Disposition and metabolic fate of prasugrel in mice, rats, and dogs

The Use of Antithrombotics in Critical Illness

Hypercoagulable tendencies may develop in critically ill dogs and to a less known extent, cats. Although the use of antithrombotics is well-established in critically ill people, the indications and approach are far less well-known in dogs and cats. The goal of this article was to review the relevant CURATIVE guidelines, as well as other sources, and to provide recommendations for critically ill patients with directions for future investigation.

Prasugrel Hydrochloride

A comprehensive profile of prasugrel HCl is reported herein with 158 references. A full description including nomenclature, formulae, elemental analysis, and appearance is included. Methods of preparation for prasugrel HCl, its intermediates, and derivatives are fully discussed. In addition, the physical properties, analytical methods, stability, uses and applications, and pharmacology of prasugrel HCl are also discussed.

Bioactivation of clopidogrel and prasugrel: factors determining the stereochemistry of the thiol metabolite double bond

The antithrombotics of the tetrahydrothienopyridine series, clopidogrel and prasugrel, are prodrugs that must be metabolized in two steps to become pharmacologically active. The first step is the formation of a thiolactone metabolite. The second step is a further oxidation with the formation of a thiolactone sulfoxide whose hydrolytic opening leads to a sulfenic acid that is eventually reduced into the corresponding active cis thiol. Very few data were available on the formation of the isomer of the active cis thiol having a trans configuration of the double bond, the most striking result in that regard being that both cis and trans thiols were formed upon the metabolism of clopidogrel by human liver microsomes in the presence of glutathione (GSH), whereas only the cis thiol was detected in the sera of patients treated with this drug. This article shows that trans thiols are also formed upon the microsomal metabolism of prasugrel or its thiolactone metabolite in the presence of GSH and that metabolites having the trans configuration of the double bond are only formed when microsomal incubations are done in the presence of thiols, such as GSH, N-acetyl-cysteine, and mercaptoethanol. Intermediate formation of thioesters resulting from the reaction of GSH with the thiolactone sulfoxide metabolite appears to be responsible for trans thiol formation. Addition of human liver cytosol to the microsomal incubations led to a dramatic decrease of the formation of the trans thiol metabolites. These data suggest that cytosolic esterases would accelerate the hydrolytic opening of thiolactone sulfoxide intermediates and disfavor the formation of thioesters resulting from the reaction of these intermediates with GSH that is responsible for trans isomer formation. This would explain why trans thiols have not been detected in the sera of patients treated with clopidogrel.

The discovery and development of prasugrel

INTRODUCTION

Prasugrel (CS-747, LY640315) is a third-generation thienopyridine, which gained approval by the FDA in 2009 for its use in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

AREAS COVERED

This article focuses on the preclinical profile of prasugrel. Using published preclinical and clinical studies, the authors summarize the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenomics of prasugrel and their distinguishing features in efficacy and safety.

EXPERT OPINION

Prasugrel has a more rapid, more potent antiplatelet effect with less interindividual response variability when compared to clopidogrel. Those therapeutic advantages are attributed to features of its chemical structure that favor the metabolic conversion of prasugrel to its active metabolite. However, the increased risk of bleeding has been associated with a greater antiplatelet effect and dosing profile; this is especially the case in those patients who are at a higher risk of bleeding complications. It is therefore important for an optimal dosing strategy of prasugrel to be identified to provide a formulation that has the best balance for efficacy and safety.

Metabolic activation of prasugrel: nature of the two competitive pathways resulting in the opening of its thiophene ring

