male genital tract is considered an anatomical reservoir during therapy for human immunodeficiency virus infection, because the blood-testis barrier may prevent antiretroviral drugs (e.g., the protease inhibitors ritonavir, saquinavir and nelfinavir) from entering the male genital tract. To our knowledge, there are currently no available data on the penetration of the nucleoside analogue abacavir into the male genital tract. Our report shows that abacavir has good penetration into the male genital tract.

Can fluconazole concentrations in saliva be used for therapeutic drug monitoring?

The saliva/plasma concentration ratio of fluconazole was investigated in 22 HIV-1-infected individuals with an oropharyngeal Candida infection to determine whether saliva fluconazole concentrations could provide useful information for therapeutic drug monitoring in this population. Steady-state paired plasma and saliva samples were obtained after approximately 1 week of treatment with 50-or 100-mg fluconazole as capsules. A significant correlation between plasma and salivary levels of fluconazole was observed. The median saliva/plasma concentration ratio was 1.3 and was independent of the ingested dose and the plasma fluconazole concentration. The prediction of fluconazole concentrations in plasma from the concentrations in saliva was, although unbiased, not precise. From these findings, the authors conclude that although stimulated salivary fluconazole concentrations are significantly correlated with plasma concentrations, it is not possible to predict plasma fluconazole levels from the salivary concentrations with adequate precision. However, saliva fluconazole concentrations have sufficient value to test for compliance and even semiquantitative prediction of plasma concentrations.

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of twice-daily dosing of saquinavir plus ritonavir in HIV-1-infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the steady state plasma pharmacokinetics of 1000 mg of saquinavir (SQV) in a soft-gel capsule (SGC) formulation in combination with 100 mg of ritonavir (RTV) (capsules) in a twice-daily dosing regimen in HIV-1-infected individuals with historical controls who used 400 mg of SQV in a hard-gel capsule (HGC) formulation in combination with 400 mg of RTV and to investigate the plasma pharmacokinetics of the 1000 mg/100 mg regimen after normal and high-fat breakfasts. DESIGN: Open-label, crossover, steady-state pharmacokinetic study. METHODS: Six HIV-1-infected individuals who used either 1200 mg of SQV (SGC or HGC) three times daily or 400 mg twice daily in combination with 400 mg of RTV twice daily were included. Each patient was switched to 1000 mg of SQV SGC twice daily in combination with 100 mg of RTV twice daily. After 14 days, the patients came to the hospital for assessment of a pharmacokinetic profile during 12 hours. Patients were randomized to receive a high-fat (+/-45 g of fat) or normal (+/-20 g of fat) breakfast. After 7 days, a second pharmacokinetic profile was assessed after ingestion of the drugs with the alternate breakfast. A noncompartmental pharmacokinetic method was used to calculate the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC0-12h), the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), the plasma trough concentration (C12h), and the elimination half-life in plasma (t1/2). The obtained pharmacokinetic parameters were compared with those of 12 patients using SQV HGC (400 mg twice daily) in combination with RTV (400 mg twice daily). RESULTS: The median values of the pharmacokinetic parameters for SQV SGC (1000 mg twice daily, normal breakfast) were: AUC0-12h, 18.84 h*mg/L; Cmax, 3.66 mg/L; C12h, 0.40 mg/L; and t1/2, 3.0 hours. The median values of the pharmacokinetic parameters for SQV HGC (400 mg twice daily, normal breakfast) were: AUC0-12h, 6.99 h*mg/L; Cmax, 1.28 mg/L; C12h, 0.23 mg/L; and t1/2, 3.9 hours. The exposure to SQV in the dosing regimen of 1000 mg twice daily in combination with 100 mg of RTV twice daily was significantly higher than the exposure to SQV in a dosing regimen of 400 mg twice daily in combination with 400 mg of RTV twice daily. The pharmacokinetic parameters of SQV SGC in the dosing regimen of 1000 mg twice daily in combination with 100 mg of RTV twice daily were not significantly different after ingestion of a high-fat or normal breakfast (p >.35). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of 1000 mg of SQV SGC twice daily and 100 mg of RTV twice daily resulted in a higher exposure to SQV compared with the exposure to SQV obtained when SQV is used in the 400 mg/400 mg twice-daily combination with RTV. In this small number of patients, no significant differences in exposure were seen after ingestion of either a normal or high-fat breakfast. From a pharmacokinetic perspective, the combination of 1000 mg of SQV SGC twice daily and 100 mg of RTV twice daily seems to be a good option for further clinical evaluation.

The effect of fluconazole on ritonavir and saquinavir pharmacokinetics in HIV-1-infected individuals.

