The Bioequivalence of Tafamidis 61-mg Free Acid Capsules and Tafamidis Meglumine 4 × 20-mg Capsules in Healthy Volunteers

Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev. 2020 Oct;9(7):849-854. doi: 10.1002/cpdd.789. Epub 2020 Mar 20.

Abstract

Tafamidis, a non-nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory benzoxazole derivative, acts as a transthyretin (TTR) stabilizer to slow progression of TTR amyloidosis (ATTR). Tafamidis meglumine, available as 20-mg capsules, is approved in more than 40 countries worldwide for the treatment of adults with early-stage symptomatic ATTR polyneuropathy. This agent, administered as an 80-mg, once-daily dose (4 × 20-mg capsules), is approved in the United States, Japan, Canada, and Brazil for the treatment of hereditary and wild-type ATTR cardiomyopathy in adults. An alternative single solid oral dosage formulation (tafamidis 61-mg free acid capsules) was developed and introduced for patient convenience (approved in the United States, United Arab Emirates, and European Union). In this single-center, open-label, randomized, 2-period, 2-sequence, crossover, multiple-dose phase 1 study, the rate and extent of absorption were compared between tafamidis 61-mg free acid capsules (test) and tafamidis meglumine 80-mg (4 × 20-mg) capsules (reference) after 7 days of repeated oral dosing under fasted conditions in 30 healthy volunteers. Ratios of adjusted geometric means (90%CI) for the test/reference formulations were 102.3 (98.0-106.8) for area under the concentration-time profile over the dosing interval and 94.1 (89.1-99.4) for the maximum observed concentration, satisfying prespecified bioequivalence acceptance criteria (90%CI, 80-125). Both tafamidis regimens had an acceptable safety/tolerability profile in this population.

Keywords: amyloidosis; bioequivalence; pharmacokinetics; tafamidis; transthyretin.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Amyloid Neuropathies / drug therapy*
  • Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial / complications
  • Benzoxazoles / administration & dosage
  • Benzoxazoles / adverse effects
  • Benzoxazoles / pharmacokinetics*
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Cardiomyopathies / drug therapy
  • Cardiomyopathies / etiology
  • Cardiomyopathies / genetics
  • Cardiomyopathies / prevention & control*
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drug Compounding / methods
  • Fasting / blood
  • Female
  • Healthy Volunteers / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prealbumin / drug effects*
  • Prealbumin / metabolism
  • Safety
  • Therapeutic Equivalency
  • United States

Substances

  • Benzoxazoles
  • Prealbumin
  • tafamidis

Supplementary concepts

  • Amyloidosis, Hereditary, Transthyretin-Related