Drug Interactions between clarithromycin and lefamulin

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food may reduce the oral bioavailability of lefamulin. When a single 600 mg oral dose of lefamulin was administered with a high-calorie, high-fat breakfast (800 to 1000 calories; approximately 50% from fat), lefamulin peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) decreased by approximately 23% and 18%, respectively.

GENERALLY AVOID: Grapefruit juice may increase the oral bioavailability of lefamulin. The proposed mechanism is inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruit. Inhibition of hepatic CYP450 3A4 may also contribute. The interaction has not been studied with grapefruit juice, but pharmacokinetic data are available for the potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitor, ketoconazole. When oral lefamulin was administered with oral ketoconazole, mean lefamulin peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) increased by 58% and 165%, respectively. In general, the effect of grapefruit juice is concentration-, dose- and preparation-dependent, and can vary widely among brands. Certain preparations of grapefruit juice (e.g., high dose, double strength) have sometimes demonstrated potent inhibition of CYP450 3A4, while other preparations (e.g., low dose, single strength) have typically demonstrated moderate inhibition. Increased exposure to lefamulin may increase the risk of QT interval prolongation, which has been associated with ventricular arrhythmias including torsade de pointes and sudden death.

MANAGEMENT: Lefamulin tablets should be taken at least one hour before or two hours after a meal. Patients should preferably avoid or limit the consumption of grapefruit and grapefruit juice during treatment with lefamulin.

Grapefruit juice may delay the gastrointestinal absorption of clarithromycin but does not appear to affect the overall extent of absorption or inhibit the metabolism of clarithromycin. The mechanism of interaction is unknown but may be related to competition for intestinal CYP450 3A4 and/or absorptive sites. In an open-label, randomized, crossover study consisting of 12 healthy subjects, coadministration with grapefruit juice increased the time to reach peak plasma concentration (Tmax) of both clarithromycin and 14-hydroxyclarithromycin (the active metabolite) by 80% and 104%, respectively, compared to water. Other pharmacokinetic parameters were not significantly altered. This interaction is unlikely to be of clinical significance.