AIMS: To study the effect of fluconazole on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of the protease inhibitors ritonavir and saquinavir in HIV-1-infected patients. METHODS: Five subjects treated with saquinavir and three with ritonavir received the protease inhibitor alone (saquinavir 1200 mg three times daily, ritonavir 600 mg twice daily) on day 1, and the same protease inhibitor in combination with fluconazole (400 mg on day 2 and 200 mg on days 3 to 8). Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined on days 1 and 8. RESULTS: In the saquinavir group, the median increase in the area under the plasma concentration vs time curve was 50% from 1800 microg l(-1) h to 2700 microg l(-1) h (P = 0.04, median increase: 900 microg l(-1) h; 2.5 and 97.5 percentile: 500-1300), and 56% for the peak concentration in plasma (from 550 to 870 microg l(-1), P = 0.04; median increase: 320 microg l(-1) h, 2.5 and 97.5 percentile: 60-450 microg l(-1)). In the ritonavir group, there were no detectable changes in the pharmacokinetic parameters on addition of fluconazole. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the favourable safety profile of saquinavir, dose adjustments are probably not necessary with concomitant use of fluconazole, as is the case for ritonavir.

The steady-state pharmacokinetics of efavirenz and nevirapine when used in combination in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected persons.

The steady-state pharmacokinetics of efavirenz and nevirapine, when used in combination to treat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected subjects, were investigated. HIV-1-infected persons who had used efavirenz (600 mg once daily) for > or =2 weeks were eligible for study inclusion. The plasma pharmacokinetics of efavirenz were determined over 24 h. Subsequently, nevirapine (400 mg once daily) was added to the regimen. After 4 weeks, the pharmacokinetics of efavirenz and nevirapine were assessed over 24 h. The differences between the pharmacokinetic parameters of efavirenz with and without nevirapine were analyzed, and the pharmacokinetics of nevirapine were compared with those in historical control patients. The exposure to efavirenz when combined with nevirapine was significantly decreased by 22% (area under the plasma concentration vs. time curve), 36% (minimum plasma concentration), and 17% (maximum plasma concentration). Nevirapine pharmacokinetics appear to be unaffected by coadministration of efavirenz, compared with data from historical control patients.

Durable HIV-1 suppression with indinavir after failing lamivudine-containing double nucleoside therapy: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the durability of the antiretroviral effect in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of antiviral therapy intensification, produced by the addition of indinavir from week 12 onwards to the original regimen of zidovudine/lamivudine or stavudine/lamivudine, after 72 weeks of follow-up using an ultrasensitive HIV-1 RNA assay. To assess CSF concentrations of indinavir at week 48. DESIGN: In a prospectively, randomized, open, single-centre study, antiretroviral-naive patients (CD4 cell count > or =200 cells/microl and a plasma HIV-1 RNA level 10,000 copies/ml) were assigned to a combination of zidovudine/lamivudine or stavudine/lamivudine. Indinavir could be added to the double nucleoside analogue regimen from week 12 or thereafter in case the plasma HIV RNA level was insufficiently suppressed (>500 copies/ml). RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were enrolled (23 stavudine/lamivudine and 24 zidovudine/lamivudine), of whom 33 completed a follow-up of 72 weeks. Indinavir was added in 89% (42/47) of the patients. Only one discontinuation occurred due to virological failure. At week 72, the median plasma HIV-1 RNA levels in the zidovudine/lamivudine group had decreased from 4.80 log10 copies/ml to <500 copies/ml in 100% of patients and <50 copies/ml in 86.6% of the patients. In the stavudine/lamivudine group the plasma HIV-1 RNA decreased from 4.98 log10 copies/ml at baseline to <500 copies/ml in 100% of patients and <50 copies/ml in 66.7% of the patients. On an intent-to-treat basis these figures were 54.2 and 52.2% for zidovudine/lamivudine and stavudine/lamivudine, respectively, for the 50 copies/ml assay. The median CD4 cell count increased from 315 cells/microl, with 150 cells/microl in the zidovudine/lamivudine arm, and from 290 cells/microl, with 310 cells/microl in the stavudine/lamivudine arm (P=0.0001). However, the percentage of CD4 cells did not differ in each group. In the zidovudine/lamivudine group 9/10 and 5/5, and in the stavudine/lamivudine group 11/11 and 6/6 had a CSF HIV-1 RNA level <50 copies/ml at week 12 and 48, respectively. The CSF indinavir concentration ranged from 50 to 170 ng/ml. CONCLUSION: The long-term HIV-1 suppression observed in this study is remarkable, as adding a single antiretroviral agent to a failing regimen goes against current notions of adequate therapy.

