Updated Population Pharmacokinetic Model of Cabozantinib Integrating Various Cancer Types Including Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

An integrated population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model was used to evaluate the effects of liver dysfunction on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of cabozantinib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and to determine whether clinical dosage adjustment may be necessary in this population. An integrated PPK model previously developed in healthy volunteers and patients with various cancer types was updated with cabozantinib concentration data from hepatocellular carcinoma patients in phase 2 and 3 studies (total 2023; hepatocellular carcinoma 489 patients). Covariate effects of cancer type including hepatocellular carcinoma population and liver dysfunction per the National Cancer Institute Organ Dysfunction Working Group criteria were evaluated (normal 1425; mild liver dysfunction 558; moderate/severe liver dysfunction 15/1 patients). With hepatocellular carcinoma patients, PK parameter estimates and covariate effects were similar to the previous PPK model (2 compartments with first- and zero-order absorption and first-order elimination). Only medullary thyroid cancer had appreciable PK differences from healthy volunteers. PK parameter estimates were similar with and without addition of liver dysfunction covariates. Patients with mild liver dysfunction were predicted to have minimal differences in apparent clearance of cabozantinib relative to patients with normal liver function. Therefore, no initial cabozantinib dosage adjustment is recommended for cancer patients with mild liver dysfunction. The small sample size for patients with moderate and severe liver dysfunction limited dosing recommendations in these subpopulations. The results from this PPK analysis were different from those of the single-dose hepatic impairment study in healthy volunteers and more reflective of exposure in cancer patients following daily cabozantinib dosing.

Keywords: cabozantinib; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver dysfunction; population pharmacokinetics.