Evaluation of the pharmacokinetic features and tissue distribution of the potent nonnucleoside inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, N-[2-(2-fluorophenethyl)]-N′-[2-(5-bromopyridyl)]-thiourea (HI-240) with an analytical HPLC method

Purpose. The purpose of the present study was to examine the pharmacokinetic features and tissue distribution of N-[2-(2-fluorophenethyl)]-N'-[2-(5-bromopyridyl)]-thiourea (HI-240), a novel non-nucleoside inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase with potent anti-viral activity against AZT-sensitive as well as multidrug-resistant HIV-1 strains. Methods. A sensitive and accurate high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based quantitative detection method was established to measure concentrations of HI-240 in pharmacokinetic studies. The plasma concentration-time data were modeled by using the WinNonlin program to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameter values. Results. HI-240 had an elimination half-life of 78.3 +/- 2.0 min after i.v, administration and 196.8 +/- 3.1 min after i.p, administration. The systemic clearance of HI-240 was 2194 +/- 61 ml/h/kg after i.v. administration and 9339 +/- 1160 ml/h/kg after i.p. administration. Following i.v. injection, HI-240 rapidly distributed to and accumulated in multiple tissues with particularly high accumulation in adipose tissue, adrenal gland, and uterus+ovary. The concentration of HI-240 in brain tissue was comparable to that in the plasma, indicating that HI-240 easily crosses the blood-brain-barrier. Following i.p. injection, HI-240 was rapidly absorbed with a t(1/2ka) and a t(max) values of less than 10 min. Following oral administration, HI-240 was absorbed with a t(1/2ka) of 4.2 +/- 1.1 min and a t(max) of 95.1 +/- 25.1 min. The intraperitoneal bioavailability was estimated at 23.5%, while the oral bioavailability was only 1%. Conclusions. The HPLC-based accurate and precise analytical detection method and pilot pharmacokinetic studies described herein provide the basis for advanced preclinical pharmacodynamic studies of HI-240. The ability of HI-240 to distribute rapidly and extensively into extravascular compartments and easily cross the blood-brain barrier represent significant pharmacokinetic advantages over AZT.