Purpose: To demonstrate pharmacokinetic (PK) comparability for a single dose of 600 mg subcutaneous (SC) trastuzumab, administered via a novel single-use injection device (SID) or handheld syringe in 119 randomized healthy male subjects.
Methods: The co-primary PK endpoints area under the time-concentration curve from the start of dosing to day 22 (AUC(0-21 days)) and maximum observed trastuzumab serum concentration (C(max)) were dose-normalized and body-weight-adjusted, and compared using geometric mean ratios (GMRs). SID performance, injection site pain, adverse events, and antidrug antibodies (ADAs) were assessed.
Results: GMRs and 90 % confidence intervals (CIs) were 1.01 (0.96-1.07) for AUC(0-21 days) and 1.02 (0.96-1.10) for C(max), which fell within the prespecified bioequivalence range (0.80-1.25). No SID quality issues or failures occurred. Adverse events were mostly mild, with no deaths, adverse event-related withdrawals, or life-threatening, cardiac, or serious events reported. The ADA rate was low, and no neutralizing antibodies were detected.
Conclusions: Trastuzumab SC via SID demonstrated comparable PK and safety to handheld syringe administration. SID performance was very satisfactory.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01344863.