• V K Piotrovsky, M L Huang, A Van Peer, and C Langenaecken.
• Janssen Research Foundation, Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Beerse, Belgium. vpiotrov@janbe.jnj.com
• Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 1998 Jan 1; 42 (3): 221-8.

PurposeVorozole (VOR) is a selective nonsteroidal inhibitor of the cytochrome P450-dependent aromatase that catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens. It is currently being developed as a therapeutic agent in the endocrine treatment of postmenopausal women with breast cancer. This work was aimed to explore the effects of demographic and other variables on VOR pharmacokinetics.MethodsVOR plasma concentration-time data were obtained in healthy volunteers and in breast cancer patients after the oral administration of 2.5 mg of VOR as a single dose or once daily. The data obtained in 6 formal pharmacokinetics (PK) studies with frequent plasma sampling were included in the data base (84 healthy male and female volunteers and 13 breast cancer patients). Also included were data from 2 clinical efficacy trials involving 286 breast cancer patients who were treated for several months (1 sample per visit, up to 14 samples/patient). The nonlinear mixed-effect modeling (NONMEM) approach was applied. The two-compartment linear PK model with first-order absorption parameterized in terms of apparent clearance (CL), apparent central and peripheral volumes of distribution (Vc and Vp, respectively), apparent distributional flow (Q), and absorption constant (ka) was used. A population model was developed using data from formal PK studies. The final estimates of fixed and random effect parameters were obtained using both formal study data and clinical-efficacy trial data.ResultsThe typical CL value obtained after a single dose was lower in patients (4.8 l/h) as compared with healthy volunteers (8.6 l/h) and did not depend on gender. The multiple- to single-dose ratio was 0.76. CL was constant over ages of up to 50 years and then decreased slightly (0.047 l/h per year). The typical CL value did not depend on any demographic variable related to body size (total body weight, WT; body surface area; lean body mass). Q and Vc were proportional to WT (0.17 l h(-1) kg(-1) and 0.43 l/kg, respectively). Vp was also proportional to WT and was higher in women as compared with men (0.64 and 0.40 l/kg, respectively). The same was true for the apparent steady-state volume of distribution. No effect of race or the duration of therapy (0.5-28 months) was seen. The unexplained variability in CL and the residual variability in VOR plasma concentrations were 39% and 28% (coefficient of variation), respectively.ConclusionsHealthy volunteer/patient, single/multiple dosing differences, and age were identified as the fixed effects influencing the CL of VOR. WT was the main determinant of distributional PK parameters. The peripheral and steady-state volumes of distribution were gender-dependent. In view of the relatively high degree of residual interpatient variability in CL, the slight effect of age on it is unlikely to be clinically significant.

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