Manuscript for Drug Metabolism and Disposition Title Developmental changes in hepatic OCT1 protein expression from neonates to children

Abstract Organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1) plays an important role in the disposition of clinicallyimportant drugs, and the capacity of OCT1 activity is presumed to be proportional to the protein expression level in organ tissues. Presently, knowledge of OCT1 protein expression in children is very limited, especially among neonates and small infants. Here, we report on the characterization of OCT1 protein expression in neonatal, infant and pediatric liver samples performed by Immunoblot analysis. OCT1 protein expression was detected in liver samples from neonates as early as postnatal day 1 -2. This youngest group showed significantly lower OCT1 expression normalized by GAPDH (0.03 ±0.02 arbitrary unit (AU), mean ± SD, N=7) compared to samples aged 3 -4 weeks (0.08 ±0.03 AU, N=5, **P< 0.01), 3 -6 months (0.23 ± 0.15 AU, N=7, **P< 0.01), 11 months -1 year (0.42 ± 0.32 AU, N=6, **P< 0.01), and 8 -12 years (1.00 ± 0.44 AU, N=7, **P< 0.01). These data demonstrate an age-dependent increase in OCT1 expression from birth up to 8-12 years of age, and the findings of this study contribute to the understanding of OCT1 functional capacity and their effect of the disposition of OCT1 substrates in neonates and small infants

Tutorial on model selection and validation of model input into precision dosing software for model-informed precision dosing

There has been rising interest in using model-informed precision dosing to provide personalized medicine to patients at the bedside. This methodology utilizes population pharmacokinetic models, measured drug concentrations from individual patients, pharmacodynamic biomarkers, and Bayesian estimation to estimate pharmacokinetic parameters and predict concentration-time profiles in individual patients. Using these individualized parameter estimates and simulated drug exposure, dosing recommendations can be generated to maximize target attainment to improve beneficial effect and minimize toxicity. However, the accuracy of the output from this evaluation is highly dependent on the population pharmacokinetic model selected. This tutorial provides a comprehensive approach to evaluating, selecting, and validating a model for input and implementation into a model-informed precision dosing program. A step-by-step outline to validate successful implementation into a precision dosing tool is described using the clinical software platforms Edsim++ and MwPharm++ as examples.</p

Alternate-Day Micafungin Antifungal Prophylaxis in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Pharmacokinetic Study

Disseminated fungal infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Prophylaxis with amphotericin B can be limited by renal toxicity. Oral triazoles can be limited by poor absorption, large interindividual pharmacokinetic (PK) variability, and hepatic toxicity, leading to interruptions in therapy and breakthrough infections. Intravenous (i.v.) micafungin has potential advantages, because of its better safety profile, specifically in terms of hepatic and renal toxicity, and lack of drug-drug interactions with common medications used in the HSCT setting. We hypothesized that higher dose micafungin (3 mg/kg) every other day will provide drug exposure similar to standard dosing (1 mg/kg) given daily, and improve patient compliance in very young children in whom oral medications can be challenging, at reduced administration costs. Both animal and adult patient data support the use of this approach. Fifteen children (M/F = 11/4, aged ≤10 years; mean: 3.9 years, range: 0.6-10 years) with various hematologic, metabolic, and immune deficiency disorders undergoing HSCT received a single dose of micafungin (3 mg/kg) i.v. over 1 hour. Dose selection was based on published PK data in pediatric patients, and exploration of different dosing regimens using Monte Carlo PK/PD simulation. Blood samples were drawn around this dose and PK analysis was conducted using standard noncompartmental methods. Micafungin at 3 mg/kg dose was well tolerated in all patients. Measurable plasma concentrations were present in all cases at 48 hours. Half-life and clearance observed were comparable to previous pediatric PK data, with clearance being higher than adults as expected. Volume of distribution was higher in our patients compared to published pediatric data, likely because of a larger proportion of very young children in our study cohort. After correction for protein binding, concentrations at the end of the dosing interval during maintenance treatment remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of highly susceptible fungal pathogens. These data suggest that alternate day micafungin dosing, as described here, may provide an attractive alternative for antifungal prophylaxis in HSCT patients and merits further evaluation

Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Total and Free Ceftriaxone in Critically Ill Children and Young Adults and Monte Carlo Simulations Support Twice Daily Dosing for Target Attainment

