Drug Interaction Report

MONITOR: Coadministration with telotristat ethyl may decrease the plasma concentrations of drugs that are substrates of CYP450 3A4 and/or 2B6 isoenzymes. The proposed mechanism is accelerated clearance due to induction of CYP450 3A4 and/or 2B6 (in vitro) isoenzymes by telotristat ethyl. When the probe CYP450 3A4 substrate midazolam (3 mg) was administered orally after 5 days of treatment with telotristat ethyl 500 mg three times daily (twice the recommended dosage), mean midazolam peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) decreased by 25% and 48%, respectively, compared to administration of midazolam alone. The mean Cmax and AUC of the active metabolite, 1'-hydroxymidazolam, also decreased by 34% and 48%, respectively. This suggests induction by telotristat ethyl of the glucuronidation of 1'-hydroxymidazolam.

MANAGEMENT: When drugs that are known substrates of CYP450 3A4 and/or 2B6 are coadministered with telotristat ethyl, the possibility of a diminished therapeutic response to those drugs should be considered. Dosage adjustments as well as clinical and laboratory monitoring may be appropriate for some drugs, particularly those with a narrow therapeutic range, whenever telotristat ethyl is added to or withdrawn from therapy.

MONITOR: Coadministration with telotristat ethyl may decrease the plasma concentrations of drugs that are substrates of CYP450 3A4 and/or 2B6 isoenzymes. The proposed mechanism is accelerated clearance due to induction of CYP450 3A4 and/or 2B6 (in vitro) isoenzymes by telotristat ethyl. When the probe CYP450 3A4 substrate midazolam (3 mg) was administered orally after 5 days of treatment with telotristat ethyl 500 mg three times daily (twice the recommended dosage), mean midazolam peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) decreased by 25% and 48%, respectively, compared to administration of midazolam alone. The mean Cmax and AUC of the active metabolite, 1'-hydroxymidazolam, also decreased by 34% and 48%, respectively. This suggests induction by telotristat ethyl of the glucuronidation of 1'-hydroxymidazolam.

MANAGEMENT: When drugs that are known substrates of CYP450 3A4 and/or 2B6 are coadministered with telotristat ethyl, the possibility of a diminished therapeutic response to those drugs should be considered. Dosage adjustments as well as clinical and laboratory monitoring may be appropriate for some drugs, particularly those with a narrow therapeutic range, whenever telotristat ethyl is added to or withdrawn from therapy.

Based on their pharmacology, phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors may conceivably potentiate the hypotensive effect of antihypertensive medications or effects of agents with hypotensive properties. These agents inhibit PDE5-mediated degradation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which in vascular smooth muscles can cause peripheral vasodilation. However, clinical pharmacology studies of tadalafil (administered as a 10 mg dose except in studies with angiotensin II receptor (AR) blockers and amlodipine, which used a dose of 20 mg) have demonstrated no clinically significant interaction with various antihypertensive drugs from major classes including calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, thiazide diuretics, and AR blockers. Tadalafil 10 mg and 20 mg also had no clinically significant effect on blood pressure changes due to tamsulosin, an alpha-1a blocker. In addition, analysis of data from Phase 3 clinical trials showed no difference in adverse events in patients taking tadalafil with or without antihypertensive medications. In patients receiving concomitant antihypertensive medications, tadalafil 20 mg may induce a blood pressure decrease that is, in general, minor and not likely to be clinically relevant. In a clinical study of healthy male subjects 45 to 78 years of age, administration of silodosin with a single 20 mg dose of tadalafil resulted in increased frequency of positive orthostatic test results during a 12-hour period following concomitant dosing compared to administration with placebo. No events of symptomatic orthostasis or dizziness were reported in subjects receiving silodosin with tadalafil. Nevertheless, patients should be advised of the potential for interaction and to contact their doctor if they experience symptoms of hypotension such as dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration with grapefruit juice is likely to increase the plasma concentrations of tadalafil, which is primarily metabolized by CYP450 3A4. However, the interaction has not been studied. The proposed mechanism is inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruit.

MONITOR: Additive hypotensive effects may occur when phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as tadalafil are used with alcohol, as both are mild systemic vasodilators. In clinical pharmacology studies, more subjects administered alcohol at a dose of 0.7 g/kg (equivalent to approximately 6 ounces of 80-proof vodka in an 80-kg male; consumed within 10 minutes in study subjects, providing blood alcohol levels of 0.08%) in combination with tadalafil 10 or 20 mg single doses had clinically significant decreases in blood pressure than with alcohol alone. There were reports of postural dizziness, and orthostatic hypotension was observed in some. When tadalafil 20 mg was administered with alcohol at a lower dose of 0.6 g/kg (equivalent to approximately 4 ounces of 80-proof vodka in an 80-kg male), orthostatic hypotension was not observed, dizziness occurred with similar frequency relative to alcohol alone, and the hypotensive effects of alcohol were not potentiated. Neither tadalafil nor alcohol affected the plasma concentrations of the other.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is recommended with concurrent consumption of large amounts of alcohol in patients taking tadalafil as it may increase the potential for orthostatic signs and symptoms, such as increase in heart rate, decrease in standing blood pressure, dizziness, and headache. It may also be appropriate to avoid consuming large amounts of grapefruit juice.

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration with grapefruit juice may increase the plasma concentrations of macitentan, which is primarily metabolized by CYP450 3A4. The proposed mechanism is inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruit. The interaction has not been studied with grapefruit juice but has been reported for ketoconazole, a potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitor. In ten healthy subjects, coadministration of a single 10 mg oral dose of macitentan on day 5 of treatment with ketoconazole (400 mg daily for 24 days) resulted in an approximately 2-fold increase in macitentan systemic exposure compared to administration alone. However, the clinical significance of the interaction is unclear. 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. Pharmacokinetic interactions involving grapefruit juice are also subject to a high degree of interpatient variability, thus the extent to which a given patient may be affected is difficult to predict.

MANAGEMENT: Until further information is available, patients receiving macitentan therapy should avoid the consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice.

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.