This open-label, single-period study describes the human absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and pharmacokinetics of velsecorat (AZD7594). Healthy subjects received inhaled velsecorat (non-radiolabeled; 720 µg) followed by intravenous infusion of carbon 14 (14C)-velsecorat (30 µg). Plasma, urine, and feces were collected up to 168 hours post-dose. Objectives included identification and quantification of velsecorat and its metabolites (i.e., drug-related material) in plasma and excreta, and determining the elimination pathways of velsecorat by measuring the rate and route of excretion, plasma half-life (t1/2), clearance, volume of distribution and mean recovery of radioactivity. On average, 76.0% of administered 14C dose was recovered by the end of the sampling period (urine = 24.4%; feces = 51.6%), with no unchanged compound recovered in excreta, suggesting that biliary excretion is the main elimination route. Compared with intravenous 14C-velsecorat, inhaled velsecorat had a longer t1/2 (27 versus 2 hours), confirming that plasma elimination is absorption-rate-limited from the lungs. Following intravenous administration, t1/2 of 14C-drug-related material was longer than for unchanged velsecorat, and 20% of the 14C plasma content was related to unchanged velsecorat. The geometric mean plasma clearance of velsecorat was high (70.7 l/h) and the geometric mean volume of distribution at steady state was 113 l. Velsecorat was substantially metabolized via O-dealkylation of the indazole ether followed by sulfate conjugation, forming the M1 metabolite, the major metabolite in plasma. There were 15 minor metabolites. Velsecorat was well tolerated, and these results support the progression of velsecorat to phase 3 studies.
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
This study describes the human pharmacokinetics and metabolism of velsecorat, a selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator, evaluated via co-administration of a radiolabeled intravenous microtracer dose and a non-radiolabeled inhaled dose. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the disposition of velsecorat in humans. It also highlights a number of complexities associated with determining human absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion for velsecorat, related to the inhaled route, the high metabolic clearance, sequential metabolite formation and the low intravenous dose.
Abstract Purpose Antipsychotic medications, including olanzapine, are associated with substantial weight gain and metabolic disturbances. We sought to determine whether coadministration of miricorilant, a selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator, with olanzapine can ameliorate these effects. Methods Sixty-six healthy men were enrolled in a 2-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The primary objective was to evaluate changes in body weight after 14 days coadministration of olanzapine (10 mg) + miricorilant (600 mg) compared with olanzapine (10 mg) + placebo. Secondary objectives included evaluating (a) the safety and tolerability of the combination; (b) the effects of the combination on glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and triglycerides; and (c) the impact of the combination on hepatic enzymes. Results Subjects administered olanzapine + miricorilant gained less weight than subjects administered olanzapine + placebo (mean weight gain on day 15, 3.91 kg vs 4.98 kg; difference between groups, −1.07 kg; 95% confidence interval, −1.94 to −0.19; P = 0.017]). Compared with the placebo group, coadministration of miricorilant with olanzapine was associated with smaller increases in insulin (difference, −3.74 mIU/L; P = 0.007), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (difference, −0.47; P = 0.007), triglycerides (difference, −0.29 mmol/L; P = 0.057), aspartate aminotransferase (difference, −32.24 IU/L; P = 0.009), and alanine aminotransferase (difference, −49.99 IU/L; P = 0.030). Conclusions Miricorilant may provide a promising option for ameliorating the detrimental effects of olanzapine, and investigation of this medication in patients affected by antipsychotic-induced weight gain is warranted. Two phase 2 studies of miricorilant in patients with recent and long-standing antipsychotic-induced weight gain are currently in progress.
Ziritaxestat is a novel inhibitor of autotaxin, an enzyme responsible for the production of lysophosphatidic acid, the downstream signaling of which mediates responses to tissue injury and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of fibrotic conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and systemic sclerosis. This study (Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03787186) was designed to assess the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of orally administered 600-mg ziritaxestat labeled with a carbon-14 tracer (