Safety, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic evaluations of PI-2301, a potent immunomodulator, in a first-in-human, single-ascending-dose study in healthy volunteers

J Clin Pharmacol. 2011 May;51(5):649-60. doi: 10.1177/0091270010373930. Epub 2010 Oct 12.

Abstract

PI-2301 is an amino acid copolymer acting as an immunomodulator for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The present study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics of PI-2301 in a single ascending dose, first-in-human study involving healthy, male adult volunteers. A total of 56 subjects were given a subcutaneous injection of PI-2301 ranging from 0.035 to 60 mg. The only consistent side effect was transient injection site reactions. We describe, for the first time, a pharmacokinetic assay to monitor amino acid copolymer concentration in human serum. PI-2301 was detected in the serum of subjects in the 10-, 30-, and 60-mg cohorts. Maximum serum concentration was achieved between 10 and 30 minutes postdosing with some compound detected 4 hours after dosing. PI-2301's lasting immunological properties were evident by an ex vivo recall assay showing T-cell proliferation and IL-13 production in subjects dosed with 1, 3, or 10 mg of PI-2301, up to 6 months after dosing. A transient increase in chemokine CXCL9 and CXCL10 plasma levels was seen in subjects dosed with 30 or 60 mg of PI-2301. These results are highly consistent with our preclinical findings and suggest that PI-2301 could facilitate the expansion of a favorable immune posture in patients with autoimmune disorders.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies / blood
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokine CXCL10 / blood
  • Chemokine CXCL9 / blood
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Double-Blind Method
  • France
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage
  • Immunologic Factors / adverse effects
  • Immunologic Factors / blood
  • Immunologic Factors / immunology
  • Immunologic Factors / pharmacokinetics*
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oligopeptides / administration & dosage
  • Oligopeptides / adverse effects
  • Oligopeptides / blood
  • Oligopeptides / immunology
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacokinetics*
  • Polymers / administration & dosage
  • Polymers / adverse effects
  • Polymers / pharmacokinetics*
  • Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Proteins / adverse effects
  • Proteins / immunology
  • Proteins / pharmacokinetics*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • CXCL10 protein, human
  • CXCL9 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL10
  • Chemokine CXCL9
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interleukin-13
  • Oligopeptides
  • PI 2301
  • Polymers
  • Proteins
  • Interferon-gamma