Ezetimibe does not blunt the HDL-raising effect of dalcetrapib, and each drug leaves the other pharmacokinetics largely unchanged (Br J Clin Pharmacol 2010)

Aims: Dalcetrapib, which targets cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity, is in development for prevention of cardiovascular events. Because dalcetrapib will likely be prescribed with other lipid-modifying therapies such as ezetimibe, a study was performed to investigate potential pharmacokinetic interactions between dalcetrapib and ezetimibe. Lipids changes and tolerability were secondary endpoints.

Methods: Co-administration of dalcetrapib 900 mg (higher than the phase III dose) with ezetimibe was investigated in a three period, three treatment crossover study in healthy males: 7 days of dalcetrapib, 7 days of dalcetrapib plus ezetimibe, 7 days of ezetimibe alone. A full pharmacokinetic profile was performed on day 7 of each treatment.

Results: Co-administration of dalcetrapib with ezetimibe was associated with minimal changes in dalcetrapib exposure compared with dalcetrapib alone. Least squares mean ratio (LSMR) (90% confidence interval) was 93.6 (87.1, 100.7) for AUC(0,24 h) and 99.0 (85.2, 115.0) for C(max) . Ezetimibe exposure was reduced with co-administration of ezetimibe with dalcetrapib compared with ezetimibe alone: LSMR 80.3 (74.6, 86.4) for AUC(0,24 h) and 88.9 (80.9, 99.9) for C(max) for total ezetimibe. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol increases associated with co-administration of dalcetrapib with ezetimibe (+29.8%) were comparable with those with dalcetrapib alone (+25.6%), while the reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with co-administration (-35.9%) was greater than with ezetimibe alone (-20.9%). Dalcetrapib was generally well tolerated when administered alone and when co-administered with ezetimibe.

Conclusion: Co-administration of dalcetrapib with ezetimibe was not associated with clinically significant changes in pharmacokinetic parameters or tolerability and did not diminish the lipid effects of either drug.