Erleada (apalutamide)

Antiandrogen Oral Tablet

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Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data

Overview

Apalutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen, is an antineoplastic agent.

Apalutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen, is an antineoplastic agent. The drug competitively inhibits androgen binding to androgen receptors; its mechanisms of action are similar to those of enzalutamide. Apalutamide binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor and inhibits nuclear translocation of the activated androgen receptor, androgen-dependent binding of the androgen receptor complex to DNA, and androgen receptor-mediated gene transcription in cells that overexpress the androgen receptor.

Apalutamide reduced tumor growth and induced apoptosis of tumor cells, leading to decreased tumor volume, in xenograft models of castration-resistant prostate cancer in mice.

In castration-resistant prostate cancer, alterations in androgen receptor signaling (e.g., androgen receptor gene mutation or amplification, androgen receptor overexpression) have been shown to result in persistence of androgen receptor signaling and to contribute to disease progression despite castrate levels of androgens. Resistance to conventional antiandrogens (e.g., bicalutamide, flutamide, nilutamide) in castration-resistant prostate cancer has been associated with paradoxical agonistic effects of these drugs and continued androgen receptor signaling. Unlike these conventional antiandrogens but similar to enzalutamide, apalutamide does not exhibit agonistic activity in cells that overexpress the androgen receptor.

The binding affinity of apalutamide at the androgen receptor is 7-10 times greater than that of bicalutamide. Although apalutamide and enzalutamide exhibit similar antiandrogenic activity in vitro, apalutamide demonstrated greater activity than enzalutamide in xenograft models of castration-resistant prostate cancer. At equivalent dosages, steady-state concentrations of apalutamide and enzalutamide in xenograft tumors in mice were similar, but steady-state plasma and CNS concentrations of apalutamide were twofold to fourfold lower and fourfold lower, respectively, compared with concentrations of enzalutamide.

Whether these higher murine tumor-to-plasma and tumor-to-CNS ratios for apalutamide translate into a lower risk of adverse effects, including seizures and other CNS toxicity, remains to be established.

Apalutamide exhibits dose-proportional pharmacokinetics over a dosage range of 30-480 mg once daily. Following oral administration, the median time to peak plasma concentrations is 2 hours; the mean absolute bioavailability of apalutamide is approximately 100%. Steady-state concentrations of apalutamide are achieved after 4 weeks of once-daily dosing and the mean accumulation ratio is approximately fivefold.

Oral administration of apalutamide tablets dispersed in applesauce did not result in any clinically relevant changes in time to peak plasma concentration or area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) when compared with administration of intact tablets under fasting conditions. Administration of apalutamide with a high-fat meal delays time to peak plasma concentration by approximately 2 hours but has no clinically important effects on AUC. Apalutamide is metabolized principally by cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzymes 2C8 and 3A4 to form its major active metabolite, N-desmethylapalutamide, which exhibits antiandrogenic activity at one-third the potency of the parent drug in vitro.

The contributions of CYP2C8 and 3A4 to the metabolism of apalutamide are approximately 58 and 13%, respectively, following a single dose and 40 and 37%, respectively, at steady state. Apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide account for 45 and 44%, respectively, of the total drug exposure following a single 240-mg dose of apalutamide.

Apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide are 96 and 95% bound, respectively, to plasma proteins; the extent of binding is independent of plasma concentration. Clearance of apalutamide is increased at steady state, suggesting that the drug may induce its own metabolism by CYP3A4. The mean steady-state half-life of apalutamide is approximately 3 days.

Following oral administration of a single radiolabeled dose of apalutamide, 65% of the dose was recovered in urine (1.2% as unchanged drug and 2.7% as N-desmethylapalutamide) and 24% of the dose was recovered in feces (1.5% as unchanged drug and 2% as N-desmethylapalutamide).

USES: Apalutamide is used to treat men with prostate cancer. This medication belongs to a class of drugs known as anti-androgens (anti-testosterone). It works by blocking the effects of testosterone to slow the growth and spread of prostate cancer.

Generic name: apalutamide
Pronunciation: (A-puh-LOO-tuh-mide)
Drug class: Antiandrogen
Therapeutic class: Antineoplastics

Reference product & biosimilars

No reference, biosimilar or interchangeable associated with this drug.

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Indications

The following indications are listed for Erleada:

  • Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer
  • Non-Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Also known as: Metastatic Hormone Sensitive Prostate Cancer, Non-Metastatic Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer.

Dosing

No dosing information is available for this tab.

Drug interactions

Apalutamide is metabolized principally by cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzymes 2C8 and 3A4 to form its major active metabolite, N-desmethylapalutamide.

Apalutamide is a potent inducer of CYP3A4 and 2C19 and a weak inducer of CYP2C9 in humans. In addition, in vitro studies indicate that apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide are moderate to potent inducers of CYP3A4 and 2B6, moderate inhibitors of CYP2B6 and 2C8, and weak inhibitors of CYP2C9, 2C19, and 3A4. Apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide neither inhibit nor induce CYP1A2 or 2D6 at clinically relevant concentrations.

Apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide are substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in vitro; however, apalutamide absorption is not limited by P-gp. Apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide are not substrates of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), organic anion transport protein (OATP) 1B1, or OATP1B3.

Apalutamide is a weak inducer of P-gp, BCRP, and OATP1B1 in humans. In vitro, apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide inhibit organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2), organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3), and multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE) transporters. Apalutamide may induce uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT). Apalutamide and N-desmethylapalutamide do not inhibit organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1).

Contraindications

None.

Adverse reactions

Adverse effects reported in >=10% of patients receiving apalutamide include fatigue, arthralgia, rash, decreased appetite, falls, decreased weight, hypertension, hot flush, diarrhea, and fracture.

Precautions

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ICD codes

CodeTypeDescription
Metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer
C61ICD10CMMalignant neoplasm of prostate
Z19.1ICD10CMHormone sensitive malignancy status
Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
C61ICD10CMMalignant neoplasm of prostate

ICD code information from First Databank (FDB).

Formulary status

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Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data