The mechanism generally admitted for the bioactivation of the antithrombotic prodrug, prasugrel, 1c, is its two-step enzymatic conversion into a biologically active thiol metabolite. The first step is an esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of its acetate function leading to a thiolactone metabolite 2c. The second step was described as a cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent oxidative opening of the thiolactone ring of 2c, with intermediate formation of a reactive sulfenic acid metabolite that is eventually reduced to the corresponding active thiol 3c. This article describes a detailed study of the metabolism of 1c by human liver microsomes and human sera, with an analysis by HPLC-MS under conditions allowing a complete separation of the thiol metabolite isomers, after derivatization with 3'-methoxy phenacyl bromide. It shows that there are two competing metabolic pathways for the opening of the 2c thiolactone ring. The major one, which was previously described, results from a P450- and NADPH-dependent redox bioactivation of 2c and leads to 3c, two previously reported thiol diastereomers bearing an exocyclic double bond. It occurs with NADPH-supplemented human liver microsomes but not with human sera. The second one results from a hydrolysis of 2c and leads to an isomer of 3c, 3c endo, in which the double bond has migrated from an exocyclic to an endocyclic position in the piperidine ring. It occurs both with human liver microsomes and human sera, and does not require NADPH. However, it requires Ca(2+) and is inhibited by paraoxon, which suggests that it is catalyzed by a thioesterase such as PON-1. Chemical experiments have confirmed that hydrolytic opening of thiolactone 2c exclusively leads to derivatives of the endo thiol isomer 3c endo.

Effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of prasugrel

Thienopyridines are inactive prodrugs that are converted in vivo to active metabolites, which irreversibly bind to and inactivate platelet P2Y(12) receptors, and inhibit platelet activation and aggregation. Prasugrel is a third-generation thienopyridine, recently approved for prevention of thrombotic cardiovascular complications in patients with an acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Prasugrel is converted to its active metabolite (Pras-AM; compound R-138727) in two sequential steps: (i) rapid and complete hydrolysis by intestinal human carboxylesterase-2 to form a thiolactone intermediate; and (ii) oxidation of the thiolactone by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the gut and/or the liver. CYP3A and CYP2B6 are the primary CYPs contributing to Pras-AM formation, with smaller contributions from CYP2C9 and CYP2C19. Prasugrel is rapidly absorbed and metabolized, with Pras-AM plasma concentrations peaking at about 0.5 hours after oral administration; this helps to account for the rapid onset of inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) achieved by prasugrel. In the clinical pharmacology programme for prasugrel, bodyweight had the greatest effect of all covariates that were tested. In the phase III TRITON-TIMI 38 trial, the mean exposure to Pras-AM was 42% greater in patients weighing < 60 kg than in patients with the study population median bodyweight of 85 kg. In a pharmacodynamic meta-analysis of data from healthy subjects a decrease of 1 kg in bodyweight was associated with an increase in IPA of approximately 0.26 percentage points (p < 0.0001). Pras-AM exposure was greater in subjects aged ≥ 75 years, but exposure differences were not as large as those for bodyweight. Pras-AM exposure was greater in Asians than in Caucasians, but this appeared to result from a disproportionately greater exposure difference in Asian subjects with low bodyweight. Sex and allelic variation in CYPs 1A2, 2B6, 2C19, 2C9, 3A4 and 3A5 appeared to have no clinically relevant effect on Pras-AM exposure or IPA. Consistent with the lack of association between genetic status and these pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results in healthy subjects, no significant association was detected between these allelic variants and the composite primary endpoint (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke) in the TRITON-TIMI 38 trial. Studies in renally impaired subjects and subjects with mild or moderate hepatic impairment have indicated that dose adjustment is not required in these patient populations. Prasugrel has few clinically significant drug-drug interactions. Potent CYP3A inhibitors, gastric acid suppressants and food have been shown to reduce the rate of formation of Pras-AM but not its overall exposure. This pharmacokinetic effect reduced the rate of onset of IPA after a loading dose but did not affect the peak IPA after a loading dose or the IPA during maintenance dosing. Potent induction of CYP3A, as well as smoking--which induces CYP1A2--did not affect Pras-AM exposure or IPA. Prior treatment with clopidogrel did not influence tolerability to prasugrel and did not appear to alter IPA during prasugrel treatment. Prasugrel did not affect the activities of CYP2C9, CYP2C19 or P-glycoprotein, but it weakly inhibited CYP2B6. The inhibition of CYP2B6 is potentially clinically significant only for drugs that have a narrow therapeutic window and have CYP2B6 as the primary elimination pathway. No interaction was detected between prasugrel and heparin. Although prasugrel did not alter warfarin pharmacokinetics, prasugrel and warfarin should not be used together, because of an increased bleeding risk associated with their concomitant use.

