Desipramine, substrate for CYP2D6 activity: population pharmacokinetic model and design elements of drug-drug interaction trials

AIMS To develop a population pharmacokinetic model to describe the pharmacokinetics of desipramine in healthy subjects, after oral administration of a 50 mg dose. Additional objectives were to develop a semi-mechanistic population pharmacokinetic model for desipramine, which allowed simulation of CYP2D6-mediated inhibition, when using desipramine as a probe substrate, and to evaluate certain study design elements, such as duration of desipramine pharmacokinetic sampling, required sample size and optimal pharmacokinetic sampling schedule for intermediate, extensive and ultrarapid metabolizers of CYP2D6 substrates.