CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Mechanism Of Action
Lorlatinib is a kinase inhibitor with in vitro activity against ALK and ROS1 as well as TYK1, FER, FPS, TRKA, TRKB, TRKC, FAK, FAK2, and ACK. Lorlatinib demonstrated in vitro activity against multiple mutant forms of the ALK enzyme, including some mutations detected in tumors at the time of disease progression on crizotinib and other ALK inhibitors.
In mice subcutaneously implanted with tumors harboring EML4 fusions with either ALK variant 1 or ALK mutations, including the G1202R and I1171T mutations detected in tumors at the time of disease progression on ALK inhibitors, administration of lorlatinib resulted in antitumor activity. Lorlatinib also demonstrated anti-tumor activity and prolonged survival in mice implanted intracranially with EML4-ALK-driven tumor cell lines. The overall antitumor activity of lorlatinib in in vivo models was dose-dependent and correlated with inhibition of ALK phosphorylation.
Pharmacodynamics
Exposure-Response Relationships
Based on the data from Study B7461001, exposure-response relationships for Grade 3 or 4 hypercholesterolemia and for any Grade 3 or 4 adverse reaction were observed at steady-state exposures achieved at the recommended dosage, with higher probability of the occurrence of adverse reactions with increasing lorlatinib exposure.
Cardiac Electrophysiology
In 295 patients who received LORBRENA at the recommended dosage of 100 mg once daily and had an ECG measurement in Study B7461001, the maximum mean change from baseline for PR interval was 16.4 ms (2-sided 90% upper confidence interval [CI] 19.4 ms). Among the 284 patients with PR interval <200 ms at baseline, 14% had PR interval prolongation ≥200 ms after starting LORBRENA. The prolongation of PR interval occurred in a concentration-dependent manner. Atrioventricular block occurred in 1% of patients.
In 275 patients who received LORBRENA at the recommended dosage in the activity-estimating portion of Study B7461001, no large mean increases from baseline in the QTcF interval (i.e., >20 ms) were detected.
Pharmacokinetics
Steady-state lorlatinib maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) increases proportionally and AUC increased slightly less than proportionally over the dose range of 10 mg to 200 mg orally once daily (0.1 to 2 times the recommended dosage). At the recommended dosage, the mean (coefficient of variation [CV] %) Cmax was 577 ng/mL (42%) and the AUC0-24h was 5650 ng·h/mL (39%) in patients with cancer. Lorlatinib oral clearance increased at steady-state compared to single dose, indicating autoinduction.
Absorption
The median lorlatinib Tmax was 1.2 hours (0.5 to 4 hours) following a single oral 100 mg dose and 2 hours
(0.5 to 23 hours) following 100 mg orally once daily at steady state.
The mean absolute bioavailability is 81% (90% CI 75.7%, 86.2%) after oral administration compared to intravenous administration.
Effect of Food
Administration of LORBRENA with a high fat, high calorie meal (approximately 1000 calories with 150 calories from protein, 250 calories from carbohydrate, and 500 to 600 calories from fat) had no clinically meaningful effect on lorlatinib pharmacokinetics.
Distribution
In vitro, lorlatinib was 66% bound to plasma proteins at a concentration of 2.4 μM. The blood-to-plasma ratio was 0.99. The mean (CV%) steady state volume of distribution (Vss) was 305 L (28%) following a single intravenous dose.
Elimination
The mean plasma half-life (t½) of lorlatinib was 24 hours (40%) after a single oral 100 mg dose of LORBRENA. The mean oral clearance (CL/F) was 11 L/h (35%) following a single oral 100 mg dose and increased to 18 L/h (39%) at steady state, suggesting autoinduction.
Metabolism
In vitro, lorlatinib is metabolized primarily by CYP3A4 and UGT1A4, with minor contribution from CYP2C8, CYP2C19, CYP3A5, and UGT1A3.
In plasma, a benzoic acid metabolite (M8) of lorlatinib resulting from the oxidative cleavage of the amide and aromatic ether bonds of lorlatinib accounted for 21% of the circulating radioactivity in a human [14C] mass balance study. The oxidative cleavage metabolite, M8, is pharmacologically inactive.
Excretion
Following a single oral 100 mg dose of radiolabeled lorlatinib, 48% of the radioactivity was recovered in urine (<1% as unchanged) and 41% in feces (about 9% as unchanged).
