The effects of ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir on the pharmacokinetics of a novel CCR5 antagonist, aplaviroc, in healthy subjects

Aims This study assessed the effects of the CYP3A inhibitors lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) on the steady-state pharmacokinetics (PK) of aplaviroc (APL), a CYP3A4 substrate, in healthy subjects. Methods In Part 1, APL PK was determined in eight subjects who received a single oral 50-mg APL test dose with/without a single dose of 100 mg ritonavir (RTV). Part 2 was conducted as an open-label, single-sequence, three-period repeat dose study in a cohort of 24 subjects. Subjects received APL 400 mg every 12 h (b.i.d.) for 7 days (Period 1), LPV/r 400/100 mg b.i.d. for 14 days (Period 2) and APL 400 mg + LPV/r 400/100 mg b.i.d. for 7 days (Period 3). All doses were administered with a moderate fat meal. PK sampling occurred on day 7 of Periods 1 and 3 and day 14 of Period 2. Results In Part 1, a single RTV dose increased the APL AUC(0-infinity) by 2.1-fold [90% confidence interval (CI) 1.9, 2.4]. Repeat dose coadministration of APL with LPV/r increased APL exposures to a greater extent with the geometric least squares mean ratios (90% CI) being 7.7 (6.4, 9.3), 6.2 (4.8, 8.1) and 7.1 (5.6, 9.0) for the APL AUC, C-max, and C-min, respectively. No change in LPV AUC or C-max and a small increase in RTV AUC and C-max (28% and 32%) were observed. The combination of APL and LPV/r was well tolerated and adverse events were mild in severity with self-limiting gastrointestinal complaints most commonly reported. Conclusions Coadministration of APL and LPV/r was well tolerated and resulted in significantly increased APL plasma concentrations.