Comparative Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Investigational Once-Daily Sustained-Release (SR) Vildagliptin 100 mg Tablet Formulation with Conventional 50 mg Twice-Daily Regimen in Healthy Indian Males

Background- Among the gliptins, vildagliptin is the only therapy requiring twice-daily dosing and thus adversely impacts patient adherence. To reduce dosing frequency, we developed a once-daily sustained-release (SR) vildagliptin 100 mg tablet formulation with potential to furnish comparable dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition coverage to the conventional twice-daily regimen.
Objective- The current study compares the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of investigational once-daily SR vildagliptin 100 mg tablet formulation with the twice-daily dosage of marketed product, Galvus® in healthy Indian adult males after single and multiple-dose administration.
Methods- Single and multiple-dose PK-PD assessment was conducted in separate clinical studies enrolling thirty-six healthy subjects under fed-condition. Each study was a randomized, open-label, two treatment, two-period, crossover design. Drug plasma concentrations were quantified by validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. DPP-4 inhibition was estimated in the fluorescence-based assay. PK parameters were calculated from the plasma concentration-time curve employing Phoenix® WinNonlin® software. Formulation safety was evaluated by monitoring adverse events.
Results- SR vildagliptin 100 mg tablet resulted in peak-less, nearly steady drug concentration-time profile. Thus, its mean PK characteristics after single [Cmax (147.7), AUC(0-24) (1645.04), Tmax (5.29 hr), t1/2 (4.61 hr)] and multiple-dose [Cmaxss (163.59), AUCss (0-24) (1815.36), and Tmaxss (4.65 hrs), t1/2ss (3.71 hr)] administrations were significantly distinct from the Galvus® twice-daily regimen. SR vildagliptin 100 mg tablet demonstrated more than 80% DPP-4 inhibition profile for approximately 23 hrs in both the studies which was comparable to Galvus® twice-daily regimen.
Conclusions- Investigational SR vildagliptin 100 mg tablet formulation was found to be safe and well-tolerated. Its ability to provide nearly 80% DPP-4 inhibition coverage over 23 hrs post-dose may reduce the additional pill burden in patients on conventional twice-daily regimen.