Safety and pharmacokinetics of the antiorthopoxvirus compound ST-246 following repeat oral dosing in healthy adult subjects

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 Jun;54(6):2560-6. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01689-09. Epub 2010 Apr 12.

Abstract

ST-246, a novel compound that inhibits egress of orthopoxvirus from infected cells, is being evaluated as a treatment for pathogenic orthopoxvirus infections in humans. This phase I, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, escalating multiple-dose study was conducted to determine the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of ST-246 administered as a single daily oral dose of 250, 400, or 800 mg for 21 days to nonfasting healthy human volunteers. ST-246 appeared to be well tolerated, with no serious adverse events (AEs). Headache, for which one subject in the 800-mg group discontinued the study, was the most commonly reported AE in all treatment groups. The multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of ST-246 was well characterized. The day 21 mean elimination half-lives were calculated at 18.8, 19.8, and 20.7 h for each of the 250-, 400-, and 800-mg/day dose groups, respectively. Steady state was reached by day 6 (within 3 to 5 half-lives), saturable absorption was observed at the 800-mg dose level, and the fraction of parent drug excreted in the urine was very low. Based on these results, administration of 400 mg/day ST-246 can be expected to provide plasma concentrations above the efficacious concentration demonstrated in nonhuman primate models in earlier studies.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antiviral Agents / adverse effects
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacokinetics*
  • Benzamides / administration & dosage*
  • Benzamides / adverse effects
  • Benzamides / pharmacokinetics*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Half-Life
  • Humans
  • Isoindoles / administration & dosage*
  • Isoindoles / adverse effects
  • Isoindoles / pharmacokinetics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Orthopoxvirus / drug effects*
  • Poxviridae Infections / drug therapy
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Isoindoles
  • tecovirimat