Critical illness, including sepsis, causes significant pathophysiologic changes that alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antibiotics. Ceftriaxone is one of the most prescribed antibiotics in patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). We sought to develop population PK models of both total ceftriaxone and free ceftriaxone in children admitted to a single-center PICU using a scavenged opportunistic sampling approach. We tested if the presence of sepsis and phase of illness (before or after 48 h of antibiotic treatment) altered ceftriaxone PK parameters. We performed Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate whether dosing regimens commonly used in PICUs in the United States (50 mg/kg of body weight every 12 h versus 24 h) resulted in adequate antimicrobial coverage. We found that a two-compartment model best described both total and free ceftriaxone concentrations. For free concentrations, the population clearance value is 6.54 L/h/70 kg, central volume is 25.4 L/70 kg, and peripheral volume is 19.6 L/70 kg. For both models, we found that allometric weight scaling, postmenstrual age, creatinine clearance, and daily highest temperature had significant effects on clearance. The presence of sepsis or phase of illness did not have a significant effect on clearance or volume of distribution. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated that to achieve free concentrations above 1 mu g/ml for 100% of the dosing intervals, a dosing regimen of 50 mg/kg every 12 h is recommended for most patients. A continuous infusion could be considered if the target is to maintain free concentrations four times above the MICs (4 mu g/ml)

Concentration-Effect Relationship of Ceftazidime Explains Why the Time above the MIC Is 40 Percent for a Static Effect In Vivo▿

Growth-kill dynamics were characterized in vitro, and the parameter estimates were used to simulate bacterial growth and kill in vivo using both mouse and human pharmacokinetics. The parameter estimates obtained in vitro predicted a time above the MIC of between 35 and 38% for a static effect in mice after 24 h of treatment

Utilization of Optimal Study Design for Maternal and Fetal Sheep Propofol Pharmacokinetics Study: A Preliminary Study

Abstract: Multiple blood samples are generally required for measurement of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. D-optimal design is a popular and frequently used approach for determination of sampling time points in order to minimize the number of samples, while optimizing the estimation of PK parameters. Optimal design utilizing ADAPT (v5, BSR, University of Southern California, Los Angeles) developed a sparse sampling strategy to determine measurement of propofol in pregnant sheep. Propofal was administered as supplemental anesthetic agent to inhalation anesthesia to mimic anesthesia for open fetal surgery. In our preliminary study, propofol 3 mg/kg was given as a bolus to the ewe, followed by propofol infusion at rate 450 mcg/kg/min for 60 minutes, then decreased to 75 mcg/kg/min for 90 more minutes and then ceased. A three compartment model described the PK parameters with the fetus assumed as the third compartment. Initially, sampling times were chosen from thirteen time points as previously stated in the literature. Using priori propofol PK estimates, the final 9 sample time points were proposed in an optimal design with a change in infusion rate occurring between 65 and 75 minutes and sampling proposed at 5, 15, 25, 65, 75, 100, 110, 150, and 180 minutes. D-optimal design optimized the number and timing of samplings, which led to a reduction of cost and man power in the study protocol while preserving the ability to estimate propofol PK parameters in the maternal and fetal sheep model. Initial evaluation of samples collected from three sheep using the optimal design strategy confirmed the performance of the design in obtaining effective PK parameter estimates

Utilization of Optimal Study Design for Maternal and Fetal Sheep Propofol Pharmacokinetics Study: A Preliminary Study

Abstract: Multiple blood samples are generally required for measurement of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. D-optimal design is a popular and frequently used approach for determination of sampling time points in order to minimize the number of samples, while optimizing the estimation of PK parameters. Optimal design utilizing ADAPT (v5, BSR, University of Southern California, Los Angeles) developed a sparse sampling strategy to determine measurement of propofol in pregnant sheep. Propofal was administered as supplemental anesthetic agent to inhalation anesthesia to mimic anesthesia for open fetal surgery. In our preliminary study, propofol 3 mg/kg was given as a bolus to the ewe, followed by propofol infusion at rate 450 mcg/kg/min for 60 minutes, then decreased to 75 mcg/kg/min for 90 more minutes and then ceased. A three compartment model described the PK parameters with the fetus assumed as the third compartment. Initially, sampling times were chosen from thirteen time points as previously stated in the literature. Using priori propofol PK estimates, the final 9 sample time points were proposed in an optimal design with a change in infusion rate occurring between 65 and 75 minutes and sampling proposed at 5, 15, 25, 65, 75, 100, 110, 150, and 180 minutes. D-optimal design optimized the number and timing of samplings, which led to a reduction of cost and man power in the study protocol while preserving the ability to estimate propofol PK parameters in the maternal and fetal sheep model. Initial evaluation of samples collected from three sheep using the optimal design strategy confirmed the performance of the design in obtaining effective PK parameter estimates