Ann Lampo

Toxicological Profile and Safety Evaluation of Antifungal Azole Derivatives

Summary: For the development of new sys‐temically acting, oral antifungal azoles, it is of key importance to compare them with ketoconazole, the first available drug in this therapeutic class.

Tissue Kim-1 and Urinary Clusterin as Early Indicators of Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Rats

The kidney is one of the main targets of drug toxicity, and early detection of renal damage is critical in preclinical drug development. A model of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in male Sprague Dawley rats treated for 1, 3, 5, 7, or 14 days at 1 mg/kg/day was used to monitor the spatial and temporal expression of various indicators of kidney toxicity during the progression of acute kidney injury (AKI). As early as 1 day after cisplatin treatment, positive kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) immunostaining, observed in the outer medulla of the kidney, and changes in urinary clusterin indicated the onset of proximal tubular injury in the absence of functional effects. After 3 days of treatment, Kim-1 protein levels in urine increased more than 20-fold concomitant with a positive clusterin immunostaining and an increase in urinary osteopontin. Tubular basophilia was also noted, while serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were elevated only after 5 days, together with tubular degeneration. In conclusion, tissue Kim-1 and urinary clusterin were the most sensitive biomarkers for detection of cisplatin-induced kidney damage. Thereafter, urinary Kim-1 and osteopontin, as well as clusterin immunostaining accurately correlated with the histopathological findings. When AKI is suspected in preclinical rat studies, Kim-1, clusterin, and osteopontin should be part of urinalysis and/or IHC can be performed.

Evaluation of miR-122 and Other Biomarkers in Distinct Acute Liver Injury in Rats

The detection of drug-induced hepatotoxicity remains an important safety issue in drug development. A liver-specific microRNA species, microRNA-122 (miR-122), has recently shown potential for predicting liver injury in addition to the standard hepatic injury biomarkers. The objective of this study was to measure miR-122 together with several other liver markers in distinct settings of acute liver toxicity in rats to determine the value of miR-122 as a biomarker for liver injury in this species. Rats were exposed to 3 well-established liver toxicants (acetaminophen, allyl alcohol, and α-naphthyl isothiocyanate), a liver-enzyme inducer (phenobarbital), or a cardiotoxicant (doxorubicin). There was a clear increase in plasma miR-122 following administration of acetaminophen, allyl alcohol, and α-naphthyl isothiocyanate. The response of miR-122 paralleled that of other markers and was consistent with liver injury as indicated by histopathological evaluation. Furthermore, the changes in miR-122 were detected earlier than standard liver injury markers and exhibited a wide dynamic range. In contrast, miR-122 responses to phenobarbital and doxorubicin were low. Based on these findings, miR-122 shows significant promise and may provide added value for assessing liver toxicity in drug development.

Phospholipidosis in Rats Treated with Amiodarone: Serum Biochemistry and Whole Genome Micro-Array Analysis Supporting the Lipid Traffic Jam Hypothesis and the Subsequent Rise of the Biomarker BMP

To provide mechanistic insight in the induction of phospholipidosis and the appearance of the proposed biomarker di-docosahexaenoyl (C22:6)-bis(monoacylglycerol) phosphate (BMP), rats were treated with 150 mg/kg amiodarone for 12 consecutive days and analyzed at three different time points (day 4, 9, and 12). Biochemical analysis of the serum revealed a significant increase in cholesterol and phospholipids at the three time points. Bio-analysis on the serum and urine detected a time-dependent increase in BMP, as high as 10-fold compared to vehicle-treated animals on day 12. Paralleling these increases, micro-array analysis on the liver of treated rats identified cholesterol biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism as highly modulated pathways. This modulation indicates that during phospholipidosis-induction interactions take place between the cationic amphiphilic drug and phospholipids at the level of BMP-rich internal membranes of endosomes, impeding cholesterol sorting and leading to an accumulation of internal membranes, converting into multilamellar bodies. This process shows analogy to Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC). Whereas the NPC-induced lipid traffic jam is situated at the cholesterol sorting proteins NPC1 and NPC2, the amiodarone-induced traffic jam is thought to be located at the BMP level, demonstrating its role in the mechanism of phospholipidosis-induction and its significance for use as a biomarker.