Specific Populations
No clinically meaningful differences in lorlatinib pharmacokinetics were observed based on age (19 to 85 years), sex, race/ethnicity, body weight, mild to moderate renal impairment (CLcr 30 to 89 mL/min), mild hepatic impairment (total bilirubin ≤ ULN and AST > ULN or total bilirubin > 1.5 × ULN and any AST), or metabolizer phenotypes for CYP3A5 and CYP2C19. The effect of moderate to severe hepatic impairment or severe renal impairment on lorlatinib pharmacokinetics is unknown [see Use In Specific Populations].
Drug Interaction Studies
Clinical Studies
Effect of CYP3A Inducers on Lorlatinib:
Twelve healthy subjects received rifampin, a strong CYP3A inducer that also activates PXR, 600 mg once daily for 8 days (Days 1 to 8) and a single oral 100 mg dose of LORBRENA on Day 8. The coadministration of rifampin with LORBRENA reduced the mean lorlatinib AUCinf by 85% and Cmax by 76%. Grade 2 to 4 increases in ALT or AST occurred within 3 days. Grade 4 ALT or AST elevations occurred in 50%, Grade 3 ALT or AST elevations in 33%, and Grade 2 ALT or AST elevations occurred in 8% of subjects. ALT and AST returned to within normal limits within 7 to 34 days (median 15 days). The effect of the concomitant use of moderate CYP3A inducers on lorlatinib pharmacokinetics or the risk of hepatotoxicity with the concomitant use of moderate CYP3A inducers is unknown [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Effect of Strong CYP3A Inhibitors on Lorlatinib:
Itraconazole, a strong CYP3A inhibitor, increased AUCinf by 42% and increased Cmax by 24% of a single oral 100 mg dose of LORBRENA [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Effect of Lorlatinib on CYP3A Substrates:
LORBRENA 150 mg orally once daily for 15 days decreased AUCinf by 64% and Cmax by 50% of a single oral 2 mg dose of midazolam (a sensitive CYP3A substrate) [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Effect of Acid-Reducing Agents on Lorlatinib:
Concomitant use of a proton pump inhibitor, rabeprazole, did not have a clinically meaningful effect on lorlatinib pharmacokinetics.
In Vitro Studies
Effect of Lorlatinib on CYP Enzymes:
In vitro studies indicate that lorlatinib is a time-dependent inhibitor as well as an inducer of CYP3A and that it activates PXR, with the net effect in vivo being induction. Lorlatinib induces CYP2B6 and activates the human constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Lorlatinib and the major circulating metabolite, M8, do not inhibit CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP2D6. M8 does not inhibit CYP3A.
M8 does not induce CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A.
Effects of Lorlatinib on UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT):
Lorlatinib and M8 do not inhibit UGT1A1, UGT1A4, UGT1A6, UGT1A9, UGT2B7, and UGT2B15.
Effect of Lorlatinib on Transporters:
Lorlatinib inhibits P-glycoprotein (P-gp), organic cation transporter (OCT)1, organic anion transporter (OAT)3, multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE)1, and intestinal breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). Lorlatinib does not inhibit organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP)1B1, OATP1B3, OAT1, OCT2, MATE2K, and systemic BCRP. M8 does not inhibit P-gp, BCRP, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OAT1, OAT3, OCT1, OCT2, MATE1, and MATE2K.
Animal Toxicology And/Or Pharmacology
Distended abdomen, skin rash, and increased cholesterol and triglycerides occurred in animals. These findings were accompanied by hyperplasia and dilation of the bile ducts in the liver and acinar atrophy of the pancreas in rats at 15 mg/kg/day and in dogs at 2 mg/kg/day (approximately 8 and 0.5 times, respectively, the human exposure at the recommended dose of 100 mg based on AUC). All effects were reversible within the recovery period.
