Lack of a significant pharmacokinetic interaction between maraviroc and tacrolimus in allogeneic HSCT recipients

Abstract

Objectives: Emerging data suggest that the combination of tacrolimus and the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc, both cytochrome P450-3A4 substrates, may be effective in preventing graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT. This study evaluated whether a pharmacokinetic interaction exists between these agents.

Methods: The study included 36 allogeneic HSCT recipients who received maraviroc + tacrolimus and 43 recipients of tacrolimus alone. We used a difference-in-differences analysis to examine the change in the concentration/dose ratios of tacrolimus after the discontinuation of maraviroc. In addition, we analysed the concentrations and dose requirements of tacrolimus in the two groups.

Results: There was no significant difference in tacrolimus concentration/dose ratios in patients receiving maraviroc + tacrolimus compared with tacrolimus alone. Upon discontinuation of maraviroc, the change in concentration/dose ratio was small and not significant relative to the control group, and the effect estimate was further attenuated after adjustment for confounders [-0.35 (ng/mL)/(mg/day); P = 0.46]. In addition, the change in mean tacrolimus dose after discontinuation of maraviroc was similar between the groups (0.12 mg/day; P = 0.56), as was the change in mean tacrolimus concentration (0.02 ng/mL; P = 0.97).

Conclusions: Our findings do not support a significant inhibitory effect of maraviroc on the metabolism of tacrolimus. These data demonstrate that this drug combination is safe and imply that the protective effect of maraviroc against graft-versus-host disease was not mediated through an increase in tacrolimus concentrations. These findings are important for the design of clinical trials that evaluate maraviroc in combination with cytochrome P450-3A4 substrates.

Keywords: chemokine receptors; immunosuppression; pharmacology; transplantation.