Current concepts on antiplatelet therapy: focus on the novel thienopyridine and non-thienopyridine agents

Thienopyridines are a class of drug targeting the platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) 2 receptor. They significantly reduce platelet activity and are therefore clinically beneficial in settings where platelet activation is a key pathophysiological feature, particularly myocardial infarction. Ticlopidine, the first of the class introduced to clinical practice, was soon challenged and almost completely replaced by clopidogrel for its better tolerability. More recently, prasugrel and ticagrelor have been shown to provide a more powerful antiplatelet action compared to clopidogrel but at a cost of higher risk of bleeding complications. Cangrelor, a molecule very similar to ticagrelor, is currently being evaluated against clopidogrel. Considering the key balance of ischemic protection and bleeding risk, this paper discusses the background to the development of prasugrel, ticagrelor, and cangrelor and aims to characterise their risk-benefit profile and possible implementation in daily practice.

What is the risk of intensifying platelet inhibition beyond clopidogrel? A systematic review and a critical appraisal of the role of prasugrel

Thienopyridines are a class of drug targeting the platelet adenosine diphosphate 2 receptor. They have been shown to significantly reduce platelet activity exerting an important role in those clinical settings in which such an effect is beneficial. Ticlopidine was first to be introduced several years ago but it was quickly replaced by clopidogrel as it had a better risk/benefit profile. Recently, prasugrel has been developed and tested in several ex vivo studies and clinical trials showing able to provide a more powerful antiplatelet effect at the expense of a higher risk of bleeding complications. Great debate rose around its recent approval in the US as well as in Europe. This review aims at exploring the development and available clinical data of this third-generation thienopyridine while discussing its practical implementation in routine practice.

Biotransformation of prasugrel, a novel thienopyridine antiplatelet agent, to the pharmacologically active metabolite

Prasugrel, a novel thienopyridine antiplatelet agent, undergoes rapid hydrolysis in vivo to a thiolactone, R-95913, which is further converted to its thiol-containing, pharmacologically active metabolite, R-138727, by oxidation via cytochromes P450 (P450). We trapped a sulfenic acid metabolite as a mixed disulfide with 2-nitro-5-thiobenzoic acid in an incubation mixture containing the thiolactone R-95913, expressed CYP3A4, and NADPH. Further experiments investigated one possible mechanism for the conversion of the sulfenic acid to the active thiol metabolite in vitro. A mixed disulfide form of R-138727 with glutathione was found to be a possible precursor of R-138727 in vitro when glutathione was present. The rate constant for the reduction of the glutathione conjugate of R-138727 to R-138727 was increased by addition of human liver cytosol to the human liver microsomes. Thus, one possible mechanism for the ultimate formation of R-138727 in vitro can be through formation of a sulfenic acid mediated by P450s followed possibly by a glutathione conjugation to a mixed disulfide and reduction of the disulfide to the active metabolite R-138727.

Metabolism and disposition of the thienopyridine antiplatelet drugs ticlopidine, clopidogrel, and prasugrel in humans

Ticlopidine, clopidogrel, and prasugrel are thienopyridine prodrugs that inhibit adenosine-5'-diphosphate (ADP)-mediated platelet aggregation in vivo. These compounds are converted to thiol-containing active metabolites through a corresponding thiolactone. The 3 compounds differ in their metabolic pathways to their active metabolites in humans. Whereas ticlopidine and clopidogrel are metabolized to their thiolactones in the liver by cytochromes P450, prasugrel proceeds to its thiolactone following hydrolysis by carboxylesterase 2 during absorption, and a portion of prasugrel's active metabolite is also formed by intestinal CYP3A. Both ticlopidine and clopidogrel are subject to major competing metabolic pathways to inactive metabolites. Thus, varying efficiencies in the formation of active metabolites affect observed effects on the onset of action and extent of inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA). Knowledge of the CYP-dependent formation of ticlopidine and clopidogrel thiolactones helps explain some of the observed drug-drug interactions with these molecules and, more important, the role of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of and pharmacodynamic response to clopidogrel. The lack of drug interaction potential and the absence of CYP2C19 genetic effect result in a predictable response to thienopyridine antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel. Current literature shows that greater ADP-mediated IPA is associated with significantly better clinical outcomes for patients with acute coronary syndrome.

