©© 2009 American College of Clinical Pharmacology, Inc.
The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 10.1177/0091270009339740
Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Exposure-Toxicity Relationship of a Folate-Vinca Alkaloid Conjugate EC145 in Cancer Patients
Jing Li 1*,
Edward A. Sausville 2,
Patrick J. Klein 3,
David Morgenstern 3,
Christopher P. Leamon 3,
Richard A. Messmann 3,
and
Patricia LoRusso 1
1 Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University
2 Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland
3 Endocyte, Inc
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lijin{at}karmanos.org.
 |
Abstract |
|---|
The clinical pharmacokinetics and exposure-toxicity relationship were determined for EC145, a conjugate of folic acid and the Vinca alkaloid desacetylvinblastine hydrazide (DAVLBH), in cancer patients. EC145 plasma concentration and toxicity data were obtained from a first-in-man phase I study and analyzed by nonlinear mixed effect modeling with NONMEM. EC145 concentration-time profile after intravenous administration was well described by a 2-compartment model with a first-order elimination process from the central compartment. BSA was identified as a significant covariate on EC145 clearance, accounting for 14.6% of interindividual variation on EC145 clearance. Population estimates for the clearance, steady-state volume of distribution, distribution, and elimination half-lives were 56.1 L/h, 26.1 L, 6 minutes, and 26 minutes, respectively. Constipation and peripheral neuropathy were the most common and clinically relevant toxicities. The clearance and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) were significant predictors for the incidence of EC145-induced constipation but not peripheral neuropathy. In conclusion, EC145 is rapidly distributed and eliminated in cancer patients. BSA is a statistically significant covariate on EC145 clearance, but its clinical relevance remains to be defined. EC145-induced constipation occurs at a higher frequency in the patients with lower EC145 clearance, where the drug exposure tends to be higher.