Drug Interaction Report

MONITOR: Coadministration of daclizumab with other agents known to induce hepatotoxicity may increase the risk of liver injury. Serious drug-related hepatic injury, including liver failure and autoimmune hepatitis, has been reported across controlled and open-label studies in 1.7% of daclizumab-treated patients and may occur at any time during treatment and up to 5 months after treatment cessation. Fatal cases have occurred. In addition, cases of hepatic injury have occurred in patients taking daclizumab concomitantly with other hepatotoxic drugs; however, the contributory role of these other medicines has not been established.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised if daclizumab is used with other potentially hepatotoxic agents, including non-prescription products and herbal supplements. Patients treated with daclizumab should have serum transaminase levels and total bilirubin measured prior to initiation of treatment and monthly during treatment in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, and the dosing adjusted or interrupted as necessary. Patients should be advised to seek medical attention if they experience potential signs and symptoms of hepatotoxicity such as fever, rash, itching, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, malaise, right upper quadrant pain, dark urine, pale stools, and jaundice.

Although some in vitro data indicate synergism between macrolide antibiotics and penicillins, other in vitro data indicate antagonism. When these drugs are given together, neither has predictable therapeutic efficacy. Data are available for erythromycin, although theoretically this interaction could occur with any macrolide. Except for monitoring of the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy, no special precautions appear to be necessary.

Clarithromycin may increase and prolong the omeprazole plasma concentration. The mechanism may be related to clarithromycin inhibition of hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes responsible for omeprazole metabolism. Coadministration of omeprazole may result in an increase in clarithromycin and 14-(R)-hydroxyclarithromycin plasma concentrations. These increases may be due to the effect of omeprazole on gastric pH.

Grapefruit juice may delay the gastrointestinal absorption of clarithromycin but does not appear to affect the overall extent of absorption or inhibit the metabolism of clarithromycin. The mechanism of interaction is unknown but may be related to competition for intestinal CYP450 3A4 and/or absorptive sites. In an open-label, randomized, crossover study consisting of 12 healthy subjects, coadministration with grapefruit juice increased the time to reach peak plasma concentration (Tmax) of both clarithromycin and 14-hydroxyclarithromycin (the active metabolite) by 80% and 104%, respectively, compared to water. Other pharmacokinetic parameters were not significantly altered. This interaction is unlikely to be of clinical significance.