Drug Interactions between cobimetinib and telotristat

MONITOR: Grapefruit juice may increase the plasma concentrations of orally administered drugs that are substrates of the CYP450 3A4 isoenzyme, such as cobimetinib. However, the interaction seems to affect primarily those drugs that undergo significant presystemic metabolism by CYP450 3A4 (i.e., drugs with low oral bioavailability), presumably due to the fact that grapefruit juice inhibits primarily intestinal rather than hepatic CYP450 3A4. Because pharmacokinetic interactions involving grapefruit juice are often subject to a high degree of interpatient variability, the extent to which a given patient may be affected is difficult to predict.

MANAGEMENT: Patients who regularly consume grapefruit or grapefruit juice should be monitored for adverse effects and altered plasma concentrations of cobimetinib. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice should be avoided if an interaction is suspected. Orange juice is not expected to interact with these drugs.

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food increases the systemic exposure to both telotristat ethyl and its active metabolite, telotristat. Following administration of a single 500 mg dose of telotristat ethyl (twice the recommended dose) with a high-fat meal, telotristat ethyl peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) were 112% and 264% higher, respectively, compared to administration under fasted conditions. The Cmax and AUC values for telotristat were also increased by 47% and 33%, respectively. The in vitro inhibitory potency of telotristat towards tryptophan hydroxylase has been shown to be approximately 29 times higher than that of the parent drug.

MANAGEMENT: Telotristat ethyl should be administered with food.