High exposure to nevirapine in plasma is associated with an improved virological response in HIV-1-infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To explore relationships between exposure to nevirapine and the virological response in HIV-1-infected individuals participating in the INCAS trial. METHODS: The elimination rate constant of plasma HIV-1 RNA (k) was calculated during the first 2 weeks of treatment with nevirapine, zidovudine and didanosine in 51 antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients. The relationships between the value of k, the time to reach an undetectable HIV-1 RNA concentration in plasma (< 20 copies/ml) and the success of therapy after 52 weeks of treatment as dependent variables and the exposure to nevirapine, baseline HIV-1 RNA and baseline CD4 cell count as independent variables, were explored using linear regression analyses, proportional hazard models and logistic analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The value of k for HIV-1 RNA in plasma was positively and significantly associated with the mean plasma nevirapine concentration during the first 2 weeks of therapy (P = 0.011) and the baseline HIV-1 RNA (P = 0.008). Patients with a higher exposure to nevirapine reached undetectable levels of HIV-1 RNA in plasma more rapidly (P = 0.03). From 12 weeks on, the median nevirapine plasma concentration was significantly correlated with success of therapy after 52 weeks (P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: A high exposure to nevirapine (in a twice daily regimen) is significantly associated with improved virological response in the short as well as in the long term. These findings suggest that optimization of nevirapine concentration might be used as a tool to improve virological outcome in (antiretroviral-naive) patients treated with nevirapine.

Saliva as an alternative body fluid for therapeutic drug monitoring of the nonnucleoside reverse transcription inhibitor nevirapine.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the applicability of saliva as an alternative body fluid for therapeutic drug monitoring of nevirapine. The pharmacokinetics of nevirapine in plasma and saliva during a dosing interval was assessed in HIV-1-infected patients taking nevirapine (200 mg twice daily) to explore the relation between the concentration of nevirapine in plasma and saliva. To validate the anticipated relationship prospectively, single, paired plasma and saliva samples were obtained from nevirapine-treated HIV-1-infected outpatients. The plasma nevirapine concentration was strongly correlated with the salivary concentration. The mean saliva/plasma concentration ratio was 0.51 and was independent of the time after ingestion. Salivary nevirapine concentrations were used to estimate the corresponding plasma concentrations for 31 outpatients. Compared with the true plasma concentrations, the estimated concentrations were biased by -4.2%, with a precision of 13.3%. These data show a strong correlation between the salivary and plasma concentrations of nevirapine at a dosage of 200 mg twice daily. This relation has been validated prospectively, and the prediction of plasma concentrations was accurate and precise. Therefore, the authors conclude that saliva can be a useful body fluid for therapeutic drug monitoring of nevirapine.

P-glycoprotein limits oral availability, brain, and fetal penetration of saquinavir even with high doses of ritonavir.

The low oral bioavailability of the HIV protease inhibitor (HPI) saquinavir is dramatically increased by coadministration of the HPI ritonavir. Because saquinavir and ritonavir are substrates and inhibitors of both the drug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and of the metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4, we wanted to sort out whether the ritonavir effect is primarily mediated by inhibition of CYP3A4 or P-gp or both. P-gp is known to limit the bioavailability, brain, testis, and fetal penetration of its substrates, so effective inhibition of P-gp by ritonavir in vivo might open up pharmacological sanctuary sites for saquinavir, with the potential of beneficial effects on therapy, but also of increased toxicity. In vitro, P-gp-mediated transport of saquinavir and ritonavir was only moderately inhibited by both HPIs compared with the potent P-gp inhibitor PSC833. When [(14)C]saquinavir was orally coadministered with a maximum tolerated dose of ritonavir to wild-type and P-gp-deficient mice, saquinavir bioavailability was dramatically increased in both strains, but P-gp still limited the oral bioavailability of saquinavir, and its penetration into brain and fetus. These data indicate that in vivo, ritonavir is a relatively poor P-gp inhibitor. The highly increased bioavailability of saquinavir because of ritonavir coadministration most likely results from reduced saquinavir metabolism. Importantly, our data indicate that it is unlikely that ritonavir coadministration will substantially affect the contribution of P-gp to pharmacological sanctuary sites such as brain, testis, and fetus. Thus, if one wanted to effectively open these sites for therapeutic purposes, more efficient P-gp inhibitors should be applied.

Liquid chromatographic assay for simultaneous determination of abacavir and mycophenolic acid in human plasma using dual spectrophotometric detection.

A combined bio-analytical assay for abacavir, a reversed transcriptase inhibitor, and mycophenolic acid (MPA), based on reversed-phase liquid chromatography and both ultraviolet (UV) absorption and fluorescence detection, is reported. Both analytes are extracted from plasma with acetonitrile. After centrifugation, evaporation of the supernatant and reconstitution in water, the sample is injected into the chromatograph. Abacavir is detected using UV detection at 285 nm and MPA spectrofluorometrically at 345 and 430 nm for excitation and emission, respectively. The method has been validated in the 80-2000 ng/ml range for abacavir and in the 10-10,000 ng/ml range for MPA for 200-microl plasma samples. The lower limits of quantification are 80 and 10 ng/ml for abacavir and MPA, respectively. Precisions and accuracies are < or = 8% in the valid concentration ranges of both analytes.