Drug Interactions between pirfenidone and valoctocogene roxaparvovec

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food significantly slows the rate but only modestly reduces the extent of absorption of pirfenidone. In healthy, older adult volunteers aged 50 to 66 years, administration of a single 801 mg oral dose of pirfenidone in the fed state resulted in an approximately 50% reduction in peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and a 15% to 20% reduction in systemic exposure (AUC) compared to administration in the fasted state. Median time to reach peak concentration (Tmax) increased from 0.5 hours to 3 hours with food. Less nausea and dizziness were observed in fed subjects compared to fasted subjects.

GENERALLY AVOID: Consumption of grapefruit juice is associated with inhibition of CYP450 1A2 and may increase the plasma concentrations of pirfenidone, which is primarily metabolized by the isoenzyme.

GENERALLY AVOID: Cigarette smoking may reduce pirfenidone exposure due to induction of CYP450 1A2, the isoenzyme primarily responsible for the metabolic clearance of pirfenidone. Following a single 801 mg oral dose of pirfenidone in 25 smokers and 25 healthy nonsmokers, the Cmax and AUC of pirfenidone in smokers were 68% and 46% of those in nonsmokers, respectively.

MANAGEMENT: Pirfenidone should be administered with food to reduce the likelihood of dizziness and gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and vomiting. Patients who experience intolerance to therapy due to these adverse events should be reminded to take pirfenidone with food. If symptoms do not improve, or they worsen in severity, a dosage reduction or discontinuation of therapy may be warranted. Patients should be advised to avoid consumption of grapefruit and grapefruit juice during treatment with pirfenidone. Cigarette smoking should also be avoided during therapy to prevent reduced exposure to pirfenidone.

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration with other hepatotoxic agents such as alcohol may increase the risk of liver injury and decrease the therapeutic efficacy of valoctocogene roxaparvovec, a liver-directed adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector designed to help replace missing coagulation factor VIII. Most of the patients treated with valoctocogene roxaparvovec in clinical studies experienced ALT elevations, presumably due to immune-mediated injury of transduced hepatocytes, which may decrease the therapeutic efficacy of valoctocogene roxaparvovec. In a clinical trial of adults with severe hemophilia (n=134) receiving a single dose of valoctocogene roxaparvovec (6 x 10[13] vector genomes [vg]/kg), 107 patients (96%) experienced increased ALT levels greater than or equal to 1.5 times baseline or greater than the upper limit of normal (ULN), while 12 patients (9%) experienced increased ALT levels greater than 5 to 20 times ULN. Some of the ALT elevations were associated with decreased factor VIII activity, and some were attributed to alcohol consumption. Most patients treated with valoctocogene roxaparvovec required immunosuppressive medications, including corticosteroids, to control elevations in transaminases and prevent loss of transgene expression.

MANAGEMENT: After administration of valoctocogene roxaparvovec, alcohol consumption should be avoided for at least 1 year and limited thereafter.