AIMSWe aimed to describe the pharmacokinetic interaction between phenytoin, a potent CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) (ABCB1) inducer, and gefitinib, a CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and P-gp substrate.
METHODSAn open-label, randomized, two-phase crossover study was conducted. Eighteen healthy male volunteers (nine homozygous CC and nine homozygous TT as determined by their ABCB1 C3435T polymorphism in exon 26) received a single oral dose of 250 mg gefitinib alone or after 5 days treatment with phenytoin (5 mg kg -1 daily). Gefitinib plasma concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Hepatic CYP3A4 activity was evaluated by the 14 C-erythromycin breath test (ERMBT) and the ABCB1 and CYP2D6 genetic polymorphisms were determined by the TaqMan allelic discrimination assay and long polymerase chain reaction, respectively.
RESULTSFollowing treatment with phenytoin, mean gefitinib Cmax and AUC0-• decreased by 26 Ϯ 44% [95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference 5-48%, P = 0.005] and 47 Ϯ 26% (95% CI for the difference 34-60%, P = 0.001), respectively, and apparent oral clearance increased by 126 Ϯ 93% (95% CI for the difference 80-172%, P = 0.004). Concomitantly, phenytoin increased the mean ERMBT by 91 Ϯ 44% (95% CI 75-105%, P < 0.001) from baseline, but the extent of liver CYP3A4 induction was not correlated to the extent of interaction. Furthermore, this interaction was independent of ABCB1 genetic polymorphism. The CYP2D6 genotype was slightly but significantly related to gefitinib clearance (P = 0.04) during the control phase.
CONCLUSIONSThe significant interaction between gefitinib and phenytoin was not correlated with the erythromycin breath test and was independent of ABCB1 polymorphism, but may involve presystemic CYP3A-mediated intestinal first-pass.British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology DOI:10.1111DOI:10. /j.1365DOI:10. -2125DOI:10. .2009 226 / Br J Clin Pharmacol / 68:2 / 226-237
IntroductionGefitinib (ZD 1839) is the first available oral quinazoline compound referred to as a 'selective' epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor [1]. It provides an antiproliferative effect by blocking signal transduction from the EGF receptor and has been recently approved as third-line monotherapy in Japan for the treatment of cancer patients who present with locally advanced inoperable or recurrent non-small cell lung carcinoma. Gefitinib systemic exposure is rather complex and highly variable between subjects [1]. Gefitinib is a high-extraction drug with a mean volume of distribution of about 1500 l in humans and is subject to complex and extensive presystemic first-pass [1]. Drug-transport proteins including P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and drug-metabolizing enzymes, e.g. cytochromes P450 (CYP), are relevant factors affecting the pharmacokinetic profile of gefitinib. Preclinical studies performed with human liver microsomes suggested that CYP3A4 was the major enzyme involved in gefitinib metabolism.The 3A4 isoform accounts for as much as 35% of total CYPs expressed in the liver and...