Levels of Raltegravir in the Female Genital Tissue

Modeling Intracellular and Extracellular Raltegravir (RAL) Pharmacokinetics in the Female Genital Tract and Blood After a Twice Daily 400mg Dose Over the Course of a Menstrual Cycle

This study is an investigation of the pharmacokinetics of raltegravir in the tissue of the female genital tract to determine if twice-daily dosing of 400mg achieves adequate drug levels to prevent viral integration of HIV-1. The study will also assess whether drug levels change in the tissue across the different phases of the menstrual cycle.

• Hypothesis #1: Twice daily dosing with raltegravir 400mg will result in intracellular concentrations that should be sufficient to suppress HIV-1 replication throughout the menstrual cycle.
• Hypothesis #2: Intracellular genital raltegravir peaks will be lower and troughs higher compared to extracellular concentrations in the plasma and PMBCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells).
• Hypothesis #3: Intracellular raltegravir concentrations will be slightly lower during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle due to cellular pumps such as p-glycoprotein, which are present in higher numbers during periods of high progesterone.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: HIV
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Raltegravir

Detailed Description

HIV-1 is shed in genital secretions which increase the risk of transmission between sexual partners and from mother to infant. Antiretroviral medication taken prior to exposure to HIV-1 can prevent viral transmission from a mother to her infant. Raltegravir (RAL), by blocking integration of viral cDNA into the host's genome, makes an excellent candidate for preventing HIV-1 infection. RAL is licensed for treatment with twice-daily dosing based on plasma trough concentrations; however, intracellular concentrations of RAL which are relevant to blocking infection of cells have not been previously studied. P-glycoprotein pumps, which are involved in regulating drug absorption and metabolism, can influence intracellular drug concentrations. P-glycoprotein concentrations appear to vary with menstrual cycle suggesting it may affect intracellular drug concentration of RAL in women.

Women will be enrolled in the study and followed during the course of a menstrual cycle while taking a dose of 400mg PO twice daily. An initial screening visit will be performed prior to enrollment and participation in the study. Review of medical history as well as blood and urine collection will occur during the screening visit. Once enrolled, participants will have blood and genital tract samples collected once a week for four weeks to assess intracellular concentrations of RAL in the blood and genital tract tissue.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Washington
    • Seattle, Washington, United States, 98195
      • University of Washington, Clinical Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria

Volunteers must be:

• Over 18 years of age.
• Willing to abstain from sexual intercourse during course of study.
• Able to commit to follow-up visit schedule.
• Willing to abstain from use of vaginal medications or creams 48 hours prior to follow-up visits.
• Willing and able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Volunteers will not be eligible for the study if they:

• Are over 50 years of age.
• Are pregnant, attempting to become pregnant, or breast-feeding.
• Have irregular menstrual bleeding.
• Are using a hormonal form of birth control.
• Have abnormal liver/kidney function test results at screening visit.
• Have HIV-positive test result at screening visit.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: All; All patients were part of the intervention arm, as this was a pharmacokinetic study. All women took Raltegravir 400mg orally, twice daily for 3 weeks.	Drug: Raltegravir; Dosage: 400mg/PO (by mouth) Frequency: Twice daily Duration: During course of menstrual cycle (28 days); Other Names: Isentress

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Tissue Raltegravir Concentrations	Mean trough concentration from all three days. Tissue concentrations are measured from cervical biopsy homogenate using a mass-spectroscopy-based method.	7, 14, 21 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Plasma Raltegravir Concentrations	Mean trough concentration from all 3 days	7, 14, 21 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Washington
• Collaborators: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Caroline Mitchell, MD, University Washington; Principal Investigator: Lisa Frenkel, MD, Seattle Children's Research Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 30, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): April 1, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 19, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 18, 2014
• Last Verified: December 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pharmacokinetics; Raltegravir
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Anti-Infective Agents; Antiviral Agents; Enzyme Inhibitors; Anti-HIV Agents; Anti-Retroviral Agents; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; Integrase Inhibitors; Raltegravir Potassium
• Other Study ID Numbers: 38681-D