Drug Interactions between clozapine and fedratinib

GENERALLY AVOID: Alcohol may potentiate some of the pharmacologic effects of CNS-active agents. Use in combination may result in additive central nervous system depression and/or impairment of judgment, thinking, and psychomotor skills.

MANAGEMENT: Patients receiving CNS-active agents should be warned of this interaction and advised to avoid or limit consumption of alcohol. Ambulatory patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities requiring complete mental alertness and motor coordination until they know how these agents affect them, and to notify their physician if they experience excessive or prolonged CNS effects that interfere with their normal activities.

GENERALLY AVOID: Grapefruit juice may increase the plasma concentrations of fedratinib. 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 has been reported for other CYP450 3A4 inhibitors. When a single 300 mg oral dose of fedratinib (0.75 times the recommended dose) was coadministered with 200 mg twice daily ketoconazole, a potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitor, fedratinib total systemic exposure (AUC(inf)) increased by approximately 3-fold. Using physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) simulations, coadministration of fedratinib 400 mg once daily and ketoconazole 400 mg once daily is predicted to increase fedratinib AUC at steady state by 2-fold. Coadministration with the moderate CYP450 3A4 inhibitors, erythromycin (500 mg three times daily) or diltiazem (120 mg twice daily), is predicted to increase fedratinib AUC by approximately 1.5- to 2-fold following single-dose administration and by approximately 1.2-fold at steady state. 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 fedratinib exposure may potentiate the risk of adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, encephalopathy (including Wernicke's), liver (ALT, AST) and pancreatic (amylase, lipase) enzyme elevations, increased blood creatinine, and secondary malignancies.

Food does not affect the oral bioavailability of fedratinib to a clinically significant extent. Administration of a single 500 mg dose (1.25 times the recommended dose) with a low-fat, low-calorie meal (162 calories; 6% from fat, 78% from carbohydrate, 16% from protein) or a high-fat, high-calorie meal (815 calories; 52% from fat, 33% from carbohydrate, 15% from protein) increased fedratinib peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) by up to 14% and 24%, respectively.

MANAGEMENT: Fedratinib may be taken with or without food. However, administration with a high-fat meal may help reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Patients should avoid consumption of grapefruit and grapefruit juice during treatment with fedratinib.

MONITOR: Smoking cessation may lead to elevated plasma concentrations and enhanced pharmacologic effects of drugs that are substrates of CYP450 1A2 (and possibly CYP450 1A1) and/or certain drugs with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., flecainide, pentazocine). One proposed mechanism is related to the loss of CYP450 1A2 and 1A1 induction by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco smoke; when smoking cessation agents are initiated and smoking stops, the metabolism of certain drugs may decrease leading to increased plasma concentrations. The mechanism by which smoking cessation affects narrow therapeutic index drugs that are not known substrates of CYP450 1A2 or 1A1 is unknown. The clinical significance of this interaction is unknown as clinical data are lacking.

MANAGEMENT: Until more information is available, caution is advisable if smoking cessation agents are used concomitantly with drugs that are substrates of CYP450 1A2 or 1A1 and/or those with a narrow therapeutic range. Patients receiving smoking cessation agents may require periodic dose adjustments and closer clinical and laboratory monitoring of medications that are substrates of CYP450 1A2 or 1A1.

Caffeine may increase clozapine serum concentrations and exacerbate psychotic symptoms. The mechanism is unknown but may be related to competition for the same metabolic pathway. No specific intervention is necessary; however, if an interaction is suspected it is recommended that caffeine intake be avoided.