Drug Interactions between Digitek and venetoclax

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food enhances the oral bioavailability of venetoclax. Relative to fasting conditions, venetoclax systemic exposure (AUC) increased by approximately 3.4-fold when administered with a low-fat meal (approximately 512 kilocalories, 25% calories from fat) and by 5.1- to 5.3-fold when administered with a high-fat meal (approximately 753 kilocalories, 55% calories from fat).

GENERALLY AVOID: Grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Seville oranges, and starfruit may increase the plasma concentrations of venetoclax, which is primarily metabolized by the CYP450 3A4 isoenzyme. 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 with potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitors. In a study of 11 previously treated non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, when the potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitor, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) inhibitor ketoconazole (400 mg daily for 7 days) was coadministered with venetoclax (50 mg single dose), venetoclax peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) increased by 2.3-fold and 6.4-fold, respectively. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling estimates that the moderate CYP450 3A4 inhibitors diltiazem and erythromycin may increase the Cmax and AUC of venetoclax by between 1.4- to 2- fold and 2- to 4.9-fold, respectively, while the weak CYP450 3A4 inhibitors fluoxetine and fluvoxamine appear to have no significant effect on its Cmax or AUC. 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 venetoclax exposure may potentiate the risk of tumor lysis syndrome, particularly at initiation of therapy and during the dosage ramp-up phase, as well as other adverse effects such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

MANAGEMENT: Venetoclax should be administered with a meal and water at approximately the same time each day. Patients should avoid consumption of grapefruit products, Seville oranges, and starfruit during treatment with venetoclax.

Administration of digoxin with a high-fiber meal has been shown to decrease its bioavailability by almost 20%. Fiber can sequester up to 45% of the drug when given orally. Patients should be advised to maintain a regular diet without significant fluctuation in fiber intake while digoxin is being titrated.

Grapefruit juice may modestly increase the plasma concentrations of digoxin. The mechanism is increased absorption of digoxin due to mild inhibition of intestinal P-glycoprotein by certain compounds present in grapefruits. In 12 healthy volunteers, administration of grapefruit juice with and 30 minutes before, as well as 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 hours after a single digoxin dose (0.5 mg) increased the mean area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of digoxin by just 9% compared to administration with water. Moreover, P-glycoprotein genetic polymorphism does not appear to influence the magnitude of the effects of grapefruit juice on digoxin. Thus, the interaction is unlikely to be of clinical significance.