The effect of laquinimod, a novel immuno-modulator in development to treat Huntington disease, on the pharmacokinetics of ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel in healthy young women

Purpose Laquinimod is an orally dosed immuno-modulator currently under development for Huntington’s disease (HD). Preclinical findings suggest potential teratogenicity of laquinimod, thus the reproductive ability of females with HD treated with laquinimod needs to be closely managed. Because combined oral contraceptives (COC) are often used in this context, the pharmacokinetics of COC containing ethinylestradiol (EE) and levonorgestrel (LNG) in combination with laquinimod (0.6 mg/day) was evaluated.