The c-Met Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor JNJ-38877605 Causes Renal Toxicity through Species-Specific Insoluble Metabolite Formation

Purpose: The receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is a novel target for anticancer treatment. This phase I, first-in-human trial, explored safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and initial antitumor activity of JNJ-38877605, a potent and selective c-Met inhibitor. Experimental Design: We performed a phase I dose-escalation study according to the standard 3+3 design. Results: Even at subtherapeutic doses, mild though recurrent renal toxicity was observed in virtually all patients. Renal toxicity had not been observed in preclinical studies in rats and dogs. Additional preclinical studies pointed toward the rabbit as a suitable toxicology model, as the formation of the M10 metabolite of JNJ-38877605 specifically occurred in rabbits and humans. Additional toxicology studies in rabbits clearly demonstrated that JNJ-38877605 induced species-specific renal toxicity. Histopathological evaluation in rabbits revealed renal crystal formation with degenerative and inflammatory changes. Identification of the components of these renal crystals revealed M1/3 and M5/6 metabolites. Accordingly, it was found that humans and rabbits showed significantly increased systemic exposure to these metabolites relative to other species. These main culprit insoluble metabolites were generated by aldehyde oxidase activity. Alternative dosing schedules of JNJ-3877605 and concomitant probenecid administration in rabbits failed to prevent renal toxicity at dose levels that could be pharmacologically active. Conclusions: Combined clinical and correlative preclinical studies suggest that renal toxicity of JNJ-38877605 is caused by the formation of species-specific insoluble metabolites. These observations preclude further clinical development of JNJ-38877605. Clin Cancer Res; 21(10); 2297–304. ©2015 AACR.

Differential responses to JNJ‐37822681, a specific and fast dissociating dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, in cynomolgus monkey and Sprague–Dawley rat general toxicology studies: clinical observations, prolactin levels, mammary histopathology findings and toxicokinetics

JNJ‐37822681 is a potent, specific and fast dissociating dopamine D2 receptor antagonist intended for the treatment of schizophrenia. Its nonclinical toxicological profile was investigated in a series of general repeat dose toxicity studies in cynomolgus monkeys and Sprague–Dawley rats. The maximum duration of treatment was 9 and 6 months, respectively. Interspecies differences were noted in the response to JNJ‐37822681 in terms of extrapyramidal (EPS)‐like clinical signs and prolactin‐mediated tissue changes in the mammary gland. Monkeys showed severe EPS‐like clinical signs such as abnormal posture, abnormal eye movements and hallucination‐like behavior at relatively low exposures compared to those associated with EPS in patients with schizophrenia. The high sensitivity of the monkey to JNJ‐37822681‐induced EPS‐like signs was unexpected based on the fast dissociating properties of the compound. Rats, however, were not prone to EPS. Elevated serum prolactin levels were found in rats and monkeys. While rats showed slight to moderate prolactin‐related tissue changes upon histopathological examination in all studies, which among others affected the mammary gland, only minor mammary gland tissue changes were noted in monkeys. Prolactin levels were only slightly increased in patients with schizophrenia receiving relatively high dose levels of JNJ‐37822681. The monkey toxicology studies did not provide an exposure‐based safety margin, while in rats adverse effects were only noted at exposures considerably higher than those achieved at efficacious plasma concentrations in the clinic. Overall, the available data suggest that the cynomolgus monkey showed better predictivity towards the nature of JNJ‐37822681‐associated adverse events in humans than the Sprague–Dawley rat. Copyright

Dose- and Time-dependency of the Toxicity and Pharmacokinetic Profiles of Bedaquiline and Its N-desmethyl Metabolite in Dogs:

Bedaquiline (BDQ) is an antibiotic to treat pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Studies up to 39 weeks were conducted orally in dogs to assess the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of BDQ and its N-desmethyl metabolite (D-BDQ). Phospholipidosis (PLD) seen in the monocytic phagocytic system was considered an adaptive change. Skeletal muscle, heart, stomach, liver, and pancreas toxicities with D-BDQ as the main contributor were associated with a less-than-dose-proportional increase in plasma exposure and an overproportional tissue uptake of BDQ and D-BDQ at high-dose levels. Tissue concentrations of BDQ and D-BDQ slowly decreased after lowering the dose, contributing to the recovery of the pathological findings. Treatment was better tolerated at mid-dose levels, characterized by a dose-proportional increase in plasma and tissue exposures. Treatment at a low dose, reaching exposures approximating therapeutic exposures, was without adverse effects and not associated with PLD. There was no evidence of delayed toxicities after treatment cessation. Intermittent dosing was better tolerated at high doses. Since MDR-TB patients are dosed within the linear plasma exposure range and plasma levels of BDQ and D-BDQ are similar or lower than in dogs, PLD and adverse findings related to tissue accumulation that occurred at high doses in dogs are unlikely to occur in humans.