Purpose
Iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd), a halogenated nucleoside analog, produced clinical responses when administered as a radiosensitizer via continuous intravenous (c.i.v.) infusion over the course of radiation therapy. We conducted a Phase 0 trial of 5-iodo-2-pyrimidinone-2′-deoxyribose (IPdR), an oral prodrug of IdUrd, in patients with advanced malignances to assess whether the oral route was a feasible alternative to c.i.v. infusion prior to embarking on large-scale clinical trials. Plasma concentrations of IPdR, IdUrd, and other metabolites were measured after a single oral dose of IPdR.
Patients and Methods
Eligible patients had advanced refractory malignancies. A single oral dose of IPdR was administered per patient and patients were followed for 14 days for safety assessments; dose escalations were planned (150, 300, 600, 1200, and 2400 mg) with one patient per dose level (DL) and 6 patients at the highest DL. Blood sampling was performed over a 24-hour period for pharmacokinetic analysis.
Results
There were no drug-related adverse events. Plasma concentrations of IdUrd generally increased as the dose of IPdR escalated from 150 to 2400 mg. All patients at the 2400 mg dose achieved peak IdUrd levels of (mean ± SD) 4.0 μM ± 1.02 μM (25% CV) at 1.67 ± 1.21 hours after IPdR administration.
Conclusions
Adequate plasma levels of IdUrd were obtained to justify proceeding with a Phase I trial of IPdR in combination with radiation. This trial demonstrates the ability of a small, Phase 0 study to provide critical information for decision-making regarding future development of a drug.