Effect of Fluconazole on the Pharmacokinetic Properties of Imrecoxib, a Novel NSAID: A Single-center, Open-label, Self-controlled Study in Healthy Chinese Male Volunteers

Abstract

PurposeImrecoxib is one type of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor with the capability of reducing the potential cardiovascular risk caused by other NSAIDs. Co-administration with other medications can affect the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 enzyme function; thus, imrecoxib metabolism can be affected. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of fluconazole, which is known to inhibit CYP2C9, on imrecoxib's pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. MethodsIn this single-center, single-arm, open-label, self-controlled study, 12 healthy Chinese male volunteers (mean [SD] age, 22.6 [2.43] years) received the following 2 treatments separated by a washout period of 8 days under a fasting state: (1) a single oral dose of imrecoxib 100 mg; and (2) fluconazole 200 mg/d over 6 days followed by concurrent dosing of imrecoxib 100 mg and fluconazole 200 mg. Plasma concentrations of imrecoxib (M0) and its metabolites (4′-hydroxymethyl metabolite [M1] and 4′-carboxylic acid metabolite [M2]) for PK analysis were obtained at 0 (baseline) and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after imrecoxib dosing. Safety and tolerability assessments were performed throughout the study. FindingsAll subjects completed the study. There was 1 adverse event; drug-induced liver damage in 1 subject occurred after he received imrecoxib plus fluconazole, and the subject recovered without any sequelae. Coadministration with fluconazole resulted in much higher plasma imrecoxib concentrations, with an increase of 88% in Cmax and 72% in AUC0–t compared with only imrecoxib treatment, which showed that fluconazole may increase plasma exposure to imrecoxib. Fluconazole also caused a small, but not clinically relevant, decrease in M1 and M2 mean Cmax (13% and 14%, respectively), but there was minimal change in M1 and M2 mean AUC0–t (3% and 2%). However, there were no statistically significant differences in vital signs, clinical laboratory test results, ECGs, or adverse events between treatments. ImplicationsConcurrent administration of imrecoxib and fluconazole did not seem to change imrecoxib's safety profile. The ratio (imrecoxib + fluconazole/imrecoxib) for AUC0–t was 1.72 (90% CI, 1.41–2.11) and for Cmax it was 1.88 (90% CI, 1.59–2.21). Hence, it is necessary to adjust the imrecoxib dose when it is concurrently used with other CYP2C9 inhibitors.