Improving brain penetration using elacridara P-glycoprotein and BCRP inhibitor

Abstract

The central nervous system (CNS) is a site for a myriad of disorders and diseases, such as schizophrenia, Alzheimers disease, and Parkinsons disease. Many medications targeting these illnesses remain challenged due to efflux transporters forming a blood-brain barrier (BBB). To combat such challenges, elacridar shown promise at inhibiting such transporters, such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), therefore improving brain penetration. However, as an early clinical candidate, many remain unknown about elacridars pharmacokinetic (PK) properties in the human body. This paper aims to obtain a better understanding of elacridars pharmacokinetic profile and predict the optimal dose and dose interval for its application in the clinic. To begin with, a series of basic PK models were created using fundamental PK equations and the models were fit to elacridar clinical data to obtain elacridar-specific PK parameters. Next, elacridar preclinical PK as well as in vitro inhibition assay were used to determine the therapeutic window. Our final, multiple-dose extravascular PK model reveals that the most convenient and effective dose regimen is 900 mg BID (bis in die; twice per day). With this elacridar PK model, researchers can leverage elacridar human PK to improve clinical outcomes.