Abstract
Background
Afferent neuronal hypersensitization via P2X3 receptor signaling has been implicated as a driver of several disorders, including refractory chronic cough, endometriosis, diabetic neuropathic pain, and overactive bladder. Eliapixant, a selective P2X3 receptor antagonist, has been in clinical development for all four disorders.
Objective
This paper describes pharmacokinetic (PK) and safety data from two phase I studies of eliapixant in healthy Japanese and Chinese participants and compares those data within the two populations and with previous multiple dose data from Caucasian participants.
Methods
Two separate phase I, single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled studies were conducted with healthy male participants. The Japanese study was single-blind and the Chinese study was double-blind. Eliapixant was administered as an oral amorphous solid dispersion immediate-release tablet in strengths of 25 mg, 75 mg, and 150 mg. PK characteristics after a single dose (SD) and at steady state (multiple dose [MD], twice daily), adverse events (AEs), and tolerability were evaluated. A post hoc comparison of PK characteristics after SD of eliapixant in Japanese and Chinese participants, and after MD of eliapixant in Japanese, Chinese, and Caucasian participants, was performed.
Results
Overall, 36/39 participants enrolled in the Japanese/Chinese studies, respectively (mean [standard deviation] age 25.4 [6.5] and 26.7 [5.0] years, respectively). After SD administration, maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) was higher among Japanese than Chinese participants in the 25 mg and 75 mg dose groups, but comparable in the 150 mg dose group. The area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) was comparable between Japanese and Chinese participants in the 25 mg and 75 mg dose groups, but lower among Japanese participants in the 150 mg group. Half-lives after SD and MD administration were also comparable in Japanese and Chinese participants. The post hoc analysis included 26 Japanese, 30 Chinese, and 50 Caucasian participants. Comparable exposure (Cmax,md and AUC[0–12]md) was observed after MD administration of eliapixant in Chinese and/or Japanese compared with Caucasian participants (geometric mean inter-ethnic ratios close to 1). The trough plasma concentration after eliapixant 150 mg MD, which was assumed to be relevant to eliapixant efficacy, was comparable across all ethnicity groups. Most AEs reported in the Japanese (eliapixant 75 mg SD, n = 2; eliapixant 150 mg MD, n = 2) and Chinese participants (eliapixant 25 mg SD, n = 7; eliapixant 75 mg SD, n = 6; eliapixant 150 mg SD, n = 7; eliapixant 150 mg MD, n = 9; placebo SD, n = 5; placebo MD, n = 1) were of mild intensity. Higher incidences of AEs in the Chinese population were likely due to differing standards of AE reporting between investigators.
Conclusion
Eliapixant was well tolerated by Japanese and Chinese participants. The inter-ethnic evaluation demonstrated similar PK characteristics across Japanese, Chinese, and Caucasian participants.
Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier numbers: NCT04265781 and NCT04802343.
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Acknowledgements
Medical writing services were provided by Kennedy Shaw, MSc, of Adelphi Communications Ltd, Macclesfield, UK and funded by Bayer AG, Berlin, Germany, in accordance with the Good Publication Practice guidelines, 2022.
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This study was funded by Bayer AG.
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P.L., H.C., S.K., S.R., K.F., and C.F. are employees of Bayer AG; K.O. works for Bayer Yakuhin Ltd.; and X.L., M.H., and H.L. have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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These studies were conducted in accordance with the Good Clinical Practice guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki. The protocols were reviewed and approved by each study site’s institutional review board.
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S.R., K.F., C.F., and K.O. contributed to the design of the Japanese study. M.H. was the principal investigator of the Japanese study. P.L., H.C., S.R., K.F., and C.F. contributed to the design of the Chinese study. X.L. was the principal investigator and H.L. the sub-investigator of the Chinese study. S.K. carried out the statistical analysis in the Japanese and Chinese studies, as well as the post hoc inter-ethnic analysis. All authors interpreted the data, critically reviewed and revised the manuscript, and approved the final version for publication.
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Li, X., Haranaka, M., Li, H. et al. P2X3 Receptor Antagonist Eliapixant in Phase I Clinical Trials: Safety and Inter-ethnic Comparison of Pharmacokinetics in Healthy Chinese and Japanese Participants. Clin Pharmacokinet (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40262-024-01387-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40262-024-01387-y