Drug Interactions between Inrebic and levothyroxine

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Consumption of certain foods as well as the timing of meals relative to dosing may affect the oral absorption of T4 thyroid hormone (i.e., levothyroxine). T4 oral absorption is increased by fasting and decreased by foods such as soybean flour (e.g., infant formula), cotton seed meal, walnuts, dietary fiber, calcium, and calcium fortified juices. Grapefruit or grapefruit products may delay the absorption of T4 thyroid hormone and reduce its bioavailability. The mechanism of this interaction is not fully understood.

MANAGEMENT: Some manufacturers recommend administering oral T4 as a single daily dose, on an empty stomach, one-half to one hour before breakfast. In general, oral preparations containing T4 thyroid hormone should be administered on a consistent schedule with regard to time of day and relation to meals to avoid large fluctuations in serum levels. Foods that may affect T4 absorption should be avoided within several hours of dosing if possible. Consult local guidelines for the administration of T4 in patients receiving enteral feeding.

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.

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Concurrent administration of calcium-containing products may decrease the oral bioavailability of levothyroxine by one-third in some patients. Pharmacologic effects of levothyroxine may be reduced. The exact mechanism of interaction is unknown but may involve nonspecific adsorption of levothyroxine to calcium at acidic pH levels, resulting in an insoluble complex that is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In one study, 20 patients with hypothyroidism who were taking a stable long-term regimen of levothyroxine demonstrated modest but significant decreases in mean free and total thyroxine (T4) levels as well as a corresponding increase in mean thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH) level following the addition of calcium carbonate (1200 mg/day of elemental calcium) for 3 months. Four patients had serum TSH levels that were higher than the normal range. Both T4 and TSH levels returned to near-baseline 2 months after discontinuation of calcium, which further supported the likelihood of an interaction. In addition, there have been case reports suggesting decreased efficacy of levothyroxine during calcium coadministration. It is not known whether this interaction occurs with other thyroid hormone preparations.

MANAGEMENT: Some experts recommend separating the times of administration of levothyroxine and calcium-containing preparations by at least 4 hours. Monitoring of serum TSH levels is recommended. Patients with gastrointestinal or malabsorption disorders may be at a greater risk of developing clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism due to this interaction.