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Evaluation of a Pharmacology-Driven Dosing Algorithm of 3-Weekly Paclitaxel Using Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

A Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Simulation Study

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Abstract

Background and Objective

Severe neutropenia is the most frequent and important toxicity of 3-weekly paclitaxel and puts patients at substantial risk of infectious complications. It is well known that the time during which paclitaxel plasma concentrations exceed 0.05 μmol/L (TC>0.05) correlates with the extent of neutropenia. This study was initiated to develop a dosing algorithm that would be able to reduce severe neutropenia by targeting an individual paclitaxel TC>0.05 between 26 and 31 hours, and could be validated in a prospective randomized trial by comparing it to conventional dosing of paclitaxel.

Methods

Paclitaxel plasma concentration-time (n = 273) and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) data (152 of the 273 patients) were pooled from two previous studies and submitted to population pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modelling using nonlinear mixed-effects modelling software NONMEM® version VII. To fit the data, we used a previously described 3-compartment model with saturable elimination and distribution, coupled to a semiphysiological model with a linear function to describe the myelotoxic effect of paclitaxel (Epaclitaxel) on circulating neutrophils (neutropenia). Patient age, sex, body surface area (BSA), bilirubin and renal function were tested as potential covariates on the maximum elimination capacity of paclitaxel (VMEL). Limited sampling strategies were tested on the pharmacokinetic model for their accuracy to predict paclitaxel TC>0.05. Subsequently, we proposed a first-cycle dosing algorithm that accounted for BSA, patient age and sex, while later cycles accounted for the previous-cycle paclitaxel TC>0.05 (target: 26 to 31 hours) and ANC nadir to adapt the paclitaxel dose for the next treatment cycle. To test the adequacy of the proposed dosing algorithm, we used extensive data simulations on the final pharmacokinetic/pharma-codynamic model, generating datasets of 1000 patients for six subsequent treatment cycles. Grade 4 neutropenia was tested as a potential endpoint for a prospective clinical trial and simulated for two scenarios, i.e. conventional dosing of paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 every 3 weeks, and personalized, pharmacology-driven dosing as outlined above.

Results

Concentration-time data for paclitaxel were adequately described by the 3-compartment model. Also, individual ANC counts were adequately described by the semiphysiological model using a linear function to describe Epaclitaxel on neutropenia. Patient age, sex, bilirubin and BSA were significant and independent covariates on the elimination of paclitaxel. Paclitaxel VMEL was 16% higher in males than in female patients, and a 10-year increase in age led to a 13% decrease in VMEL. A single paclitaxel plasma concentration 24 hours after the start of infusion was adequate to predict paclitaxel TC>0.05 (root squared mean error [RSME] = +0.5%), and the addition of an end-of-infusion sample did not further improve precision (RSME = −0.6%). Data simulations on the final pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model and using the proposed dosing algorithm resulted in a first-cycle paclitaxel dose ranging from 150 to 185 mg/m2 for women and from 165 to 200 mg/m2 for men. Dose adaptations for cycles two to six ranged from −40% to +30%, with a final median paclitaxel dose of 167 mg/m2 (range 76 to 311 mg/m2). When compared with conventional dosing (paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 every 3 weeks), personalized dosing reduced grade 4 neutropenia in cycle one from 15% to 7%, and further to 4% in cycle 2.

Conclusion

This study proposes a pharmacology-driven dosing algorithm of 3-weekly paclitaxel to reduce the incidence of grade 4 neutropenia. A randomized clinical trial comparing this dosing algorithm with conventional BSA-based dosing of paclitaxel in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer is currently ongoing.

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Acknowledgements

Dr Feiss is an employee of Saladox Biomedical, Inc. No sources of funding were used to conduct this study or prepare this manuscript. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology & Hematology, Cantonal Hospital, St Gallen, Switzerland

    Markus Joerger (Assistant Professor)

  2. Institute of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Stefanie Kraff & Ulrich Jaehde

  3. Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Slotervaart Hospital/The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Alwin D. R. Huitema & Jos H. Beijnen

  4. Saladax Biomedical Inc., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

    Gary Feiss

  5. CESAR Central European Society for Anticancer Drug Research, Vienna, Austria

    Berta Moritz

  6. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Jan H. M. Schellens

  7. Faculty of Science, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Biomedical Analysis, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands

    Jan H. M. Schellens & Jos H. Beijnen

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  1. Markus Joerger
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Correspondence to Markus Joerger.

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Joerger, M., Kraff, S., Huitema, A.D.R. et al. Evaluation of a Pharmacology-Driven Dosing Algorithm of 3-Weekly Paclitaxel Using Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. Clin Pharmacokinet 51, 607–617 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03261934

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