Drug Interactions between bupropion / naltrexone and regorafenib

GENERALLY AVOID: Excessive use or abrupt discontinuation of alcohol after chronic ingestion may precipitate seizures in patients receiving bupropion. Additionally, there have been rare postmarketing reports of adverse neuropsychiatric events or reduced alcohol tolerance in patients who drank alcohol during treatment with bupropion. According to one forensic report, a patient died after taking large doses of both bupropion and alcohol. It is uncertain whether a drug interaction was involved. Single-dose studies in healthy volunteers given bupropion and alcohol failed to demonstrate either a significant pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interaction.

MANAGEMENT: The manufacturer recommends that alcohol consumption be minimized or avoided during bupropion treatment. The use of bupropion is contraindicated in patients undergoing abrupt discontinuation of alcohol.

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Depending on the amount of fat, food may enhance the oral bioavailability of both regorafenib and its active metabolites, M-2 and M-5. In 24 healthy male subjects, administration of regorafenib with a high-fat meal (945 calories; 54.6 g fat) increased the mean systemic exposure (AUC) of regorafenib by 48% but decreased the mean AUC of M-2 and M-5 by 20% and 51%, respectively, compared to administration under the fasted state. In contrast, administration with a low-fat meal (319 calories; 8.2 g fat) increased the mean AUC of regorafenib, M-2 and M-5 by 36%, 40% and 23%, respectively, compared to administration during fasting.

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration with grapefruit juice may alter the pharmacokinetics of regorafenib and its active metabolites. The proposed mechanism is inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruit. The interaction has not been studied specifically with grapefruit juice, but has been reported with the potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitor, ketoconazole. In 18 healthy male study subjects, administration of a single 160 mg dose of regorafenib on day 5 of treatment with ketoconazole (400 mg daily for 18 days) resulted in a 33% increase in mean regorafenib systemic exposure (AUC) compared to administration of regorafenib alone. Additionally, there was a 93% decrease each in the mean AUC of the M-2 and M-5 metabolites. Both have been shown to have similar in vitro pharmacological activity and steady-state concentrations as regorafenib, thus the net clinical effect of these pharmacokinetic changes is unknown.

MANAGEMENT: To ensure optimal oral absorption, regorafenib should be administered with a low-fat breakfast that contains less than 30% fat. Examples of a low-fat breakfast include: 2 slices of white toast with 1 tablespoon of low-fat margarine and 1 tablespoon of jelly, plus 8 ounces of skim milk (319 calories; 8.2 g fat); or 1 cup of cereal, 8 ounces of skim milk, 1 slice of toast with jam, apple juice, and 1 cup of coffee or tea (520 calories; 2 g fat). Patients should be advised to avoid consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice during treatment with regorafenib.

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration of naltrexone with other agents known to induce hepatotoxicity may potentiate the risk of liver injury. Naltrexone, especially in larger than recommended doses (more than 50 mg/day), has been associated with hepatocellular injury, hepatitis, and elevations in liver transaminases and bilirubin. Other potential causative or contributory etiologies identified include preexisting alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis B and/or C infection, and concomitant usage of other hepatotoxic drugs.

MANAGEMENT: The use of naltrexone with other potentially hepatotoxic agents should be avoided whenever possible (e.g., acetaminophen; alcohol; androgens and anabolic steroids; antituberculous agents; azole antifungal agents; ACE inhibitors; cyclosporine (high dosages); disulfiram; endothelin receptor antagonists; interferons; ketolide and macrolide antibiotics; kinase inhibitors; minocycline; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors; proteasome inhibitors; retinoids; sulfonamides; tamoxifen; thiazolidinediones; tolvaptan; vincristine; zileuton; anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine, hydantoins, felbamate, and valproic acid; lipid-lowering medications such as fenofibrate, lomitapide, mipomersen, niacin, and statins; herbals and nutritional supplements such as black cohosh, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, kava, pennyroyal oil, and red yeast rice). Patients should be advised to seek medical attention if they experience potential signs and symptoms of hepatotoxicity such as fever, rash, itching, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, malaise, right upper quadrant pain, dark urine, pale stools, and jaundice. Periodic monitoring of hepatic function is advisable.

MONITOR: Additive or synergistic effects on blood pressure may occur when bupropion is combined with sympathomimetic agents such as nasal decongestants, adrenergic bronchodilators, ophthalmic vasoconstrictors, and systemic vasopressors. Treatment with bupropion can result in elevated blood pressure and hypertension. In clinical practice, hypertension, in some cases severe and requiring acute treatment, has been observed in patients receiving bupropion alone and in combination with nicotine replacement therapy. These events have occurred in both patients with and without evidence of preexisting hypertension. Furthermore, postmarketing cases of hypertensive crisis have been reported during the initial titration phase with bupropion-naltrexone treatment.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised when bupropion is used with other drugs that increase dopaminergic or noradrenergic activity due to an increased risk of hypertension. Blood pressure and heart rate should be measured prior to initiating bupropion therapy and monitored at regular intervals consistent with usual clinical practice, particularly in patients with preexisting hypertension. Dose reduction or discontinuation of bupropion should be considered in patients who experience clinically significant and sustained increases in blood pressure or heart rate.

MONITOR: The concomitant use of bupropion and nicotine replacement for smoking cessation may increase the risk of hypertension. In a clinical study (n=250), 6.1% of patients who used sustained-release bupropion with nicotine transdermal system developed treatment-emergent hypertension, compared to 2.5% of patients treated with bupropion alone, 1.6% treated with nicotine alone, and 3.1% treated with placebo. Three patients in the bupropion plus nicotine group and one patient in the nicotine-only group discontinued treatment due to hypertension. The majority had evidence of preexisting hypertension.

MANAGEMENT: Blood pressure monitoring is recommended for patients concomitantly using bupropion and nicotine replacement for smoking cessation.