Randomized Pharmacokinetic Study of a Highly Purified Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and of a Recombinant Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Following Single Subcutaneous Administration in Healthy Women

Abstract

Background and objectives: Exogenous human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) acts on the final phase of the follicle maturation. Choriomon®, a highly purified hCG formulation, is approved in many European and extra-European countries for the induction of ovulation after stimulation of follicular development. The present study compares hCG bioavailability of Choriomon® (Test product) versus a recombinant hCG preparation (Ovitrelle®; Reference product).

Methods: In this randomized, two-way cross-over study, 26 healthy women received a single dose of Choriomon® (10,000 IU) and Ovitrelle® (250 µg; 6500 IU) by subcutaneous injection. hCG was determined in serum up to 192 h post-dose. Dose-normalized peak concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration-time curve up to the time of the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0-t) and extrapolated to infinity (AUC0-∞) were calculated and compared between the two treatments.

Results: Serum hCG concentrations increased rapidly with a very similar pharmacokinetic curve for the two products. The test/reference geometric means ratio (GMR) for AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ corresponded to 121.31 and 119.81%, and the upper limits of the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) (130.21% and 128.51%, for AUC0-t and AUC0-∞, respectively) exceeded the 125% bioequivalence threshold. Cmax GMR was 146.89%, indicating a rate of hCG absorption approximately 50% greater for the test product (90% CI 132.30-163.10). Half-life (t1/2) was very similar (36.77 ± 5.11 h and 38.63 ± 6.08 h), whereas time to achieve Cmax (tmax) significantly differed, with median values of 16 h and 24 h for Choriomon® and Ovitrelle®, respectively, (p = 0.0023).

Conclusions: The differences between Choriomon® and Ovitrelle® pharmacokinetic parameters can be ascribed to the different raw source of the products and are reflected in the approved dose regimens of the two hCG formulations. The observed lack of bioequivalence between the two compounds at the given doses is not clinically relevant, as results from Phase III studies indicated similar clinical efficacy and safety. The safety data are in line with the known safety profile of the two products.

Gov registration no: NCT03735030.

Conflict of interest statement

B.C. is an employee of IBSA Institut Biochimique S.A., M.R. and C.L. are employees of CROSS Research S.A., Switzerland, which was contracted by IBSA Institut Biochimique S.A. for the conduction of this study and received financial support for its services. The authors declare that they have no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

© 2022. The Author(s).

Figures

Fig. 1

Study design. hCG human chorionic gonadotropin, PK pharmacokinetics, Test Test product: Choriomon®, R randomization, Ref Reference product: Ovitrelle®

Fig. 2

Mean (±SD) serum hCG original concentrations (IU/L) vs. time profiles. Logarithmic/linear scale (N = 24). h hours, hCG human chorionic gonadotropin, IU/L international units/litre, Test Test product: Choriomon®, Ref Reference product: Ovitrelle®