Chemical formula: C₂₂H₂₄ClFN₄O₃ Molecular mass: 446.902 g/mol PubChem compound: 123631
The epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR [HER1; ErbB1]) have been identified as key drivers in the process of cell growth and proliferation for normal and cancer cells. EGFR activating mutation within a cancer cell is an important factor in promotion of tumour cell growth, blocking of apoptosis, increasing the production of angiogenic factors and facilitating the processes of metastasis.
Gefitinib is a selective small molecule inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase and is an effective treatment for patients with tumours with activating mutations of the EGFR tyrosine kinase domain regardless of line of therapy. No clinically relevant activity has been shown in patients with known EGFR mutation-negative tumours.
The common EGFR activating mutations (Exon 19 deletions; L858R) have robust response data supporting sensitivity to gefitinib; for example a progression free survival HR (95% CI) of 0.489 (0.336, 0.710) for gefitinib vs. doublet chemotherapy [WJTOG3405]. Gefitinib response data is more sparse in patients whose tumours contain the less common mutations; the available data indicates that G719X, L861Q and S7681 are sensitising mutations; and T790M alone or exon 20 insertions alone are resistance mechanisms.
Most NSCLC tumours with sensitising EGFR kinase mutations eventually develop resistance to gefitinib treatment, with a median time to disease progression of 1 year. In about 60% of cases, resistance is associated with a secondary T790M mutation for which T790M targeted EGFR TKIs may be considered as a next line treatment option. Other potential mechanisms of resistance that have been reported following treatment with EGFR signal blocking agents include: bypass signalling such as HER2 and MET gene amplification and PIK3CA mutations. Phenotypic switch to small cell lung cancer has also been reported in 5-10% of cases.
Following oral administration of gefitinib, absorption is moderately slow and peak plasma concentrations of gefitinib typically occur at 3 to 7 hours after administration. Mean absolute bioavailability is 59% in cancer patients. Exposure to gefitinib is not significantly altered by food. In a trial in healthy volunteers where gastric pH was maintained above pH 5, gefitinib exposure was reduced by 47%, likely due to impaired solubility of gefitinib in the stomach.
Gefitinib has a mean steady-state volume of distribution of 1400 l indicating extensive distribution into tissue. Plasma protein binding is approximately 90%. Gefitinib binds to serum albumin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein.
In vitro data indicate that gefitinib is a substrate for the membrane transport protein P-gp.
In vitro data indicate that CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 are the major P450 isozyme involved in the oxidative metabolism of gefitinib.
In vitro studies have shown that gefitinib has limited potential to inhibit CYP2D6. Gefitinib shows no enzyme induction effects in animal studies and no significant inhibition (in vitro) of any other cytochrome P450 enzyme.
Gefitinib is extensively metabolised in humans. Five metabolites have been fully identified in excreta and 8 metabolites in plasma. The major metabolite identified was O-desmethyl gefitinib, which is 14-fold less potent than gefitinib at inhibiting EGFR stimulated cell growth and has no inhibitory effect on tumour cell growth in mice. It is therefore considered unlikely that it contributes to the clinical activity of gefitinib.
The formation of O-desmethyl gefitinib has been shown, in vitro, to be via CYP2D6. The role of CYP2D6 in the metabolic clearance of gefitinib has been evaluated in a clinical trial in healthy volunteers genotyped for CYP2D6 status. In poor metabolisers no measurable levels of O-desmethyl gefitinib were produced. The levels of exposure to gefitinib achieved in both the extensive and the poor metaboliser groups were wide and overlapping but the mean exposure to gefitinib was 2-fold higher in the poor metaboliser group. The higher average exposures that could be achieved by individuals with no active CYP2D6 may be clinically relevant since adverse effects are related to dose and exposure.
Gefitinib is excreted mainly as metabolites via the faeces, with renal elimination of gefitinib and metabolites accounting for less than 4% of the administered dose.
Gefitinib total plasma clearance is approximately 500 ml/min and the mean terminal half-life is 41 hours in cancer patients. Administration of gefitinib once daily results in 2- to 8-fold accumulation, with steady state exposures achieved after 7 to 10 doses. At steady state, circulating plasma concentrations are typically maintained within a 2- to 3-fold range over the 24-hour dosing interval.
From analyses of population pharmacokinetic data in cancer patients, no relationships were identified between predicted steady-state trough concentration and patient age, body weight, gender, ethnicity or creatinine clearance (above 20 ml/min).
In a phase I open-label study of single dose gefitinib 250 mg in patients with mild, moderate or severe hepatic impairment due to cirrhosis (according to Child-Pugh classification), there was an increase in exposure in all groups compared with healthy controls. An average 3.1-fold increase in exposure to gefitinib in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment was observed. None of the patients had cancer, all had cirrhosis and some had hepatitis. This increase in exposure may be of clinical relevance since adverse experiences are related to dose and exposure to gefitinib.
Gefitinib has been evaluated in a clinical trial conducted in 41 patients with solid tumours and normal hepatic function, or moderate or severe hepatic impairment (classified according to baseline Common Toxicity Criteria grades for AST, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin) due to liver metastases. It was shown that following daily administration of 250 mg gefitinib, time to steady-state, total plasma clearance (CmaxSS) and steady-state exposure (AUC24SS) were similar for the groups with normal and moderately impaired hepatic function. Data from 4 patients with severe hepatic impairment due to liver metastases suggested that steady-state exposures in these patients are also similar to those in patients with normal hepatic function.
Adverse reactions not observed in clinical studies, but seen in animals at exposure levels similar to the clinical exposure levels and with possible relevance to clinical use were as follows:
Data from non-clinical (in vitro) studies indicate that gefitinib has the potential to inhibit the cardiac action potential repolarisation process (e.g. QT interval). Clinical experience has not shown a causal association between QT prolongation and gefitinib.
A reduction in female fertility was observed in the rat at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day.
Published studies have shown that genetically modified mice, lacking expression of EGFR, exhibit developmental defects, related to epithelial immaturity in a variety of organs including the skin, gastrointestinal tract and lung. When gefitinib was administered to rats during organogenesis, there were no effects on embryofoetal development at the highest dose (30 mg/kg/day). However, in the rabbit, there were reduced foetal weights at 20 mg/kg/day and above. There were no compound-induced malformations in either species. When administered to the rat throughout gestation and parturition, there was a reduction in pup survival at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day.
Following oral administration of C-14 labelled gefitinib to lactating rats 14 days post-partum, concentrations of radioactivity in milk were 11-19 fold higher than in blood.
Gefitinib showed no genotoxic potential.
A 2-year carcinogenicity study in rats resulted in a small but statistically significant increased incidence of hepatocellular adenomas in both male and female rats and mesenteric lymph node haemangiosarcomas in female rats at the highest dose (10 mg/kg/day) only. The hepatocellular adenomas were also seen in a 2-year carcinogenicity study in mice, which demonstrated a small increased incidence of this finding in male mice at the mid dose, and in both male and female mice at the highest dose. The effects reached statistical significance for the female mice, but not for the males. At no-effect levels in both mice and rats there was no margin in clinical exposure. The clinical relevance of these findings is unknown.
The results of an in vitro phototoxicity study demonstrated that gefitinib may have phototoxicity potential.
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