Drug Interactions between Coartem and repotrectinib

GENERALLY AVOID: Grapefruit juice may increase the plasma concentrations and adverse effects of repotrectinib. According to prescribing information, repotrectinib is primarily metabolized by CYP450 3A4, and is also a substrate of P-gp in vitro. 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 repotrectinib and grapefruit juice but has been reported for other CYP450 3A4 inhibitors. Drug interaction studies have shown that the administration of repotrectinib with itraconazole, a potent CYP450 3A4 and P-gp inhibitor, increased the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) of repotrectinib by 1.7-fold and 5.9-fold, 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 repotrectinib may increase the risk of adverse reactions such as dizziness, fatigue, cognitive disorders, ataxia, dysgeusia, peripheral neuropathy, muscular weakness, and dyspnea as well as more serious adverse effects such as interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis, liver transaminase elevations, myalgia with creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation, hyperuricemia, and skeletal fractures.

MANAGEMENT: The manufacturer advises that concomitant use of repotrectinib with grapefruit, grapefruit juice, or supplements that contain grapefruit should be avoided.

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration with grapefruit juice may increase the plasma concentrations of artemether and lumefantrine. The mechanism is decreased clearance due to inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruits. High plasma levels of artemether and lumefantrine may increase the risk of QT interval prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias including torsade de pointes. In clinical trials, asymptomatic prolongation of the Fridericia-corrected QT interval (QTcF) by more than 30 msec from baseline was reported in approximately one-third of patients treated with artemether-lumefantrine, and prolongation by more than 60 msec was reported in more than 5% of patients. A few patients (0.4%) in the adult/adolescent population and no patient in the infant/children population experienced a QTcF greater than 500 msec. However, the possibility that these increases were disease-related cannot be ruled out. In a study of healthy adult volunteers, administration of the six-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine was associated with mean changes in QTcF from baseline of 7.45, 7.29, 6.12 and 6.84 msec at 68, 72, 96, and 108 hours after the first dose, respectively. There was a concentration-dependent increase in QTcF for lumefantrine. No subject had a greater than 30 msec increase from baseline nor an absolute increase to more than 500 msec.

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food enhances the oral absorption of artemether and lumefantrine. In healthy volunteers, the relative bioavailability of artemether increased by two- to threefold and that of lumefantrine by sixteenfold when administered after a high-fat meal as opposed to under fasted conditions.

MANAGEMENT: Patients receiving artemether-lumefantrine therapy should avoid the consumption of grapefruits and grapefruit juice. To ensure maximal oral absorption, artemether-lumefantrine should be taken with food. Inadequate food intake can increase the risk for recrudescence of malaria. Patients who are averse to food during treatment should be closely monitored and encouraged to resume normal eating as soon as food can be tolerated.