A possible mechanism for the differences in efficiency and variability of active metabolite formation from thienopyridine antiplatelet agents, prasugrel and clopidogrel

The efficiency and interindividual variability in bioactivation of prasugrel and clopidogrel were quantitatively compared and the mechanisms involved were elucidated using 20 individual human liver microsomes. Prasugrel and clopidogrel are converted to their thiol-containing active metabolites through corresponding thiolactone metabolites. The formation rate of clopidogrel active metabolite was much lower and more variable [0.164 + or - 0.196 microl/min/mg protein, coefficient of variation (CV) = 120%] compared with the formation of prasugrel active metabolite (8.68 + or - 6.64 microl/min/mg protein, CV = 76%). This result was most likely attributable to the less efficient and less consistent formation of clopidogrel thiolactone metabolite (2.24 + or - 1.00 microl/min/mg protein, CV = 45%) compared with the formation of prasugrel thiolactone metabolite (55.2 + or - 15.4 microl/min/mg protein, CV = 28%). These differences may be attributed to the following factors. Clopidogrel was largely hydrolyzed to an inactive acid metabolite (approximately 90% of total metabolites analyzed), and the clopidogrel concentrations consumed were correlated to human carboxylesterase 1 activity in each source of liver microsomes. In addition, 48% of the clopidogrel thiolactone metabolite formed was converted to an inactive thiolactone acid metabolite. The oxidation of clopidogrel to its thiolactone metabolite correlated with variable activities of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP2C19. In conclusion, the active metabolite of clopidogrel was formed with less efficiency and higher variability than that of prasugrel. This difference in thiolactone formation was attributed to hydrolysis of clopidogrel and its thiolactone metabolite to inactive acid metabolites and to variability in cytochrome P450-mediated oxidation of clopidogrel to its thiolactone metabolite, which may contribute to the poorer and more variable active metabolite formation for clopidogrel than prasugrel.

Metabolites in safety testing (MIST): considerations of mechanisms of toxicity with dose, abundance, and duration of treatment

In previous papers, we have offered a strategic framework regarding metabolites of drugs in humans and the need to assess these in laboratory animal species (also termed Metabolites in Safety Testing or MIST; Smith and Obach, Chem. Res. Toxicol. (2006) 19, 1570-1579). Three main tenets of this framework were founded in (i) comparisons of absolute exposures (as circulating concentrations or total body burden), (ii) the nature of the toxicity mechanism (i.e., reversible interaction at specific targets versus covalent binding to multiple macromolecules), and (iii) the biological matrix in which the metabolite was observed (circulatory vs excretory). In the present review, this framework is expanded to include a fourth tenet: considerations for the duration of exposure. Basic concepts of pharmacology are utilized to rationalize the relationship between exposure (to parent drug or metabolite) and various effects ranging from desired therapeutic effects through to severe toxicities. Practical considerations of human ADME (absorption-distribution-metabolism-excretion) data, to determine which metabolites should be further evaluated for safety, are discussed. An analysis of recently published human ADME studies shows that the number of drug metabolites considered to be important for MIST can be excessively high if a simple percentage-of-parent-drug criterion is used without consideration of the aforementioned four tenets. Concern over unique human metabolites has diminished over the years as experience has shown that metabolites of drugs in humans will almost always be observed in laboratory animals, although the proportions may vary. Even if a metabolite represents a high proportion of the dose in humans and a low proportion in animals, absolute abundances in animals frequently exceed that in humans because the doses used in animal toxicology studies are much greater than therapeutic doses in humans. The review also updates the enzymatic basis for the differences between species and how these relate to MIST considerations.