Clinical Studies
ALK-Positive Metastatic NSCLC Previously Treated With An ALK Kinase Inhibitor
The efficacy of LORBRENA was demonstrated in a subgroup of patients with ALK-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with one or more ALK kinase inhibitors who were enrolled in a non-randomized, dose-ranging and activity-estimating, multi-cohort, multicenter study (Study B7461001; NCT01970865). Patients included in this subgroup were required to have metastatic disease with at least 1 measurable target lesion according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 (v1.1), ECOG performance status of 0 to 2, and documented ALK rearrangement in tumor tissue as determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay or by Immunohistochemistry (IHC), and received LORBRENA 100 mg orally once daily. Patients with asymptomatic CNS metastases, including patients with stable or decreasing steroid use within 2 weeks prior to study entry, were eligible. Patients with severe, acute, or chronic psychiatric conditions including suicidal ideation or behavior were excluded. In addition, for patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC, the extent and type of prior treatment was specified for each individual cohort (see Table 4). The major efficacy outcome measures were overall response rate (ORR) and intracranial ORR, according to RECIST v1.1, as assessed by Independent Central Review (ICR) committee. Data were pooled across all subgroups listed in Table 4. Additional efficacy outcome measures included duration of response (DOR), and intracranial DOR.
A total of 215 patients were enrolled across the subgroups in Table 4. The distribution of patients by type and extent of prior therapy is provided in Table 4. The demographic characteristics across all 215 patients were: 59% female, 51% White, 34% Asian, and the median age was 53 years (29 to 85 years) with 18% of patients ≥65 years. The ECOG performance status at baseline was 0 or 1 in 96% of patients. All patients had metastatic disease and 95% had adenocarcinoma. Brain metastases as identified by ICR were present in 69% of patients; of these, 60% had received prior radiation to the brain and 60% (n=89) had measurable disease per ICR.
Table 4 Extent of Prior Therapy in the Subgroup of Patients with Previously Treated ALK-Positive Metastatic NSCLC in Study B7461001
Extent of prior therapy |
Number of patients |
Prior crizotinib and no prior chemotherapya |
29 |
Prior crizotinib and 1-2 lines of prior chemotherapya |
35 |
Prior ALK inhibitor (not crizotinib) with or without prior chemotherapya |
28 |
Two prior ALK inhibitors with or without prior chemotherapya |
75 |
Three prior ALK inhibitors with or without prior chemotherapya |
48 |
Total |
215 |
Abbreviations: ALK=anaplastic lymphoma kinase; NSCLC=non-small cell lung cancer.
a Chemotherapy administered in the metastatic setting. |
Efficacy results for Study B7461001 are summarized in Tables 5 and 6.
Table 5 Efficacy Results in Study B7461001
Efficacy Parameter |
Overall
N=215 |
Overall response ratea (95% CI)b |
48% (42, 55) |
Complete response |
4% |
Partial response |
44% |
Duration of response |
|
Median, monthsc (95% CI) |
12.5 (8.4, 23.7) |
Abbreviations: CI=confidence interval; N=number of patients.
a Per Independent Central Review.
b Using exact method based on binomial distribution.
c Estimated using the Kaplan Meier method. |
An assessment of intracranial ORR and the duration of response for CNS metastases in the subgroup of 89 patients in Study B7461001 with baseline measurable lesions in the CNS according to RECIST v1.1 are summarized in Table 6. Of these, 56 (63%) patients received prior brain radiation, including 42 patients (47%) who completed brain radiation treatment at least 6 months before starting treatment with LORBRENA.
Table 6 Intracranial Response Rate in Patients with Measurable Intracranial Lesions in
Study B7461001
Efficacy Parameter |
Intracranial
N=89 |
Intracranial response ratea (95% CI)b |
60% (49, 70) |
Complete response |
21% |
Partial response |
38% |
Duration of response |
|
Median, monthsc (95% CI) |
19.5 (12.4, NR) |
Abbreviations: CI=confidence interval; N=number of patients; NR=not reached.
a Per Independent Central Review.
b Using exact method based on binomial distribution.
c Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. |
In exploratory analyses conducted in subgroups defined by prior therapy, the response rates to LORBRENA were:
- ORR = 39% (95% CI: 30, 48) in 119 patients who received crizotinib and at least one other ALK inhibitor, with or without prior chemotherapy
- ORR = 31% (95% CI: 9, 61) in 13 patients who received alectinib as their only ALK inhibitor, with or without prior chemotherapy
- ORR = 46% (95% CI: 19, 75) in 13 patients who received ceritinib as their only ALK inhibitor, with or without prior chemotherapy